Over the last six months, Coffee Talk has taught me and hopefully you, about the many sectors of public relations. We’ve learned about agency and corporate life, entertainment, and consumer PR, juggling careers and a family, and how to go solo and much more. PR is so diverse that we can learn something new about it everyday, but what about the rest of our communications professionals? We work with media professionals on a daily basis, yet we never really get the chance to see what a day is like in their life. So I’ve decided to open Coffee Talk to media professionals too. I will interview hard working professionals from all different levels to give us an inside look at their daily life. First one to bat, Rob “Stats” Guerrera, production assistant for ESPN’s “Mike & Mike in the Morning”.
Tag Archives: christina’s coffee talk
Christina’s Coffee Talk: Jay Keith (Part 2)
When I conducted my Coffee Talk with Jay Keith, there was one question/answer that I believed deserved it’s own post. Everyday we read articles and blog posts about personal branding. Jay and I have discussed this on numerous occasions. He comes from a journalist background which I believe brings a whole new perspective to the subject. So I asked him, “Are people too serious about personal branding within the SM world? Is it overrated/overused? What would you consider your personal brand?” And here is what Jay had to say: Continue reading
Christina’s Coffee Talk with Jay Keith
Coffee Talk is back and I couldn’t be more excited to kick off the year with my guest, Jay Keith, senior public relations manager of Vistaprint. A prominent member of the #prbc community, Jay is always sharing his knowledge and making us laugh daily. Jay is a jack of all trades, smart, and funny to boot. Who knew that a former donut maker for Dunkin’ Donuts would become a successful PR professional? Like the rest of PRBC Jay’s an avid coffee drinker, loyal to his Dunkin Donuts brand but says it’s nothing compared to the coffee in France. He’s an amateur golfer, sports nut, die-hard Boston fan and a passionate Candlepin bowler. Continue reading
Christina’s Coffee Talk with Amy Mengel
This week I had the opportunity to pick the brain of Amy Mengel (@amymengel). Like some of my other guests, Amy is one of those rare breeds that doesn’t rely on coffee. Although she enjoys “fake coffee” like Frappachinos, you’ll more than likely find her sipping Diet Coke for a little caffeine fix. It’s okay Amy, we promise to not throw any fresh produce your way ;). In the summer months you can find her commuting to work often on two wheels as she is an avid cyclist. During fall months Amy is all about college football and skis slopes in the winter months. When she has free time, this book nerd can be caught bumming at the library looking for some new favorites to dive into. Amy relies on her well managed Google Reader to help her stay on top of the PR/SM news. Some of her favorites include: The Brand Builder, Todd Defren’s PR-Squared, and Dave Fleet’s blog. She also geeks out over Marginal Revolution and Strange Maps. And so I give you, Amy Mengel, discussing corporate communications, consulting, Facebook, and the importance of strategy/tactics.
Christina’s Coffee Talk with Danny Brown
This week I sat down with Danny Brown, social media strategist for Maritz Canada, founder of 12for12k, and friend. Danny get’s his daily fix from little coffee shops like, Second Cup or Muddy Waters but says he really starts his day with PRBC’s e-mail updates. (Note: I quickly learned he’s a charmer). He boasts about being a geek and says his favorite pastimes are messing in WordPess or playing video games (sorry PS3 lovers, he plays on Xbox 360 or Wii). In addition to his Recommended Reading, you can catch Danny laughing to off-the-cuff humor blogs like F*ck You Penguin and his wife’s Just Kickin’ It. It was a real pleasure picking Danny’s brain for a little bit, and I hope this chat inspires you just as much as it did for me.
Christina’s Coffee Talk with Danielle Culmone
My favorite thing about working in public relations is how it can be applied to any industry. Chances are, if you find something you’re passionate about, you can do PR for it. My guest this week, Danielle Culmone, is a great example of that. Danielle is an account supervisor in the real estate division at Quinn & Co Public Relations. This fervent coffee drinker fits right in with the rest of PRBC with her latest idea: The Coffee EpiPen: “stab yourself in the thigh each morning with your daily caffeine dose and go!” I think I know a few people that would buy that! When she’s not thinking of these fantastic inventions, or working, Danielle likes to turn her brain off to read lots of books and 186 subscriptions in her Google Reader. She loves to travel and makes it a point to go somewhere new each year. So this week, Danielle teaches us about the world of real estate PR. Continue reading
Christina’s Coffee Talk: Arik Hanson
This week I had the pleasure of chatting with Arik Hanson. Bringing brand loyalty to a new level, Arik is willing to drive 10 miles out of his way just for some Caribou Coffee. I guess it tastes so good once it hits your lips. Arik’s free time is spent with, wife (Angela) and kids (Matthew and Amy), play ing golf and riff on the guitar (emphasis on riff). His musicial taste ranges from Green Day to Johnny Cash to Tesla. Top 3 current movies include, The Hangover (best comedy in last 5 years); Madagascar 2 (thanks to my son, Wag the Dog (one of my all-time faves and also a great movie from a PR perspective); The Dark Knight (just a tremendous movie). Professionally Arik, is principal of ACH Communications,and also long-time PRSA member, serving on the Minnesota PRSA board for the past three years and is a frequent speaker at local colleges and universities. His blog is a must-read within in the PR/Social Media industry. Especially for a newbie to social media, like myself, his blog sheds light on the industry and introduces readers to other influential people. And so I give you Arik Hanson…
Christina’s Coffee Talk: Stephanie Smirnov
This week I had the pleasure of getting to know more about our favorite PR Mama: Stephanie Smirnov, president of DeVries Public Relations. Stephanie relies so heavily on three gargantuan mugs of Starbucks coffee a day that her family is trained to not talk to her until she’s had the first sip. Sounds familiar. She’s a pro at wakeboarding, Wii Resort Wakeboarding that is, and relaxes in her Catskills home with her husband and son “swimming, skiing, grilling and chilling.” Stephanie listens to the best old-school funk, disco, and R&B and reads her favorite mommy blogs (The Bloggess, The Pioneer Woman, and Rock and Roll Mama to name a few) and design/trend blogs—a new favorite Design*Sponge. Okay, enough of the fun stuff. When Stephanie said she would participate for Coffee Talk, I couldn’t wait to find out how she is so successful in her career and also a great mom with a very solid family. How does one find the time for it all? And so I give you, Stephanie Smirnov . . . super mom and PR pro: