The Trending Communicator
Episodes
Organic Isn't Dead, You Just Stopped Talking to People – with Dorien Morin-van Dam
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
People keep writing obituaries for organic content. And every time, communicators chase the paid shortcuts instead of doing the work. Now, as AI-gener...
Naming is Storytelling, Just Harder - with Scott Milano
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone thinks they can name things. Toss some words around in a brainstorm, pick the one that sounds right, hope it passes trademark. But naming don...
AI Can't Call You Back - with Jennifer Kaplan
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if sustainable growth isn't about becoming the biggest player in the market? Agencies triple in size and lose their soul. They chase national foo...
Stockholm Syndrome in PR: The Boutique Uprising - with Barrie Cohen
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Does PR have Stockholm syndrome? We're held captive by every disruption that promises to kill us—internet, social media, now AI—and what do we do?...
The Art and Science of Earned Attention - with Stephanie Grober
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Authority-building has entered a new era—visibility hinges on context and credibility, and your expertise must be discoverable not just to humans bu...
AI Debates The Future of Comms - with NotebookLM
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
**NotebookLM HAS TAKEN OVER THE TRENDING COMMUNICATOR. AGAIN.** Generative AI is shaking up the world of communications—and the debate is on. In th...
AI Transformation, or AI Theater? - with Anne Green
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Companies love to talk about AI transformation. They've created policies, distributed tools, checked boxes. But behind closed doors, overwhelmed emplo...
Stop Treating AI Like an ERP Implementation - with Chris Gee
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Companies keep approaching AI the way they approached every other tech rollout: install it, train on it, expect immediate returns. But AI isn't softwa...
When Communications Can't Close the Values Gap - with Emil Hill
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You can't communicate your way out of a values problem. Yet every day, communications leaders are expected to do precisely that. In this episode of T...
How AI Changes Your Customers and Why You Must Change Too - with Mark Schaefer
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your customers are changing because of AI. But so are you—whether you realize it or not. Host Dan Nestle welcomes back Mark Schaefer, whose new boo...
Expertise is Not Authority: Authority is the Expertise People Seek You Out For - with Amanda Russell
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You can be the smartest person in the room, but if no one knows you or your point of view, you don't have authority. This "authority gap" is why most ...
Beyond the Seat at the Table: Leading Corporate Affairs at Scale - with Megan Noel
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when the communications function stops being about messaging and starts being about business transformation? When your stakeholders inclu...
Playstorm: Why Your CEO Needs to Get Dirty with AI - with Sandy Carter
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
MIT just dropped a bomb: 95% of corporate AI initiatives are failing. Not struggling. Failing. And Sandy Carter knows exactly why. In this episode of...
Why This Former CCO Became Your Comms BFF Instead - with Gab Ferree
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gab Ferree led global communications at Slack, Bumble, and OneTrust, reaching every traditional summit in our profession. Then she walked away to buil...
PR is Juggling Knives on Fire While Riding a Unicycle - with Abenaa Hayes
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can you juggle? If you're a communications pro today, you'd better learn how. Just when you think you've got a good rhythm going, someone tosses you a...
PR is a Leadership Strategy - with Kristel Valaydon
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How many of us are stuck playing media relations hits-and-misses while the real opportunities to drive business transformation seem to be just out of ...
The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes But AI Can Help - with Natalie Moran
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We can navigate a crisis, position a CEO, and craft messaging for millions of people. So why do so many brilliant communications professionals struggl...
Why Communicators Need to Think Like Operations Experts - with Lizabeth Wesely-Casella
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if empathy isn't just about being nice, but your secret weapon for building systems that actually work? Lizabeth Wesely-Casella, CEO of L12 Serv...
Your Storytelling Genie is in an AI Bottle – with Park Howell
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Here they are again—marketers and communicators worried that AI is about to eliminate storytelling altogether. But what if the exact opposite is hap...
Harmonizing AI and Human-Centric Approaches in Business Transformation - with Kate Bullinger
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Humans are in a tough spot right now. Seems like everyone's talking about AI disruption, how to "stay human," why humans will be more or less importan...
Beyond DEI: Redefining Cultural Communications - with Aleisia Gibson Wright
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you're thinking "cultural communications" is another way to say "DEI," you may want to broaden your perspective. Culture comms might just be the ...
Disrupting Yourself Before AI Does - with Steve Rubel
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we work with AI in a way that keeps the human part intact? Because while AI can handle the process, it’s still on us to bring the perspective...
Chaos, AI, and the Future of Work - with Emanuel Rose
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is AI a miracle, heralding an age of invention, or the harbinger of a dystopian civilizational collapse? The rise of short-form video on social platfo...
From Clinton's Wrath to AI's Rise: Navigating through the Perma-crisis - with Elie Jacobs
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are we going in the right direction as communicators? In an era of dramatic policy shifts, cultural upheaval, and a fractured media landscape, how do ...
Distinctive Discoverability: Search Rules the Reputation Roost - with Rob Jekielek
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Faced with today's fractured mess of audiences and media, it's tempting to unleash a deluge of content and overwhelm social channels with content, hop...
Why Audits Should Delight Communicators - with Lynn Zimmerman
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If change is inevitable, why are we typically so bad at managing it? As businesses navigate digital shifts, mergers, and AI advancements, one crucial ...
From Alexa to Agentic AI: Conversational AI and the Future of Brand Communication - with Susan and Scott Westwater
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As AI disrupts and reshapes our interactions with brands and people alike, how do we genuinely connect with the voices around us? Conversational AI ch...
The Rise of the Multidimensional Communicator - with Jim O'Leary
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The future of communications is fractured, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. How can leaders navigate this new landscape where audiences are sca...
Fractured Reality or Real Opportunity: With AI, It Can Go Either Way - with Martin Waxman
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is AI the superglue that can repair our fractured media universe? Or is it just another tool that could further splinter our audiences? In this episo...
Reinventing Newsrooms: AI as Friend, Not Foe - with Pete Pachal
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is AI the savior or the destroyer of journalism? As media outlets grapple with dwindling trust and audiences, could artificial intelligence be the key...
The Future of Work is Community (with a touch of AI) - with Ashley Dennison
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last few years, at least since 2020, in the marketing and communications professions, remote work has become more of the norm than the except...
AI TAKES CONTROL OF THE TRENDING COMMUNICATOR - with Google NotebookLM
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
NOTEBOOK LM HAS TAKEN CONTROL OF THE TRENDING COMMUNICATOR. EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS IS AI-GENERATED. Are you ready to supercharge your communication ...
Spin sucks, The PESO Model is the answer, and AI can help - with Gini Dietrich
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Walk into any PR conference these days, and it's all but guaranteed that you'll see a session or two about how communicators can effect real business ...
Down with Fluff: Executive Storytelling in the AI Era - with Anuneha Mewawalla
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I think it's fair to say that most of us in communications and marketing, at one point or another (and probably recently), have been accused of the mo...
Unlocking the Communications Career Cage - with Emily York
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How many times have you heard that career paths in PR and Communications are full of options and opportunities? Maybe that's true when you're just get...
Corporate Culture Disruption in the AI Era - with Pinaki Kathiari
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Take a look at any job description today--either in your organization or posted to a job board--and you might notice that it's not entirely accurate, ...
EQ, AI, and the Influential Communicator - with Deirdre Breakenridge
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So many of us--especially communicators--struggle to make the case when it counts. Sure, you may have all the facts at your fingertips, and there's ...
Why Business-Savvy Communicators Can Lead in the Age of AI - with David Albritton
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do corporate communications leaders know about the businesses they serve? Chances are they know quite a lot. They know the stories, the narrative...
Weird Unicorns, AI, and the TBD Career: The Future of Work - with David Armano
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it wrong to be future-focused in your career? At what price should you pursue innovation or push boundaries in your organization? Are you aware tha...
How AI is Changing the Content Dynamic (And What We Should Do About It) - with Rob Davis
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's face it, dealing with the future isn't something we can kick down the road. And at the intersection of people, technology, and brand, change is ...
Spectacular Communications Requires Audacious Communicators - with Mark Schaefer
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All of us know we're in an age of disruption. If you want to thrive and grow as a communicator or marketer, it's not AI you have to worry about. What ...
How Communications Drives Organizational Health - with Ethan McCarty
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is the Communications function, as many in our profession claim, an organization's nerve center? Where messages and stories are the electric impulses ...
How to Fight Digital Threats and Build a Culture of Trust - with Lisa Kaplan
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's face it: it's getting worse out there. Trust in institutions, brands, and even people seems to be spiraling ever downward. What can we, as co...
Building and Leading the AI-Enabled Enterprise Comms Team - with Megan DiSciullo
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For years, we've been talking about upgrading the communications function - or at least modernizing it, bringing comms into parity with their Marketin...
AI, Bots, and Disinformation, Oh My - with Rafi Mendelsohn
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When your brand, company, country, or even you are the target of social media attacks, what if you can't even identify the source of the problem? What...
AI Recipes, Critical Thinking, and the Imperfect Human - with Kami Huyse
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is AI the greatest gift ever for lazy people? I've often said that if you want to find a better way to do something, ask a lazy person. Laziness, as i...
Why You Need to Practice Forensic Listening in a Crisis - with Adele Gambardella and Chip Massey
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do FBI hostage negotiation tactics link to public relations and corporate crisis management? And how can understanding both help you prove your va...
The Power of Discriminative AI for Precision in Communications - with Danny Gaynor
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Generative AI may be the first form of artificial intelligence that we can all interact with directly, with no skill needed apart from the ability to ...
Toward an AI-Enabled Communications Profession - with Anne Green
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Like it or not, Generative AI is becoming part of the communications toolkit. But unlike any technology that has preceded it, AI is able to perform ta...
How Data and AI Can Help You Choose the Right Conferences - with Melanie Samba
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Want to stop wasting time and money on conferences that don't impact your business growth? Imagine being able to select conferences that not only boos...
Understanding the Neuroscience Behind Effective Communications - with Dr. Laura McHale
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do language and psychology impact leadership behavior and financial performance in organizations? Are we overlooking the influence of corporate la...
Why Every Communicator Needs to Think Faster and Talk Smarter - with Matt Abrahams
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
….and we’re back! Welcome to the first episode of The Trending Communicator. Dan Nestle reignites the airwaves with an electrifying new episode th...
Meet the New Boss, Same As The Old Boss: Welcome to The Trending Communicator
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the surprising transformation of "The Dan Nestle Show" into "The Trending Communicator." Just when you thought you knew what to expect, Dan f...
Antisemitism In Our Time - A Dan Nestle Show Interlude
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, Dan shares his thoughts on the rapid rise in antisemitism in the weeks after Hamas brutally and barbarically murdered, maimed...
114: How Emotion and Intuition are Powerful Career Tools with Sara McElroy
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan sits down with marketer, author, and two-time resigner turned bonafide career transition master Sara J. McElroy. Sara’s jour...
113: How Communications Brings Purpose to Life with Michael Morris
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan reconnects with a former colleague and marketing communications collaborator, Michael Morris. A world traveler who has spent hi...
112: Emotion, Connection, and Trust in Marketing with Aaron Hassen
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan dives deep into some of his favorite topics with seasoned marketing pro, thought leader, podcaster, and fellow denizen of the RIS...
111: Leadership Evolved with Ken Jacobs
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan welcomes back legendary communicator, connector, and executive coach to the PR industry, Ken Jacobs, for his second appearance ...
110: What Translators can Teach Us about AI and Tech with Bill Lafferty
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan welcomes translation and localization expert Bill Lafferty, the founder of Loc Navigator, a resource-rich newsletter that helps...
109: Find the Rocket Fuel for Your Career with Loren Greiff
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with career strategist, ex-recruiter, host of the Career Blast in a Half podcast, and President of Portfoliorocket.com,...
108: Breaking the Communications Career Template with David Albritton
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with retired Navy officer, legendary communicator, speaker, leadership strategist, and coach David Albritton. The founde...
107: High-Velocity Digital Marketing with Steve Kahan
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with Wall Street Journal bestselling author Steven Mark Kahan to discuss his latest book, High-Velocity Digital Marketi...
106: Learning to Speak the Language of B2B Marketing with Samantha Stone
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with the founder of the Marketing Advisory Network, author of Unleash Possible, host of the Unleash Possible podcast, an...
105: How to Survive Brand Adolescence with Evelyn Starr
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with marketing strategist, researcher, author, and sought-after brand therapist Evelyn J. Starr, whose strategic insigh...
104: Authenticity vs. Sincerity with Dr. Tom Tonkin
29 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with scholar and organizational and leadership development practitioner, Dr. Tom Tonkin, to discuss authenticity and sin...
103: Unlocking Radical Business Transformation with John Davis
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with prolific author, seasoned marketer, communicator, academic, and entrepreneur, John Davis. John has spent the last t...
102: What does it Take to be The Leader Whisperer with Carri Nicholson
01 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with business strategist, executive coach, exit strategy specialist, and counselor to leaders in industry and government...
101: How Social Media Began with Community with Andrew Shuttleworth
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode, Dan reunites with an old friend to talk about online and hybrid social media community building and its challenges of the pa...
100: How to Become a Customer Champion - A Job to be Done with Ruth Hartt
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For this very special milestone, the 100th episode of The Dan Nestle Show, Dan has the great honor to chat with Ruth Hartt, a classically trained o...
99: Show Up and Build a Community with Valentina Escobar Gonzalez
11 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with serial learner, social media trainer, speaker, and founder and owner of Beyond Engagement, Valentina Escobar-Gonzal...
98: CommTech and the Evolution of Strategic Communications with Brittany Paxman
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with leading thinker and practitioner in the emerging communications technology space and Founder of Point 600, Brittany...
97: Why Web3 and Community Go Together with Brian Piper
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with seasoned content marketer, communicator, search engine optimization (SEO) expert, author, strategist, and Web3 spea...
96: How Intention Makes Long-Lasting Connections with Adrian Sasine
30 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with one of the leaders of The Connective, a lifelong learner, marketing expert, entrepreneur, and self-proclaimed “bu...
95: How Connections Fuel Customer Experience (CX) with Richard Shapiro
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with a true architect of modern Customer Experience (CX) and a man who can claim more than most to be a relationship inn...
94: Why Culture is at the Center of Business with Desh Urs
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with business builder, data scientist, tech industry leader, and iBridge LLC co-founder and CEO Desh Urs to dive into le...
93: How Email Helps Brands Be More Human with Christina Hagopian
12 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with creative director, entrepreneur, designer, and founder of Hagopian Ink, Christina Hagopian. With about two decades ...
92: Being a Connection Champion is Good for Business with Karena Bell
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with IT project manager-turned-entrepreneur, Chief Connector of the Charleston chapter of The Connective, and CEO of Tur...
91: When A Lifelong Connector Becomes a Recruiter with Melissa Latham
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with retail management expert, c-suite mentor, and founder of Global Recruiters of Lowcountry, Melissa Latham. Spending ...
090: Forging Meaning and Finding Purpose with James Benton
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the episode, Dan connects with US Army veteran, logistics expert, and creator of Meaning Forge, Jim Benton. As the name suggests, Jim is deeply con...
089: Integrity in the Face of Intimidation with Lisa Bowman
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with award-winning marketer, public speaker and chair of the American Marketing Association’s ethics committee, Lisa B...
088: Conversation Can Repair Your Elevator Pitch with Mike Verret
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with marketing veteran, branding pro and official elevator pitch repairman Mike Verret. In Mike’s nearly three-decade ...
087: Mindset is a Muscle with Luke Harlan
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with transformational coach and mindset master Luke Harlan. A former marketing executive, it took Luke a long time to gi...
086: Taking Storytelling to New Levels with Adam Hertzog
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with storyteller, media insider, creative entrepreneur, and fellow Penn Quaker, Adam Hertzog. A cable TV sports and ente...
085: Less Marketing, More Conversations with Brooke Sellas
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with social media marketing leader, speaker, entrepreneur, advocate, customer service guru, and author, Brooke Sellas, t...
084: Lifelong Learning and the Relationship Mindset with Jon Keel
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with a man who is the epitome of lifelong learning and reinvention. A one-time CEO who admits that despite great career ...
083: Self-Discovery Doesn't Come in a Package with Brad Levin
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan sits down with sales expert, entrepreneur, packaging innovator, and now Chief Connector of the Long Island chapter of The Connect...
082: Depth Over Volume: Succeeding on LinkedIn with Richard Moore
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with UK-based entrepreneur, speaker, educator, trainer, and LinkedIn expert Richard Moore. As the founder of the LinkedI...
081: Reinvention Mindset with Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan can barely contain his excitement as he connects with author, educator, entrepreneur, TED talker, and reinvention guru Dr. Nadya ...
080: The Thrive Architect with Dr. Susan Lovelle
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with physician, lifestyle medicine practitioner, and wellness expert, the Thrive Architect, Dr. Susan Lovelle. A former ...
079: Make It Don't Fake It with Sabrina Horn
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan has the privilege of connecting with award-winning CEO, leader, business builder, PR industry innovator and now best-selling auth...
078: Fixing Brokenness to Build Purpose with Michael Lang
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with investor, turnaround expert, entrepreneur, and healthcare leader, Michael Lang. Mike built a successful career in h...
077: Why You Need a Career Toolkit with Mark Herschberg
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with MIT-educated CTO, educator, cybersecurity expert, and author Mark Herschberg to discuss how to achieve career succe...
076: The Creator is a Learner with Henry Schneider
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with video producer, marketer, entrepreneur, and all-around creative soul Henry Schneider. Henry runs his own video prod...
075: Be a Curiosity Magnet with Lee Kim
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with human-centered problem solver, design thinker, LEGO Serious Play facilitator and creator of the Wearable Tracy pipe...
074: Defeat the Nonsense with Rob Turley
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan talks with Rob Turley, co-CEO of White Rabbit Intel, and a man on a very humble mission: to democratize advanced artificial intel...
073: Relationships Make Business Better with Niki Fielding
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan sits down with one of his heroes, a digital marketing expert, entrepreneur, prolific connector and builder of trust, the CEO of D...
072: Why Marketing Matters with Lauren Fast
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan connects with digital marketer, social media strategist, public speaker, storyteller, and content expert Lauren Fast, co-founder ...
071: Fearless Pursuit of Imperfection with Ada Bowman
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan explores the origins of his podcasting adventure with one of the people who pushed him over the edge and into the air, the relent...
070: Improvising Through Change with Avish Parashar
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan reconnects with keynote speaker, TED talker, corporate trainer, and improv podcaster Avish Parashar to stroll down memory lane an...
069: Conversations are Creation with Mary Kathryn Johnson
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan has a conversation about creating conversations (and much more) with the CEO and Founder of Messenger Funnels and Conversational ...