Justin Brady

As a founder, CEO or CMO, what would it mean for your company to get a good write-up in a national magazine or newspaper? As an PR and Comms snob and writer for some badass publications, I know a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t. I’ve seen really clever pitch methods and…

Why doesn’t Clubhouse _______? Thanks to past guest and super-genius Soulaima Gourani, CEO of Happioh, I finally got an invite, and after using the platform for nearly a week, I have plenty of questions. First of all, I love the platform and see great potential for it. Because it’s Apple-only device, I actually bought an…

“I’m an idea guy,” someone told me at a business conference. I winced, scanning for the exit. If you’ve ever said that (or believe it) you need to know you aren’t offering anyone value. Here’s the thing: idea guys (and gals) don’t matter when it comes to progress. The very notion that great ideas are…

If you’re thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, know this: Entrepreneurialism is not a goal. Last week, I was mentoring a few college seniors who are getting ready to enter the workforce. One wanted to be an entrepreneur, so she asked me what advice I had for her. My advice came in the form of a…

How can retailers compete with Amazon? This was the topic during a conversation I had with former Governor of Colorado, and now Senator, John Hickenlooper just last year. “…Amazon has got a monopoly. If you want to sell widgets in the United States online, you’ve got to be on Amazon, there’s no other choice.” But…

There are thousands of new covid-preneuers right now according to the US Census Bureau. If that’s you, know this: Entrepreneurship sucks sometimes. Yes, it’s an incredible journey and can be insanely fulfilling, but someone needs to be honest with you. My first entrepreneurial endeavor started when I was fired in 2007. It was exciting at…

Assuming the content is fresh and engaging, the reason why people don’t subscribe to podcasts is simple. The show is irritating. I’ve been podcasting since 2017, I did live radio for three years, and I’ve had some great success at it, but I see five mistakes hurt even podcasters with great show ideas. 1. Problems…

Creating the perfect pitch email to get press coverage, get a piece published, or simply get a reply isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Think about it, you’re surrounded by email spammers. PR companies spam journalists thousands of times per day, and marketers add anyone with a pulse to mailing lists—email is brutal. These mass-blast methods can…

Getting a journalist to cover your story doesn’t hinge on your connections. Writers aren’t likely to magically discover your company either. To understand how to get a journalist to cover your story, consider there is already someone writing in your topic area. You just need to match the perfect story to the perfect journalist at…

If you procure an interview in a coveted publication, that doesn’t mean your interview will see the light of day or be widely read. Stories are killed, and pieces bomb all the time. One way to increase your odds is by sending the perfect photo. In my writing for some major publications, I’ve worked with…

Imagine my surprise when I received an email from someone claiming I had used a photo without proper attribution! Going by the name Gavin Whitner, representing MusicOomph.com (now Music Strive) he said Id’ be off the hook if I did one simple thing: link to his website. Seemed reasonable, but something was a bit off—…

Because I’m skilled at PR, communications, SEO, and generally how to come up with new story ideas, I get a fair amount of requests to discuss my process. The best way to determine high-value SEO keyphrases is the notebook method. The notebook method will absolutely work for you no matter what industry you exist within.…

I get hit up often on LinkedIn. I have no idea if the rate at which I receive requests is normal, or if it’s related to my previously published work, but there is one guaranteed method that will ensure rejection 10 out of 10 times: When your only reason for connecting is to “expand my…

You’ve heard the phrase “there are no stupid ideas” and while I believe in the overall message, let’s face it: not all ideas are created equal. But how do you tell an employee no without angering team members or worse, causing them to dig their heels in? Just ask two simple questions.  Question 1: I…

Understanding how to get clients is what every first-time entrepreneur wants to know. After over a decade of entrepreneurialism, I have a simple answer to that question. Show concrete results and take credit. Sounds simple? It is. So, why don’t entrepreneurs do it? Advice on how to get clients is all over the place. I…

I recently updated my LinkedIn profile to clearly show the time of death for Test of Time Design, my first startup. I essentially hid the fact that I failed for years. I convinced myself it was just “a pivot” but I learned something important I want to share with you. Failure is fuel, but only…

Some companies have huge email lists, but you don’t. Doesn’t that drive you crazy? Hey, me too! I’m not ashamed to say my email list is one thing I’ve neglected over the years. So, how do we change that? We ask Sam Parr, CEO of The Hustle how to grow an email list, of course.…

If you’re a podcaster, advertiser, or curious listener, you want to know how many subscribers a podcast has. It sounds like a simple question with an easy answer. But to the frustration of many, podcast data is full of ignorance, white lies, deception, and manipulation. In the “big data” era, it should be easy to…

It’s a frequent question, even from companies interested in hiring me for emerging tech PR communications. If you’re a smart communicator you want to attract more quality folks to your website, but should you hire an agency to write content for you? “Ef” no! That doesn’t mean agencies don’t have their place, however. Does More…

A sky-high Twitter follower count, masses of Instagram oglers, and loads of Facebook likes may soon be nothing more than vanity metrics, if not already. The golden era for social media influencers is over, as pro marketers look to tighter circles, more intimate relationships, and higher impact. Those who lead micro-cultures, perhaps as small as…

Never give up, never surrender; 3 feet from gold; blah, blah, friggin-blah. Cliches and advice abound on why you only fail when you give up… it’s a lie. There is a razor-thin line between finding success in business from the “never give up” mantra and being imprisoned by it, slowly choking the life out of…

Imagine the same scrappy startup ingenuity that bore Google, Twitter, Microsoft, and Apple entered the field of medicine. Wouldn’t that be something? But the biggest reason startup innovation has eluded healthcare for so long is the FDA’s current structure. As I eluded to in the podcast, I firmly believe that will change as Covid-19 ushers…

Will “work from home” become more common? That’s the question many workers are asking as we grapple with the great disruption. But, those hopeful pajamas will become the workplace outfit of choice shouldn’t get their hopes up. Like I explained on my show, it’s more likely work will return to the office, albeit in a…

A few years ago Proctor & Gamble cut their advertising, and their sales actually went up. People hate being advertised to and in some cases actually avoid the companies that irritate them with ads, explained Michael Brenner, author of Mean People Suck and a like-minded content guy. He and I agree: stop wasting all your…

As an emerging tech PR and communications guy, radio host, and podcaster, I’ve been asked one question a lot as of late: Why don’t journalists cite sources? There’s a lot of confusion here, and it’s worth exploring. There are a few simple reasons — some are innocent, some are nefarious.  Reason 1: They are protecting…

When it comes to a successful business mindset, Covid-19 can very well provide new opportunities. Two food companies battle during the Great Depression sheds light on just what kind of opportunity a crisis can give your company. One company cut budget, the other pushed aggressively, knowing its competitors were scared. The choice your company makes…

When local governments and companies put restrictions in place, asking employees to work from home I, like many other podcasters, thought my listener numbers would spike. Instead, I saw a massive dip in downloads. If you’re in the same boat, the reason why podcast listens are down during Covid-19 is all about routine. I made…

Great web content attracts people to your company, but not everyone wants to put in the work. So what’s the next best thing? Steal it. That’s right—behavior historically assigned to anonymous internet trolls is now spilling into LinkedIn—a business platform where people should know better. LinkedIn content thieves are playing a dangerous game. As a…

“How do I tell my company story?” you may have asked yourself. That’s the question a dude on LinkedIn asked. We’re told our brand needs to be better at “storytelling” but the idea is quite abstract, and repeated without much thoughts. But what does it mean, how do you do it, and what does it…

Being a poor listener is not an indication of your care for others, but it can certainly affect collaboration and relationships. Of caring individuals, I believe a major listening hang-up is their desire to help too quickly. It’s for this reason I developed a simple method for you to become a better listener and boost…

I originally wrote this piece for Quartz on November 21st, 2019. View the original here. The warnings of a dire future driven by artificial intelligence and automation have intensified, especially in election season, but several clues point me to a different conclusion. One of more jobs and hope. For my interviews with Andrew Yang and…

Content obfuscation is the new way to hide unwanted negative online content. With a camera phone around every corner, and audio recording devices in every pocket your past will cling to you like polyester on a dry day. It sounds scary for those who have something to hide, but the future of image management is…