NOTE: THIS RECORDING WAS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED ON OCT. 13, 2025.

THE ISRAEL / GAZA DEAL: A MASTER CLASS IN GLOBAL RELATIONSHIP CAPITAL

The peace deal between Israel and Gaza isn’t just a diplomatic headline—it’s a global master-class in relationship capital. As the remaining 20 living hostages are now released and reuniting with their families, we break down the five ways this moment proves that building relationships is not a soft skill. It’s power – power through people and connection.

Whether in the PR industry, politics, or any space where outcomes depend on people, the Israel/Gaza deal is a glaring reminder that developing, accessing and leveraging relationship capital can move mountains in geopolitical circles – and in our own communities and organizations.

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

For those of us in public relations, Charlie Kirk’s death should ring our bell. Without freedom of speech, there is no PR profession. That’s a fact.

Today’s episode breaks down this point into four key areas where freedom of speech is vital to the existence of our profession – and in how PR is effectively practiced.

We’ll also cover insights from international students studying PR in the United States, and tackle the question about recent employee firings and what they signal for anyone representing an employer’s brand or responsibility to the community.

Finally, we'll wrap up with a relevant book recommendation that anyone in PR leadership should read.

There’s a lot to unpack in this episode, so get ready to take some notes.

So how much does it cost you when your logo flops? And is it the what or the how that brings on the flop? And did our reigning grand champion of logo flops – Cracker Barrel – miss a real opportunity to leverage a branding change?

Join me today as we learn what a logo flop can cost you in hard dollars and cents, the lessons from Cracker Barrel’s recent experience, and most importantly, an alternative approach that could have involved customers in the change – and let everyone own the new brand look together.

Let’s all dive into some PR learning love, and explore why this great Cracker Barrel controversy is a glaring demonstration of why we must seek first to understand, to know our stakeholders, and to strive to build that all-important relationship capital.

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E