Stories and Strategies

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Channel • 14 Shows

Parenting

Parenting

Monthly
Marketing

Marketing

Updated weekly
Mental Health

Mental Health

Updated twice weekly
Business

Business

Updated 04/11/2025
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 30 Mar
Business

Business

Twice monthly
Investing

Investing

Updated 24/06/2024

12 May

How Behavioral Science Can help PR Pros Understand Motivation and Decision-Making

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Your client is wrong. You know it. They know it, somewhere underneath the certainty. And you have two choices. You can tell them they're wrong, which will end the conversation and cost you the relationship. Or you can find the thing they want more than being right and take them there instead. This is something most communications professionals learn the hard way and never quite put into words. Every difficult client, every resistant leader, every person digging into a position that will hurt them, they are not just wrong. They are running two competing motivations at the same time. The need to be right. And the need to succeed. And those two things are almost never the same thing. The PR professional who understands that distinction doesn't argue. They redirect. And the client ends up exactly where you needed them to go, convinced it was their idea all along. Listen For 4:40 Can communicators actually motivate people to act? 7:17 Is PR returning to behavioral science, or losing its way? 8:55 What are system one, system two, and system three thinking? 11:17 How do you challenge a client without losing trust? 14:08 Will AI replace PR professionals or reveal who thinks strategically? Guest: Roger Hurni, Founder & Chief Brand Strategist, Off Madison Ave Website | Agency | LinkedIn Outthink. Outperform. Transform Your Organization Through Behavioral Marketing Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com Support the show

12 May

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21 min
13 Jan

Too Old for Public Relations? Why Age is Still the Industry’s Blind Spot

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode It doesn’t matter whether you’re 25 or 55. If you speak and people listen politely but not seriously, it hurts. Too young to be trusted. Too old to be creative. The message lands the same way. You are not seen. You are not heard. You are not valued. Ageism cuts in both directions and it leaves a quiet bruise that people carry long after the moment passes. How does this happen in Public Relations, a profession built on understanding people? It does. And ageism is a major component of the profession. That’s why a Cultural Reset is needed. Listen For 4:50 What does a "cultural reset" in PR mean when addressing ageism? 7:30 How does ageism quietly impact training and promotion in PR agencies? 9:54 Do certain sectors of PR treat older professionals more fairly than others? 15:55 Will AI help or hurt age diversity in PR careers? 17:25 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Guest Cindy Lang Guest: Jenny Manchester Centre for Ageing Better Website | LinkedIn Jenny’s Report An age-old problem: What can we do to tackle ageism in PR? Follow Farzana on Substack Follow Doug on Substack Curzon Substack Stories and Strategies Website Curzon Public Relations Website Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Support the show

13 Jan

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21 min
31 Mar

The New Role of Public Relations | Ipsos

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Public relations used to be seen as the function that shaped the message after the decisions were made. That is not enough anymore. In a world shaped by geopolitical shocks, cultural division, AI disruption, and rising reputational risk, communications leaders are being pulled closer to the centre of power. They are no longer just storytellers or spokespersons. They are becoming strategic sensemakers: the people expected to read the moment, interpret the pressure, and help leadership decide what to say, what to do, and sometimes whether to say anything at all. Our job is evolving to help brands survive the storm. If you work in PR, corporate affairs, or communications leadership, this episode will feel familiar fast, because it names the job as it is now, not as it used to be. And if you have not yet felt that shift in your own role, you will soon. Listen For 3:00 How Has the PR Professional Evolved into a Strategic Sense-Making Role? 5:58 When Should CEOs Speak Out. And When Should They Stay Silent? 10:23 What Is Strategic Ambiguity, and Why Are Companies Using It Now? 13:09 What Skills Do Future PR Professionals Need to Succeed? 15:01 How Do Communication Leaders Really Feel About AI? Guest: Tom Fife-Schaw, Uk Managing Director of Corporate Reputation, Ipsos Email | LinkedIn | Navigating Through Turbulence Report Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com Support the show

31 Mar

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24 min
26 May

The Human Blind Spot in Crisis Communications

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode There is a prayer that crisis communicators have been quoting for decades. “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” It sounds right. It feels grounding. But maybe it’s been pointing us in the wrong direction the whole time. The problem is the concept of CONTROL. Because control, in a crisis, is a myth. And every strategy built on the assumption that you can control the outcome of a crisis is a strategy built on sand. Let’s replace that idea with INFLUENCE. Doing that replaces an entire philosophy. Alongside that shift comes something more uncomfortable… the suggestion that when a crisis hits, the quality of your advice has almost nothing to do with your frameworks, your playbook, or your years of experience. It has to do with who you are as a human being. As a parent. As a citizen. As a person who is also living through the same world your client is trying to navigate. The professional and the person are not separate. And pretending they are, may be the most dangerous crisis communication strategy of all. Listen For 3:41 Why Are Global Risks Becoming More Connected and Harder to Manage? 6:09 Is Employee Mental Health a Bigger Business Risk Than AI? 9:32 Why Do Companies Know the Risks but Still Fail to Prepare? 11:20 What Is “Agency” in Crisis Communications and Why Does It Matter? 14:29 How Can Leaders Use Empathy and Understanding to Respond to a Crisis? Guest: Rod Cartwright, Principal, Rod Cartwright Consulting Email | Website | LinkedIn 2026 Reputation, Risk, and Resilience Report Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com Support the show Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com Support the show

26 May

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21 min
14 Apr

Why Selling Time Is Killing Your Public Relations Agency

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Every PR firm knows the drill. Client says here's my budget. Firm divides by twelve. Monthly retainer, same amount, January through December, whether the work demands it or not. Need a press release? Flat rate. Need ten? Multiply. Need an editor or a videographer? That's by the hour, and one minute is one hour. The pricing isn't creative. It isn't strategic. It's arithmetic dressed up as a business model. And it worked fine, until AI started doing the arithmetic faster. Suddenly teams are twice as productive in half the time, and if you're still selling hours, you're punishing yourself for getting better. Meanwhile, the client's procurement department is happy to keep paying by the hour, because now those hours cost less. So, who's really winning? The firms who don't rethink how they price will be replaced. Not by AI, but by hungrier competitors who already have. Listen For 3:42 Why Are PR Firms the Least Creative in Pricing? 6:34 Are You Losing Money by Defaulting to Retainers? 9:08 How Should Agencies Identify Where They Create the Most Value? 12:19 How Do You Avoid the “Bait and Switch” With Senior Talent? 15:27 Is AI Killing Hourly Pricing Models for Good? Guest: Blair Enns, Win Without Pitching Website | LinkedIn | Podcast 2Bobs David’s books including Pricing Creativity Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com Support the show

14 Apr

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23 min
6 Jan

Public Relations… Ten Years in the Future

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode This is a special audio time-jump episode. It’s an immersive journey ten years into the future to explore how public relations has managed three of the biggest challenges: the rapid rise of AI, the disappearing entry-level job, and the ongoing gender gap in leadership. Doug and Farzana volunteer for a guided “time crossing” to see how the next generation of PR leaders navigated a decade of disruption. What they find isn’t just smarter tech, it’s smarter systems, layered cities, holographic hosts, and workplaces where AI and humans collaborate with clarity and conscience. This isn’t an episode about how will we fix it, it’s about how they already did… and what we can start implementing right now. Welcome to 2036 Listen For 5:01 How has technology reshaped the world of PR? 6:56 What does it feel like to communicate in a city designed to respond? 9:57 How does personalized media target people in real time? 10:36 What are holographic briefs and how do they change communication? 16:31 Are women finally stepping into more leadership roles? 17:44 How did society move beyond the culture war over being ‘woke’? 12:59 What’s changed most in how we communicate at work? 14:55 What does it take to guide AI with real nuance? 18:18 How is emotional labor being measured, and addressed, in the future? 19:02 What are the future rules of ethical communication with AI? Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Support the show

6 Jan

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23 min
28/11/2025

Are Leaks Strategic PR Tools or Signs of Corporate Decay?

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode This week, we look into the murky ethics of media leaks and their growing role in shaping political, corporate, and cultural narratives. From leaked peace plans that spark international diplomacy to budget details released minutes before parliamentary debate, we dissect whether leaks are ethical whistleblowing or manipulative PR tactics. Farzana argues that leaks often reveal broken internal cultures, while Doug, from a journalistic perspective, explores how leaks are used to test narratives and steer public perception. Also in this episode, David wonders if written reports are becoming relics in a world obsessed with video and visual storytelling. And we ask: Can AI help restore strategic thinking in PR? And should public relations finally be regulated like other professions? Watch/Listen For 1:45 How will AI reshape PR, tactically or strategically? 5:36 Should PR be regulated like law or finance? 9:28 Are media leaks ethical, or just PR strategy? 14:33 Can visual storytelling replace traditional comms? 22:04 Are algorithms killing media access for everyone? The Week Unspun is a weekly livestream every Friday at 10am ET/3pm BT. Check it out on our YouTube Channel or via this LinkedIn channel Folgate Advisors Curzon Public Relations Website Stories and Strategies Website Request a transcript of this livestream Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com Support the show

28/11/2025

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25 min
10 Mar

Synthetic Populations & Their Impacts on Public Relations

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode What if the best market research started by IGNORING what people say? What if, instead, you started modeling them based on proven behaviour? Right down to the regional level? And what if political polling was done this way too A new term is showing up in research and strategy circles with major implications for communicators: synthetic populations. This is not a cheap AI focus group. It is a data-built population model that reflects how people are distributed and behave at scale using high-quality inputs like official statistics, mobility patterns, and registration data, rather than relying only on interviews and surveys. That matters because self-reported data is often aspirational, incomplete, or socially filtered. Synthetic populations offer another path: estimating market potential, testing where campaigns should start, understanding regional differences, and pressure-testing assumptions before rollout. The real question is not just what synthetic populations are, but what happens when strategy shifts from asking people to modeling populations. Listen For 3:07 What’s the difference between a synthetic panel and a synthetic population? 5:13 How can a synthetic population be realistic without using real individuals? 8:49 Why do surveys over-claim luxury brands? And how does official data correct it? 11:58 What did Germany’s flat-rate transit ticket reveal about commuting by region? 14:15 Could synthetic populations change how political polling is done? Guest: Eike Hartmann, Vice President Custom Research & Insights Business at Statista+ Website | LinkedIn White Paper on Synthetic Populations Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com Support the show

10 Mar

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17 min
3 days ago

Why Public Relations May Be the Secret Weapon in AI Search

Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Every PR professional has sat in a meeting where leaders ask you to “show up in AI” Here’s the problem. The AEO/GEO industry has built an entire measurement apparatus around citations… the moment an AI visibly names your brand. But the research shows that moment is essentially an echo of a decision that was already made, upstream, in conversations that left no trace. Brands have been optimizing for the receipt, when the purchase decision happened days ago. The deeper irony is that the work which does move the needle in those invisible conversations looks exactly like what PR teams have always done. Original research. Expert voice. Earned credibility. Third-party validation. The toolkit that has historically been the hardest to attribute is, it turns out, the one doing the most work in the AI era. The people who were always right about what good looks like just never had the data to prove it… until now. Listen For 3:35 Why Does AI Influence Start Before the Conversion Stage? 7:41 Is AEO Really Just Earned Media Strategy in Disguise? 10:09 What Are the Three Levers That Shape AI’s View of a Brand? 13:13 Are “Hey AI” Pages and Schema Tricks Ethical or Effective? 15:49 How Can PR Teams Prove Earned Media Builds AI Influence? Guest: Tom Rudnai, Founder and CEO Demand-Genius Website | X | LinkedIn Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Support the show

3 days ago

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19 min
9 Mar

What It Takes to Start Over in Real Estate After Pre-Con

Dave Bailis spent 22 years in Toronto's pre-construction condo market — and then walked away. Chris Cook sits down with Dave as he makes the pivot to full-service resale at RE/MAX Hallmark, unpacking what it actually means to rebuild a real estate business from the ground up when the market you knew no longer exists. From the collapse of the investor-driven pre-con model to the surprising power of old-school open houses, Dave shares an honest account of what it's like to go from being an employee of a sales machine to becoming the product himself. If you've ever felt like your business was built on someone else's foundation, this one's for you. Listen For/Watch For :46 Why did Dave Bailis leave pre-construction after 22 years…and what changed? 7:09 What's the real difference between selling pre-construction and building a resale business? 10:54 Are old-school strategies like open houses still worth it for agents today? 17:17 Why would a 22-year real estate veteran join a team instead of going solo? 27:41 How should agents think about tech, AI, and automation in today's market? Connect with guest: David Bailis, Sales Representative | The Halyard Group - RE/MAX Hallmark ® Website | LinkedIn | Email Connect with Chris Cook, Sales Representative | Team Lead at The Haylard Group - RE/MAX Hallmark ® Website | Email

9 Mar

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39 min

Whether your focus is global, or community-targeted, Stories and Strategies produces attention-grabbing podcasts. We take the time to understand your business strategy and how a podcast weaves into that. Then, we develop content that’s engaging, entertaining, and driven by measurable results. Our team is comprised of seasoned professionals in audio and video production, strategic communications and marketing planning, as well as presentation training.

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