You're my commsHERO

Reflections of a frustrated comms professional

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the CommsHero Podcast, we’re joined by Guy Stenson, Chief Executive of Gloucester City Homes, to explore what it means to be a vi...

Running the Talk Using Social Media & Internal Comms to Lead from the Front

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the commsHERO Podcast, we welcome Greg Reed, CEO of Places for People, to explore why he’s an active presence on social media and...

Life is a squiggly line with Anisah Akhtar

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Anisah will talk about her ‘interesting’ journey into the magical world of PR and Communications- it certainly was never in her s...

Don't be a magpie! With Jim Ker

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

‘Don’t be the magpie’ - how marketers need to avoid overlooking the essential elements of a plan for the sake of the quick fix. With the consta...

I did go to Specscavers - Claire Bryant

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On average, we spend around 90,000 hours of our life working. Life is too short, and it is so important that we spend those hours in a job, and indeed...

New study of Census data reveals PR population secrets - Ben Verinder

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this year the CIPR published ground-breaking analysis of census data about PR practitioners, undertaking by Chalkstream.  This is the first ...

Stop being anti-social – start a conversation on social media

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It is a truth universally acknowledged that organisations are only ever one social media post away from a crisis. But social media is also an opportun...

From Apprentice to Marketing Manager - Olivia Hullah

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join Olivia Hullah and Asif Chodury on this podcast episode as they share Olivia's incredible journey from a marketing apprentice to the Marketin...

Trying to belong in the world of comms - overcoming cultural barriers and bias Sonia Squires

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up, Sonia thought that she wanted to be a lawyer. At the age of 18 this all changed. In this episode, Sonia opens up about the some of the cha...

There’s no such thing as best practice in internal communication - Joanna Parsons

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our industry is unhealthily obsessed with two words: best practice. You see them regularly on internal comms blogs, you hear it at internal comms conf...

Having a seat at the table - Matt Geer

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Matt Geer Head of Communications and Marketing at West Kent Housing Association shares some thoughts and reflections on his career in...

Engaging Youth – Rebecca Roberts

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you're trying to communicate with young people within your target audience, or are hoping to engage them within your work, this episode will h...

We the Women - Michelle Canning and Sara McCracken

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Women in PR Northern Ireland was born out of a CIPR panel discussion in Belfast, organised by Sara, which explored the barriers affecting women workin...

Marketing for the TikTok generation - with Sonya Gonalez Mier

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this captivating podcast episode, we're introducing Sonya Gonzalez Mier, a talented brand strategist and the esteemed author behind the book m...

50 years of comms and better lives at NCHA

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

50 years of comms and better lives at NCHA (Nottingham Community Housing Association)Nottingham Community Housing Association, known as NCHA, has been...

Threads vs. Twitter - Matt Navarra

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

🎙️ Welcome to the Threads vs. Twitter Debate! 📣 In the fast-paced world of social media, communication professionals are constantly seeking n...

Volunteering and sharing your comms skills can be rewarding - Damian Vizard

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It feels good to give something back, and as Comms practitioners, we have many transferable skills that can help other organisations. Volunteering you...

Second impressions: How marketing can shift perceptions of your sector - John Neugebauer

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you think your customer base (either existing or prospective) have an outdated or incorrect viewpoint of your sector? If so, it can be holding back...

I'm proud to be a CommsHero - Francesca Carpanini

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Being able to love what you do is a luxury and an honour. Working in comms – whether that’s being a jack of all trades, specialising in PR or mark...

S8 E10 - Building belonging in a hybrid world: the role of internal communications

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How we work has changed significantly over the past few years, with most organisations moving from the office to remote working, and now to a hybrid m...

S8 E9: Can comms change the world?

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Now in its 4th year with thousands of downloads, scarlettabbott is back with their annual World Changers report. From harnessing rebel voices to bring...

S8 E8: SOCIAL 3.0 The future of B2B content marketing

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Right now, social media represents an unprecedented growth opportunity. But tapping into this new paradigm won’t be easy, especially so for B2B busi...

S8 E7: Bibbety Bobbity Boo - Why is comms work seen as witchcraft, wizardry and magic

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Passionate about brand, creativity and putting people first. Lynda is resolute on the need for true equality and diversity. Lynda has led Brand, Commu...

BONUS: Changing it up - A dare to fail moment

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Sandey is the communications and marketing manager for Cheltenham Borough Council and now, Cheltenham Borough Homes, as part of a new shared ser...

S8 E6: I love working on comms and marketing

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Faizah Idris is a Marketing Executive at Johnsons Workwear, the UK’s number one workwear, protective wear and workplace hygiene services provider. ...

S8 E5: Why I wish I'd tried harder in maths

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At a keynote at the PRCA conference in 2021, the most senior government communicator in the land called for a new breed of 'superhero communicato...

S8 E4: Always on and always learning

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Adam is a junior marketer currently working in local government.During stints in retail and then sales, Adam studied for his level 4 certificate for t...

S8 E3: Confident climate change communications – how to save the world and avoid greenwash

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Can you communicate complex science when you’re not a scientist? How do you guard against greenwash? And is there any way you can work in climate ch...

S8 E2: A PR practitioner on every Board

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2023 - its 75th anniversary - CIPR will be reasserting its founding purpose, to help improve society through effective, ethical communications. It ...

S8 E1: Why is rest essential for communications pros?

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Clarissa Langham is an Internal Comms Professional who started her career in Journalism before discovering a passion for Internal Communications. She’...

S7 - E11: A sustainable future: Where do we start?

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Laura Sutherland is the Founder and Director of Aura. She is a senior communication and business consultant and a Chartered practitioner with 20+ year...

S7-E10: Don't get stuck in Groundhog Day

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Gill is a career and mindset coach who has walked the walk when it comes to PR jobs. She helps PR and Comms professionals who are at a career crossroa...

S7 - E9: Strategic Public Relations Leadership

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At last they’ve got it! In this complex world, CEOs are turning to their public relations leaders more than ever. They know they need someone to pro...

S7 - E8: Lessons in leadership: Get out the way

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our next guest is Angharad Planells, Head of Business Development and Culture at Gloucester titan Radioactive. Former journalist Angharad found her wa...

S7 - E7: Size matters: Why are PR people so afraid of measurement?

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you like getting down with digits and sexy with the spreadsheets, our next podcast is for you. Darryl Sparey is MD and Co-Founder of Hard Numbers, ...

S7 - E6: Print vs Digital: The grand comeback of printed comms

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jan Fitzgerald is a communications and media specialist. For the last 12 years Jan has worked largely across internal communications for remote workfo...

S7 - E5: From Intern to Senior Comms

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lewis Williams is a PR professional from South Wales, currently working in-house in local government. Lewis started his #CommsHero journey four years...

S7 - E4: Boosting employee wellbeing: One exercise at a time

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After becoming a father in 2014, Frank quickly discovered how challenging it became to find time for exercise or afford the luxury of a gym membership...

S7 - E3: Flipping the Bird: A Twitter-lating Conversation

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a Digital PR pro, chances are you’ve learned a thing or two from our next guest who pretty much invented the internet. Andy Barr founder...

S7 - E2: When I leave school I want to be a #CommsHero

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our next guest will also be appearing as part of our stellar #CommsHeroWeek line-up. Katrina Wilcox is Head of Marketing and Communications at Housing...

S7 - E1: CommsHero: Putting the comms in community

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our next guest crossed over from the dark side. Former Sith Lord (slash journalist) Glenn Bowley began his communications career in a housing associat...

S6 - E10: DEI-ing to be seen: beyond the optics of inclusion

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nosheen Haque is a communications specialist based in Manchester. Nosheen has over 10 years’ experience of working with a variety of brands and orga...

S6 - E9: Beyond the goldfish bowl: recalibrating our digitised lives

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode developed over on LinkedIn, when Ally and Asif discovered a shared love of the tomes: Lost Connections and Stolen Focus, both written by ...

S6 - E8: The Social CEO: organisational evolution at a digital level

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast, like typical Yorkshire folk, we make the most of BOGOF, with not one, but two guests from Yorkshire Housing. Our guests  this episod...

S6 E7 - The Year of the Employee: Centring inclusion in workplace culture

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Michelle Okwudiafor leads internal communication and engagement at Total Energies. A member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, she holds ...

S6 E6 - Checking Out Me History: Communicating the Arts

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From dusty relics to post-modern pieces, our next guest works at the intersection where past meets present and future. Lisa Middleton is Head of Marke...

S6 E5 - The magic of mentoring: How to #PayItForward

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mentoring is one of the most underrated keys to nourishing one’s growth. For any young professional trying to enter the industry, a mentor can help ...

S6 - E4: Why dyslexics make great communicators

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So deeply entrenched in #CommsHero is our next guest, it is hard to believe that he isn’t on the Resource payroll! Having held roles in business ass...

S6 - E3: Call it Out: Taking shared responsibility for representation in the industry

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, founder of Horizon Comms Dan Holden, talks about how when it comes to conferences and events, we still have a gap in representation e...

S6 - E2 The Joy of CX: the CIM behind the curtain

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our second guest of the season is seasoned #CommsHero, Stu Kaley, Associate Director of Customer Experience (CX) and Operations at The Chartered Insti...

Love Love Me Do: The role of emotional intelligence in organisations and why it should be a priority for leaders

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We kick off this season of the podcast with a #CommsHero speaker who has built her own legion of fans dubbed The Crown Jules. Jules Loveland (MCIPR) i...

CIPR X CommsHero: Who runs the world?

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We Are Resource and CIPR’s live event ‘Who Runs the World’ gathered together five of the most respected names in the communications industry –...

How to talk about and support Ukraine – by a British-Ukranian

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Sklinar, a British-Ukranian, speakers with "You're my CommsHero" Podcast host Asif Choudry about the  situation which has been sim...

CommsHero Week 2021 After Party: Graeme Park's CommsHero exclusive DJ set

02 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As part of CommsHero Week 2021, the legendary Hacienda DJ Graeme Park performed an exclusive DJ set that all our CommsHeroes could let their hair down...

S4 - E10: Comms procrastination, deadlines and workload management

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Helen has identified two types of CommsHero: the planner and the winger. Helen tells us that based on the significant amount of work they’ve done wi...

#GOGIRLLL X CommsHero: Be brave... You Go Girlll

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Cheryl Gibbons shares her back story behind her life motto... YOU GO GIRL! By saying yes to opportunities Cheryl has gained confidence and opened more...

S4-E9: Why 'Online Community' is all to play for for Comms Heroes

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Michelle Goodall, Chief Marketing Officer at Guild talks about the opportunities available to comms professionals in online community...

#GOGIRLLL X COMMSHERO: Will studying benefit your current role?

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever considered doing any studying to broaden your knowledge of your current role? Cheryl Gibbens from Aster has been studying alongside her ...

S4-E8: July Comms Room 101

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Find out what our guests biggest comms related bug bears are in this Comms Room 101 session. Host: Steve HayesTwitter: @SteveH_CitizenLinkedIn: Steve ...

#GOGIRLLL X CommsHero: Using a persona to help others on social media

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Using a persona across professional social media accounts brings personality and character across your brand. Cheryl Gibbons speaks about how the Aste...

S4-E7: How to create an award-winning intranet

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Steve Hayes, Director of Communications at Citizen Housing shares the three year journey where he inherited an intranet that wasn’t...

#GOGIRLLL X CommsHero

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Making a career change can seem daunting however you need to be brave and do what's best for you! Cheryl Gibbens used to work in the Contact Cent...

S4-E6: Comms Room 101 - June

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Find out what our guests biggest comms related bug bears are in this Comms Room 101 session.  Host: Steve Hayes Twitter: @SteveH_CitizenLinkedin: Ste...

Penny Haslam: Speak like Steve Jobs

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 12: Penny Haslam's motivational podcast - Speak like Steve JobsAll great speakers had a first time on stage, do you think they were any g...

S4-E5: The Whole Marketer

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, award-winning Chartered Marketer and Fellow CIM, Abigail (Abby) Dixon shares the story and some of the content behind her book ‘The...

Penny Haslam: Got an opinion? Share it

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Got an opinion? share itEpisode 13: Penny Haslam's motivational podcast - Got an opinion? share it. If you want to let people know who you are an...

S4E4: Poor communication is the top cause for stress

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Poor communication is the top cause of stress for employees in the UK. In this episode, Andy Bounds explains how getting away from your desk, having s...

Penny Haslam: Who's on your bus?

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Who's on your bus?Episode 9: Penny Haslam's motivational podcast - Who's on your bus? Are there passengers in your life that add nothin...

S4-E3: From university to the job market

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, PR and Communications students, Sophie and Katie, speak about the current job market for graduates and how important it is to get you...

Penny Haslam: Look Back In Awe

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 7: Penny Haslam's motivational podcast - Look back in awe. Boost your confidence by looking back at your life, business or career achieve...

S4-E2: From Internal Comms to Inclusion & Diversity

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Amrit Nijjar, Inclusion & Belonging Manager at Tarmac talks about her career path from internal comms to inclusion & diversit...

Demonstrating your success - Two minute mentor session with Carrie-Ann Wade

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As communicators it is often our role to share the successes of others through PR, awards, socials. And sometimes we feel awkward about sharing our ow...

S4-E1: I'm not giving up on print!

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Paul Fawcett, Head of PR & Communications at Futures Housing Group shares his love of print and the sensory experience it brings ...

Reframing failure - Two minute mentor sessions with Carrie-Ann Wade

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There will always be times in our communications careers when we feel like we have failed. It’s ok not to feel ok about that but it’s also a good ...

S3-E10: A celebration of #NHSheroes – How to deliver an engaging virtual event

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Carrie-Ann Wade, Director of Communications and Engagement and Lauren Smith, Communications and Engagement Manager from North East Lo...

Dealing with difficult conversations - Two minute mentor sessions with Carrie-Ann Wade

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As communications professionals we are assumed to be the best at communicating but sometimes even we need a helping hand when it comes to having diffi...

BONUS EPISODE: Let’s talk about #CommsHero week.

13 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Introducing the 2021 #CommsHero weeks chair! In this BONUS episode, Annique Simpson spills all about what we can expect at the week-long virtual event...

S3-E9: Influential Internal Communication with Jenni Field

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, returning guest, Jenni Field talks about her book ‘Influential Internal Communication’. Jenni shares her journey whilst doing the...

S3-E8: CIPR and PRCA join forces to address industry’s mental health challenges

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), and the International Communications C...

S3-E7: Comms Room 101 - May 2021

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Working in comms, you often get asked to do many weird and wonderful things. In this episode, our panel enjoy the therapy of banishing those requests ...

Being strategic - Two minute mentor session with Carrie-Ann Wade

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As communicators move up through the ranks in their career, they are often told they need to be more strategic, or they worry about going for that nex...

S3-E6: Why are you painting a cabbage? The discomfort of change…with Chaya Mistry

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Would you feel better if life was predictable, familiar and easy to control? For some it might feel calming to have a predicable life and for others i...

S3-E5: A rebrand. Why, When, How and Who?…with Ryan Dempsey and Gemma Sutcliffe

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we meet Ryan Dempsey (CEO) and Gemma Sutcliffe (Head of Marketing and Communications) to hear about the rebrand of TCW. What are the ...

S3-E4: On the campaign trail…with Claire Seymour

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Claire Seymour, ASB Service Manager at Aster Group is no stranger to communicating to a diverse audience of very sensitive subjects in her day job. Ho...

S3-E3: The Internal Comms Landscape with Kristin Hancock

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Kristin Hancock, VP Community and Engagement for ICology, a Community Builder, Dynamic Presenter and the Most Fun Person You Know ;0)...

S3-E2: Belonging in PR and comms; a tale of a polyglot with Nafisa Shafiq

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An insightful and fascinating conversation with Nafisa Shafiq who shares some of her experiences in her ten year comms journey so far. This covers div...

S3-E1: You don’t have to work in comms to be a #CommsHero with Cheryl Gibbens

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Cheryl Gibbens shares her journey from customer service in to marketing. Like many people, Cheryl ‘fell’ in to marketing after se...

S2-E10: PR is not a con? In conversation with Stephen Waddington

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Stephen Waddington tells us how lockdown has been for him and how in the last 12 months he set up Wadds Inc, published a book and lau...

S2-E9: Internal communications: informing, engaging and inspiring our colleagues

07 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Internal communications: informing, engaging and inspiring our colleaguesKeeping our colleagues engaged is one of the most important things communicat...

S2-E8: Comms Room 101 – March 2021

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Working in comms, you often get asked to do many weird and wonderful things. In this episode, our panel enjoy the therapy of banishing those requests ...

S2-E7: Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You. How to create an award winning brand with Amy Nettleton

26 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Amy Nettleton, Assistant Development Director, Sales and Marketing at Aster Group shares her journey over the last five years to crea...

Choose your pictures with purpose with Rebecca Sangster-Kelly

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why you should prioritise picture quality and suitability.@rsangsterkelly

18.Filtering and testing your comms with Rebecca Sangster-Kelly

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why filtering and testing your comms is important to the success of your messaging and con...

19.Killing Your Darlings with Rebecca Sangster-Kelly

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why removing unnecessary details makes your comms more effective.@rsangsterkelly

17.Layer your messaging with Rebecca Sangster-Kelly

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why you should layer your messaging, and ideas of how to do it.@rsangsterkelly

20.Treat your comms like a billboard with Rebecca Sangster-Kelly

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly asks the question “is your audience pausing to read, or quickly skimming by?”@rsangsterkelly

16.Behold the Stakeholder Matrix with Rebecca Sangster-Kelly

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about the Stakeholder Matrix and how to prioritise your audiences.@rsangsterkelly

S2-E6: Jonathan Flay-Petty

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Jonathan Flay-Petty, Communications Champion at Valleys to Coast, tells us about this experience of delivering comms throughout Covid...

15.S2-E5: Claire Canning & Lauren Williams-Jones

15 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Claire Canning and Lauren Williams-Jones from United Welsh share their story of creating an engaging recruitment campaign using Tik Tok to showcase th...

14.S2-E4: Comms Room 101 – Feb 2021

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Working in comms, you often get asked to do many weird and wonderful things. In this episode, our panel enjoy the therapy of banishing those requests ...