A little over a year ago, Can You Hear Me? Was created with the guiding principle of sharing communications, and best practices, especially those relevant for CEOs and others in leadership positions. A year later, this program has evolved as a template for companies and their leaders when it comes to the nuances of some of the most delicate communication issues of our day, join co-host Rob Johnson and Eileen Rochford as they review some of their favorite topics and look at year two and what they have in store.
Catch up on our mentioned episodes:
Trust in the Age of the Pandemic: How 2020 Changed Communications Forever
When Facts Are Optional, Trust Takes a Nosedive
The New Female Workforce: What do they want?
Elevating Others and Leading with Heart
How Leaders can End the Overwhelm Hangover
What’s Fueling This Cycle of Distrust
Rob Johnson [00:00:17] A little over a year ago, Can You Hear Me? Was created with the guiding principle of sharing communications, and best practices, especially those relevant for CEOs and others in leadership positions. A year later, this program has evolved as a template for companies and their leaders when it comes to the nuances of some of the most delicate communication issues of our day, join co-host Rob Johnson and Eileen Rochford as they review some of their favorite topics and look at year two and what they have in store. Hello everyone, and welcome to a special edition of Can You Hear Me? I'm Rob Johnson, President of Rob Johnson Communications.
Eileen Rochford [00:00:57] And I'm Eileen Rochford, CEO of the marketing and strategy firm The Harbinger Group. This is indeed a very special edition of our podcast because drum roll, please. It has been one year since we launched our show. So today we're going to look back at what the world looked like when we launched the various topics, we've covered throughout our first year. And all kinds of things we learned and observed during the inaugural year of hosting, Can You Hear Me? So first to set the stage, let's look back on what was happening when we set out on this journey. In a lot of ways, the spring of 2021 was another, honestly very dark, and challenging time.
Rob Johnson [00:01:41] Yeah, that's true Eileen in even though the vaccines were coming online, and people were getting them, and people were looking forward to the summer, it was nationally a very uncertain time. As you mentioned, the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin was taking place in Minneapolis. And the whole city, state, and much of our nation was reliving the horror and pain of George Floyd's vicious murder once more. Then when you had another black man, Daunte Wright, was murdered by a police officer, and his death was declared unlawful. Another wave of protests erupted in Minneapolis. And then the congressional investigation into January 6, 2021, Capitol attack by insurrectionists was underway and the nation had to relive that traumatic day as well and grapple with the political infighting that ensued.
Eileen Rochford [00:02:33] In addition, Rob, there were more than ten mass shootings making headlines in states across the entire country last spring in a six-week period, and coronavirus continued to rage, postponing return to work plans for companies nationwide. Much of that didn't even happen until this year. Yet, even in your career, talking about it as if it was imminent. And unemployment, while it had continued to drop since a spike of record proportions the year prior in April of 2020, the numbers were still double pre-pandemic rates. So, things were tough for many, many businesses and many, many, many people. In short, the emotional and psychological struggles continued mounting, and businesses were increasingly called upon to support employees and customers in new and complex ways. So, Rob and I got together, and we decided we wanted to start the show to talk about how to navigate these truly tumultuous times. I'm 50, and I had never seen anything like it in my lifetime.
Rob Johnson [00:03:47] Yeah, I got to tell you. I'm glad when we first came up with the idea for the first topic for our first podcast, which was called Trust in the Age of the Pandemic How 2020 Changed Communications Forever. I think, when we were sitting here, sitting here thinking about what can we start talking about, what ideas can we kick around? I think that was so important because so much had changed and the pandemic really changed the way the people were trusted. For instance, we talked about the Edelman trust barometer and how for years your employer was sort of seen as, oh, gosh, they're going to spin this or spin that, and they're not so reliable. And then once everybody's working from home, they were saying, I trust my employer to give me the most meaningful information out there. I thought that was really interesting. And I just think from that trust factor and the fact that we were right in the midst of this pandemic, I know a year later we're hopeful that we're not. But thinking back to that time, it was very much a time of uncertainty.
Eileen Rochford [00:04:56] Definitely. Absolutely. What's interesting is that long ago, you and I completed this year's show about this year's reported 2021 report on trust. And a lot of things remained the same from what we discussed in our first episode. A year later from that research, a lot of things remain the same. A lot of things continue to spike in places where I personally thought, are you kidding? This trust in employers is not going to continue,
Rob Johnson [00:05:29] Right. It was surprising. I agree. Because we thought was this a blip on the radar because of the pandemic. And now not that two years is going to set the tone forever. But now you've got two years of this information, and it's basically the same.
Eileen Rochford [00:05:44] Yeah. If when I had to make a prediction, I would say that's going to ebb and flow or that's going to spike and drop the entire issue of trusting employers.
Rob Johnson [00:05:56] Think you're right.
Eileen Rochford [00:05:57] And that's going to be driven by a whole host of conditions and things that evolve and change. So, I don't think that's going to remain the same. I'm just making a prediction right now. I'm not saying it's going to change in a year. I don't know how long that's going to stick around.
Rob Johnson [00:06:13] So we'll play this is back a year from now. Was Eileen right or wrong?
Eileen Rochford [00:06:17] Go ahead. Do it. But there are many ways that the pandemic did change communications forever. And you and I are recording this right now on Zoom, and that's probably the number one-way virtual communications. Being able to work and complete, successfully working together as teams on different continents, even though it was proven to be possible and almost necessary. So, I'm really happy and I'm going to make that prediction, too. There's no going back on that one, baby. We're here.
Rob Johnson [00:06:55] You know what? And we're taking a little bit of an aside here because that was a part of our first episode. But we were talking about, outlets like this, Zoom, and what it's meant. And I remember when I started doing virtual presentation training for clients and they're like, but this isn't going to last. Once I get back in the boardroom, I'm not going to have to remember any of this stuff you're telling me. And then I was like, you know what? What did you hold that thought for a little bit? And here we are a year and a half, two years later, and bosses have figured out that this really works. It may not work for every meeting, but it works for a lot of them. And there's a lot of cost savings and there's a lot of efficiencies and there's a lot of reasons to keep doing it. So guess what? If you haven't mastered virtual presentation training, I know somebody you can talk to.
Eileen Rochford [00:07:39] No doubt. That was super subtle, Rob. So kudos for that one.
Rob Johnson [00:07:47] I have no idea what he's talking about.
Eileen Rochford [00:07:49] Rewind the tape way.
Rob Johnson [00:07:51] I think for me, one of the greatest joys in creating Can You Hear Me? Has been watching it grow and evolve. We created this as sort of the best practices when it came to communication strategy for several subjects. And while I know we've stayed true to that mission; I've also been proud of the fact that this evolved into best practices for company leaders and C-suite level executives on so many different subjects. And when we talked about CEO brands and the challenges that CEOs face, there were so many episodes that we did focus on the C-suite and focusing on the leadership and trying to give the best ideas that we had to help them along. Because the role of the CEO has changed dramatically in the last five years.
Eileen Rochford [00:08:34] Particularly the last two. No doubt about it. Yeah, and it's funny when you look at not anybody cares other than you and me, the actual download numbers of our top episodes, so many of them had practical advice for business leaders and C-suite level executives, things that they can do specifically. And we're going to run through a few of those in our little walk down memory lane over the past year.
Rob Johnson [00:09:02] But I thought it was really for me, that part was exciting because it really has evolved and it really has become that I feel like we can talk about a litany of subjects related to communication, and we do on a regular basis. But I feel like some of those episodes were, I think, very handy for people who are in positions of authority, who probably don't have time to sit around listening to podcast after podcast. But for those that listen to ours and there is some evidence that a few people were listening, more than a few people were listening. I hope it was helpful to them because just like I said, the role changed so much. And what was expected of CEOs 3 to 5 years ago is far different than what's expected now.
Eileen Rochford [00:09:45] And some of the feedback that I frequently hear in different are from different people. But there's a common theme is how the show has evolved into like a connection between current events, current issues, and best practices for communications. It's kind of like the melding of the two. Like, all right, so here's what we're experiencing. Here's what that may mean. Let's dig into the topic a little bit, but then let's go at it from the angle. So, okay, now that we know the problem, we talked about the problem. Now how do we address it? Well, certainly from being a great communicator, you know, help yourself and your company get through the situation.
Rob Johnson [00:10:30] And what are the solutions to that problem? I think that's what we try to be mindful of as well. We can point out what the issue is. We can discuss it chapter and verse, but at the end of the episode, I hope that you say, well, I also got some pretty actionable good advice. That may be helpful.
Eileen Rochford [00:10:46] Totally. And this is the part where I'm going to say, hey, our number one listener who's out there somewhere, if you have a show idea or if you have a specific thing that you want us to address when we post this episode up on LinkedIn, respond either one of us and let us know because we're dying to hear your ideas. We always are.
Rob Johnson [00:11:06] We always are. And I've gotten a multitude of ideas, as have you, Eileen, and we haven't incorporated every single one of them, but I think we've probably discussed every single one of them and some of them have actually become show ideas. So, we are thoughtful about it even if we haven't acted on every single one of them. We've certainly discussed every single idea that's come our way.
Eileen Rochford [00:11:29] Yes, that was the disclaimer subtly delivered well done. Out of our 22 episodes, is that right from our first year.
Rob Johnson [00:11:38] Yes.
Eileen Rochford [00:11:39] Holy cow. I know we have more in the can, but still, it's fun to say. So, 22 episodes that we launched in our first year, today we've chosen just a few favorites to highlight and we're going look at them through the lens of time has passed, which is fun, right? So oh, okay, what's changed and where are we super off on that. But I'll go first, and I'll bring up our second episode. It was titled When Facts Are Optional and Trust Takes a Nosedive. And that was with our very first guest, the crisis communications veteran and dear friend of mine, a person I totally adore, Harlan Loeb. And that was it was a great show. It was so fun for you and me to kind of delve into, oh, we get to interview someone and hear all the things that they think about this issue, which I really enjoyed and we realized having guests is going to be one of, at least for me, one of my favorite part of doing the show.
Rob Johnson [00:12:37] Oh, yeah, I agree. And certainly, for somebody that interviewed people for years and years in my other life and in television, I always love exploring things with people and interviewing them and having a good discussion. And so being able to do that with some of our guests and Harlan being the first one and then having somebody like that, that's such a wealth of knowledge that has been front and center for so many crisis issues, corporate crisis issues in the last 20, 25 years. For me, it was fascinating to talk to somebody like that who really is a smart person and who really had some great ideas about this whole idea that in the world we live in, facts are optional. So, it's like, I disagree with your facts, so I'm going to make up my own. And I think you and I look at that as a problematic issue that has really caught on in this world. And I think we're trying to hold some of these people that are in positions of authority, whether it be corporate politics or whatever the case, to some level of accountability.
Eileen Rochford [00:13:40] Yep. And the phrase that I loved that Harlan used, I've used it a couple of times, given totally full credit where it's due. But the phrase he said in the show is the erosion of the sanctity of facts. And that's really what happened. Right. It's not that they're optional, but that the sanctity has now just almost disappeared because people are choosing to view them as optional. Right. So, I encourage everybody to check out that episode. I'm going to put links to all the faves we list today in our show notes. So you remember but a treasure trove of great information advice guidance shared by Harlan from episode two.
Rob Johnson [00:14:22] Yeah, that was a fun one. And then the one I want to point out next is episode four, one of our more popular ones of the year. This generated a lot of discussion and downloads and I remember when we first were talking about it and you had this idea of having some of your interns come on and talk about the new female workforce. I was like, well, they haven't really joined the workforce yet. What are they going to say about it? So, Episode four, The New Female Workforce What do they want? And we had three of your Harbinger Group interns talking about entering the workforce, their hopes, and their requirements for that first job. And I have to say, I was just blown away and how thoughtful and how poised and how smart and how dynamic they all were. And for me, going into it like, yeah, I'll give it a whirl, like, we're creating this out of nothing. So, it's not like we have one way to do things. Yeah, I'll try it out. Let's give it a whirl. It absolutely exceeded my expectations and the popularity of that episode, I was like, you know what? We can talk about anything. If we have good guests and we have a good topic, people are going to listen to this, and they did for that one and many others as well. But that one.
Eileen Rochford [00:15:37] And I think it was because so many leaders are older, right? Let's say, for the most part, they're in their mid-thirties on up and they're you're really kind of have lost touch with the people who are 21, 22. And because that's a lot of time span in between and the life stages are vastly different. So the opportunity to hear from those people directly, to have them state the things that they're going to look for and evaluate and potential employers once they get out their degree and all their many credentials, including a great internship, it's important, to hear that and know that as someone or a business leader who has to lead people more and more younger people and a lot of turnover in the workforce right now. So, people are really having to onboard successfully. And understanding the mindset of these folks is obviously essential, and critical. So that's why I think the show is so popular. It was the opportunity to just listen and further have three women and from diverse, varying backgrounds who really could speak to a range of things that were important to them. It was a great show. So, if you're a listener wanting to get in touch with younger folks who are coming in, understand their mindset, check that one out. So again, we'll drop that into the show notes.
Rob Johnson [00:17:13] One final note on that, too. It's interesting because it really spoke to the younger generations, what millennials and Gen Ys are looking for in terms of leadership and looking for work-life balance. They want authenticity and those are hallmarks of what they're looking for in bosses, because, as you mentioned, onboarding and recruiting talent is one thing. Retaining them is another thing. But both of those things take a lot of time, effort, money, everything. And if you hire them, you want to keep them. And so there is a feeling from them that everything trickles down. So, your team can only be as great as the person for whom it's trickling from. So, in this case, it would be Eileen Rochford, the CEO of the Harbinger Group. I heard she's excellent. But I mean, this wasn't like a pat on the back kind of moment at all. It was just them being honest. But the way that you're authentically interacting with your employees and what you're offering them just shows that you get it. So, there's a shameless plug for you.
Eileen Rochford [00:18:18] Aren't you sweet! Thank you. That's why we keep you around. Yeah. That was a great show. I could talk about that one all day, but we're going to move on to our next fave. So, in episode six, we focused a little more intently on kind of the issues that face the C-suite. That was the episode that recalled building and protecting the CEO's reputation. Is it me brand or we rebrand? And all credit for that awesome title goes to you Rob, and people love that show.
Rob Johnson [00:18:51] It's so funny because that is one that gets recited back to me more than any, and it's always so great to have people say, hey, I listened to your podcast, so all those years I was on TV and somebody say, hey, I watched your newscast. You're like, okay, I mean, but this is heart and soul stuff here. I mean we're pouring our expertise, our creativity, everything into this. So, when somebody says, hey, I really like what you said about we brand and the me brand. And I get it. I really did appreciate that. And that's something that gets recited back to me time and time again because it really resonated with the listeners.
Eileen Rochford [00:19:28] Yeah. And it was just a great reminder to so many. And if it wasn't a reminder, it was a lightning bolt kind of moment for them to realize. I haven't been thoughtful about the kind of leader brand I want and need to be, and I got to think that through and identify, am I me or we, and depending on which one I am authentically well, I need to be consistent in my behaviors, my choices, and my words. So, it was a really good show. Another one that we encourage you to check out if you didn't hear it.
Rob Johnson [00:20:08] And for people that are like me brand. So, that we brand is a CEO that would go on LinkedIn or Facebook or whatever their favorite social network is and is saying, Hey, look at my workers in this office or this store here and there. They're doing a great job. So, the We Brand CEO is the one that’s deflecting a lot of the attention and praise and everything else and saying, hey, look at what a great team I have. The ME brand is, hey, look at me, I'm the CEO, and aren't I great? And so, for those people that think they kind of know we were talking about that's kind of a little bit more color around that.
Eileen Rochford [00:20:43] Yeah. So, thank Elon Musk for me brand.
Rob Johnson [00:20:48] Yes. That's a perfect example.
Eileen Rochford [00:20:50] Right now he is all over Twitter.
Rob Johnson [00:20:53] Oh, yeah. Right. And everybody's like, hey, I wonder if Elon Musk will allow so-and-so back on or do this or that. It's like, well, the me brand guy is going to figure out something to draw attention to himself, that's for sure. So Episode 8 we were kind of taking this concept of we brand and the me brand, and then we were very lucky to have Ulta Beauty CEO Dave Kimball, who's just absolutely, I mean if you're looking for a CEO that's doing it the right way in terms of his social media presence and just being out there and talking about his company and talking about the people that make it special, I mean, it's really refreshing to see it. And I think what was interesting about Dave, who is an old friend of mine from my college days, my fraternity days, is that we were like, Dave, way to go with we brand thing. And he's like, huh! I'm just being me. And we weren't being cynical. We were just kind of giving him kudos for being that good at it. He's like, I'm just out there. I'm at store 1272 and somewhere in Ohio, and I'm talking about the great work these folks are doing and whatever. And I post it and it's just what I do. So it wasn't like he had come up with this great grand plan and he had strategized over it. He was just like, This is what I do. And that's one of the reasons it was so refreshing. And I think it's another reason why it had so many downloads.
Eileen Rochford [00:22:22] Yeah, the number one downloaded show of all time for us and I think the title really summed it up, elevating others and leading with the heart. That's really who he is, what he represents, how he conducts himself and getting a peak and hearing from his own words, why that's his approach, why that's authentic to him, how he does it was such a joy. And I'm I remain a massive fangirl of his and totally loved that we were able to have him on. It was quite an honor. So, there's so much to learn from that episode though. So again, I'll drop it in the show notes. Really would love anyone who hasn't heard it to check it out, because there's nothing that Dave said that doesn't hold true today, which is always true of the most authentic leaders. Their leadership style could have been 100, 200 years ago. But if they're doing it right and doing it well, it will stand the test of time. And that show certainly has.
Rob Johnson [00:23:28] And I think Episode 6and 8, we branded me the brand episode and then the Dave Kimball episode. They really kind of go hand in hand, like, here, will you listen to one, it kind of leads into the other thing. I think it kind of helps it come full circle. That whole idea. The weird thing is though if Dave was a leader 200 years ago, it would be weird to see him so much on LinkedIn.
Eileen Rochford [00:23:51] It would be so weird.
Rob Johnson [00:23:55] But it was one of the most downloaded. That's not why I liked it. I liked it because it was my old friend who was gracious with his time, and he had such great down-to-earth practical advice. It just made so much sense.
Eileen Rochford [00:24:08] Yeah, he is a CEO to respect. There's no question about it. So, I'm always looking for people like that to follow. So, if any of our listeners are like me in that respect, check out Dave Kimbell from Ulta Beauty. So then by episode 10, which is this is October of 2021, early October, we were thinking about the pandemic, the cumulative time that it must like what the toll that it had taken on all of us, and the concerns that I have as the CEO for my employees, particularly at that time, it was really starting to boil over. And we called that show The Overwhelm Hangover. Interestingly, this was our top three show of all time for download. So again, that makes me feel good because that was a time when we shared a lot of that personal experience. And I think when we're honest on the show and are willing to kind of bear it all to some degree. Our listeners appreciate that. So, one of the things that we covered in that show and here's why I'm going to share it, it's interesting to me now it's May. And I'm already realizing that what we talked about back then is now even worse for me. I'll just recap. So, at the time, we were beginning to really kind of amp up significantly more in-person meetings. And all of that involves so much you must think about what you're going to wear. You must go to the effort of for me, was most people doing your hair to various degrees. That's just sometimes, tough for some women.
Rob Johnson [00:25:54] Because you didn't have to do it for so long.
Eileen Rochford [00:25:56] Exactly. Choosing to put on makeup, what shoes am I going to wear? It's all such a big pain. Some love it. I personally was thrilled at being able to kind of leave that drain of time behind for so long. So, there's that! There are just like the mental little micro tasks that are taking a toll. You got to think about all those things now. Increasingly at that time, we talked about how our days were getting longer because now networking events had been added. And that means, gosh, you might be leaving your house early in the morning to get to an early morning face-to-face meeting, followed by maybe a networking lunch and then all the other things. And you got to still stay in circulation out there, socializing through the evening and come home. Having not had to do that for so long, like rebuilding up those muscles, not just the small talk, but it's almost like the tenacity you had to find it again for how can I, like, get through a day this long? And you know what I'm saying? So, all that stuff, that's what we talked about in that show. And we were really honest about how we needed as business leaders and myself included, to recognize that means that people are more emotionally exhausted. And that's going to be the case when we're all kind of remembering re-learning how to act that way when we didn't have to for so long, maybe like the only two people we encountered in a day were like our mail delivery person and maybe a spouse or a roommate. And suddenly, you're, like, having to, like, smile all the time at everyone who passes you on the street. If you're that kind of person, say hi. Make the small talk. It just takes a toll. It's funny, I was thinking about my calendar, and I know Rob, you're experiencing this, too. We both are having these insane months of interacting with people. Like, way more real meetings, way more. Like you're seeing events all over the place and hosting live things. So it's not being done via Zoom anymore as much.
Rob Johnson [00:28:09] No, it's back in person. And again, you're used to not going to the office as much. And a lot of people are in hybrid schedules now. And I would say last week and this week, having to get in a suit and be downtown four days in a week, that used to be the norm. And now I'm like, whoa. Two of those back-to-back weeks. This is insane. And so, it has a different definition. But I will say this about episode 10 that I really loved, and you talked about it. It was so authentic. It is something that you'd given great thought to. It was something that was weighing on you. And not only was it weighing on you, but you also knew it was weighing on your employees, and you had enough self-awareness and care and empathy for them that you're like, I'm really worried about them. And so, it really came from a personal place, the overwhelming hangover. And that's one of the things I love most about that episode. It was so personal, and you were able to share it and you were willing to share these challenges that you were facing and your employees were facing. And because it was so authentic, I think it's what made it so powerful. So that was my favorite part about that episode.
Eileen Rochford [00:29:19] Thank you. And I'm glad it resonated. That's clear. And that's great right now. I think it's just it's crazy how it seems like, oh, my gosh, everything we talked about how it's like those times ten. So, it's another little moment in time when we can say to everybody, hey, give yourself some grace, okay? Now you're not going to be at your best, best every second of these now ten-hour days, sometimes in a string of them or more.
Rob Johnson [00:29:57] It's okay not to have the answer. It's okay to say, how are you? How are you doing? It's okay to show weakness. I think that was one of the big takeaways. People are like the stiff upper lips and everything's fine. Isn't that we're gutting through it and whatever. And it's okay to say, I've had some moments of weakness because we all have. And if you say you haven't, then you're not telling the truth. So episode 12 was really a little counter programming, in my opinion, but I loved it because we've been in the space so much about what's going on with workers, what's going on with the C-suite leaders and that sort of thing. And how is the pandemic sometimes shaping them? And on episode 12, we talked about the realities of cybersecurity with our guest, Reena Bajowala from Ice Miller. She's an attorney and cyber security expert. And this was especially important at the time. And I think really all the time's right now because cyber threats to companies are real and they're ever-increasing. And when this happens to a company, what do you do? How do you react? What's the right way and the wrong way to do it? And so for me, it was a little bit different than some of the things we've been talking about. But because it was different, it's still related to communicating a message about preparing for something like a cyber threat, which they're real. And when they hit you as a company, they are devastating. And so I'm glad that we were able to have Rina on to talk about it. She was terrific.
Eileen Rochford [00:31:21] She was so authoritative, and her knowledge was clear and evident. She shared some very specific best practices. And you'll laugh, but I think I may even say on the show, as Eileen writes down, call companies, insurance agents, and I did the next day and gave full credit to those. She will get no commission, Reena, for the increase in our coverage for potential threats of that nature to a business of our type. So yeah, lots of important information in there too. That was a great show.
Rob Johnson [00:31:59] No doubt.
Eileen Rochford [00:32:00] So then we kind of spun off into episodes 13 to 15, I believe they were all related and they dealt heavily with CEO concerns. 2022 COVID related and otherwise, if I recall. Am I right?
Rob Johnson [00:32:18] Oh yeah! And I think these were these were interesting because they were all loosely related. But it was all CEO concerns that were keeping CEOs awake at night. And a lot of them had to do directly with COVID and then indirectly with COVID. So things like supply chain and talent retention and, things of that nature that were unique to the times that we live in. So aside from your revenue better be up, you better be providing shareholder value, all the things that you've always had to do as a CEO. And now you have a whole list of new things that you're responsible for that people, if they're not dealt with correctly, are going to be looking at you like what's your problem, Mr. or Mrs. CEO?
Eileen Rochford [00:33:02] You have me thinking about how a couple of times and in different shows we touched on the CEO data about how often they've thought of either quitting their job or they're planning to leave in the next year? Because gosh have that job gotten hard.
Rob Johnson [00:33:20] Yeah, I've worked my whole career to get here. And now that I'm here.
Eileen Rochford [00:33:26] It's kind of like becoming president as you got there. And then four years later, the before and after photos.
Rob Johnson [00:33:32] Right. Hey, here's before. Wait, that guy didn't have or that person didn't have gray hair. And then suddenly, all they have is gray hair and you're like, yeah, that's the job. Well, episode 17, and we referenced it earlier when we initially did the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer when we first started the show. And then and then we did 2022 and we had some terrific guests on for episode 17. It was Let's address the CEO and founder of Strategy Ann Marie Mitchell, a former agency colleague of yours and now a college professor. Two dynamic women that know their stuff. And it was fun to talk about the trust barometer, the prism of, where they saw some of these numbers falling in their own respective worlds. So, for Lisa, it's marketing and strategies similar to what you do. And Anne Marie is somebody that grew up in the agency world and now is a college professor.
Eileen Rochford [00:34:31] And she gives kind of occasional tow-in doing consulting with some big-name clients too. So I thought Ann Marie's kind of bridging of The issues that are faced by brands from the trust perspective, where the issues are, the perspectives of the students whom she interacts with on a daily basis, what they say and do, and how it's so clear that their trust in brands, their trust in the social construct really has eroded to a just even more concerning degree than what the research showed. So she and her examples from the classroom and her students were really eye-opening for me and I'm sure for you to read.
Rob Johnson [00:35:22] Oh, absolutely. I couldn't agree more. And just having their insight on all of that was just really fascinating. And I enjoyed every second of our time with them. And one of the other ones I was thinking about was one of our most recent episodes, which was the future of journalism with Beni Enas, Yes, I know you've worked with. Yes, I worked with her on television. She had been a college professor in Northern Illinois and at Columbia College and now is an instructor at Geneva High School teaching the minds of tomorrow about journalism. And so for me, that was good because that's my former world. And obviously, I have a great interest in what's going on. And I really appreciated her passion and her optimism about the fact that, yes, the business is changing, but here are ways that young people are going to be relevant in this business moving forward, because some people say, oh, journalism is dead or dying, a slow death or blah, blah, blah, and Beni took the absolute opposite approach on that.
Eileen Rochford [00:36:24] I know. That was really reassuring, wasn't it? And I love that we were able to, through our guests, bring, Beni being at the high school level and college, but currently high school and very real in the programming and even the topics of The Daily Show that they produce.There at Geneva's schools and then also at the college level from Ann Marie, if you kind of listen to those shows together back-to-back, that's an interesting way to digest that information and get some real insight into the younger minds of future communicators.
Rob Johnson [00:37:07] Because, I mean, in the history of the world, kids these days, they said it about us and now we're saying it. And so, it's interesting to have people that are connected in that way, whether it be college or high school, the people that are going to be entering the workforce, they're going to be pursuing various careers end to end to get their insights and to understand that safer journalism because we were just talking about it. It's going to be far different than when somebody like me entered 120 years ago or whatever it was 108 years ago. I can't remember.
Eileen Rochford [00:37:40] That was so long ago. Oh, my God, you're still using pens and paper.
Rob Johnson [00:37:44] I know. What typewriters?
Eileen Rochford [00:37:47] You know what, I don't think I ever used a typewriter. Wow. So there we have it. And now the question is, where do we go from here?
Rob Johnson [00:37:59] Yeah. So, you asked the question, but I'm going to ask you. So where do we go from here, Eileen?
Eileen Rochford [00:38:03] You're going to ask me that question? That's so unfair.
Rob Johnson [00:38:05] That we're going to ask each other this question. Yeah, I think what I would like to see is us further hone our discussion points about what we talk about to continue making it relevant, but also taking it to another level when it comes to, I think the guests that we talked to and the and the discovery that we have with those guests and probably, a year under our belt, it's time to start thinking about how do we promote this a little bit more intently and kind of go to the next level. Because I think the first year we've been very encouraged by what we've seen and it's like, all right, that that's a good first year, but what are you going to do for the second year?
Eileen Rochford [00:38:41] It's funny. It's kind of like when we all tell our clients, like, you're not going to live off referrals and word of mouth forever. We know that. We know, but it's been a lot of fun. And let's just call it a soft launch if you will. We had a great time. And I want to I think that we've decided we're going to keep doing this. And I hope our listeners will stay with us and help us to promote the show to other people they think would really like to listen to it. And honestly, I would love to hear more from our listeners about the topics that you all want to hear us go after and even guests. So, there's the invitation yet again to please tell us what you think. And we'll definitely put it into the show plan and the editorial calendar to pursue. So let us hear from you.
Rob Johnson [00:39:33] It’s great the feedback that we get and the fact that people are like, hey, we're listening. And whether it's, I really like what you said about this or have you thought about that or what about this guest? Which are some of the inquiries that we get? I'm just glad that we have that feedback and that we have that dialog with our listeners.
Eileen Rochford [00:39:54] Totally. So, we're grateful for everybody out there who spends a little time with us every few weeks when we put up a new show.
Rob Johnson [00:40:03] Indeed we are. And this is so much fun to kind of go back and look at where we came from a year ago and to kind of go over some of these episodes that really had meaning for us. So, this was a lot of fun and I hope that people that are listening, I hope that had value for you all. And with that, I will say thank you for listening to our one-year anniversary special of Can You Hear Me? I'm Rob Johnson.
Eileen Rochford [00:40:27] And I'm Eileen Rochford. Remember, you can listen to this podcast wherever you get your podcasts, Apple, Google, Spotify, and more. We'll see you next time, everybody. Thanks.