Bryce Austin is a foremost expert, author, keynote speaker and adviser on cybersecurity. As the CEO of TCE Strategy, he is a leading voice on emerging technology and cybersecurity issues. He actively advises the boards of companies in industries as diverse as financial services, retail, health care, technology, e-commerce, and manufacturing. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:Why you should prioritize cybersecurityHow to protect your organization’s dataMost active cybercrimes in 2022Who’s responsible for promoting and managing cybersecurity within your organizationInformation about the chief information security officer and next-generation antivirusQuotables“I had a 15-year career where things were moving up and up and up. And I went from bonus checks to unemployment checks because of the cybersecurity breach.” — @brycea“I decided to start my own company to help other companies understand what these cybersecurity issues are so that they can make good real world decisions about them.” — @brycea“You don't only have an incentive of protecting our corporate brand reputation by doing the right things to protect the company from cybersecurity breaches, but it's also in your best interest from an employment standpoint.” — @jasonmudd9“I'm always talking about the importance of how you behave online or on connected devices at home because there's probably nothing more distracting for a productive employee than to have a personal data breach” — @jasonmudd9“It's something I don't want to minimize, but on the grand scale of bad things that can happen in the world of cybersecurity, losing a credit card is not very high on that list, from one consumer to another.” — @bryceaGuest’s contact info and resources:Bryce Austin’s LinkedInBryce Austin’s TwitterBryce Austin’s WebsiteTCE StrategyBryce Austin's Book: "Secure Enough?: 20 Questions on Cybersecurity for Business Owners and Executives"Additional resources:Have I Been Pwned?"Managing Public Relations in a Crisis” e-bookCrisis Management Webinar Axia Public Relations’ crisis management servicesAxia Public Relations’ cybersecurity experience Episode recorded: Jan. 20, 2022Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Support the show

Our episode guest is Jonathan Osborne, business shareholder and co-chair of White Collar Defense and Investigations with Gunster law firm. Jonathan  tells what to do after alleged or confirmed illegal activity in your organization.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:The first step you need to take when you are aware of the investigationThe difference between a subpoena and a search warrant and what you're allowed to knowThe rights whistleblowers have with your company after communicating an issue with the governmentWhat companies can do to establish communication with employees so they bring up the issue before taking it to the government What you can do with client privilege during an ongoing investigationQuotables“The first call you make is to your trusted legal adviser, whether that's in-house counsel or outside counsel. Even if they're not a criminal attorney or have any experience with these matters, they know through a referral network or just their training and otherwise, their network, to be able to quickly get somebody available.”  — @JonathanOsborne“Having a really robust compliance program that includes training, either from your in-house attorney's team or a compliance team or external counsel and compliance professionals, is key.” — @JonathanOsborne“However, it is important in that moment for everyone that's in that premises to know that they still have their constitutional rights, which include the right to remain silent. They don't have to speak with the agents without an attorney present.” — @JonathanOsborne“The first thing that, you know, even if the government isn't willing to provide any information, is that there's a serious problem at your business.” — @JonathanOsborneAbout Jonathan OsborneJonathan K. Osborne began his practice at Gunster and later returned to the firm after serving in the U.S. Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Florida.Guest’s contact info and resources:Jonathan Osborne's LinkedIn Jonathan Osborne's Bio & Contact Info Additional resources:Gunster Law Firm's WebsiteManaging Public Relations in a Crisis e-bookCrisis Management Webinar Axia's Crisis Management Services 3 Key Ways to Use Social Media for Crisis CommunicationsWhat to Do After a CrisisDefining a Corporate CrisisPrepare Your Company for a Crisis5 Critical Steps to Repairing Your Reputation After a CrisisEpisode recorded: Jan. 20, 2022Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Steve Boehler, Founder of Mercer Island Group. He’s worked with well-known brands such as Tide, Pringles and Jif.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:Why delegation is important for a CMO.What to do before you cut the cord on an old agency or hire a new one.How to manage an already small budget for the best results.How to be ready for the role of CMO.Habits to establish in order to be a successful CMO.Quotables“And so at any given moment in time, it’s normal for a CMO to not feel like they can get it all done, or to feel confident that they even have the right roadmap in place to tackle what they need to do and to do it in the kind of prioritized way that allows them to get their job done.” — @MIG_Steve“You have to be careful to set your own boundaries because you could be putting in that many hours every week, whether you’re driving yourself to do that or your management style is driving you to do that.” — @JasonMudd9“One of the first pieces of advice we give to CMOs is to ensure that they put enough effort and enough time into building effective proxies for themselves.” — @MIG_Steve“It doesn’t mean just delegating; it means building people in a way where you’re confident that they are going to represent the company and the organization the way you need them to.” — @MIG_Steve“It’s okay for them to be fallible. It’s okay for them to not have all the answers. They need to have confidence in what they know, though, and have confidence in how they approach things.” — @MIG_SteveIf you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?About Steve BoehlerSteve Boehler has led consulting teams on behalf of clients as diverse as Nokia, HP, Microsoft, Sprint, Nintendo, Abbott Laboratories and numerous others. He founded MIG after serving as a division president in a Fortune 100 when he was only 32. Earlier in his career, Steve Boehler cut his teeth with a decade in Brand Management at Procter & Gamble, leading brands like Tide, Pringles and Jif.Guest’s contact info and resources:Steve Boehler's Twitter Steve Boehler's LinkedIn Mercer Island Group's WebsiteAdditional Resources:PRSAPRSA Counselors Academy Episode recorded: Dec. 23, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Scott Miller, Special Advisor on Thought Leadership for the Franklin Covey Company and host of their weekly podcast series, On Leadership with Scott Miller. Scott is also the author of several books. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:How to focus on the customer and not just your company's values, goals, missions, etc.Since everyone is an ambassador to your firm, you need individuals to understand where their value proposition is.  Why you need to understand your company’s money-making model and educate your employees on it.How to share information and build relationships with your competition and/or companies in different industries.Why you should hire people who are smarter than you.Quotables“When you own your mess, you make it safe for others to own theirs. Doesn’t every leader wish their team owned all their mistakes and their messes?”— @ScottMiller“Donald Miller, the famous marketing mind that wrote many books, including “Building a StoryBrand,” says, “Most people’s messaging is like a cat chasing a rat in a wind chime factory.” To your point, no one cares why you’re in business or how many locations… when it’s time to expand with you, they might care. But that’s not part of why they’re hiring you.” — @ScottMiller“Everybody is an ambassador for your brand; they should be trained and they should be advised of the responsibility of how they are a brand ambassador for your company. No matter how large or how small.” — @ScottMiller“Everybody’s in sales. Whether your title says it or not.” — @ScottMiller“Great public relations and marketing people have an abundance mentality, not a scarcity mentality.” — @ScottMiller“Tim Ferriss (@tferriss) says, “Delegate, automate…” excuse me, “Eliminate, delegate, automate.” And then I add to that, and then verify, right? Verify it’s actually being done.” — @JasonMudd9“Never stop reading ‘cause it will absolutely build your ability to think and reduce your thoughts to writing. Writing is still such a valuable competency in business.” — @ScottMillerIf you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?Guest’s contact info and resources:Scott J. Miller's Twitter Scott J. Miller's LinkedIn Scott J. Miller's WebsiteScott J. Miller's Podcasts  Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.About Jason Mudd:On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

In this solocast episode, host Jason Mudd describes how to build a brand and reputation for staffing and human resources companies using ADP monthly job reports. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:Build your brand and reputation by providing commentary for the monthly ADP employment reports for a TV station, magazine, newspaper, etc.Get these opportunities by building a relationship with a newsroom reporter or news contact. Connect with them by phone, over lunch, or whatever your style is, but start building connections.After the ADP report is released every month, write and send pitches to your contacts and be consistent with it. Eventually, your contact could use your commentary. If your pitch isn’t used that month, you can still use it for a blog post, social media post, podcast episode, or webinar.Use the information from ADP reports to book yourself and talk to businesses and community groups about what the report data means for their business and for certain jobs. Quotables“I do believe riches are in the niches, and it's a great way to differentiate and eliminate a lot of your competition.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiapr“Either way, you just wanna get on the radar, and the best way to stand out on their radar is to bring a contrarian, provocative, right? Or unique point of view to the table that the existing sources they use do not bring, and that's how you stand out from the clutter.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiapr“Now, again, they might not use you the first time, the second time, the third time, so it's important just to stay in touch and stay relevant.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiapr“There's so many ways you could repurpose this from a news pitch into your own content elsewhere.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiaprIf you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!Episode recorded: October 26,  2021Watch the episode hereGuest’s contact info and resources:Jason's Twitter Jason's LinkedIn Axia Public Relations Additional Resources: ADP National Employment Report Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.About your host, Jason MuddOn Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Alison Taylor of Ethical Systems and Jason Mudd discuss how to tackle ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) in the corporate communications world. Guest:Alison Taylor is the Executive Director of Ethical Systems, a research collaboration based at NYU Stern School of Business. She is also a professor at Stern and is writing a book for Harvard Business Review Press on how companies can do the right thing in a turbulent world. It will be published in 2023.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:What ESG is: a framework for investors to analyze a company’s environment, social, and governance risks and opportunitiesHow to start discussing ESG at your workplaceHow the age of hyper-transparency affects business leadersHow companies can do the right thing in a turbulent world How brands can build and sustain trust Quotables“I would certainly advise companies not to try and boil the ocean, not to try and tick the box on 40 or 50 issues, not necessarily to listen to everybody that's yelling at you, but be really, really focused about how you can make money by providing more value to society or having a better environmental impact.” -@AlisonTaylor“Being transparent is pretty difficult because companies aren't really used to saying, ‘This is hard and we haven't got it right.’ Companies are used to saying, ‘We've got it under control and we're doing our best and here are all the great things we're doing.’ So, I think at the moment, we're in this really problematic situation where transparency is increasing, reputational pressure is increasing, but we don't necessarily have realistic ideas of what a business should and shouldn't be doing. It's really a kind of art form to tell that story well without exaggerating, without lying, without greenwashing, but also not implying that it is a company's job to solve every single social-environmental problem out there.” -@AlisonTaylor“I think both communication and sustainability professionals can end up feeling like Chicken Little, that they're running around the company saying, ‘You got to do this, you've got to do that, the sky is falling in,’ and the reality is you need to pick one to three issues where you're going to try and make a difference.” -@AlisonTaylorIf you’re enjoying the show, please share it with others and leave us a review!Guest’s contact info and resources:Alison on Twitter Alison on LinkedIn Alison’s bio and publications on Ethical SystemsAdditional resources:Business for Social Responsibility: resources for understanding ESG and business sustainabilityEthical Systems' monthly newsletterWatch the episode hereSponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Drew and Susan discuss their findings from the eighth annual Agency Edge Research Series, using input from approximately 1,200 clients in the U.S. spanning multiple industries. This study explores how clients feel about their organization’s ability to endure the recession, the actions they’ve already taken, and how likely they are to make changes that could either positively or negatively affect their agencies.Guests:Susan Baier is the CEO of Audience Audit and has been a marketing strategist and researcher for more than 30 years. She crafts custom attitudinal segmentation research for agencies and marketers for B2C, B2B, and higher-ed organizations including Gap, AT&T, Jayco, Tufts University, and more.Drew McLellan is the CEO of Agency Management Institute and has been in the advertising industry for more than 30 years. He advises hundreds of small- to mid-sized agencies on how to grow and become more profitable.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:The three segments of agency clients: the committed (25%), the concerned (42%), and the close (33%)How to determine which segment a client falls in to best serve them as an agencyThe challenges and opportunities created by clients with a strong preference for in-person agency relationshipsWhy brands are choosing to work with more than one agencyHow the Great Resignation affected agencies and brandsQuotables“We've seen a consistent trend where folks are working with more than one agency. Drew talks about this a lot where it's really not sort of a one-agency world anymore, and agencies need to work with each other on behalf of a client that they're collaborating with.” — @SusanBaier“When an agency says, "We're a full-service integrated agency," clients scratch their heads and say, "How could you possibly be good at everything?" And so, I think the agencies that have specialized, like you have, Jason, give themselves and their clients both an advantage and a relief that you're not trying to be everything to everybody.” — @DrewMcLellan“It's very difficult to see clearly the label on the outside of a bottle when you're inside the bottle. And so, part of what an agency always brings to their clients is an informed outside perspective.” — @DrewMcLellanGuests’ contact info and resources:Susan's Twitter Susan's LinkedInDrew's TwitterDrew's LinkedInAudience AuditAgency Management InstituteAdditional Resources: Agency Edge Research Series Episode recorded: Dec. 1, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.About Your Host:Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies.  He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Thomas Julin, First Amendment attorney, business litigator, and shareholder at Gunster Law Firm. Thomas has more than 30 years of experience advising companies and the media on free speech issues and libel claims.  Topic:In this episode, Gunster’s Thomas Julin and host Jason Mudd share how brands can react to unfair news treatment and important federal statutes that come into play. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:Solutions for handling unfair news media, social media, and web coverageThe difference between brands’ and journalists’ rights and responsibilities How the anti-SLAPP statute and Section 230 in the Communications Decency Act can affect defamation claimsWhat makes someone a public figureHow public comments can harm a libel caseQuotables“The pace of content being developed is unlike anything we've seen before. And there are no signs that it's gonna slow.” — @JasonMudd9 “It's really a whole new ball game now from when I first started off, but I've pretty much seen it all from the beginning.” — @tomjulin“Once a person steps forward and starts commenting publicly, then they're gonna become a public figure. That's gonna make it much, much harder for that person to sue and win a libel case.” — @tomjulinImportant links:Google Scholar: Search “Thomas Julin” to see his cases and “libel and slander” to learn more on the topic. Guest’s contact info and resources:Thomas Julin on LinkedInThomas Julin's bio on the Gunster websiteIf you’re enjoying the vodcast, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?Episode recorded: Nov. 18, 2021Sponsored by:“On Top of PR” is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.“On Top of PR” is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for “On Top of PR” fans.About your host, Jason MuddJason Mudd, “On Top of PR” host, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Christopher Britton, chief operating officer of RockDove Solutions. He has decades of executive leadership experience and is known for creating and improving successful public and private companies, such as AT&T and Rosetta Stone. Topic:Christopher Britton and Jason Mudd discuss best practices for organizations to consider when preparing for inevitable crises. These involve leveraging technology, forming response plans, and practicing within your team.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:Best practices that corporate communications and marketing professionals need to think about when preparing their organization for a crisisHow to leverage technology The importance of breaking down silos from a communications standpoint What In Case of Crisis offers The basics of DIYing a crisis response planQuotables“Communications professionals now need connectivity more so than ever before” — @ChristopherBritton“Technology is what is causing, in many cases, the acceleration of escalations around different events. So, in order to combat that you need technology to create an effective and efficient response.” — @ChristopherBritton“For every dollar spent proactively on crisis planning and management, you'll save $7, according to research, for when you're dealing with a real crisis”  — @JasonMudd9 “One of the biggest challenges we often see is knowing what you need to know when you need to know it. — @ChristopherBrittonImportant links:Special offer for On Top of PR fans: a three-month trial of In Case of Crisis with a $25 Amazon gift cardThe In Case of Crisis website Axia Public Relation’s CrisisPoint, crisis communication management packages Guest’s contact info and resources:Christopher Britton on LinkedIn  Send Christopher Britton an email If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?Episode recorded: Nov 18, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.About your host, Jason MuddOn Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:The role of trust in a relationship with a PR agencyThe importance of enjoying who you work withHow to verify that an agency can do what needs to be doneWhy you should pay attention to what an agency talks about on their websiteHow to determine where you fit in on a list of clientsQuotables“You have to wonder, is this company in a position to grow with us or grow into us, or are we better off finding a company that already has that type of experience and can demonstrate it in their portfolio and case study?” — @jasonmudd9“Life is too short to work with people and companies and organizations that you're not excited about doing business with.” — @jasonmudd9“If you're not finding them talking about it actively, then they're probably not practicing it actively.” — @jasonmudd9“You wanna make sure you're not gonna be their biggest client, and you wanna make sure you're not gonna be their smallest client.” — @jasonmudd9About Jason MuddJason Mudd, APR, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies.Clients love Jason’s passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of technological demands on companies provides his clients in multiple sectors a unique advantage toward reaching their top audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo.At Axia, Jason attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more.Guest’s contact info and resources:Jason Mudd's Twitter Jason Mudd's LinkedIn More about Jason on APR Additional Resources:How to fire your PR firm eBookHiring a PR firm eBook PR firm cost calculator  Episode recorded: October 7, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our guest is Sharon Toerek, intellectual property and marketing law attorney and owner of Toerek Law, a national law firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:Common data compliance mistakes companies makeWhat General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is and its effects on marketers in the United StatesThe importance of a team that can look at consumer data from a marketing, legal, and technological point of viewQuestions brands should be asking to ensure responsible data practicesWhy marketers should have a response plan in place for data inquiriesQuotables“If listeners could come away with one thing from this conversation, it would be to remember that it doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter where your agency is. It matters where your consumer is sitting. And so, if you're that unlucky company who maybe has 10, 20, 100 consumers in Germany on your list, you've got to comply with GDPR.” — @SharonToerek“Ultimately, all roads are going to point back to the brand when it comes to being responsible for complying with the law.” — @SharonToerek“Have a plan ready for how you're going to respond to consumers before you even launch the campaign.” — @SharonToerek“I love it when we take responsibility and we do things ethically as an industry, and we push others to do the same thing. Even if we're dragging people along and trying to get them to come along with us (kicking and screaming), I think it's the right thing to do for the industry.” — @JasonMudd9 If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?About Sharon ToerekOur episode guest is Sharon Toerek, intellectual property and marketing law attorney and owner of Toerek Law, a national law firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. She focuses on clients in the advertising, marketing, and creative services industries, helping creative professionals protect, engage, and monetize their creative assets. Guest’s contact info and resources:Sharon Toerek on Twitter Sharon Toerek on LinkedInMore about Sharon on her blog, Legal + Creative Additional Resources:Previous On Top of PR episode on social media disclosure Episode recorded: Nov 18, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.About your host, Jason MuddOn Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He foReviewMaxer On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxerSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Molly Eyerman, founder and CEO of VIVO Growth Partners. Molly is an HR expert who helps companies recruit, manage, and retain top talent. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:The hidden implications of counteroffers  The most common reasons that people leave their jobsThe benefits of having a performance-based job culture Why discussing compensation on a peer-to-peer level prevents biasThe current trends in benefit programs Quotables“Ask your people what they want because that makes them feel valued and feel that they have a voice in making a decision about what they get.”— @MollyEyerman “All of the different changes throughout the pandemic have made people realize even more so that they don’t have to stay in a job they don’t love.” — @MollyEyerman“Reward people appropriately as they’re showing excellent performance and on a regular basis because if you give someone a huge raise just to match a counteroffer so they don’t leave, what you’re really saying is ‘I haven’t valued you for the last x number of months or years.’”— @MollyEyerman“We all see the metrics and the data around how much more certain demographics make than others, so I do think having more transparency is a helpful thing.” — @MollyEyermanIf you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?About Molly EyermanOur episode guest is Molly Eyerman, founder and CEO of VIVO Growth Partners. Molly helps companies develop their most valuable assets – their people. She assists with recruiting and retaining top talent. Molly uses her HR expertise to advise companies on how to navigate challenges while improving employee engagement and benefiting all parties involved. She has experience working with clients in numerous industries ranging from technology and real estate to nonprofit and financial services. Guest’s contact info and resources:Molly Eyerman on Twitter Molly Eyerman on LinkedIn VIVO Growth Partner's website Additional Resources: APR's tips on retaining your talent Episode recorded: Oct 28, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.About your host, Jason MuddOn Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Dino Signore, manager of entrepreneurial education at the Edward Lowe Foundation and president of Signore Group. Dino is an entrepreneur, educator, and psychologist. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: What the SCARF method is and how it can be used to improve leadership. How to influence others by using knowledge of how the brain worksWhy past management techniques no longer workHow stress affects your ability to think clearly How the limbic system and prefrontal cortex work together to influence our responses to the world around usQuotables“Leadership can be defined a lot of different ways, and one way I like to define it is that it is an act of influence.” — @DinoSignore“We use our prefrontal cortex to make sense of the world. But the challenge is that if somebody has their limbic system activated, and in some cases hyperactivated, it is biologically impossible to be able to think.” — @DinoSignore“What are the things that you're doing leadership-wise, management-wise, that could be pushing people away from you versus pulling them toward what you want them to do?” — @DinoSignore“One of our accolades is that we went 63 months with zero turnover at our agency, and a lot of that had to do with listening and being collaborative, and giving autonomy.” — @jasonmudd9If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?About Dino Signore Our episode guest is Dino Signore, manager of entrepreneurial education at the Edward Lowe Foundation and president of Signore Group. Dino is an entrepreneur, educator, and psychologist with a Doctorate in Business Psychology. He leads all of the learning events at the Edward Lowe Foundation. Through the Signore Group, Dino coaches and consults directly with second-stage entrepreneurs and executive directors on the management challenges that stem from growth. Guest’s contact info and resources:Dino Signore on LinkedIn Dino's website Send Dino an email Additional Resources:More on SCARF from the NeuroLeadership Institute Books by Dan Ariely on behavioral economicsBooks by Dan Pink on behavioral science  Episode recorded: Oct 28, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.About your host, Jason MuddOn Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Ashley Billings, Media Relations Consultant at Axia. Ashley is an award-winning ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC-affiliate TV news reporter in California, Jacksonville, and D.C. Clients love her ability to translate PR messages into TV news stories. She joined Axia in June 2018.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:How to get your company’s news on the newsThe value of honesty when building relationships with reportersWhy you should be pitching visual stories The importance of presentation as an interviewee How interesting stories mix qualitative and quantitative dataQuotables“It helps when the PR professional pitches something very specific – something that the rest of the newsroom doesn't know about.” — @ashleybillings“It loses the impact of being news if everyone knows about it.” — @jasonmudd9“Visuals are very important. Any time a PR firm can share pictures or video, that’s an extra thing to ensure that their story gets on TV.” — @ashleybillings “If you email everybody, you’re really emailing nobody.” — @jasonmudd9If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?About Ashley BillingsOur episode guest is Ashley Billings, Media Relations Consultant at Axia. Ashley is an award-winning ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC-affiliate TV news reporter in California, Jacksonville, and D.C. Clients love her ability to translate PR messages into TV news stories. She joined Axia in June 2018. A born storyteller, Ashley earned media coverage on all five Orlando TV stations and the two largest Orlando newspapers for her client’s grand reopening. Guest’s contact info and resources:Ashley Billings on LinkedIn Additional Resources:Daybook: a list of topics that a newsroom wants to see covered Media Relations e-book Meet the media webinar Episode recorded: October 7, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.About your host, Jason MuddOn Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Jason Mudd, APR, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:The importance of being able to determine what is important to people outside of your organizationHow to use timing to your advantage when pitching a news releaseThe importance of building newsroom relationshipsThe value of company newsletters and private blogsThe importance of customizing your pitches to specific audiencesQuotables“If it’s not interesting to people outside of your organization’s walls, it's probably not gonna be newsworthy.” —  @jasonmudd9“Research shows that for every 100 pitches or news releases an individual in the newsroom receives, they only have time to write about one or two.” — @jasonmudd9“You wanna find a way to be helpful and trustworthy and be a reliable source for that newsroom contact before you’re asking them to cover your story.” — @jasonmudd9“Nothing’s more beneficial than listening carefully to the reason why your story didn’t get covered in the first place.” — @jasonmudd9If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?More about Jason MuddClients love Jason’s passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of technological demands on companies provides his clients in multiple sectors a unique advantage toward reaching their top audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo.At Axia, Jason attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. Guest’s contact info and resources:Jason Mudd's Twitter Jason Mudd's LinkedIn More about Jason on APR Additional Resources:Elements of News articleElements of News solocastMedia Relations eBook Episode recorded: October 7, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Learn how to get and keep a seat at the table by being brave and proactive with management with FanDuel’s Chris Jones, Vice President of Corporate Communications at FanDuel. With more than 25 years of diverse experience in the communications field, Chris has a unique view on what it takes to be successful. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:How being “at the table” from the beginning leads to dominating the marketplaceHow operating with competitors is sometimes necessary to accomplish a shared goal The importance of knowing what is interesting beyond the four walls of a company How data-driven storytelling yields greater resultsHow to improve communication strategy by building bridges between different sectors of a businessQuotables“We’re not playing catch up; we’re not writing a press release 24 hours before we go live; we’ve been part of those meetings since the beginning. And it led to us dominating the marketplace that first day.” — @chrisjones“You can’t come in at the last minute and be strategic.” — @jasonmudd9“You have to be willing and brave to stand your ground and advise in a way that, maybe, short term they don’t want to hear but long term will help the business.” — @chrisjones“Keep fighting those battles to get yourself at the necessary tables – or on the necessary Zooms in today’s pandemic-driven meeting world. As long as you’re doing that and you’re being a little bit brave, you’re probably gonna have more success in your career long term.” — @chrisjonesIf you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?About Chris JonesOur episode guest is Chris Jones, Vice President of Corporate Communications at FanDuel. With more than 25 years of diverse experience in the communications field, Chris has a unique view on what it takes to be successful. He has a track record of delivering go-to-market strategies in not only communications but in marketing, media, crisis response, and business. He embodies what it means to go the extra mile in order to elevate a company.Guest’s contact info and resources:Chris Jones on LinkedIn Email: chris.jones@fanduel.comFanDuel | Daily Fantasy Sports and Online US SportsbookAdditional Resources: Want to boost your company’s PR power? Report to the C Suite, study says Episode recorded Sept. 24, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.About your host, Jason MuddJason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Our episode guest is Diane Schwartz, the CEO of Ragan Communications. Diane is a powerhouse in the communications sector with more than 20 years of experience as a trusted leader and creator. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:The key day-to-day roles of communicatorsIf and how brands should take a stand on social issuesThe most important skills that communicators need todayHow PR professionals can reduce stress The importance of brand consistency and transparency Quotables“What we used to call soft skills like empathy, relationship building, trust, and presentation skills, these are hard skills now. They are absolutely necessary.” – @dianeschwartz“The leader in the room should listen to everyone first before weighing in.” – @jasonmudd9“Communicators need to learn how to ask for more and not be afraid to ask for more.” – @dianeschwartz“We should be hiring people who are curious, who want to learn more, who want to dig in; people who are really curious about the market they serve and the people around them.”– @dianeschwartzIf you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?About Diane SchwartzDiane Schwartz is a powerhouse in the communications sector with more than 20 years of experience as a trusted leader and creator. She serves communicators at all stages of their careers through conferences, training programs, councils, and subscription products. Through Ragan’s Workplace Wellness Insider, Diane provides resources to promote corporate well-being and align employee health with company goals. Guest’s contact info and resources:@dianeschwartz on Twitter Diane Schwartz on LinkedInEmail: dianes@ragan.comAdditional Resources:Visit www.ragan.com/ontopofpr for $100 off on Ragan’s Future of Communications Virtual Conference Episode recorded: September 24, 2021Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Dan Jasper is director of public relations at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:How Mall of America, as a major retail destination consistently providing first-class experiences, dealt with different challenges brought by COVID-19 and went beyond the extra mile by over-communicating what is happening at Mall of America, and what you can expect when you come here so that you can plan ahead and have the best experience How they handle protests fairly as private property holders and public figure appearances safely, and how Mall of America helped minority-owned businesses be successful and reach an enormous audience that they didn't reach before  Discover the best PR practices that can help businesses win COVID-19 challenges.  How Mall of America extended help to several impacted communities  How social media is more than just a marketing tool; it is indeed a relationship-building tool. Quotables "Go the extra mile when you're talking safety and all of the precautions in place. Go beyond what you think is necessary in terms of communicating with the guests. We really try to over-communicate what is happening at Mall of America — what you can expect when you come here — so that you can plan ahead and have the best experience." — Dan Jasper“Every year we have more than 40 million annual visitors and about 60% of those are what we call drive market or local; the rest are either across the nation or from other nations, international travel coming here, and there's no way to reach all of those people.” — Dan Jasper"We have a lot of partners in the community that are willing to reach out and help us secure this building. We had a lot of friends in the community that just showed support." — Dan Jasper"We reached out to businesses that were impacted, schools — everyone we could think of with destroyed property — and extended our help. We specifically asked how we could help them as a mall. So, the first thing we did was we listened to impacted communities." — Dan JasperAbout Dan JasperDan Jasper has served as the amazing director of public relations at Mall of America for 17 years and has more than 20 years of PR and communications experience prior to that. Dan leads public relations, community relations, social media, storytelling, tourism, and the advanced service portal at the Mall of America. He is a key national spokesperson for the mall. He also manages crisis communications and government affairs.Guest’s contact info and resources:Dan Jasper on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-jasper-a962552/Mall of America official website: https://www.mallofamerica.com/Sponsored by:On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations. Forbes recognizes Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. About your host, Jason MuddOn Top of PR host Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. He founded Axia Public Relations in 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

Tim Pollard founded Oratium in 2011. As CEO, he leads the ongoing development of Oratium’s intellectual property as well as leading all major client relationships. Tim has developed a remarkable insight into the science of designing and delivering extraordinary sales messaging.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:The most destructive problems that sales messages suffer from, the amplifying effects of the virtual environment on those problematic hallmarks, and how the problem can be fixedHow to improve your storytelling approach and skyrocket your sales if you’re among the marketing department heads, public relations, and corporate communications management at a mid-market to enterprise size companyThe most toxic communication hallmarks: too much information (you violate your audience’s mental bandwidth), too confusing (complete lack of narrative and logical story), and too sender-focusedHow to get beyond the 1970s-style thinking to a communication method that lines up with good brain science so you can deliver your solutions seamlessly If you’re trying to develop a consumer brand, retainability is everything—it’s time to bring your business to a higher level where people make purchasing decisions based on your loyal customers’ ability to retell your value propositionQuotables“We teach people how to get beyond the 1970s thinking to a communication method that works and lines up with good brain science.” — Tim Pollard “Sometimes the presentations you’re making are simply not compelling enough. Even if you’re the perfect solution to their problem, the customer does not move forward.” — Tim PollardAbout Tim PollardOver a long career in sales at many companies, including Unilever, Barclays, and the Corporate Executive Board—and now a decade into building Oratium—Tim has developed a remarkable insight into the science of designing and delivering extraordinary sales messaging. The result has been two best-selling books, The Compelling Communicator: Mastering the Art and Science of Exceptional Presentation Design and Mastering the Moment: Perfecting the Skills and Processes of Exceptional Presentation Delivery, which form the intellectual backbone of his course. This messaging model is in active use and is the preferred messaging solution of companies as diverse as Cisco, Disney, IBM, LinkedIn, and Salesforce.Contact info:Meet the Oratium team: https://www.oratium.com/our-team/Oratium on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oratiumTim Pollard on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-pollard-8145a54/Oratium on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessageArchitectsAdditional resources:ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.comAxia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/Sponsored by: On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, which Forbes named as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at https://burrelles.com/ontopofpr.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)

This is a solo episode that talks about how providing scholarships can give you a competitive advantage. Did you know that it's a stepping stone for you to build a strong brand and reputation?Five things you’ll learn from this episode:Understand why many companies are actively offering scholarships, how it positions you as a thought leader, and how it helps significantly with reputation management. The importance of not only promoting your scholarship program but promoting the winners of your program. Changing someone’s life through scholarship programs and becoming part of their success. They'll always remember you and they might even help you and your company be successful down the road, whether that's buying products from you or services, making introductions for you, being an advocate for you, and possibly even coming to work for you or hiring your company to provide the services that you provide.Start making that part of your sales presentations, talk about the number of scholarships you give out, and your intention for doing it.  Attracting more applicants as you build your reputation through scholarship programs.Quotables“Customers like to do business with people who are good stewards of the community and economy.” — @jasonmudd9“Many brands out there offer scholarships because it’s a great way to give back.” — @jasonmudd9“The price of a scholarship is less expensive than buying an advertisement.” — @jasonmudd9“Tell the heartstring stories of how you've helped people who otherwise might not have been able to go to college or graduate from college without financial assistance.” — @jasonmudd9About Jason MuddJason Mudd, APR, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in July 2002.At Axia, Jason attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. Guest’s contact info and resources:Twitter: @jasonmudd9LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/Website: https://www.axiapr.com/Have a question for Jason?  Email: podcast@ontopofpr.comSponsored by:We are thrilled to have Burrelles sponsor our solocast episodes. Thanks to Burrelles for its support. Burrelles has a special offer exclusively for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofprOn Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR)