Smart Talk Series

Season finale! Celebrate the end of Season 7 with an insightful discussion between host Melissa Vela-Williamson and Ernie Zuniga the host of "Pickup Lines". Ernie shares about taking the leap from being a TV morning news anchor on traditional media, to developing a self-produced show with a unique format.

About Ernie:
For almost 18 years, Ernie Zuniga helped to wake up San Antonio area residents bright and early every weekday as the anchor and co-host of FOX San Antonio’s highly-rated morning show, “FOX News First”. Ernie has stayed very busy, trying his hand at podcasting and going 'all-in' on the digital talk show he created six years ago inside his own car, called "Pickup Lines".

Follow Ernie on Facebook
Connect with Ernie on LinkedIn
Follow Ernie on Instagram
Subscribe to Ernie's YouTube channel
Listen to Pickup Lines on Spotify

Topics covered:
- The format of "Pickup Lines"
- Securing sponsorships
- The best and worst part of creating and hosting your own show
- Using audience feedback to improve
- Advice for pivoting in your career

Resources mentioned:
- Pickup Lines Facebook Live shows
- North Park of Lexus of San Antonio
- North Park of Lexus at Dominion
- PRSA San Antonio
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

When you see a lack of representation in media, sometimes the best way to address it is to create the type of publication you're craving. In today's episode, Melissa sits down with April Monterrosa, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Live From The Southside Magazine, to talk about creating content for a niche audience and an insider's look into becoming a community influencer.

About April:
April Monterrosa, a native of San Antonio, Texas, is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and business mentor. She’s the publisher and editor-in-chief of Live From The Southside Magazine, the first woman-owned publication in Southside San Antonio. Her entrepreneurial journey commenced at 12 when she assisted with various responsibilities within her father’s plumbing contracting company, Greg Galindo Plumbing. This early exposure laid the foundation for her journey into business ownership. With over 20 years of hospitality and spa industry expertise in the corporate world, April thrived as the proprietor of her esthetic and wellness business before her media career.

Follow Live From The Southside on Facebook
Follow Live From The Southside on Twitter
Follow Live From The Southside on Instagram

Topics covered:
- An insider's look at Live From The Southside
- The evolution of Live From The Southside
- Advantages from focusing on a hyper-local area of the city
- The effects of becoming an influencer
- Radio in today's world
- Advice on creating content for a niche audience

Resources mentioned:
- Live From the Southside
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

You don't have to be a subject matter expert to help create an engaging event for professionals in a certain sector. You just have to be an expert at creating events. In this episode, Melissa talks with Erika Bradbury, an editorial and event content strategist about creating successful events and communications for business-to-business (B2B) audiences.

About Erika:
Erika Bradbury is an editorial and event content strategist. For more than 15 years, she has worked cross-functionally to create and activate B2B content. This has included writing for both print and digital publications, as well as programming large and small conference agendas. Event programs have included Social Shake-Up, IAB Annual Leadership Meeting, IAB Mixx, the Direct Brand Summit and Fashion Digital. She has worked on partner programs for Cannes and Mobile World Congress, as well as produced programs and managed talent at Podcast Upfronts and Newfronts West.

Connect with Erika on LinkedIn
Email Erika at [email protected]

Topics covered:
- Focusing on business-to-business (B2B) communications and events
- Creating content and experiences for a profession
- Topics that impact how we practice PR
- Creating content and events for social media
- Managing events for professionals
- Advice for pros looking to work for a trade publication

Resources mentioned:
- PRNEWS
- The Social Shake-Up Show
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

No matter what field you're in, there's probably a publication that is created for professionals like you and covers stories that are relevant to your area of work. This is called trade journalism. In today's episode, Melissa is joined by John Elsasser, the editor-in-chief of PRSA's Strategies & Tactics for a discussion about the evolution and importance of trade journalism.

About John:
John Elsasser is an experienced director of publications with a demonstrated history of working in the public relations and communications profession. He's an accomplished writer and editor with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University.

Connect with John on LinkedIn
Email John at [email protected]

Topics covered:
- John's path to PRSA
- The evolution of the PRSA publication
- Writing for evolving attention spans and platforms
- Advice for students and pros interested in trade journalism

Resources mentioned:
- Strategies & Tactics
- Melissa's column
- PRSA ICON Conference
- "PRSA Releases Guidance on Artificial Intelligence"
- PRSA LinkedIn
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

As PR pros, we excel at helping clients tell their stories, but when it comes to telling our own, we sometimes find it difficult to "land that plane". Melissa talks to Jacqueline Ruiz, a social entrepreneur (and a real-life pilot) about how the magic of hybrid publishing can help you tell your story. Thought about becoming an author? Listen in!

About Jacqueline:
Jacqueline Ruiz is a visionary social entrepreneur who has created an enterprise of inspiration. With more than 20 years of experience in the marketing/public relations and publishing industry, she has created two successful award-winning companies, established two nonprofit organizations, published 33 books, the largest collection of Latina stories in a book anthology series in the world, and held events in four continents.  She has received over 40 awards for her contributions and business acumen. She represents the 1.6% of women entrepreneurs with over seven figures in the United States. Being a two-time cancer survivor activated her sense of urgency to serve others and live life to the fullest. Jacqueline is one of the few Latina sports airplane pilots in the United States and founder of Latinas in Aviation global brand. She recently collaborated with College Park Aviation Museum to create the historic first-ever exhibit in the world to honor Latinas in Aviation.

Connect with Jacqueline on LinkedIn
Follow Jacqueline on Instagram

Topics covered:
- Defining hybrid publishing
- The author selection process
- Creating anthologies with Latina professionals
- Common stories featured in anthologies
- Advice for future authors

Resources mentioned:
- Fig Factor Media
- Jacqueline's books
- Latinas in Aviation
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

Join us this season as we focus on The Future of Mass Communication! Melissa kicks off this season with nationally syndicated columnist, Ruben Navarrette. Listen as they discuss the importance of thought leadership in comms, the role of opinion editorials (op-eds), and how to navigate controversial issues as communicators.

About Ruben:
Ruben Navarrette is a nationally syndicated columnist with The Washington Post Writers Group, writer of the Navarrette Nation newsletter at Substack, regular contributor to Spectrum News 1 in Los Angeles, a contributor to The Daily Beast (on the left) and Newsmax Magazine (on the right), feature writer for Latino Magazine, member of USA Today’s Board of Contributors, host of the podcast “Ruben In The Center,” regular contributor of video commentary to Omaha-based Straight Arrow News, author of “A Darker Shade of Crimson: Odyssey of a Harvard Chicano” (Bantam), founder & CEO of “The Navarrette Sonic Podcast Network,” and a communications coach specializing in personal brand development and the creation of media projects for individuals, companies and non-profit organizations.

Subscribe to Ruben's newsletter
Follow Ruben on Facebook
Follow Ruben on Twitter

Topics covered:
- Refining your opinion as a columnist
- Picking topics to cover or pitch
- What PR professionals should know about the immigration debate
- Preparing communication during a presidential election year

Resources mentioned:
- Ruben's website
- Brené Brown
- "Great lyrics brought together Taylor, Bruce, my teenage daughter and me"
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

Learn Copyright Law do's and don'ts of AI from public relations author Melissa Vela-Williamson and media law attorney Alicia Calzada on January 18. Tickets are on sale now!

Resources mentioned:

- Ethics and Copyright Law in an AI-Excited World

- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know

- MVW Communications

- PR Pro Gear

Enjoy a bonus conversation between Melissa and Shannon Weinstein on the Keep What You Earn! podcast where they discuss creating a conscious public relations strategy. Thanks to Shannon for having Melissa on her show to talk about PR and money matters.

Resources mentioned:
- Keep What You Earn!
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

Making the leap from a steady corporate job to the chaos of owning your own business is not easy. In today's episode, Melissa talks to Jennifer R. Hudson, APR about her path to owning her own firm.

About Jennifer:
Jennifer is a strategic communications advocate, trainer, mentor, consultant and speaker. Her superpowers are helping PR leaders step boldly into their role as a trusted advisor and weeding through the details to ensure an organization’s communications are always focused on the big picture. During her 25-year career in corporate communications, Jennifer has always sought to broaden the role of public relations. She leads trainings and workshops on corporate messaging; strategic communications planning; and core values, vision, and mission.

Topics covered:
- Evolving your career within your current role
- The difficulties of leaving the corporate world
- PR coaching trends
- Advice for career evolution

Actions to take:
- Discover opportunities wherever you are
- Practice inclusive communications
- Don't develop initiatives in a vacuum
- Approach your work with curiosity
- Focus on what brings you joy and adds value

Resources mentioned:
- Southwest Key Programs
- Hispanic Women's Network of Texas
- Fierce Mujeres
- Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)
- Think Beyond Public Relations
- Univision
- American Airlines
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

Social media is a powerful tool every PR professional needs to know how to use. But what happens when that power gets out of your control and creates a crisis? Today, Melissa discusses the importance of understanding crisis communication in every part of your career evolution with crisis comms and TikTok strategist Molly McPherson.

About Molly:
Public relations expert Molly McPherson knows how to handle a crisis. Molly served in the external affairs office at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) where she introduced the agency's first digital media efforts in response to the public backlash from the Hurricane Katrina response. As Director of Communications for Cruise Line International Association in Arlington, Virginia, Molly handled the official media responses related to maritime security during the 9/11 attacks and the norovirus outbreak on cruise ships in 2002. Molly is the host of the Indestructible PR Podcast bestselling author of the book Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis, and creator of a popular TikTok account that makes PR crises easy to follow and easy to avoid. This year she was Adweek Creative Visionary Award Winner: Careers Creator of the Year.

Topics covered:
- Pop culture and PR
- From FEMA to TikTok
- Crisis communications fundamentals
- The importance of monitoring social media
- Advice for young professionals

Actions to take:
- Be open to change
- Live by your principles
- Use social media wisely

Resources mentioned:
- Southwest Key Programs
- Hispanic Women's Network of Texas
- Fierce Mujeres
- Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)
- Molly's TikTok
- The Muppets Mayhem
- Grimace Challenge
- Tide Pod Challenge
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear