Season 2, Episode 39: Brian Hennessy, CEO of Talkoot

A PR pro and a journalist? It's a tale as old as time. On this week's episode of #AllShineNoFlash, Ann sits down with Portland Business Journal’s Malia Spencer to discuss her perspective on being a woman in journalism, how AI is affecting the communications industry and reasons to feel optimistic about Portland's community and future. She also dives into her favorite tip for PR pros (hint: you can look it up), advice for aspiring journalists and why it's not always a bad idea to let people underestimate you.

If you thought dogs were man’s best friend before, wait until you hear this conversation!  In today’s episode of All Shine No Flash, Ann speaks with Tess Payne, director of community engagement at DoveLewis, Portland’s highly respected and renowned emergency and ICU animal hospital. They discuss the impact DoveLewis has made in its 50 years of operation, from the exceptional veterinary care to their canine therapy teams, pet loss care groups and very own blood bank, which is supported by more than a team of volunteer dogs and cats. After this episode, you’ll be sure to thank your vet during your four-legged friend’s next visit.

On the newest episode of #AllShineNoFlash, Ann interviews Blake St. Onge, managing principal at Cresa, a commercial real estate agency. Despite his day job, Blake doesn’t hesitate when he says his most important title is “Dad.” He talks about prioritizing time with his wife and three boys and how he’s been able to shape his life so that certain hours of the day are dedicated to family. Blake also dives into what businesses are looking for in the current real estate market, changes since the pandemic and what trends are being seen in Portland and beyond.

In our latest episode of All Shine No Flash, Ann interviews Skip Newberry, president and CEO of the Technology Association of Oregon. They dive into Oregon’s tech industry, opportunities and challenges for companies doing business here and why Skip is optimistic about what he’s seeing at the state’s legislative level.

Can you hear the wedding bells? It's the newest episode of #AllShineNoFlash! This week, Ann sits downs with Nora Sheils, co-founder of Rock Paper Coin, a software platform designed for the wedding and events industry. Nora dives into the details of what led her and her sister-in-law to go from wedding planners themselves to tech startup entrepreneurs. She also gives a sneak peek into what it's like to work with wedding industry titans and what trends are top of mind for brides this year.

Managing “day jobs” at Intel and Microsoft and “side gigs” building businesses from scratch is not for the faint of heart. In today’s episode of #AllShineNoFlash, Damola Omotosho, CEO and founder of CardCraft, shares his story of working at some of the world’s largest tech giants while also being a serial entrepreneur. ‘D’ offers insight into what it means to be a Black entrepreneur in America and how the power of creating connection is a common thread throughout the businesses he has founded.  

How does one become the head writer at a company like Adidas? And then how does one go from that to creating an AI platform? On the newest episode of #AllShineNoFlash, Brian Hennessy, CEO of Talkoot, dives into how his writing career ultimately led him to develop an AI product storytelling platform for e-commerce retailers. Hennessy gets into the details of being introduced to AI, its pros and limitations and what its ever-evolving nature means for us writers.

Thin Mints®, Somoas® and Tagalongs® are an annual tradition for many Americans, but Girl Scouts are about a whole lot more than cookies. Today on #AllShineNoFlash, Ann interviews Shannon Evers, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. As someone who was a Girl Scout growing up and now has a 20+ year career with the organization, Shannon has witnessed its evolution and growth over the years to keep pace with girls, while never losing sight of its mission of championing girl ambition.   

In this week's episode of #AllShineNoFlash, Dan Bruton, owner and founder of Agate Executive Communications, poses the question: If you're not being yourself in your profession, then why the hell are you doing it? Originally hailing from Southern Oregon, Dan focuses on creating custom communities for individuals in leadership roles to grow personally and professionally. Listen in as Dan shares more about what executives are craving post-pandemic and the power that comes from simply letting our guard down and being together.  

On this episode of #AllShineNoFlash, we’re learning how to start planting seeds for success with Julie Harrelson, managing director of Cascade Seed Fund, an early-stage investment fund in the Pacific Northwest. Julie gives us industry tips for growing your roots in entrepreneurship and discusses her hopes for future generations to break the glass ceiling in venture capitalism.