We are almost at the close of 2019. Many would agree it has been an odd year in a variety of ways. Our country has felt unstable with its current leadership and that has created all kinds of bizarre undercurrents. I encourage you to look back on all of the positive things that happened in your life this year, all of your accomplishments in all facets of your life. [ Read More ]
Ocean Conferences in 2020
I have always loved oceans. They represent freedom, wild beauty, places beyond. They are also critical to humans in countless ways. As some of you know, I worked in ocean conservation for two years a few years back. It was eye-opening and I am grateful for all the people who shared their knowledge of the oceans with me. I also like technology and have worked in that industry for more than 25 years. So, of course, ocean technology companies have always been of interest, especially ones trying to help sustain our oceans. [ Read More ]
Elite All-Female Anti-Poaching Team in Africa
There is a team of elite all-female rangers in Zimbabwe who are protecting Africa’s ecosystems from poachers, specifically rhino and elephant poachers. They are badass to say the least. So far, these Akashinga rangers have arrested 150 poachers and not a single poacher has been killed. Strong, resilient, amazing women who are not only saving critical wildlife from death, they are demonstrating the immense value of empowering women. [ Read More ]
Brief Report on the GeekWire Summit
I recently attended the two-day GeekWire Summit in Seattle. It was well worth my time and great to hear what some of the biggest names in the Seattle tech industry had to say. For full coverage of the speeches, go to GeekWire. One thing that was said multiple times throughout the conference was to take risks and don’t be afraid to fail. Cheers to that! Below (and above) are some photos I took. There were many more speakers, but this will give you a feel for it. [ Read More ]
Reinventing Marketing: My Musings
I love the hot summer months and all the daylight. It gives me time to think aimlessly about life, my business and the industry I am in. There is a lot of talk these days about the evolution of marketing and I started to ponder it at random times. Below is a collection of my thoughts, both about what changed over the last several years and what to expect in the future. [ Read More ]
Pedaling with a Purpose
These past few summers, I have been cycling with a team called “Spin.” “Pedal with Purpose” is the heartfelt slogan of our team, which is currently more than 75 people strong. We are all about supporting causes around the area, including Bike Works, the Rivkin Center, the CF Ride, the MS Ride and Cycle the Wave. Since its inception seven or eight years ago, the Spin team has raised a total of more than half a million dollars for these causes, and we also donate our time. [ Read More ]
PR Expert’s Take on the Democratic Debate
There is nothing like a presidential race to demonstrate the importance of a personal brand and the nuance of communications. As a PR expert in Seattle, it was easy to pick up on things in the Democratic debate last night that would help and/or hurt a candidate. [ Read More ]
Humbled by the Beauty of Southern Utah
I have traveled to more than 40 countries and always was a bit of a snob about traveling in the U.S., but my recent trip to Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks changed all that. [ Read More ]
Negotiating Coverage in Drone and Robotics Media
DroneHive is a company I have worked with on and off for more than a year. Their founder and CEO Paul Huish is a gem, and he is as kind as he is smart. His company now has more than 700 professional drone operators around the United States who can be quickly deployed for corporations that want expert services for aerial data collection. Paul called about a month ago and told me how his team had partnered with SiteAware to do maintenance inspections of the 1070’ Salesforce Tower, the tallest building in San Francisco. [ Read More ]
How to Maximize the ROI of Media Coverage
Here’s hoping your year is off to a great and prosperous start! As you think about how to allocate your marketing budget this year, consider the immense ROI (return-on-investment) of a piece earned media coverage. [ Read More ]