Brad runs Yelram Media, a company built to help your company tell your stories better.
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Can We Talk About Big Things?
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Kevin Kelly, the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, recently shared a list of 103 bits of advice he wished he had known through life as he approached his 70th birthday.
It's a great list of the obvious and not so obvious, and I think you should peruse it in your spare time. I guarantee you'll take away some positive thoughts.
But one bit struck me in particular; a bit that feels exactly right based on current events.
"Your growth as a conscious being is measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations you are willing to have."
We are struggling to grow as conscious beings because no one is willing to have uncomfortable conversations.
When the Supreme Court abortion draft leaked, there was (predictably and rightfully) much outcry about what this means for women. This has been established law for as long as a lot of us have been alive. The possibility that five Supreme Court justices can overturn it is jarring.
And as a dad to two young ladies, I fear this will set a dangerous precedent where they won't have as much control over their bodies as men enjoy. In other words, total control.
The same people who shouted "My body, my choice!" when it came to masks are the same people who want to make it illegal for women to shout the same thing when it comes to abortion.
It's absurd. The hypocrisy is strong with those who want to ban abortion but allow total autonomy when it comes to COVID restrictions, and I think you know exactly who I'm talking about.
As is always the case when something big happens, I go to social media to gauge how much attention I should pay to it.
Needless to say, this is a BIG thing.
Twitter, Instagram, TikTok...you name the channel, abortion was being discussed. There was a lot of anger and vitriol and disbelief on display. All warranted, I might add. If my social media bubble was a representation of the rest of the country, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. But it doesn't. This country is made up of different people with different beliefs, which is what makes it such an interesting country to live in.
But abortion is a tricky topic to discuss with those who don't share your viewpoint.
I'm not talking about the Marjorie Taylor Greenes and Matt Walshes of the world. Their viewpoints are bonkers and guided by religious extremism. Those like them are not worth engaging in discussion because you will just walk away angry and frustrated.
I'm talking about conversing with sane people who are willing to have a civil conversation to understand why you hold this belief, and vice versa. It's fine to express your anger on Instagram, but I fear it doesn't do much other than reaffirm your belief system.
I have lifelong friends who won't talk about politics or other BIG things because they don't want to upset the apple cart. Sometimes I try to get the conversation going that way, but it quickly moves to other, less intense issues. Usually it's met with silence, like when I try to open the floor to talking about banning legal abortions.
I figure it's worth a shot since everyone else is talking about it. *shrugs*
We don't grow as people if we're willing to stick to our long-held beliefs. And that can only happen if we have uncomfortable discussions. If you remove the fringe population who will always hold fast to what they've been led to believe their entire lives, that still leaves a lot of people who are willing to engage in talking about something that needs to be talked about. It's the only way we become more enlightened.
***
If you would have told me six years ago what we would be facing as a country in 2022, I would have laughed in your face. We were making so much progress. We seemed to be on the right track.
But a lot of people held beliefs that are the antithesis of progression. They were afraid to be vocal about those beliefs until it seemed like it was okay to voice them, which has led us to here.
As much as it pains us, I'm afraid we're going to continue down this path until we emerge from our silos and have conversations about big things, while letting go of preconceived notions.
If we don't, we won't be able to grow as conscious beings.
As always, thanks for reading.
Brad
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with Christy Laverty, Media Coach & PR Strategist
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You bill yourself as a media entrepreneur. What does that mean?
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Using the term media entrepreneur for me just means that I am an entrepreneur working in the media landscape. There are many in the media and PR space who work for agencies and corporations and I wanted to use a term that would help me stand apart while allowing entrepreneurs who I work with know that I understand what it is like to be in the entrepreneur space because I am there too!
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You've been working on your own in the writing/media industry for a long time. Why does this work call to you?
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There are is a lot of independence in working in a contract/freelance capacity. I have independence with the type I work I take on and the schedule that I work with and around. I also like that I get to work with a lot of different people in a wide ranging number of industries and niches. Variety helps to keep me engaged and interested.
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In a world where the media is fractured and there are so many vehicles to tell your story, why is it still worthwhile to spend time trying to get the media to cover your story?
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I might be slightly biased here, since I worked in broadcasting newsrooms for more than 20 years, but I still believe in the power of the media to tell stories and move people. It is true that there are more places than ever before to connect with your customers and community but I think traditional media still holds weight with a large number of people. You can also reach a lot of people via traditional media. I don’t think you have to choose one medium over another here though.
For me the key to a solid media and PR strategy and plan is diversification so it makes sense to share your story in as many places as possible. Social media, digital, TV, radio, magazines, newspapers and podcasts should be avenues that are part of a full scope strategy. It’s all about figuring out what you are trying to achieve and then finding the right medium to help you achieve that.
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You are also a professor at Sheridan College in Canada. What do students who want to break into this profession need to focus on in 2022 and beyond?
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I think embracing entrepreneurial journalism is something to focus on. What can you create on your own that can connect with an audience and inform? Think about news newsletters, digital news publications and podcasts that you can monetize.
! I also think that journalists need to know how to do a lot of things across several mediums. For example, they need to be able to report for TV, radio, and podcasts while also being able to write website copy. I think the old way of corporate news organizations will remain but there is no denying newsrooms are shrinking so you need to be flexible and nimble.
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Everyone can relate to stories. How do you integrate storytelling into the work you do on behalf of your clients?
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I think when it comes to PR and media relations story is always key. I always recommend crafting story ideas and media pitches that connect with the audience. I think it is always important to think about how a particular story is going to resonate with the audience…for example, will it make them laugh, cry, make them happy, sad, or angry or will it help them do something easier, better, or simpler. There has to be a takeaway for the audience. I like to boil it down to a few different areas…will the story entertain, enlighten or educate the audience?
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Finally, the question I ask everyone - what is the best book, fiction or non-fiction, you have read recently?
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I don’t have as much time as I would like to sit down with a good book but I do have a few audio books on the go right now. I am listening to Will Smith’s new book Will and A Promised Land by Barack Obama. Both are really great so far! I loved Michelle Obama’s book Becoming!
This Five and One originally ran in an earlier version of this newsletter.
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Christy is a media coach & PR strategist. Follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.
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