How brands leverage curiosity to drive innovative thinking with Carla Johnson

Send us a textIn this episode, Carla Johnson joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how brands can use curiosity to drive innovation and ideation.Tune in to learn more!Meet Our Guest:Our episode guest is Carla Johnson, keynote speaker and Innovative Architect at Think Labs. She’s the author of “RE:Think Innovation” and has helped companies like Amazon, Dell, Intel, and Hilton embrace change and generate stronger ideas.Five things you’ll learn from this episode: How breakthrough ideas form and why you must push past the obviousHow to turn “no” into momentum and a steady flow of stronger ideasWhy curiosity mattersHow the “What I Like” and “What I Wish” method improves ideasHow fresh perspectives transform PR and communication Quotables“We all like interesting things. We like stories that are clever, that are memorable, and the more memorable you make that story, the easier it is for somebody to share.” — @Carla Johnson“The beautiful thing about that whole process of coming up with the ideas, sharing the ideas and socializing them, talking about what they could look like, doesn't mean that you'll need that idea right now. But every corporate communicator, PR person, media relations person has needed an amazing idea at a drop of a hat.” — @Carla Johnson“People come to our profession for answers on how to solve something, or ‘How do I tell the story?’ Or ‘How do I fix this situation?’ But oftentimes, this diabolical need to answer the question really limits the creativity and innovative thinking that we're able to put into it.” — @Carla Johnson“When we hear about creativity and innovation, the term we always hear is about connecting the dots. And what we don't think about is in order to have dots to connect, we have to collect those dots.” — @Carla Johnson“If we have unlimited resources, we better be creative and responsible with those resources.” — @Jason MuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.More About Carla JohnsonCarla Johnson helps organizations break out of conventional ways of thinking. She helps teams think bolder so they can create massive momentum and deliver a bigger impact much faster. She’s the author of 10 books, including the bestseller “RE:Think Innovation.” She’s worked with companies like Amazon, Dell, Intel, and Hilton on embracing change and welcoming new ideas. All of this has helped them transform their businesses, get people excited about the work they do every day, and deliver a level of results they never imagined possible. Guest’s contact info and resources:@carlajohnson.co on InstagramCarla Johnson on FacebookCarla Johnson on LinkedInSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textIn this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd answers Fernandina Beach High School students’ questions and shares his PR career journey, experiences, and key insights.Tune in to learn more!Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. How perseverance helped build Axia into the agency it is today2. How integrity shaped Jason Mudd’s career, leadership, and long-term reputation3. Why lifelong learning sets great communicators apart in PR and beyond4. The value of genuine relationships in public relations, business, and everyday life5. How setting long-term goals can guide you in owning and running your future business Quotables“One thing about the profession of public relations, you’re always getting exposure to new ideas and new information. No two days are the same.” — @jasonmudd“My primary goal and aspiration for what I do is to have a great reputation of providing both valuable and helpful services that companies benefit from.” — @jasonmudd“Growing my agency with integrity and having a reputation of giving back so that we can attract the best talent in the profession, as well as attract the best clients and do some of the best work.” — @jasonmudd“In starting a small business, you've got to do what 99% of the people are unwilling to do themselves. And that's hard by itself.” — @jasonmudd“Think about everything long-term. So, whatever you’re doing personally, professionally, think long term about it. Will your future self thank you for what you’re doing today?” — @jasonmudd“Regardless of what profession you pursue, always be learning and improving. So improve your communication skills, both verbally and written. Because at the end of the day, that will apply to any profession you're in.” — @jasonmudd“Your integrity and reputation are essential to your success in life, in business, but also in your personal life. People want to do business with people they like, know, and trust.” — @jasonmudd“The greatest compliment for a small business is probably to get a referral. If you know a small business, don't hesitate to leave them an online review or give them a referral because that is the lifeblood of a small business.”  — @jasonmuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.Contact info and resources:Brightway Insurance PR case studyAdecco Group PR case studyFoundation Financial Group PR case studyFirst Coast Community Bank case stSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textIn this episode, Pragya Dubey, Agility PR’s VP of Global Services & Analytics, joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI is reshaping PR, media intelligence, and measurement for smarter, data-driven strategies.Tune in to learn more!Meet Our Guest:Our episode guest is Pragya Dubey, Agility PR Solutions’ VP of Global Services & Analytics. With more than 20 years of experience across three continents, she helps organizations transform media data into meaningful insights that demonstrate ROI and elevate the impact of communications.Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How AI is changing the media intelligence landscape and how we can measure it2. Ways PR professionals can use AI to make smarter, data-driven decisions3. What the emerging AI landscape means for PR professionals4. How to use AI to enhance productivity and creativity in PR5. How press releases are regaining power as vital tools for AI-driven search visibilityQuotables“AI is really reshaping the way we are accessing information and our need for information.” — Pragya Dubey“PR teams can be empowered with more data-driven decisions as opposed to basing their decisions on anecdotes, or an impression, or simply instincts – that’s the biggest shift.” — Pragya Dubey“AI is the assistant that PR never had that can help public relations professionals work smarter.” — Pragya Dubey"The question to ask is how AI is getting its information. AI is getting that information from the web, from Google, Yahoo, all those aggregator websites and media. So if you're not putting yourself out there more and more, you're missing out on that opportunity to be read and analyzed by AI.” — Pragya Dubey“The press release that we all thought was on life support and losing credibility year after year is suddenly the new sexy PR tool that everybody's talking about again and getting excited about.” — Jason MuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.More About Pragya DubeyPragya Dubey is Vice President of Global Services and Media Analytics at Agility PR Solutions, where she leads strategy and client success for media monitoring, measurement, and insights. With over 20 years of experience across Canada, the U.S., and India, she specializes in turning complex media data into actionable narratives that demonstrate ROI and drive smarter decision-making.Since joining Agility in 2006, she has helped clients — including Fortune 500s, governments, and nonprofits — align media analysis with strategic goals. Pragya is a passionate advocate for using meaningful metrics to elevate the role of communications.Guest’s contact info and resources:Pragya Dubey on LinkedInAgility PR Solutions websiteAdditional Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textIn this episode, Mark Basch joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the common media mistakes publicly traded companies make.Tune in to learn more!Meet our guest:Our episode guest is Mark Basch, a seasoned business journalist with decades of experience covering publicly traded companies. He provides insights on economics, business trends, manufacturing, real estate, and unemployment, drawing from data releases and press statements.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Consequences of companies mishandling bad news2. Best practices for publicly traded companies to work effectively with journalists3. Why preparation and anticipation are key to effective media interactions4. Why understanding media evolution is critical for PR5. The difference between embargoes and advance news, and how to use them strategically Quotables“When something is happening, it's a good idea to preemptively get together with the key people and have a response ready because one of the things that could happen in today's world is the story is going to be posted online and nobody is ready to respond.” — Mark Basch“Clever is great, but it better be accurate.” — Mark Basch“The headline … is designed to get you to read the story but also should tell you what the story is.” — Mark Basch“If you want to make this newsworthy, if you want to get media coverage about your company, its success and its growth, we've got to have credible indicators of how quickly you are growing.” — Jason Mudd“Always prepare, always assume the worst, and have proper preparations.” — Jason Mudd“Have a plan, but have a plan in case the plan fails of what you're going to do secondarily.” — Jason MuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.More about Mark BaschMark Basch is a seasoned business journalist who’s covered publicly traded companies for decades. His reporting focuses on economics, business trends, manufacturing, real estate, and unemployment, drawing regularly from data releases and press statements.Guest’s contact info and resources:Mark Basch on LinkedInAdditional resources:The best and worst media relations efforts from public relations professionalsHow to speak with clarity and authority during a crisis11 crisis management tactics to avoid or prepare for a PR disasterThe 4 R’s of media relatSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textIn this episode, Jamie Shibley, CEO of The Expressory joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how to strengthen relationships through thoughtful, strategic corporate gifting.Tune in to learn more!Meet Our Guest:Our episode guest is Jamie Shibley, CEO of The Expressory, a strategic engagement agency helping businesses strengthen relationships through thoughtful, relationship-first strategies. She’s a best-selling author and recognized expert in strategic gifting and relationship marketing, with insights featured on “Entertainment Tonight” and Forbes.com.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Strategic and themed gift giving for internal and external audiences2. How to redefine “gifting” beyond presents3. The three emotional pillars that build strong business relationships4. Ethical considerations and best practices for corporate gifting programs5. Why systems and consistency are essential to meaningful engagement Quotables“To form a relationship with somebody, that person needs to feel three things. They need to feel that you understand them, they need to feel that you validate what's important in their world, and they need to feel that you care.” — Jamie Shibley“You recognize that it's not only the people that you already know and have some sort of relationship with. It's about nurturing the ones you want for the long term as well.” — Jamie Shibley“When your vendor partners feel valued and seen, they will work harder for you.” — Jamie Shibley“Sometimes a gift is your smarts. Sometimes a gift is just something that's simply helpful to someone so you don't have to spend. The budget does not matter.” — Jamie Shibley“We would be better off not sending a gift or not sending a note card to somebody if it has something that has a negative unintended consequence or ramifications.” — Jason MuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.More About Jamie ShibleyJamie Shibley is the CEO of The Expressory, a strategic engagement agency that believes the key to accelerating business growth and profitability in the post-COVID era lies in your ability to maintain personal connections and build emotional loyalty in your relationships. Jamie is the best-selling author of “Relationship-First Strategic Engagement” and is widely respected as a market leader. Her work has been featured on “Entertainment Tonight” and Forbes.com.Guest’s contact info and resources:Jamie Shibley on LinkedInThe Expressory website“Relationship-First Strategic Engagement” bookRecorded: June 23, 2025Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textOur Guest:Our episode guest is Amy Dunham, chief communications officer at Habitat for Humanity International. Overseeing the organization’s global brand, marketing, and communications strategy, she helps reach audiences across all 50 U.S. states and more than 70 countries. Amy is a seasoned communications leader passionate about using market insights to shape strategy and strengthen engagement worldwide.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. How to leverage market insights to shape and guide PR strategy2. The balance of art, science, and passion in effective strategic planning3. Practical ways communicators can advocate for audiences at the strategy table4. How messaging and strategy must stay in lockstep to maintain credibility and consistency across audiences5. How brand perception gaps create opportunities for stronger audience engagement Quotables“The human brain always absorbs things best in threes. And communications know if you’ve got 15 priorities, you have no priorities. When setting priorities, it has to be a clear way to say yes and to say no. If it doesn’t give you the ability to say no, then it’s not really helping you set a strategy.” — Amy Dunham“You can't have good communication or public relations strategy without messaging. They're in lockstep together.” — @JasonMudd9“To really stand out in PR, whatever you're doing, is to make sure you're saying things that are provocative, contrary, and have a unique point of view from what everybody else is saying because otherwise, you're just going to blend in and not stand out.” — @JasonMudd9“It's not a conversation about ‘I know better’ versus ‘you know better.’ It's much more about ‘Here's what the data indicates, and now here's the flexibility to be able to use it in the way that works best in your market.’” — Amy Dunham“It's really through the lens of ‘How can I add value in a way to enable their work?’ rather than to direct how things should get done.” — Amy DunhamIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Amy DunhamAmy leads Habitat for Humanity’s brand, marketing campaigns, and communications efforts across its global footprint in all 50 U.S. states and in more than 70 countries. Before joining Habitat in 2022, she held brand and communications roles at the NCAA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and US Airways.Guest’s contact info and resources:Amy (Kudwa) Dunham on LinkedInHabitat for Humanity websiteFact Fullness by Hans RoslingCrucial ConversationsAdditional Resources:Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textIn this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses why 95% of AI citations come from PR content and how brands can lead with media relations in the age of AI.Tune in to learn more!Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Why 95% of AI citations come from PR-driven content2. The six types of content AI trusts most for brand visibility3. How earned media, thought leadership, news coverage, and press releases shape AI search results4. Why reviews, social media, and web content boost generative discovery5. Seven steps to ensure your brand and not your competitors gets cited  Quotables“PR has become the front door to artificial-intelligence-powered discovery.” — @JasonMudd9“PR isn't just part of the marketing mix anymore. It's the backbone of your visibility in 2025, the age of AI.” — @JasonMudd9“AI is shaping first impressions of your brand, and PR determines what AI learns and repeats back to them.” — @JasonMudd9“When you combine earned PR content with the supporting signals, you're feeding AI the content it needs to cite your organization.” — @JasonMudd9“You must feed AI platforms the content they crave that's credible, quotable, and consistent.” — @JasonMudd9If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Jason Mudd, Axia Public RelationsJason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with brands including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. Jason founded Axia Public Relations in 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies. At Axia, Jason oversees strategic communications for national clients and leads top PR talent. Clients love his passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. He consults with leadership teams at billion-dollar global business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands, advising them on spokesperson training, crisis communications, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of the technological demands companies face helps his multiple-sector clients reach their target audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo. He speaks to corporations and industry groups and writes about PR trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national outlets.Contact info and resources:Axia AI VisibilitySupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textIn this episode, Serena Ehrlich joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI-powered search engines take data from press releases, and how they decide on what to show their users.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Serena Ehrlich. She’s the go-to-market director at Notified, the parent company of GlobeNewswire, which provides global press release distribution services.Serena helps spread the “good word” of up-to-date, evolving PR strategies to help PR pros navigate an ever-shifting landscape.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. How AI ingests press releases and what sticks 2. How the rise of AI-powered search engines parallels the rise of traditional search engines like Google3. Who actually reads press releases and why they’re the most important to your business4. The current and future impact of fake press releases5. How to build a quality press release that will reach your intended audience Quotables@4:20 — “When somebody says a press release doesn’t work, the very first thing I think of is, ‘Oh, you don’t know what it’s supposed to do.’” – Serena Ehrlich@13:33 — “Search, social, and AI.” – Serena Ehrlich@22:21 — “If it’s as easy as you and me releasing a press release and having that impact AI, look at the opportunity.” – Serena Ehrlich@25:35 — “I love you guys, but your press releases are terrible.” – Serena Ehrlich@ - “People read in an F pattern. If you don't have images, you’ve lost them” – Serena EhrlichIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Serena EhrlichSerena Ehrlich is a veteran professional in the fields of investor relations, public relations, and marketing. She currently serves as the director of product marketing at Business Wire. Over more than 25 years, she has become a trusted authority on emerging communication technologies and strategies, helping guide organizations through evolving trends in media and consumer behavior. Her deep-rooted experience began in advertising, where she honed her understanding of large-scale branding before continuing through two decades in the newswire industry. She has driven successful local, national, and global campaigns for major brands such as Kraft, Kohl’s, Avon, Mattel, and more.Serena transitioned into a strategic go-to-market and social media leadership role, currently serving as the go-to-market director at Notified. Known for her dynamic approach to modern media, she blends content creation, data insights, and format innovation to drive education, advocacy, and revenue. Her philosophy encapsulates this approach: Data + Content + Format = Education + Evangelists + Revenues. A recognized thought leader in the industry, she was named one of the Top 25 Women in Mobile to Watch in 2013 and continues to leverage her prSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textIn this episode of On Top of PR with Jason Mudd, we welcome Matt Dzugan, senior director of data at Muck Rack, to unpack the findings from Muck Rack’s new report, “What Is AI Reading?” Together, they explore how generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini rely heavily on earned media coverage — especially journalistic content — to shape their responses. Learn why timely, credible PR coverage is more important than ever, how to optimize your brand visibility in AI-driven search, and what PR pros need to do now to stay relevant.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Matt Dzugan, senior director of data at Muck Rack. As a software engineer, he contributes to building tools that help journalists and PR professionals collaborate more effectively. With a strong background in full-stack development, he focuses on creating scalable, user-friendly solutions in the media tech space.Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How generative search engines source answers from earned media coverage2.  How best to influence AI-generated answers in your brand's favor 3. Why credibility is crucial to consumers and generative AI models 4. How much AI will rely on legacy media going forward 5. The importance of earned media and how to use itQuotables“We’re building tools that PR pros actually use and value every day.” — @mattdzugan“Better media outreach starts with better journalist insights.” — @JasonMudd9“PR is evolving fast. You need the right tools to keep up.” — @mattdzugan“Good PR tech doesn’t replace relationships — it enhances them.” — @mattdzuganIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a professional colleague or friend. You may also share your experience with others, buy me a coffee, or leaving us a quick podcast review.About Matt DzuganMatt Dzugan is a senior software engineer at Muck Rack, where he helps develop tools that empower journalists and PR professionals to collaborate more effectively. With a background in full-stack development, he brings a thoughtful, systems-oriented approach to building reliable, scalable software that meets the media industry’s evolving needs. His work spans from backend architecture to user-facing features, all designed to enhance the transparency, speed, and efficiency of media workflows.Beyond writing clean, maintainable code, Matt is known for his collaborative mindset and dedication to continuous improvement. He actively engages with cross-functional teams to ensure that engineering decisions align with product goals, and he’s always looking for ways to optimize performance and user experience. At Muck Rack, Matt plays a key role in helping the company scale its platform to support a growing user base while staying true to its mission of supporting a free and sustainable press.Guest’s contact info and resources:Matt Dzugan on X (@mattdzugan)Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a textDaniel Mendez of Collective Measures shares how the importance of early and active networking.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Collective Measures’ Daniel Mendez, vice president of earned and owned media. He is a seasoned public relations and corporate communications professional with more than 17 years of experience leading global strategies in employee engagement, executive visibility, and reputation management across industries such as healthcare, energy, and pharmaceuticals.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. How networking must be intentional and ongoing2. Why you must give in a relationship before you can take.3. Why PR professionals shouldn’t neglect personal branding.4. The role of PR and communications and how it shapes narratives.5. The role of community in your career and the impact it has on it. Quotables“What you’re trying to do is build relationships” — @DanielMendez“PR people are amazing at promoting others and telling other people's stories, but we forget to tell our own story.” — @DanielMendez“The best opportunities that I've ever gotten in my career didn't come from a job board, they came from people.” — @DanielMendez“People think communications is just sending an email or a poster … It's not. It's so much more than that.” — Jason Mudd“That personal brand is what people remember when they're making decisions about who to bring on board.” — Jason MuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Daniel MendezDaniel Mendez is vice president of earned and owned media at Collective Measures, a Minneapolis-based performance marketing agency. With more than 15 years of experience across public relations, content marketing, and media strategy, Daniel helps B2B companies connect PR with business outcomes.At Collective Measures, Daniel works closely with marketing and sales teams to align messaging, support each stage of the buyer journey, and use earned media to drive awareness and credibility in niche markets. His approach bridges strategy and execution, making PR a measurable, impactful part of the demand generation engine.Guest’s contact info and resources:Daniel Mendez’s websiteDaniel Mendez on LinkedInAdditional Resources:Navigating PR and communications hiring with Brooke KrugerHow public relations impacts company reputation, revenue, and recruitingCorporate cSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.