Shelley Bishton

As this is currently a tough economy for startups, I’ve been wondering how this has impacted female founders who already find it harder to raise money? My fear is - based on many of the stories I’ve heard from female founders over the years - it won’t be a pretty picture out there. Which is a depressing thought for a Monday. 🫣 However, it is good to know there are grants and support available out there, specifically for women in tech….👇🏻 #womenintech #femalefounders #diverseinvestment #vcfunding #startupfundinh

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On Thursday I joined Sharon Lloyd Barnes, Ete Davies and John McGeough on the panel at the Advertising Association #LEADNorth2024 event. We discussed the strategic importance of DEI and the specific new 'All In' actions. The data tells us that too many disabled people fear disclosing their disabilities because they think it will harm their career development. For many disability equals inability. We want to normalise the conversation around disability by always asking the question ‘Do you have any accessibility requirements?’ The more we remove the discomfort, stigma and awkwardness around discussing disability, we believe, it will be easier for people to disclose. When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2001 I discovered a mountain of evidence around eating dairy, inflammation and MS symptoms. I cut out dairy from my diet and some of my symptoms immediately disappeared. In those days, there was only one dairy-free range in our local supermarket and the question 'is there any dairy in this?' wasn't something most restaurants understood or catered for. Over 20 years later the question ‘Do you have any dietary requirements?’ is ubiquitous, clearly understood and, literally, catered for. My aim is that the question ‘Do you have any accessibility requirements?’ is as widely used as ‘Do you have any dietary requirements? Let's all help remove the disability stigma. At mFuse we now include this on our email signature as well as asking all visitors to the agency. I asked the audience at the #LEADNorth2024 to do the same and I would love everyone reading this to do this too. I think it's the most important campaign I've ever worked on.

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Really enjoyed attending Isabel Berwick's book launch of 'The Future-Proof Career' at Daunt Books. I was so engrossed in the discussion that I failed to take a photo of the event but I’m very pleased with my signed copy and getting stuck in! Isabel hosts the Working It Financial Times podcast which I’d highly recommend for fellow employee engagement/ internal communications specialists. Sharing weekly insights into how the world of work is changing, the discussions address the issues facing employers and employees today, from AI, to multi-generational and flexible working, to the rise of 'Quit-Tokers'. The recent episode with Jeremie Brecheisen of Gallup on disengaged workers is definitely worth a listen. My favourite take-outs from the book launch: 💡 listen to your employees - focus on the message they want to share, not simply what you want to put across, to better understand and engage your people 📖 management is a learned skill - train people on how to communicate with their teams; how to listen; how to build trust - getting this right has a positive impact on employee retention 🌟 don't forget that employee satisfaction is directly related to customer satisfaction - the investment will pay off #employeeengagement #internalcommunications #worldofwork

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Some of the benefits of a retained monthly PR programme vs a short burst below. In summary, it’s having the time and team allocation to… ✅ Take a deep dive into your competitive landscape ✅ Perform a media audit on you and your competitors ✅ Spend time building (and building on) a detailed media list of journalist contacts ✅ Spend time pitching these journalists, building up new assets to pitch them, and scouring the internet for opportunities to pitch If you can, it’s always beneficial to take a longer term approach to PR. What else would you add?

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While commemoration is vital, #FreedomDay also presents a valuable opportunity for growth. By strategically utilising PR tactics, organisations can extend the significance of Freedom Day beyond simply looking back. Create a lasting impact by facilitating dialogue for a brighter future, community engagement through action and elevating untold stories. #HappyFreedomDay #FreedomDayZA #SouthAfricaFreedomDay #CelebratingFreedom #FightForFreedom #PRandCommunications #communication #comms #BrandCommunications #publicrelations #PublicRelationsAgency #focused #BrandfundiPR #PRPartner #PublicRelations

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PRmoment Leaders update: We've just launched the PRmoment Leaders In-house Programme for people working in comms roles in the corporate world. The new programme starts in September, alongside our separate agency-side one. It includes the same 11 core elements that enable people to learn from industry experts, to network with peers in similar roles and to prepare for leadership roles. Focus and content are the key differentiators. Our new programme features industry experts delivering masterclasses on topics that address the specific challenges and opportunities faced by comms people in client-side roles. I explain why we've launched the programme below. Let me know if you'd like to hear more...

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⏳ Just 4 days left to make your voice heard! We're calling on all Black PR and comms professionals to share your experiences. Together with PRWeek UK and Opinium, our One Step Forward Two Steps Black survey aims to uncover the truth about inequities, celebrate successes and set a new standard for our industry. Back in 2020, nearly half of Black communication pros told us they’d never received an internal promotion. We want to know if things have changed. Are you being hired, recognized, and rewarded fairly? Your input is crucial to shaping meaningful recommendations for change. The survey is anonymous and takes just 6 minutes to complete. 🔗 Hit the link below to participate and help us pave the way for a more equitable future in PR and comms. 📅 Remember, the survey closes this Friday, 28th June 2024. Let's make a difference together! ✊🏾 https://lnkd.in/eM--X-Fs

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Back in 2020, nearly half of Black communication professionals reported never having received an internal promotion. That's shockingly dismaying! As a 100% BME-staffed agency, we encourage every Black PR professional to join the survey. Let's see what progress (hopefully) has been made, and most importantly, affect change!

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So a #GeneralElection has been called. Here's why digital inclusion should be on the agenda: 💷 Addressing digital exclusion will bring £13.7bn economic benefit to the UK. Working in partnership, we can unlock this benefit. 💼 Millions of working age adults need help with basic digital skills, confidence and safety in the age of AI. ♻ The UK is the 2nd largest emitter of e-waste in the world!! Let’s save the planet and support digitally excluded people by re-using tech for social good. 📲 People on the lowest incomes are struggling to afford the internet - we need to recognise that access is essential. 📍 Help is out there, via the National Digital Inclusion Network - we just need to ensure people can find local support from frontline Government and NHS services.

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Nice piece in Marketing Beat about our campaign to encourage people to take action to help remove the barriers society places in the way of blind and partially sighted people living life. The campaign - created with GOOD Agency, and driving people to download our Be Helpful Guide - is running across social media, out of home and radio, so have a look out for it appearing on a billboard near you. 👀 If you haven’t yet downloaded the guide, please do - it includes lots of tips for sighted people on making getting around easier for people with sight loss, from leaving wheelie bins in the right place to knowing how to guide people appropriately; it was created with blind and partially sighted people. The link is in the comments so no excuses! We want as many people as possible to download the guide - and turn themselves into allies for changing society for people with sight loss through simple steps. #socialchange #marketing #campaign #sightloss #behaviourchange

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Reflecting today, I think one of the most impactful things I've done in my career is tell people their event was cancelled. Back in the winter of 2017, I was supporting Capital Football with their comms. Now, that year saw something like 19 days rain across June's 30 days. July was worse, with some sort of rainfall on 24 out of 31 days. She was wet, and wet isn't great for Saturday morning football. Grounds were closed all over the place and most weekends opened with a Facebook message saying "sorry, kid's football is cancelled." We all have different tolerances for running around in the mud, and different tolerances for our kids running around in the mud. Those Facebook posts would see 100+ replies with people arguing about the decision - "let them play" vs. "why would you ever play in this" - and asking questions: who made the decision, when did they make it, why did they make it. In practice, the process to make decisions worked and those decisions were reasonable, but people didn't get them because they were only involved at the end of the process. So we kept the process, and we opened it up. The website was changed to outline exactly when decisions would be made, who was making them and why those people or groups had that power, where those decisions would be communicated, and we took FAQs out of the 100+ posts and made them permanently visible. The next week of cancellations saw the responses on Facebook drop from 100+ to about 10, all of them grateful for the clarity. Not many people managing social media will celebrate a reduced response rate, but this was a huge win. Why do I share this now? Well, it's Friday and it's raining in Wellington. Tomorrow morning, my son has football and I'm wondering if it will be on, so I went to Capital Football's website where there's a really clear explanation of how their cancellation process works. All the details I need, when I need them. Seven years on and proving to be a timeless approach. https://lnkd.in/gkmTZW8u Photo by Robin Jonathan Deutsch on Unsplash

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One step forward two steps Black? We want to hear your experiences of what it’s like to be Black in PR and comms today. Together with PRWeek UK and Opinium, we are opening our One Step Forward Two Steps Black survey to uncover inequity where it exists, recognise successes in creating a diverse pipeline and retaining talent, and crucially - to provide a benchmark for the industry to make change. The inaugural One Step Forward Two Steps Black survey in 2020 found that almost half of Black communication professionals had never received an internal promotion, with talent having to move to a different agency or company to rise up the ranks.  Has progress been made? Are you having a more equitable experience? Are you being hired, recognised and rewarded for your contributions? We need to know so we can shape recommendations to drive change. The anonymous survey takes just 6 minutes to complete. Complete the survey here: https://lnkd.in/eM--X-Fs Kamiqua Lake (nèe Pearce) Founder of UK Black Comms Network says "As the old adage goes: what gets measured gets improved. The industry's focus continues to be on attracting Black talent into entry level roles. We want to understand what progress our industry is making on this and how organisations are rewarding Black talent within their companies."   You can read more in PR Week here: https://lnkd.in/ewPJbcE4 Special thanks to Eliza Wiredu Rhoneece Patterson Priya Minhas

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Some interesting insights from Chris Bignell.

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Can highly recommend 👍

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I've been a listener of The Diary Of A CEO. A standout feature of DOAC is the diverse array of guests Steven Bartlett brings on board. Whether it's discussions about sexuality and marriage, the impacts of stress, or strategies for weight loss, each episode offers valuable insights from experts in their respective fields. What truly sets The Diary Of A CEO apart, however, is Steven's willingness to be vulnerable. He shares openly about his own experiences, fears, and anxieties, creating a space for genuine connection with his guests and listeners alike. He is also so emotionally tuned in to his guests that he knows the right follow-up questions to ask to get them to share. Most DOAC sessions, usually start with the typical quest for knowledge from the guest's research or work, but veers, via follow-on questions, into metaphysical or sublime thoughts. Great interviewers apply the skillsets of research, preparation, intuition, quiet pauses, active listening skills, and being able to pursue an important train for as long as possible, ensuring listeners follow the guest. Steven can prod on their thoughts with questions, and even share his experiences, which encourages his guests to share more about themselves. Very few interviewers have been able to go against the zeitgeist of interviewing, and "become the interview," fostering deep emotional connections that resonate long after the episode ends. For a long time, Google had been working on what made the perfect team. A study, identified ‘‘conversational turn-taking’’ and ‘‘average social sensitivity’’ as aspects of psychological safety that are important for a great team climate. A major highlight of the project was the interconnection between psychological safety and emotional conversations, and how people opening up about their struggles was important for group norming. Steven Bartlett embodies the principles identified by Google in their study on effective team dynamics. By prioritizing conversational turn-taking and cultivating psychological safety, Steven creates an environment where guests feel empowered to share authentically. As a listener, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of Steven's approach to podcasting. Each episode leaves me with actionable insights and a renewed perspective, a testament to the profound impact of open dialogue. Listening to some of the most successful and accomplished people openly discuss stress, depression, and anxieties was truly eye-opening. As someone who has faced my share of struggles, it resonated deeply with me to acknowledge the paradoxes of experiencing both positive and negative events simultaneously, and to persevere, irrespective. If you can, please listen to The Diary Of A CEO. My current favorites include the conversation with Wendy Suzuki, James J Sexton, Robert Greene, Africa Brooke, and of course, #BustaRhymes. https://lnkd.in/eAsCvAzZ

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📣 Calling anyone considering entering The King’s Awards for Enterprise this year. This free event is a must ⬇️ Date: 6 June 2024 Time: 11:00 – 12:30 BST Place: Live online Cost: Free Join the session to discover; 👑 How to check the eligibility criteria and meet the requirements 👑 How to select the category that best suits your business and achievements 👑 How to write an entry that scores highly with the judges PLUS exclusive case studies and insights into the latest award trends Bring your questions and there will be a Q&A session to ask me anything about the awards. This free webinar is for anyone thinking of entering the awards, have entered before and not won, or don't know if this is the right award for you. I will give you clarity on what the competition looks for in a winner and help you decide whether you fit the bill this year. Click below to sign up. ⬇️ Please note *Recordings will not be shared for this event* you will need to attend to benefit from this experience https://lnkd.in/eHGYdVWZ

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ICYMI Marc Jacobs marketing team is winning at TikTok with their influencer-first strategy. Partnering with absolute icons of the platform - Sylvanian Drama, Teletubbies, queen of edits @jessechrisss - they've generated 3m average views per video and the community comments are the stuff of every social media managers dreams. My take on why it's just so good... 1. letting the creators do what they do best - no overly key-messaged creative, no product shoehorned in, just great content. 2. picking creators that are part of the cultural fabric of Tiktok itself - so when you see the video, it's like the best kind of in-joke. 3. doing it with frequency & conviction - they've built a community of people hanging on for the next video. When I bang on to clients about leaning into a creators' own style, this is why! Jessica Millner you need to see the Sylvanian Drama video! #influencermarketing #tikok #socialstrategy

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Media Comms is all Very Personal

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What is “better thinking”? Hear all about our better thinking process from Director of Creativity and Strategy in Legacy Communications, Claire O’Grady, in episode 2 of our new podcast. Listen to the full episode through the link: https://lnkd.in/eSrqiaSE Claire O'Grady #LegacyCommunications #BuildingALegacyPodcast #BuildingALegacy #MarketingPodcast #thatsWhatICallMarketing

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