Episodes

That Solo Life, Episode 307: Media Under the Influence Episode Summary In this episode of That Solo Life, hosts Karen Swim, APR, and Michelle Kane tackle the significant and timely topic of "Media Under the Influence." Together, they explore how modern-day pressures, including governmental interference and financial constraints, are impacting media integrity. They examine the implications for public relations, the importance of preserving local journalism, and how a free press is integral to ma...

Title: Where the Wild Things Are - Rethinking Social Media in 2025 Episode Summary: Social media platforms have changed dramatically, leaving many public relations and marketing professionals questioning their next steps. On this episode of That Solo Life, co-hosts Karen Swim, APR, and Michelle Kane explore the current state of social media and offer practical advice for staying relevant and strategic. They discuss the platforms worth keeping an eye on, how to align your presence with your clie...

Episode 305: AI and the PR Profession: What You Need to Know to Future Proof Your Career Episode Summary (00:00) Join hosts Karen Swim, APR, and Michelle Kane as they explore the rapidly changing landscape of public relations in the age of artificial intelligence. This episode dives into AI's potential to reshape the PR industry, with insights from the World Economic Forum's "Future of Jobs 2025" report. Karen and Michelle discuss how PR professionals can stay ahead of AI-driven shifts by combin...

That Solo Life Episode 304: The Powerful Insights Learned From Going Back To School Episode Summary Join hosts Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane as they welcome Veleisa Patton Burrell, an accomplished PR professional and educator. Together they explore the twists and turns of Veleisa's career—from solo entrepreneurship to agency life, and now as an adjunct professor guiding the next generation of communicators. This candid conversation covers career transitions, the evolving role of PR, the int...

That Solo Life, Episode 303: The Folly of AI First Strategies Episode Summary: In this episode of That Solo Life, co-hosts Karen Swim, APR of Solo PR Pro and Michelle Kane of Voice Matters explore the growing trend of adopting an “AI-first” strategy in business and marketing. While artificial intelligence has proven to be a valuable tool, Michelle and Karen argue for a balanced approach that prioritizes human expertise and thoughtful integration. They discuss examples of companies misusing AI,...

Episode Summary: What’s it really like to hop the fence between corporate life and solo entrepreneurship? Join co-hosts Michelle Kane of Voice Matters and Karen Swim of Solo PR Pro in this lively discussion about the contrasts between these two worlds. From navigating corporate protocols to enjoying the streamlined, impactful decision-making as a solo pro, they explore the lessons learned, the unique challenges, and the joys of creating your own career path. Whether you’re considering becoming ...

Episode 301 - The Need for Thoughtful Engagement in an Age of Clickbait Podcast Hosts: Karen Swim, APR & Michelle Kane Release Schedule: New episodes every Monday Episode Summary: In this thought-provoking episode of That Solo Life, Karen and Michelle take a critical look at the current state of social media and the challenges of thoughtful engagement in a world dominated by clickbait culture. They discuss how the drive for visibility and engagement often leads to misinformation, manipulation...

Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane dive into the topic of ”sticky situations” that PR professionals often face with clients, such as when a client behaves inappropriately at an event or makes unscripted comments in an interview.

That Solo Life Episode 299 Episode Title The Can Do Spirit of PR Practitioners Crosses Generations Episode Summary The hosts, Karen Swim, APR, of Solo PR Pro, and Michelle Kane of VoiceMatters, discuss key findings from the USC Annenberg Global Communication Report for 2025, focusing on Gen Z’s growing presence in the workforce and what that means for public relations professionals. Key takeaways include: Flexibility prioritized over pay: Nearly half of Gen Z employees value workplace flexib...

That Solo Life, Episode 298: PR Potpourri: A Look Back at Q1 2025 This podcast episode explores the challenges that PR professionals face in the current media and communication landscape. The discussion covers several key topics: The struggles with PR tools and technologies, which often fail to keep up with the rapidly changing industry. This leaves PR practitioners having to "hack together" solutions to get the job done. The broader cultural issues of overwork and lack of work-life balance i...

In today’s episode, co-hosts Karen Swim, APR (Solo PR Pro) and Michelle Kane (Voice Matters) discuss how to strategically decide which awareness and marketing campaigns to align with (and when to pass).

This episode of ”That Solo Life” podcast discusses the importance for solo PR professionals and marketers to make their presence known and connect with potential clients, particularly those who may not be familiar with the concept of ”solos”.

That Solo Life, Episode 294: National Days and Awareness Months and How to Manage in 2025 Summary: This podcast episode discusses the abundance of "national days" and how PR professionals and marketers should approach aligning their client initiatives with these events. The key points are: There is an overwhelming number of these "national days" which can become diluted and ignored by the public. These days can be divided into two categories: awareness/educational campaigns vs. marketing-dri...

That Solo Life, Episode 293: Why It's Time to Advance AI Discussions in PR In This Episode Join Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane as they discuss how PR professionals can leverage AI to enhance productivity while maintaining ethical practices. From practical applications for tasks like research and content creation to addressing AI's challenges, this episode offers valuable insights into how professionals can integrate AI tools to work more efficiently. What We Cover in This Episode: MuckRac...

That Solo Life, Episode 292: Utilizing Zero Click Content for Better Engagement In This Episode In this episode of That Solo Life, co-hosts Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Karen discuss zero click content, a concept that is gaining traction in digital marketing and public relations. As the hosts explore zero click content, they discuss how this approach shifts the focus from merely driving clicks to fostering genuine engagement with your audience. Traditionally, the mantra has been to lead poten...

This podcast episode discusses the increasing prevalence of online fraud, cyber scams, and phishing attacks, and provides tips for protecting oneself and one’s clients.

Summary: Words have power, and as PR pros and marketers, we know just how to wield them. But what happens when wordplay goes awry? Join Michelle Kane and Karen Swim in this enlightening and entertaining episode as they break down the dos and don'ts of clever messaging. Discover how the right wordplay can resonate with your audience, when it’s best avoided, and how intention matters more than you might think. Key Takeaways: Wordplay as a Connection Tool: Learn how effective wordplay can draw i...

That Solo Life, Episode 289: The New Challenges in Managing Brand Reputation Summary This episode of "That Solo Life" podcast explores the challenges PR professionals manage when brands are faced with crises, particularly serious situations like allegations of child abuse. The hosts, Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane discuss the importance of building trust with audiences, maintaining authenticity and integrity, and providing nuanced responses rather than knee-jerk reactions. They emphasize th...

That Solo Life Episode 288: Combatting Ghosting In The Professional World Summary In Episode 288 Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane discuss strategies for dealing with being "ghosted" by potential clients or employers. The key points of the episode are: Avoid situations where no response is expected, like applying to job postings or responding to RFPs without any prior interaction. Try to force human interaction instead. When meeting with a prospect, ask questions to prequalify them and ensur...

In This Episode In this episode of That Solo Life, co-hosts Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by solo PR practitioners. The key points in this episode include: Solo PR professionals can sometimes struggle with imposter syndrome and lack of confidence when comparing themselves to larger PR agencies. However, solo practitioners offer unique value, such as more personalized attention for clients and the ability to assemble specialized teams as neede...

In This Episode In this episode of That Solo Life, co-hosts Karen Swim and Michelle Kane dive into the evolving landscape of public relations and marketing for solo professionals. With the job market in flux, is starting a Solo PR Pro business realistic in 2025? Karen and Michelle tackle that question as they discuss the opportunities and challenges of making the leap to a Solo PR Pro career. The co-hosts discuss the various factors that might lead someone to make the leap into self-employment...

That Solo Life Episode 285: How to Find Joy and Make an Impact in PR In This Episode In this episode of "That Solo Life," co-hosts Karen Swim, APR and Michelle Kane dive into the chaotic start of the new year, reflecting on the challenges faced by solo and small agency PR professionals in 2025. The year has kicked off with an overwhelming amount of information and events happening both in the United States and global. As chaos reigns, it is important for public relations to stay grounded. Mic...

That Solo Life, Episode 284: How PR Pros Can Use an Audit to Unlock Social Media Success In This Episode Today’s podcast discussion focuses on the importance of conducting social media audits and targeting specific audience personas when developing marketing and communications strategies. Key takeaways from this episode include: Conducting a social media audit can provide valuable insights to help organizations improve their social media presence and effectiveness, even if the audit process se...

That Solo Life, Episode 283: Quality Over Quantity Will Drive PR In 2025 In This Episode In this episode of That Solo Life, co-hosts Karen Swim and Michelle Kane dive into the critical topic of gaining access to the C-suite and the importance of building meaningful relationships within organizations. Communication professionals understand that their effectiveness hinges on the quality of information and insights they can gather from various levels of an organization, particularly from executive...