I Took A Break From Social Media

And nothing bad happened.

Did you even know I was gone?

I always get a little eye-rolly when people share posts apologizing for being off social media. Or worse, using it as a platform to rant about how digital media is changing and how it’s a drain on society.

This is not that story.

I make no apologies for going quiet. Nor do I have issues with social media or the challenges with building a brand.

Because the truth is, the reason I took a break from creating content is because my business is evolving in the most surprising ways. And instead of fighting these changes, or forcing myself to maintain a system that no longer serves me, I simply stopped production until things felt right.

For those of you who don’t know, in spring of this year I started a full-time contract. I work in corporate communications for one of the Big 5 banks in Canada. I love the work - more than I expected. And I’m bringing A LOT of McEwen Media services to this position, and seeing incredible results.

For years I’ve tried to bring my special system of media mentorship to a major organization managing thousands of thought leaders. Now that I’m finally here, I have new clarity on who my ideal client is and the best way to serve.

But if this is my full-time job, what does this mean for McEwen Media?

The answer was not clear, because every possibility lead to a positive outcome:

I could go all-in on corporate and put McEwen Media on pause until retirement, when I would dust off the brand and do occassional work

I could finish out the contract and introduce a corporate offer in a year

I could find a way to do both

When I stopped regular content output, I thought my sales and referrals would dry up. I pictured a funnel slowly drying out. The opposite happened.

I secured new business with clients who had been on the fence for months and one day felt the urge to take action. Collaborators still reach out, all unprompted, because my brand is that strong.

It was like I had taken my foot off the gas and the car maintained speed and momentum thanks to years of quality brand work.

I now know I don’t have to give up anything or even double up on my efforts. I have a strong foundation and forward momentum to keep growing - and keep doing both.

Over the next few weeks I’ll share more of how I used my downtime, beliefs I’ve shifted, and how this whole pivot has shaped my best offer yet. And if you can’t wait to see what I’ve been up to, check out the ol’ website and find out for yourself: McEwen Media

Until next time (and it won’t be a long wait),

“The Same, But Different”

I was coaching a client recently who described her new brand story as “the same, but different”. We’ve been working over the summer on this new direction for her business and content. The next chapter is now being written, powered by the decades she’s put into her business so far.

The same, but different.

That’s the sweet spot as we evolve and grow, isn’t it? It’s how I’ve been feeling working in a corporate setting again.

When I was given the chance to leave network television, I leapt into solopreneurship. I was absolutely fed up with office politics and micromanagement that comes with working on a team.

So why is it, now that I’m back being a cog in a large machine, is it different? And how am I happier?

It turns out, the bull s—- I was so fed up with working in network TV was entirely my own doing. It was the energy I brought to work every day, thinking this was normal and effective; because it was the only way I knew to work.

Being a sole proprietor and learning how to work with others (VA’s, collaborators, clients) gave me a new perspective of how I can direct my creativity and my emotions. Here are the three key pivots that made me like corporate:

1. Collaboration over competition.
   When I worked in TV, I was constantly comparing my work to others. And there were many cases where we were pitted against each other as a form of “friendly” competition. Instead of inspiring me to get better, I ended up being pigeon-holed. And I lost touch with the things I’m good at because I was defined in comparison to others.
   
   In my new role, I support various teams alongside another communications professional. When we first started working together, we had an honest conversation on how we wanted things to work. Do we have clear responsibilities? Or do we work as two brains, one goal? We chose the latter. And now I have a constant collaborative partner to share the responsibilities and the praise. We make each other better because we’re working towards the same goal. We can learn from each other. And, we can trust that when we’re not in the room, our work is respected, not cut down for personal gain.
   
   We get more done together than we would trying to lap each other.

2. Knowledge is power, but “knowing” is futile
   In Brene Brown’s “Dare to Lead”, she talks about the dated leadership model of “knowing”. This is where the leader uses knowledge to demonstrate power and authority.
   
   And it is time consuming.
   
   Last week, I requested some research to prep a spokesperson for an interview. They did not give me what I was looking for. Now, I know I had shared research document with this team a few weeks ago. Old me would have gone into my sent folder, looked for the email with the original attachment, and passive-aggressively shared it to say “THIS is the information I need”. And I know most of you reading this have pulled a similar move.
   
   I instantly recognized this is leading by “knowing” and scrapped that idea entirely. Instead, I shared the document and explained how for future requests, they can find the information in the attachment. I even apologized if they didn’t have it already.
   
   I don’t get paid to know things. I do get paid to keep a project moving forward with the best information available to everyone.
   
   Also, it took a fraction of the time to give them simple feedback. A lot of useless effort goes into “as per my previous email” energy.

3. I’m available for some things, but not everything
   When I was figuring out my post-TV life, I worked with a career coach who asked me what I wanted to do. I didn’t have a clear picture of the job, the salary, etc. but I knew one thing for certain: I wanted to pick my own stories.
   
   And for the longest time, I thought the only way I could exert that kind of power was to be my own boss. Turns out, you can be your own boss when you work on a team, too.
   
   In the beginning of my career, I wanted my hands in everything. I wanted to work on all of the stories all of the time.
   
   I felt like I had to in order to prove myself. And when you’re starting out, yes you do need to take opportunities to learn while you earn. But you can do this with intention.
   
   I have interests, preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. I define these for myself and meet opportunities from this place of knowing.
   
   Sure, I can learn a lot about media by doing crisis communications. It’s very lucrative and would add depth to my skills profile. But I have zero interest in controlling a difficult message. My preference is to empower spokespeople to share their expertise and empower others.
   
   I have made this known throughout the interview process and now when I’m on the job. And guess what? I am frequently put in positions where I get to focus on the skills I’m great at and enjoy using.

I created a way to work that’s fulfilling to me as a solopreneur. And now, I’m continuing to do this in a corporate setting.

It’s the same, but I’m different.

What’s holding you back?

PR and media support is a costly investment - whether you invest in a program to learn the ropes yourself, or you invest in a large agency with all the bells and whistles.

Which is why I’m always surprised when people back away or self-sabotage when the moment comes to engage with media.

In the years I’ve been working with reluctant and nervous spokespeople, there are three main blocks that get in the way of connecting with an audience.

1. “I’m not prepared enough”
   This is one I’m hearing a lot lately, and it’s the first thing I challenge when I prep a spokesperson before a campaign. A reporter or interviewer is reaching out for your experience and your expertise. You’ve been preparing this material for as long as you’ve been working in your field.
   When someone is asked a question related to their expertise and their mind goes blank, it’s not because they don’t know what to say. It’s because there are too many things they can say and their subconscious mind can’t pick one in time to answer.
   The only thing you need to prepare for an interview is a focus: what is the key focus of the story and your message? Decide on that and trust the information you have to share has value.

2. “My schedule is jammed”
   I’ve heard this from solopreneurs who are one-person operations and I’ve heard this from VPs who have extensive teams supporting their work. And my response is the same: clear your schedule.
   Because you want to know who else is really busy? The reporter working on a deadline. They have the ability to take your expertise and your brand to a large audience. And they have to get answers in a short period of time. If you can’t clear your schedule to speak with them, they will move on to the next subject matter expert who is available.
   Get clear on when a pitch or press release is in-market. Block off two to three days of flex time: meeting and appointments you can miss or reschedule. Who on your team can go in your place? Are there meeetings that can be an email this week? And communicate this with your EA so they feel empowered to move things in your calendar and make you available for an interview.
   As a company spokesperson, this is the MOST important thing you can do for your business development. A marketing stunt can get attention. A catchy jingle can create an ear worm. But the information consumers need to trust and see you as a credible provider comes from you sharing advice and information.

3. “I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing”
   Cancel culture and free speech have been hot topics of conversation this week, and with good reason. This is a justifiable fear in a political and media landscape where we’re not so much exchanging ideas as we are bullying others into believing what we believe.
   The flipside of saying the wrong thing is the assumption that you are there to convince a broad audience that what you are saying is right. This is where we get into the endless mess of arguing two opposing sides thinking one is the superior way of thinking.
   It’s not about saying right things or wrong things. It’s about sharing something useful.
   Similar to giving your expertise a focus, connect with your intention. If you truly want to share advice and information that can help people, hold on to this. When you share in the spirit of generosity, it has a way of finding the people who need it, while bypassing the ones who don’t.
   I’m not here to convince people to become media spokespeople. But I am here to share useful information to those who do want to step into their spotlight. The things I say aren’t wrong. They’re rooted in my experience and what I’ve learned about media and storytelling. How you receive this information is up to you, as is your right as a consumer.
   This is how we can stay in the grey area of exchanging ideas and allowing space for other opinions.

Above all else remember, you have something worth sharing.