Well... I went and added audiobook narrator to my resume. After having a narrator on my podcast (shoutout to the power of good conversations), I basically just did exactly what she said to do. Step by step. No overthinking. No "who am I to try this?" I made a demo. Someone listened. And then... they hired me. Moral of the story? Try the thing. Even if it feels random or new or out of left field. You never know who’s listening. Here’s a link to the episode on Apple Podcasts. 3 things changing...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Let’s talk about the trickiest thing in marketing: figuring out why someone actually buys something. Sure, you can dive into your Google Analytics dashboard, click through some UTM links, and feel very data-driven and powerful. Maybe you even track conversions with military precision. Love that for you. But here’s the truth: sometimes the reason someone buys has nothing to do with the clicks. Sometimes it doesn’t start in Chrome. Or Safari. Or anywhere near a website. Sometimes the journey...
11 days ago • 1 min read
This woman named Meredith was in the middle of a rejection challenge, asking strangers bold questions just to get turned down. On Instagram, she calls it rejection therapy. She walked into the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel, smiled, and asked: “Can I stay here for free tonight?” Wild, right? The staff said yes! They comped the stay. She shared the moment online and the video exploded. Right now, it’s at more than 2 million views. (Tap here to watch it.) No brand deal. No ad spend. Just...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Did you hear? Google is going to start giving you some SEO love for your Instagram posts. It’ll read your caption, listen to your audio, and all the things to serve them up in search results. So, will this change the way I post? Uh, probably not — but good to know. Speaking of Instagram… Every once in a while, I’ll boost a post on IG to “female fiction book lovers” for $15 over three days. The goal is to get more engagement for this new(ish) niche. This gets me 1,000-2,000 more views and...
25 days ago • 2 min read
It’s been a while since I shared some media opportunities with you. Here’s a tip on responding: Give the journalist everything they need in the emails. Make the subject line the keywords in the pitch. Offer as much advice as you can based on the little information you have below. Then, share a 2-3 sentence bio on why you’re the perfect person to site with a link to your website as well as your contact information. Good luck! Aly Walansky is looking for three sources for these articles: For...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Wow. It’s been a minute, huh? That’s because I took my first real vacation without a laptop to Italy, France, and Spain. It was amazing! But now, we’re back at it, friend. Work shouldn’t feel hard. And yet, so many of us are set up to fail. Not because we suck... but because our environment does. A couple of years ago, I was reporting for a nonprofit in Palm Beach. Every month, I had to send a newsletter, but it needed the CEO's approval first. She never approved it on time. I was also...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
"We want PR to drive sales." Big red flag. Massive misunderstanding. Here’s the thing… PR ≠ Marketing ≠ Branding. They work together, but they’re not the same. Let’s break it down (like you're five): PR builds belief. It earns trust. Shapes perception. Boosts credibility. Not clicks. Not conversions. Credibility. Marketing moves money. It’s campaign-driven. Action-focused. Think: sales, leads, sign-ups. Branding builds the backbone. It's your vibe, voice, values, and visuals. Without it, PR...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Ever pretended to be “live” outside a courthouse that’s been closed since lunch? Or a crime scene that's been inactive for days? Welcome to local news, where the "LIVE" banner matters more than the actual news.Here’s one of my favorite (read: infuriating) stories from my time as a reporter...I told my executive producer, a full week in advance, that I needed to leave at 5:15 PM on a specific day.Not for a mani-pedi. Not for a hot date.To pick up my daughter from daycare by 6:00. Basic...
2 months ago • 1 min read
A writer I follow did this desk tour thing on Substack, and I thought - That’s pretty cool. So, if I think it’s cool, maybe you will too. Welcome to my office. Q: Describe your workspace. This used to be my sons room (sons as in TWO boys with bunk beds). Then, we added two bedrooms and a bathroom onto our house… and now it’s my office. I’m going with the ostrich feather vibe on a wall and with a floor lamp. I also have fun office sayings on the wall, like defining “per my last email” as...
3 months ago • 2 min read
I did a viral thing on LinkedIn again. Last time, it was about working for a narcissist. This time, it was about ice cream that looked like a used feminine product. God forbid I go viral for anything that would actually help me career-wise on a career-focused social media platform, right? Anyone know anything about Substack? So, I’ve been posting my bookish content on Substack… and I’m realizing it’s like another damn social media platform. It looks like to grow there, you need to be active...
3 months ago • 1 min read
