The PR Maven Podcast Nancy Marshall
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The PR Maven® Podcast uses a combination of traditional networking techniques and the power of social media to help you build your personal and professional brand. The podcast features interviews with industry leaders, top executives, media personalities and online influencers about public relations and their personal brand. Each week, Nancy Marshall, The PR Maven®, connects with a special guest to talk about their career, and business or organization, as well as the latest news and events that will give listeners a unique perspective on the world of public relations, marketing and personal branding, including actionable takeaways.
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How To Combine PR and Personal Branding To Create Success for Your Business, With Amber Lambke
How can you combine PR and personal branding techniques to make your business successful? In this episode, Amber Lambke, co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, shares her business success story. Amber explains how the topic of grains was missing from conversations, how she helped start Maine Grains, and how she uses speaking engagements to start conversations and inspire others within the industry. In addition, learn who the famous Maine Grains customer is, and how Amber has been on her baking show!
00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven® Podcast
01:26 Introducing Guest: Amber Lambke
03:02 Why Maine Grains Was Started and the Growth of the Company
06:22 How PR and personal branding techniques helped build the brand
11:59 Training employees to represent your brand and company
13:19 How the Kneading Conference inspires others
20:49 Maine Grains’ 10th anniversary
28:39 Amber's Appearance on Martha Stewart’s baking show
30:13 Advice to entrepreneurs on using PR and personal branding
33:42 Helpful Resources
Related Episodes
Episode 219: Growing Your Passion Into a Brand, With Cherie Scott, Founder and Owner of Mumbai to MAINE
Episode 201: How To Change Your Leadership Style for the Better, With Kevin Hancock, Chairman and CEO of Hancock Lumber
Episode 68: What It Is Like To Be An Entrepreneur In Maine, with Julene Gervais, Producer and Host of Greenlight Maine
About Amber
Amber Lambke is co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, Inc., a gristmill housed in a repurposed jailhouse, which has spurred the revival of grain production in Maine. A driving force behind Maine’s sustainable foods movement, she has been a leader in bringing economic vitality back to Skowhegan, Maine, by reviving the region’s grain growing and processing industry. She was also the founding director of the Maine Grain Alliance, a nonprofit geared toward preserving regional grain traditions from earth to table. -
How to Adapt to Changing Customer Preferences, With Dana Bullen
From running the rental shop at Sugarloaf to becoming president of Sunday River, Dana Bullen joins Nancy to talk about his career in the ski business. While it may have been all about the snow when he started his career, Dana describes how people also take their experience into consideration, from the food to guest services. It all comes back to the snow at the end of the day, so Dana describes the importance of snowmaking and how Sunday River shares the snow conditions with its audience.
00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast
01:40 Introducing Guest: Dana Bullen
05:06 How Dana knew he wanted to be the president of a ski resort
07:20 Building the Sunday River brand
10:27 Adapting to Changing Marketing Techniques
14:48 Dana’s Personal Brand
19:35 The importance of snowmaking at Sunday River
24:02 How Sunday River promotes snowmaking
26:39 Training team members to achieve a common vision
32:01 Helpful Resources
Related Episodes
Episode 104: How To Grow an Already Established Brand With Karl Strand
Episode 249: Spreading Inclusion and Acceptance Through Storytelling, With Lisa and Scott Wentzell and Heidi Bullen
Episode 56: Chip Carey, Retired Chief Marketing Officer at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
About Dana
With more than 30 years of ski industry and management experience, Dana Bullen began serving in his current role as resort president of Sunday River in September 2004. He worked his way up the ski-business ladder shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maine Farmington in 1988, holding various positions at Sugarloaf as well. In 2017, he was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. A native of Farmington, Maine, Dana enjoys skiing, fishing, hunting and the Maine outdoors.
Bonus Q&A
1. Dana, the pandemic and climate change are both impacting your business. How is Sunday River responding to the challenges and opportunities presented by these external factors?
The ski business like any outdoor-based industry adapts to outside influences constantly. The Sunday River team is made up of seasoned veterans who embrace the need to constantly improve to meet the needs of our guests. The great news is that we still get to live and play in the outdoors.
2. Sunday River continues to expand and evolve, which is so impressive! How do you manage your team so they are all focused on the same goals?
Sunday River has a team of 1,000 leaders. The best example of this was their reaction to the devastating storm in December 2023. We had washed out roads, culverts, bridges, buildings and ski-related infrastructure. Within 24 hours all roads were passable and within 00 hours (about 4 days) we were open for skiing again. This did not happen with one person leading or even 50 people leading. It happened because all 1000 folks were moving in the same direction, working independently in their respective areas of expertise but also mindful of the collective good of the team. We had a team member who was stranded in the hotel, cut off from the resort, with a washed-out bridge that first night of the storm. They need their medicine. Without encouragement or direction, two team members (one who was a raft guide) took it upon themselves to go get the medicine and raft it across. That is the best example I can share of folks leading on their own. We are blessed with so many of these folks.
3. What is the most impactful thing that Sunday River has done to grow its customer base and continue to grow the business?
While we continue to improve our snowmaking and create the most modern lift system in the East, the IGLU we built this year was unique and took on a life of its own. -
How To Grow an Already Established Brand With Karl Strand
In this episode, Karl Strand shares the path his career has taken to become the general manager at Sugarloaf. Karl explains how his parents’ love of restaurants led him to a career in food and beverage operations, which also led him back to Sugarloaf, where he discovered his love of skiing in his younger years. After working his way up, Karl became the general manager at Sugarloaf. Nancy and Karl reminisce and share stories as well as talk about the powerful Sugarloaf brand and community. Karl also talks about plans for the future.
00:00 Introducing Guest: Karl Strand
01:45 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast
02:46 How Karl’s Parents’ Love of Restaurants Led to His Career Path
06:25 The Benefits of a Well-Rounded Background in a Leadership Position
07:32 The Sugarloaf Community
12:14 How To Engage Audiences of All Ages
14:22 The Legend of Paul Shipper
17:05 Sugarloaf’s Powerful Brand Symbol
23:35 Instilling Company Values in Employees
30:10 The Values of Surveys for Decision-Making
33:12 Sugarloaf’s 2030 Plan
39:00 Helpful Resources
Related Episodes
Episode 56: Chip Carey, Retired Chief Marketing Officer at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Episode 164: It’s Not Just About the Snow Anymore: How to Adapt to Changing Customer Preferences, With Dana Bullen, President of Sunday River
Episode 249: Spreading Inclusion and Acceptance Through Storytelling, With Lisa and Scott Wentzell and Heidi Bullen
About Karl
After graduating from Bryant University, Karl Strand entered the lodging industry and soon discovered his passion for food and beverage operations. This led him to work in fine dining venues in nearly every region of the United States, and toward his completion of studies at the Culinary Institute of America. Karl began his career at Sugarloaf and Sunday River in 2004 when he was hired as Vice President of Lodging and Property Management for both resorts. He has held a leading role in managing key segments of Sugarloaf and Sunday River's operations. In April 2015, Karl was promoted to the position of Sugarloaf’s general manager.
Bonus Q&A
1. Tell us about your expansion plans on West Mountain and where you stand in the process currently.
Bucksaw Express and the West Mountain Trails opened on February 16, 2024. The ribbon cutting and opening to date have been a tremendous success with lots of positive feedback. The addition of nine new trails and a high-speed quad increases our capacity and helps spread out the number of guests we can accommodate both in terms of trails and lift lines. It’s notably the largest single-year terrain expansion done in the East, at least since the 1970s.
The new zone provides opportunities for future growth, including summer weddings at Bullwinkle’s and real estate development.
All trails as part of the West Mountain Expansion were intentionally designed for those who like to cruise and keep it mellow. All are green circle terrain except two, so it bodes well for families and those just learning to ski or for those that prefer easier terrain. It’s unlike anything we have at Sugarloaf and changes the way we ski/ride our mountain.
2. What is it about Sugarloaf that continues to draw more and more skiers and snowboarders every year?
Community. The community and varied terrain. It’s a real skiers’ mountain, and with the addition of West Mountain, we truly have it all. From above tree line skiing to now wide-open mellow cruisers, Sugarloaf has the opportunity to attract even more people here and keep them coming back.
3. What events do you have planned for 2024 that you are most excited about?
Resort activations have been building off the excitement and success of our annual Spring Reggae Festival by adding new events like EDM (Electr -
Does Public Relations Play a Role for Churches and Religious Ministries? With Liz Williams
In this PR Maven® Podcast episode, host Nancy Marshall sits down with Liz Williams, the communications manager for the Episcopalian Diocese of Georgia to discuss her journey to this unique position. Liz elaborates on her journey from a marketing undergraduate to eventually working in the church's youth and children ministries. She also recounts her experience with a non-profit for mental and behavioral health before becoming communications manager. Nancy and Liz discuss the varied responsibilities, including managing social media, public relations and larger church communications. Their discussion also touches on the upcoming Episcopalian Communicators Conference, set to take place in Portland, Maine. The conference's aim is to build community amongst communicators and equip them with crucial tools. Liz discusses the importance of crisis communication within the church community, and Nancy provides details about her upcoming keynote and crisis communications workshop.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:18 Liz Williams: Her Journey and Role in the Episcopalian Diocese of Georgia
02:21 The Importance of Communication in Ministry
04:14 The Role of Branding and Social Media in Evangelism
05:32 Details about the Upcoming Episcopal Communicators Conference
08:12 Choosing Conference Locations and the Excitement for Portland, Maine
10:45 The Importance of Crisis Communications in the Church
16:12 Break and Book Promotion
17:08 The Power of Personal Branding and Networking
24:34 The Importance of Empathy and Compassion in Crisis Communications
24:39 Details about the Crisis Communications Workshop
30:34 How to Register for the Conference
33:04 Liz's Recommended Podcast and Contact Information
35:18 Closing Remarks and Anticipation for the Conference
About Liz
Liz Williams is the communications manager for the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. She has a deep passion for the church and its liturgy, hymns and compassion for others. Liz has served in various positions within the church and has found her calling in ministry and communications. She has also worked for a nonprofit in mental and behavioral health for children and families.
Liz's career path led her to her current role as the communications manager for the diocese. She is excited about the upcoming Episcopal Communicators Conference in Portland, Maine, where she will be a keynote speaker and workshop presenter. Liz emphasizes the importance of personal branding and growing a network of connections.
She believes in the power of listening and making others feel seen and heard. Additionally, Liz will be co-presenting a crisis communications workshop, where she will discuss the importance of empathy, compassion and planning in effectively communicating during times of crisis. -
How To Positively Impact Lives Everyday Starting With How You Treat Your People With Sean Riley
In this episode, host Nancy Marshall speaks with Sean Riley, president and CEO of Maine Course Hospitality Group (MCHG), about his career and network. Sean explains how his career in hospitality started after having been a high school teacher and the journey his career took before joining MCHG. Sean emphasizes the importance of a strong company culture and an employee first attitude. Social media has made it possible to further engage with employees as well as build a network. Sean describes how he uses social media and how it benefits all of his relationships, personally and professionally.
00:00 Introduction to The PR Maven® Podcast
01:03 Introducing Guest: Sean Riley
03:27 How Sean’s Career Went From Teaching to Hospitality
07:55 Building Company Culture
09:18 Using Social Media To Share Positive Impact
11:43 Doing What Is Important to You
16:24 Building a Personal and Professional Network
19:01 Measuring Success
24:55 How Sean Built His Network
31:29 How Sean Has Fun and Engages With Associates
34:13 How Networking Can Enable You To Learn From Others
About Sean
Sean began his career in hospitality in 1982 as the general manager of a 19-room motel and cottage business in Wells, Maine, that he ran with his wife Dayna while teaching high school special ed. A few years later, with experience running larger hotels, Sean switched full time into the hotel business. After working at a couple of hotels that ended up closing, Sean worked for a bank until MCHG bought their first hotel. Over time, MCHG bought more and more hotels and Sean held many positions throughout the company until becoming the president and CEO. Today, Sean is most proud of the culture that MCHG has created, positively impacting lives every day.
Related Episodes Episode 172: People Over Price, With Tim Winkeler, President and CEO of VIP Tires & Service
Social Media Basics Series: Find All Episodes Here
Episode 104: How to grow an already established brand, with Karl Strand, general manager at Sugarloaf
Bonus Q&A
What is the one thing that MCHG does that has the most impact to make people feel welcome at your hotels?
Simply put, but not always easy to do… take care of our people. They will take care of the guests and the guests will keep coming back.
A culture of caring for our people is a distinguishable difference. Lots do it, but our purpose is “to positively impact lives.” We start that with associates first. We can’t demand that guests be taken care of if we aren’t first caring about our people. Not just with money and benefits, but in caring for them as people. Family is one of our core values and it is commonly used throughout the organization. It’s not just a word on the website or said by me. It is embraced.
Fun is another value that can be seen and felt by guests. And that DEFINITELY has to start at the top. Think about the last time you walked in and someone was having fun and turned to you. The REAL smile, the happy face. It is contagious!
Leaders need to set the pace! I need to set the pace.
How do you keep employees engaged in this era of quiet quitting?
No one is immune from what you called the “quiet quitting.” But if we stay true to our culture and core values, it lessens the chance. Compassion for associates is the right thing to have, and in turn, it creates a caring environment. People need a refuge from their tough lives. Creating a caring environment can help them, not only in the work environment, but in their life outside of work. Long gone are the days of “these are the rules, this is the schedule you are required to work.” Today it’s about flexibility and managing by reason, not by rules. We don’t get it right 100% of the time, but we try.
What are you the most proud of in your hospitality career?
To have pa -
Public Relations and Marketing in the Arts With Raffi DerSimonian
In this episode, Raffi DerSimonian talks about his career doing public relations and marketing of the arts. As a Waterville, Maine, native, Raffi describes the renaissance going on in the city from arts to dining. Music has always been a passion of Raffi’s. He describes his musical career and helping found Waterville Rocks. In addition to doing PR and marketing for the arts, Raffi is experienced in promoting higher education. Raffi shares some advice for schools and colleges to promote themselves as well as what to do when communicating during a crisis.
00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast
01:32 Introducing Guest: Raffi DerSimonian
02:58 The Importance of a Handwritten Note
11:33 How Video Can Drive Measurable Results
18:19 Waterville, Maine’s Renaissance
23:37 How Waterville Rocks Was Founded
24:16 Music’s Role in Raffi’s Life
29:00 Raffi’s Career Marketing the Arts
32:15 Advice for Schools When Promoting Themselves
36:22 Communicating During a Crisis
39:36 Helpful Resources
Related Episodes
Episode 128: The basics of handwritten notes and book writing, with Christine Richards, writer, nonfiction book consultant and graphic designer at Composition1206
Episode 118: How to communicate during a crisis, with Steve McCausland, communications specialist at Marshall Communications
Episode 168: How Marketing Can Help Overcome Challenges in Higher Education, With Cheryl Broom, CEO at Graduate Communications
About Raffi
With over 20 years experience in results-oriented public relations, marketing and communications, Raffi DerSimonian has cultivated a comprehensive understanding of the intersection between institutional marketing, communications, advancement and the arts. His experience includes leading new brand launches, developing marketing strategies, and planning advancement campaigns for a diverse range of institutions and organizations. Via RDS Group, Raffi works in highly collaborative settings, which allows him to effectively navigate a range of complex and large-scale initiatives.
Bonus Q&A
What marketing and PR techniques have you found to be the most impactful over the past year?
The integration of AI tools into our professional practice has been transformative. We're continuously astounded by their capabilities, marking a significant inflection point in virtually every field, and especially marketing, communications, PR and advancement. We view AI not just as a tool but as a paradigm shift, fundamentally changing our approach to our work.
Where will you be focusing your efforts in the year to come?
Our focus remains on leveraging our strengths: helping institutions and organizations amplify their mission by activating the power of strategy, creativity and technology. Our goal is simple: to increase engagement, response and impact.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone getting started in a PR career, what would it be?
My key advice for any aspiring professional is to embrace diversity in your experiences. There's ample time to specialize later. Engage in as many roles and challenges as possible – our field offers vast opportunities to apply your unique skills. Gaining broad experience helps in understanding where your strengths lie and what brings you the most satisfaction and joy in your career.
Customer Reviews
Required Listening
If you want to stay up to date on what’s new and inspiring in the PR world, Nancy Marshall’s podcast is an incredible resource. I don’t know anyone with deeper expertise, and her connection to the New England community is unmatched. HerPR Maven podcast is required listening for anyone interested in marketing, public relations or journalism. There’s value here, too, for entrepreneurs and business leaders: anyone who’sdriven to grow personally and professionally in the year ahead.
Exciting and Innovative!
Every week, the PR Maven podcast highlights useful tips that are relevant to both the professional PR industry, and the average listener’s day-to-day life, with a diverse mix of guests that keep each episode fresh and exciting. Nancy Marshall does a wonderful job leading and facilitating the conversations, and I especially love how each guest is prompted to share current resources or media they have found helpful, as I am always looking for new materials to add to my life. Thank you!
A must-listen.
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