In this conversation, Travis Parman shares his insights about: How people sometimes "fall into public relations" from different fields ... and how he has evolved his ideas about what constitutes PR expertise as a former self-confessed "public relations purist";  Why his favorite Abraham Lincoln quote that he learned in high school helped chart his academic and career course toward public relations: "In this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions"; Why diverse practitioners are so often the best public relations professionals: "They know how to read a room"; Ways that PR students should work to position themselves for thriving public relations careers, by bringing their diverse perspectives and backgrounds to the fore; In what ways companies need to avoid knee-jerk responses to "diversity programs" that lump people of one diverse cohort together and inadvertently segregate them;  How one-dimensional, tactical and transactional "understandings" of PR pose some of the industry's biggest limitations that must be countered and overcome; Why being too deferential can be a PR professional's most self-defeating behavioral modus operandi in growing their career; Ways that cross-cultural and international standards differ -- and why public relations practitioners need to advance their game, including in the #PRethics arena and with full team involvement and buy-in. FOLLOW #PRethicsFOLLOW Travis Parman:Twitter: @TravisParmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisparman/  FOLLOW AppHarvest:Twitter: @AppHarvestFOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest  

Ms. InterPReted

Travis Parman -- CCO, AppHarvest: The #PRethics of a Strong Sustainability Story

In this episode during PRSA's #EthicsMonth, Mary Beth West interviews close colleague Susan Hart -- a past president of the PRSA Nashville Chapter, a past PRSA Nashville Chapter Hercules Award honoree, and a now-former / resigned PRSA College of Fellows member.  Susan voluntarily discontinued her 35-year membership in PRSA in 2018, in disgust with PRSA's National leadership cultural shift, after what she describes as "one of the most stressful experiences of (her) life" at the hands of PRSA National leadership, who infamously opposed ethics-driven bylaw reforms -- after secretly reversing course from prior assurances that measures would be supported.  In this interview, Susan discusses: Accountability as the essential crux of what any leadership team must offer as a non-negotiable deliverable of its own cultural mindset How leadership quickly falls down a slippery slope and point-of-no-return, when national leaders fail to conduct due diligence "Say-do" disconnects -- when organizational mission and stated principles no longer match leadership behaviors What the modus-operandi of "Operation Incompetence" entails with an escalating lack of financial transparency How the good work of PRSA's local-level chapters is overshadowed and undermined when the national organizational leadership has entrenched unethical and unaccountable practices Why curiosity by members is important and should not be demonized ... and why it's an ethical red-flag when any organizational leadership "kills the messenger" and instills fear of retaliation among a membership who become too fearful to ask valid questions. FOLLOW #PRethicsFOLLOW Susan Hart:Twitter: @susanhartpr JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP CALLING FOR A BETTER PRSA:https://www.facebook.com/groups/ABetterPRSA  FOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest  

Susan Hart: PRSA, #PRethics and the Urgency of Accountability

Recorded on #WorldPRDay (#WPRD), Kelly and Mary Beth welcome one of the PR industry's most prominent and prolific thought leaders, Gini Dietrich of Spin Sucks, an entire learning platform that Gini founded and her team manages, in service to the industry, including consulting work for fellow agency owners and entrepreneurs.Gini opens up about her passion points for the industry, on both the positive / uplifting front as well as frustrating sides... and on the latter, including discrimination and misogyny that she has experienced first-hand as a business owner and public speaker. In this episode of #MsInterPReted, Gini opens up about personal (and shocking) experiences in her own career, and how the up-and-coming generation in PR will not suffer fools gladly or tolerate the discriminatory burdens that have all-too-often persisted in PR and in business / society. Gini also shares insights about other professional-practice ethics and qualities that hold great potential for the PR industry's advancement, if colleagues will embrace them. FOLLOW Gini Dietrich and Spin Sucks:Twitter: @SpinSucks @GiniDietrichWebsite: http://spinsucks.com/spin-sucks-community FOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest  

Gini Dietrich: Agencies, Equality & Bringing Our Best to the PR Industry

On this #SocialMediaDay2021 episode, Chris McCarty of Knoxville-based law firm Lewis Thomason delves into the larger issues at hand for companies/organizations and individuals alike in managing the good, the bad and the law, when it comes to leveraging the power of social media in productive and legally compliant ways. Kelly and Mary Beth set the stage by providing a flashback to a November 2020 episode of #MsInterPReted (Social Media & Surveillance Capitalism: Dr. Candace White), and Kelly also shares a recent challenge experienced with a Facebook hacker ... indicative of the power -- much of it unchecked -- that the largest social media companies in particular wield, which can derail any company's ability to do business, at the drop of a hat. Chris discusses legal implications of these and other challenges, as well as broader issues of free speech and regulatory facts that every PR person and professional communicator should know, in today's dynamic social media environment. About Chris McCarty of Lewis Thomason, P.C.:Chris W. McCarty, a shareholder in Lewis Thomason's Knoxville office, practices in the areas of employment law, education law and civil litigation. Chris handles matters before state and federal courts throughout Tennessee, and has argued before the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Chris also presents on employment and education law topics. His articles on those topics have been seen in numerous publications, including HR Magazine, the Tennessee Bar Journal and the Knoxville Business Journal. Chris is approved as a member of the American Arbitration Association’s (AAA) Panel of Employment Arbitrators. AFFILIATIONS Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel DRI – Employment & Labor Law Committee Society for Human Resource Management American Bar Association Knoxville Bar Association Tennessee Bar Association National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND ACTIVITIES Tennessee Council of School Board Attorneys, President, 2018-2020 Best Lawyers® 2020 Employment Law – Management “Lawyer of the Year” in Knoxville Named to The Best Lawyers in America©, Employment Law Management and Education Law Named a Cityview Magazine Top Attorney Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Elected Member, 2018 Knoxville Bar Foundation, Fellows Program, 2016 Member, American Arbitration Association (AAA) Panel of Employment Arbitrators Mid-South Super Lawyers® Rising Star, 2015, 2016 Leadership Sevier, 2015 Knoxville Zoo, Circle of Friends Leadership Council, 2015 Nucleus Knoxville, President, 2014 “40 Under 40”, Knoxville Business Journal, 2013 Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law, 2012 Leadership Tomorrow Sevier, 2010 Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, President’s Award, 2009 Introduction Knoxville, 2007 Knoxville Bar Association, Publications Committee FOLLOW Chris McCarty and Lewis Thomason:Twitter: @LewisThomasonTN LinkedIn: Lewis Thomason / LinkedIn and Chris McCarty / LinkedIn Website: https://www.lewisthomason.com/ FOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest  

10+ Years of #SocialMediaDay: The Good, The Bad & The Law

AlexAnndra Ontra of Shufflrr discusses the art of the presentation: How to lead with storytelling and more conversational approaches Why presentations are getting more play in the marketing mix Ways in which presentations must keep ever-evolving “in a continual loop” and not remain static over time How it is that some 70% of marketing assets are not used (a data point from 3M) – representing an intellectual-resource waste Methods for avoiding mismanagement or non-accessibility of presentation assets so that there is wider, more searchable usability of presentation data Ways that presentations can remain fresh but have enough content preservation and replicability to save staff time Discover more about Shufflrr: https://shufflrr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on: Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr On Twitter:  @fletcherpr On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/ Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher Follow Mary Beth: @marybethwest 

AlexAnndra Ontra: The Art (and Importance) of the Presentation

During his second visit to the “Ms. InterPReted” Podcast, Francis Ingham shares his latest insights about the state of ethics in the public relations industry, amid real-time issues that have impacted Fletcher Senior Strategist Mary Beth West, MPRCA, who now is serving a second term as PRCA Ethics Council Co-Chair. Susan Hart, MPRCA, guest-hosts alongside Fletcher Marketing PR CEO Kelly Fletcher, MPRCA. Francis Ingham is Director General of the PRCA, and Chief Executive of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO).With a background in politics and public affairs, Francis is External Examiner to the American University at Richmond; Trustee of The Speakers' Corner Trust; and the Master of the City of London Company of Public Relations Practitioners. He was educated at Oxford University, where he read Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He appears in both the UK and the Global editions of PR Week’s PowerBook.Follow the PRCA-UK: Website: https://www.prca.org.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prca_uk/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/PRCA_UK Follow Francis Ingham on Twitter: @ingers1975 https://twitter.com/Ingers1975U.S. citizens can inquire about PRCA-UK international membership by contacting: Website: https://www.prca.org.uk/membership/join-today/international-individual-membership  ORMelissa Cannon MPRCAPRCA International DirectorT: +44 (0) 207 233 6026 W: prca.org.ukFollow Fletcher Marketing PR on: Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr On Twitter:  @fletcherpr On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/ Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher Follow Mary Beth: @marybethwest Follow Susan Hart: @susanhartpr  

2021: The State of Ethics in PR

In this chat with Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West, Blount Partnership President / CEO Bryan Daniels, CEcD, discusses: The old versus new model of marketing rural communities successfully Ways in which Blount County, TN has differentiated itself as a top quality-of-life community  Blount County's true partnership-driven approach, with collaboration and cooperation among municipalities, elected officials and business community leaders How Blount County is taking a role at the international level to help drive thought-leadership and best-practices (with Bryan Daniels serving on the board of the International Economic Development Council, which will bring its conference to Nashville, TN, later this year)https://www.iedconline.org/index.php?src=directory&view=staff&srctype=detail&refno=804&category=Board%20of%20Directors  How local, high-quality workforce development remains the most critical driver of attracting and retaining employers to a local community Ways in which today's social-responsibility discourse is informing the site-selection process... with some corporations including as part of their due-diligence a request for the voting record of local electorates as a criteria point for moving a headquarters or base of operations to a new community Rationale for rural communities to take a proactive stance versus a reactive stance in their econ-dev approach:  Proactive: Driving site-selection visibility and relationship-building from the front, with a rural community sending its own delegations overseas  Reactive: Relying entirely on one's state department of economic development to send site-selection leads to the local level Learn more about moving your business to Blount County, Tennessee -- The Peaceful Side of the Smokies:Blount Partnership: https://www.blountpartnership.com/ Connect with Bryan Daniels: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-daniels-b597283/  Follow the Blount Chamber on Twitter: https://twitter.com/blountchamber  Smokies Vacation: https://www.smokymountains.org/ Peaceful Side of the Smokies / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peacefulsmokies/?hl=en  Site-Selection / Pellissippi Place: https://blountindustry.com/our-region/sites-and-buildings/pellissippi-place/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcherFollow Mary Beth on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Bryan Daniels: Driving Economic Success for Rural Communities

MiS 4.6 Blount County Draft

1.      Getting the Research Right2.     Applying the Critical Eye3.     Capturing What’s Wrong and What’s Right4.     Committing to Communication5.     Involving Your Team at Every LevelKelly and Mary Beth explore these five essential elements of undertaking a meaningful and effective strategic planning initiative -- whether for an upcoming fiscal year, for a new R&D effort / product launch, or any organizational development effort, aimed at future success. With some 50 years' combined experience in helping clients tackle planning with a data-informed focus, Kelly and Mary Beth discuss what they've seen organizations do well (and not-so-well) in their planning exercises, and how the post-pandemic shifts in "normalcy" for most organizations must factor into the conversation, going forward. Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcherFollow Mary Beth on Twitter: @marybethwest 

*Planning* The 2022 Plan: 5 Essentials for Strategic Development

Leslie Beale of Profusion Strategies in Knoxville, TN, joins Kelly and Mary Beth on #MsInterPReted for her reflections in spring 2021, as the business world contends with "new-normals" running alongside continuous additional changes, brought about by COVID-19. Leslie, Kelly and Mary Beth talk about the internal workforce implications of the pandemic on business owners, and how companies can best navigate additional onslaughts of workplace change, expectations and demands during the economic recovery. Lessons learned and how the pandemic has specifically impacted women in the workforce headline the topics discussed.

Leslie Beale: Women & Work in the Post-Pandemic

Mike Ragsdale, founder and CEO of the popular 30A lifestyle brand which was inspired by the scenic 30A highway along Florida’s Gulf Coast, says he remains driven by this simple goal: be happy and inspire others to live the life they’ve imagined. When he and his wife Angela relocated their family to Florida, Mike purchased the domain 30A.com to begin as a blog. It’s hard to imagine he had any idea then what an iconic, worldwide brand 30A.com would become. The 30A brand can be found in 380 stores nationwide and boasts eco-friendly clothing, décor, drinkware, electric bikes, skincare and even beer and wine. Listen as Kelly and Mike discuss Mike’s entrepreneurial successes….and challenges…. in the pursuit of happiness and bringing a piece of the laid-back beach lifestyle to people everywhere.

Brilliant Simplicity: Mike Ragsdale

Dolly Parton is easily one of the most recognizable celebrity names worldwide -- and in Tennessee (Dolly's home state) where Fletcher Marketing PR is also based, Dolly is widely regarded as a "Patron Saint." And there are good reasons for the sainthood status: In addition to Dolly being Dolly (with a consistent focus on everyday servant-leadership), Dolly Parton's Imagination Library -- Dolly's charity -- provides free books to children across the U.S. and now globally, with a focus on promoting childhood literacy. Hear from two of the Imagination Library's leaders -- Nora Briggs (Executive Director / North America) and Dr. Marion Gillooly (Executive Director / UK) -- as they explain the art, science, compassion and care that go into the Imagination Library's astounding impact on improving lives for children and families, as well as boosting childhood literacy.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Catherine Porth -- a market researcher and data strategist -- shares her insights about putting information to strategic use for the best branding and marketing-communications outcomes. And -- this International Women's Day (#IWD2021) -- Kelly Fletcher discusses with Catherine the non-profit organization she has started -- LetHerSpeakUS.com.

Behind the Data: Turning Market Research into Actionable Strategy

In the Season 3 Wrap-Up of the #MsInterPReted Podcast, Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West embark on a New Year in 2021 with a look back to highlights of recent guests: MINUTE 6:38 / Rod Cartwright, FRSA, FPRCA: Rod shared insights of the PRCA's COVID-19 Taskforce and his other insights on the state of the industry and how the PRCA is helping lead the way. MINUTE 12:26 / Tearsa Smith, Anchor / WATE-TV Ch. 6 Knoxville: Tearsa shared how community journalism and its coverage of race / equality / justice issues are so important for helping citizens know and understand the authentic, real experiences of all people, of all diverse backgrounds. MINUTE 20:00 / Kelly and Mary Beth talked about Mary Beth's struggle with PRSA (the U.S.-based PR industry association) and issues of how women who ask tough questions are treated... particularly in the face of being a bona fide Whistleblower of organizational wrongdoing. MINUTE 31:45 / Patricia Nash and Jennifer Evans: Patricia Nash Designs Founder / CEO Patricia Nash (on the podcast with her daughter, COO Jennifer Evans) gave candid commentary on what the COVID-19 pandemic has meant to her business, in navigating the crisis -- and what her definition of *nimble leadership* is all about. MINUTE 36:00 / Rax Lakhani, CMPRCA: Rax provided a razor-sharp analysis of the Diversity & Inclusion issue, from the international perspective, as head of the PRCA Diversity Network. His on-point, empathetic, pro-business approach advocated for important action steps all PR professionals should take, to make D&I a reality. MINUTE 39:00 / Sarah Merrell -- VP, Fletcher Marketing PR (and Instagram Social Media Influencer): Sarah talked about realities of media relations and influencer work in today's COVID environment, particularly with pressures faced right now by newsrooms. MINUTE 42:50 / Dr. Candace White: This chat invited Dr. White to share her well-studied observations and concerns about non-disclosures inherent to the digital communications / social media platform environment. Join Kelly and Mary Beth throughout 2021, with new episodes of #MsInterPReted to launch Season 4, upcoming!

#MsInterPReted Season 3: Memorable Moments

A newly minted Vice President at Fletcher Marketing PR with her recent promotion at the firm, Sarah Merrell combines an achievement-driven career in public relations with her newfound (and literal) fame as a social media influencer in the motorcycling enthusiast space. Her vision of helping bring more women into motorcycling powers the torque behind her own meteoric rise in social media, with a perfect marriage of interweaving professional focus with a personal passion (not to mention literal marriage to her husband Jud, who initially inspired her path to the sport and routinely joins her on the road, on his own two wheels!). With nearly 70,000 Instagram followers (sarah__merrell), Sarah has cultivated an enthusiastic fan base as an authentic rider and motorsports aficionada. In this episode, Sarah explains how she evolved from a timid rider always on the back of her husband's bike, to becoming an accomplished and noteworthy bike-owner and rider in her own right ... and how she carefully cultivates that following in a niche sport of dynamic brands at every turn. Sarah shares her work and perspectives as a VP at Fletcher Marketing PR, where she integrates her personal experience and knowledge as an influencer and an accomplished woman in business into achieving campaign-traction for clients across the spectrum of strategic brand communications.

Niche Influencers in Social Media: Fletcher PR's Sarah Merrell

Public Relations stands as one of the most misunderstood, misinterpreted areas of business and organizational management. With Fletcher Marketing PR Founder and CEO Kelly Fletcher and Senior Strategist Mary Beth West, we’re here to turn around PR’s own bad PRess, cut through the nomenclature, and demystify public relations as the best pathway to create, grow and amplify the roots of positive management, communications, culture and careers -- for success that matters.

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Ms. InterPReted

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