PR for Humans with Mike Sergeant

Francesco Lombardo is a much-sought after international speaker and trusted advisor who has coached some of the world’s most successful and affluent families for over twenty years. Through his extensive work with  families, Lombardo has identified a universal connection between people’s relationship to money (Money Motto) and the impact this has on their families, businesses and legacies.His methodology and coaching approach - finding 'safe space' - is also highly valuable for communicators, business leaders and anyone who wants to know how to own and control their story. 

Inbound PR refers to a new way of thinking about modern Public Relations. Inbound PR combines the best of two worlds - PR's core strength in content and writing and inbound marketing's ability to plan with numbers in mind and measure throughout the way. With the Inbound PR concept, PR people continue to focus on what they are great at (content) but also manage to alleviate the industry's biggest challenge - measurement and proving bottom line results. Iliyana Stareva is Global Partner Program Manager at HubSpot, where she plans and executes cross-functional change across global teams and drives all internal communication for the Partner Program. With a background in PR and agency business consulting as well as a fluent speaker and writer in Bulgarian, English, and German, she is the author of Inbound PR, Social Media and the Rebirth of PR and Social Media: Key for Sustainability Communications.

In this episode, Mike talks to Shimon Cohen - Founder and Chairman of The PR Office. Shimon is a rarity in the PR world: someone who actually seems proud to be doing PR! While most agencies seem to be busy trying to reinvent themselves as 'digital influencers' or 'content strategists' or 'insight specialists' or 'strategic consultants', Shimon provides clients with "what they actually want" - which, in his view, is always either to be in the news or out of the news. To be talked about. Or to get people to stop talking about them. In his varied career, Shimon has advised a wide range of clients ranging from Governments and multinational corporations to public and voluntary sector organisations. Prior to founding The PR Office in 2004, Shimon served as Chief Executive of Bell Pottinger Public Relations and before that Shimon was Executive Director at The Office of the then Chief Rabbi, Lord Jakobovits.In one memorable story, Shimon recounts how he came to write a speech for Nelson Mandela and then advise Madiba on how to deliver it!

Global charities and NGOs haven't escaped reputational scrutiny in recent years. As global communications director for Save the Children International, Kirsten Walkom is steering a new approach to storytelling and communications. The sector remains heavily reliant on powerful case studies and a sense of 'doing good'. But new levels of transparency and scrutiny mean that organisations like Save the Children have to be more agile and sophisticated in their public engagement. This episode is a must-listen for anyone thinking of going into charity comms, or anyone who wants to understand the fascinating challenge of steering the reputation of a major international charity.Issues heavy - but light in texture: listen to Mike and Kirsten in conversation! 

Annastiina Hintsa – the Chief Operating Officer of Hintsa Performance and the daughter of the company’s founder Dr Aki Hintsa – talks about the history of the Hintsa approach to wellbeing. From Ethiopia to the top of Formula 1 motorsport and into the boardrooms of the world, Stiina's mission is to help us optimise rather than maximise performance. What does that mean? How do we do it? And why is this important for leadership and communication? Find out in this episode of the podcast.  

Tony co-founded Lansons in 1989 and has advised Governments, organisations and companies on their image and reputation for over 30 years. He has an active non executive career and has been named by Debrett’s as one of the 500 most influential people in the UK.Tony is Chief Executive and retains an active consultancy role across a range of Lansons clients. His work is split between building reputations for organisations growing rapidly in the market and protecting the reputations of those with a leading position to maintain. His specialisms include launches, M&A, IPOs and crisis and issues management. He also advises Prime Ministers, Chairs and CEOs on personal reputation.He was commissioned by the UK’s PRCA (Public Relations & Communications Association) and the global ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation) to write their guide to Reputation Management, published by Emerald Publishing in December 2018.

Farzana Baduel is the founder and CEO of Curzon PR. As a passionate advocate of strategic communications, she champions the power of PR as a dynamic force for building bridges and unifying the world’s voices into a global narrative. She set up Curzon PR in 2009, having previously served as Vice Chair of Business Relations for the UK Conservative Party.Farzana has been appointed as the resident public relations expert and ambassador for the Oxford Foundry, the University of Oxford’s entrepreneurship centre, where she delivers masterclasses in PR and mentors female entrepreneurs. She is a committed campaigner for the economic empowerment of women. She is the founder of TiE Women (London). TiE is the largest global entrepreneur network in the world.

In the first podcast of 2019, Mike shares his excitement about the launch of his book PR for Humans. He outlines the principles in the book: how business leaders tell powerful stories. Enjoy. Please rate, review and share. 

Mike talks PR, leadership and stories with one of the world's foremost experts: Kevin Murray - executive coach, communications adviser, author, and speaker.Kevin's mission to make leaders more inspiring and authentic communicators. He does this through coaching, and training, and by writing books that can help leaders everywhere.Kevin is the author of three books: "Language of Leaders” , and “Communicate to Inspire” and "People with Purpose" all of which focus on how managers can use the soft skills that enable and encourage super performance.In this podcast he reveals his secrets and the indispensable advice that all leaders need to communicate with passion and conviction. 

In this episode we dive into the world of photography with Mike's old friend and colleague Chris Booth. Mike and Chris worked together on the intake desk at APTV back in 1997 and later found themselves in Baghdad with the BBC at the peak of the post-conflict violence. After leaving the BBC and during a spell at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Chris found a new passion in photography - where his eye for a story has delivered some remarkable images. We talk about the role of the picture in the world of PR and comms and how stills photography measures up against video. Chris uses photography as a form of therapy too - a way of processing a troubled world...and seeing the beauty too.

For over 20 years, Lisa has coached actors (many have starred in leading roles in Hollywood films, West End productions and highly rated TV dramas), politicians, executives and public speakers. She runs RADA's “Executive Presence for Women” training. In this episode she tells Mike about ways to Increase personal impact, craft powerful stories and present confidently - how to become a memorable Public Speaker and stand out as the dynamic expert within a crowded marketplace. An episode crammed with tips and advice, helping you to cut through and be remembered.

Mike talks stories with the author of 'The Charmed Life of Alex Moore" - the wonderful Molly Flatt. It's her debut novel and, without giving too much away, is unexpected and challenging and has some rather deep things to say about character and story. Molly started out in drama school before becoming a digital 'word of mouth' marketing expert. Then onto novel writing and digital publishing. This podcast is about the intersection between real stories and the (sometimes) pretend world of social media. Brilliant.

In this episode Mike gets some much-needed fashion advice from Lizzie Edwards - style consultant to senior business leaders. Lizzie's first book, 'Look Like The Leader You Are; A Seven Step Style Strategy For Ambitious Women', is published this month - June 2018.Mike and Lizzie discuss clothes, image and appearance in a fun episode. Important stuff here because - like it or not - the way you look is a massive part of communication.

In this episode Mike talks to Lucina Bruce-Gardyne - founder of Genius Foods. Lucinda started Genius after failing to find quality gluten-free bread for he gluten intolerant son. In this episode, Mike and Lucinda explore the nature of entrepreneurship. How Lucinda came up with the idea, and the core belief that she needed to turn Genius into a £30m business. Great life lessons, from a passionate business leader!

This time we're turning the tables on Paul Blanchard, host of the wildly popular Media Masters podcast. In his time, Paul has interviewed everyone who's anyone in global media. He's also a 'PR consigliere' to global CEOs and business leaders. This episode is a treat! We range freely across communications, podcasting and life - from that rare creature in the PR world. Someone who actually started out running a real business and then built his own agency from scratch.

Mike discusses business, entrepreneurship and communications with Hazel Moore, the chairman of FirstCapital - an international investment bank headquartered in London with offices in Silicon Valley. In this episode we talk about communication from a financial perspective, learn some life lessons from a top business leader, and ask how the financial industry can work for women. Hazel was awarded an OBE in 2017 for services to innovation and entrepreneurship. She's one of the country's leading specialists in M&A, technology and Private Equity.

This is a real navel gazer! A podcast episode about podcasting. My guest this week is Richard Miron - the founder and owner of Earshot Strategies - a podcast strategy and production business. Richard spent 17 years at the BBC as a radio producer and foreign correspondent and then 10 years at the UN & World Bank as a senior communications official. This week on the show, we share stories and talk about the power or stories. We make audio about the power of audio. Why are we seeing an explosion of podcasts? What can we learn in the UK from the best American podcasters? What's the future of the podcast? Richard has an engaging story and is passionate about this subject. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Mike talks video and storytelling with former Sky News colleague and presenter Chris Roberts. Chris spent more than 20 years on the frontline of international television news, first with ITN and then Sky as a senior reporter and presenter. He covered major news stories across the globe including the fall of the Berlin Wall, conflicts in Europe, Africa and Middle East, 9/11 and the Asian tsunami. Since launching InVision in 2011, he’s worked with a wide range of FTSE 250 companies, financial services firms and third sector organisations helping them tell their story through media training and video content.

In this episode, Mike talks to Richard Skinner - Director of the Fiction programme at the Faber Academy and a tutor on its celebrated 6-month 'writing a novel' course. He's published a number of novels and volumes of poetry. He talks to Mike about the elements of storytelling, character and plot. A rich and wide-ranging conversation, with much to stimulate storytellers of all backgrounds - in both fiction, non-fiction, business and communications.

Mike talks visual storytelling with the wonderful Marcia Williams. She's the writer and illustrator of around 60 delightful children's books on subjects like the Greek Myths, the Romans, the Canterbury Tales and war stories. In this episode, we discuss the craft of visual storytelling. What comes first: the words or the pictures? And what might the lessons be for storytellers in other walks of life, including the business world?