Smart Talk Series

How do you make a difference when you see a lack of support for your community? In today's episode, Melissa talks to Bernice Chao, an award-winning creative whose career evolution led her to creating Asians in Advertising and writing a book about visibility.

About Bernice:
Bernice Chao is an award-winning creative who's worked on campaigns for notable brands like HBO, Google, Chime, and Nissan. As one of the few female Asian American creative leaders in the United States, she is helping shape the AANHPI community as the co-founder of the non-profit organization Asians in Advertising and host of the AIA podcast. She has also created mentorship and scholarship programs for the AANHPI community.

Topics covered:
- What inspired Bernice's career evolution
- How to counteract stereotypes
- Maintaining a work-life balance
- Advice on career evolution

Actions to take:
- Focus on self-care and well-being
- Establish boundaries and protect them
- Have deep, meaningful conversations
- Practice listening skills

Big thanks to our sponsor Anais Biera Miracle for supporting this season of the podcast!

Resources mentioned:
- Southwest Key Programs
- Hispanic Women's Network of Texas
- Fierce Mujeres
- Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)
- Asians In Advertising
- Mad Men
- Valuegraphics
- The Visibility Mindset
- Elemental
- Melissa's PRSA columns
- TedxCulverCity
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

It takes a village to build a career you can be proud of. In this episode, Melissa talks to former PR agency pro turned coach Ken Jacobs about the importance of great coaching and consulting in your career evolution.

Big thanks to our sponsor Anais Biera Miracle for supporting this season of the podcast!

About Ken:
Ken Jacobs is one of the few certified executive coaches who had an initial career in PR agency management and leadership. He helps senior communications executives become more inspired, inspiring, and effective leaders. Ken also helps agencies reach their business development goals, manage for profitability, and enhance client service and relationships.

Topics covered:
- The catalyst for Ken's career evolution
- How good coaching can help your career
- Consulting vs. coaching
- Patterns in today's coaching needs
- Working through impostor syndrome
- Lessons from agency life
- Accepting change

Actions to take:
- Know where your strengths on
- Find a mentor
- Don't ruminate: Get a lesson and move on
- Be conscious of how you think
- Have a thirst for knowledge

Resources mentioned:
- Southwest Key Programs
- Hispanic Women's Network of Texas
- Fierce Mujeres
- Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)
- Jacobs Consulting and Executive Coaching
- Elise Mitchell
- Ketchum
- The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance---What Women Should Know
- Hunter PR
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

When you start your career, you never know where life will take you. Today's guest, Julie Livingston, embraced the unknown by letting curiosity guide her throughout her career. Listen as she talks with Melissa about her path and how it ultimately led to starting her own firm.

Big thanks to our sponsor Anais Biera Miracle for supporting this season of the podcast!

About Julie:
Julie Livingston is president of WantLeverage Communications, an entrepreneurial PR and LinkedIn marketing consultancy based in New York City. She specializes in turning “under the radar” executives and businesses into authoritative industry leaders through strategic communications counsel, media placement, and elevating leadership visibility on LinkedIn, the world’s biggest business networking platform. A member of LinkedIn Advisors, Julie is a three-time board member of NY Women in Communications. She holds an MS in Communications Management from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. Her thought leadership has been featured on Morning Brew and in PR News, CommPro.Biz, ASAE, and other industry publications.

Topics covered:
- Julie's career path
- Overcoming self-doubt
- The creation of WantLeverage Communications
- Leveraging LinkedIn
- Deciding what services to offer
- Career advice

Actions to take:
- Connect the dots of your experiences to overcome impostor syndrome
- Embrace challenges
- Let your curiosity guide you
- Promote who you are and what your values are
- Keep up with technology

Resources mentioned:
- Southwest Key Programs
- Hispanic Women's Network of Texas
- Fierce Mujeres
- Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA)
- Julie's LinkedIn
- World Gold Council
- Scholastic
- Volunteers of America
- The Toy Association
- WantLeverage Communications
- The Quorum Initiative
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

Listen as Melissa kicks off Season Six by asking questions to get you thinking about you how to evolve your career. Join us this season as Melissa talks with experts in various disciplines about their career evolution stories.

Big thanks to our sponsor Anais Biera Miracle for supporting this season of the podcast!

Topics covered:
- Career evolution
- How to determine what you need in a new job or career
- Using smart talk to enhance your skills
- Assessing your compatibility with your current role
- Melissa reflects on the start of her career

Actions to take:
- Ask yourself if you're where you want to be career-wise
- Be conscious about how you take care of yourself
- Think about your current role and career trajectory

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

Enjoy a bonus conversation between Melissa and Gini Dietrich of Spin Sucks about effectively communicating across diverse audiences.

Topics covered:
- Being conscious of how you communicate
- DEI communication musts
- Tactics to include in your communications programs
- Integrating intersectionality
- Habits for more inclusive communication
- Q&A

Actions to take:
- Advocate for yourself
- Plan with experts when you can
- Do your research
- Tailor your approach to your audience
- If you wouldn't say it with a mic in hand, don't say it
- Listen to your gut

Resources mentioned:
- PRSA Conferences
- Selena (1997)
- PRSA specialties
- Pew Research Center
- IPR Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- PRSA D&I Toolkit
- Communicating with LGBTQ Audiences
- Valuegraphics
- Spin Sucks
- The PESO Model
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know Audiobook is now available!

Actions to take:
- Download your copy of the Smart Talk audiobook on Amazon, Audible or wherever you get your audiobooks

Resources mentioned:
- Smart Talk Audiobook on Amazon
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

Season finale! Listen in as Melissa wraps up season five by passing the mic to Melissa Monroe-Young, APR to speak on transitioning careers from journalism to public relations.

About Melissa:
Melissa has worked as a journalist for over 15 years and transitioned into PR in 2008. She works in the Marketing & Strategic Communications team at Northwest Vista College and stays busy in her community and with her family.

Topics covered:
- Making the transition from journalism to public relations
- The benefits of accreditation
- Misconceptions about journalists and PR professionals
- Advice for young communications professionals

Actions to take:
- Get involved in a trade association
- Dig deep to find the best stories and make them newsworthy
- Take a course on journalism to strengthen your PR skills
- Get the education you need
- Get rid of the spin

Resources mentioned:
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- National Association of Black Journalists
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists
- Public Relations Society of America
- AP Stylebook
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

In public relations, relationships are everything. This week, Melissa passes the mic to communications executive, Moon Kim, for advice on creating authentic connections through networking and becoming a true client counselor. Tune in for great tips on building strong relationships in your field.

About Moon:
Moon Kim is a seasoned communications executive, team leader and strategic counselor who thrives in a fast-paced creative and entrepreneurial environment. She has over 16 years of experience leading corporate communications and brand building campaigns across multiple industries from financial services, fintech, retail, healthcare and wellness to professional services and technology. Her interests and passion include yoga & meditation, entrepreneurship, learning consumer and business trends and experiencing cultural diversity. She believes in asking the tough questions, keeping an open mind and taking risks. Moon lives in NYC with a loving husband who cooks her delicious meals daily and adorable children, Mila and Julian.

Topics covered:
- How to make natural, meaningful connections
- Being an agency thought partner
- Common mistakes agencies make
- What ideal client-agency relationships look like
- Pushing back for a client's benefit
- Building trust with your client

Actions to take:
- Take it one day at a time
- Make yourself helpful to others
- Offer connections when you can
- Don't rest on your past successes
- Be an extension of your client's team
- Don't risk your relationships
- If you said you'll do it, do it

Resources mentioned:
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- Chat GPT
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

As a PR pro, some of the most important relationships you will form are with the media. In this episode, Melissa passes the mic to Vincent T. Davis, a reporter and columist at the San Antonio Express-News, for advice on cultivating beneficial and meaningful relationships with the media.

About Vince:
Vincent T. Davis is a general assignments reporter and columnist at the San Antonio Express-News. Every Monday morning, he shares intriguing tales of everyday people from across San Antonio in a column titled, “San Antonio Stories.” A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Davis started at the Express-News in 1999 as a part-time, editorial assistant for the City Desk, working nights and weekends while attending San Antonio College where he was on the staff of “The Ranger” newspaper. He completed a three-month fellowship with the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute at Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 2003 and earned a bachelor’s degree in communication design from Texas State University in San Marcos in 2006.

Email Vince at [email protected]

Topics covered:
- How to be a good PR source
- The process of reviewing a pitch
- Creating and maintaining relationships with the media
- What makes a great human interest story

Actions to take:
- Be detail-oriented and timely
- Do your research
- Build a meaningful relationship with reporters

Resources mentioned:
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- San Antonio Stories
- "For a guy called Mr. Fiesta, passion for San Antonio’s annual festival runs deep"
- "San Antonio resident hands out water to MLK marchers in spirit of slain civil rights leader"
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear

Public relations pros have a lot to worry about in their day-to-day. This means that most of the time, personal well-being falls to the bottom of the list. This week, Melissa passes the mic to Mark Mohammadpour to teach us how to healthfully manage the demands of a career in PR.

About Mark:
Mark Mohammadpour is the owner and Chief Well-being Officer at Chasing the Sun. After spending his public relations career as an executive at Edelman and Weber Shandwick, and after losing and keeping off 150 pounds over the last decade, Mark founded Chasing the Sun to empower businesses and their employees to prioritize their well-being so they can shine in the family room and the board room. Chasing the Sun’s team and enterprise-wide well-being programs deliver relatable, practical, and actionable solutions.

Topics covered:
- Benefits of employee wellness programs
- Trends in well-being
- Overcoming stigmas through communication
- How thinking like a PR pro affects your health
- Common mistakes
- The problem with hustle and grind culture

Actions to take:
- Change habits with small steps
- Have empathy for people in similar situations
- Be mindful about meetings
- Directness is kindness

Resources mentioned:
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- Chasing the Sun
- U. S. Travel Association
- MVW Communications
- PR Pro Gear