Hey besties,
đ¤ Slopfest: Between the Sora shutdown, anecdotal claims of low readership of AI stories, and the impending tokenmageddon, the love/hate relationship with AI is real. But please, for the love of all things, don't rely on AI for your spicy takes.
𤳠Exec social value: Business Insider reported the trend us comms folks know well: a visible (and viral) CEO leads to business outcomes. VCs are now hunting for Instagrammable founders. Our resident culture queen Cristin Culver sums it up: "Every founder also needs to be an influencer."
Psst: This week inside Off the Record we hosted 50 members for a casual chat all on exec social, and shared the exact tools and tactics we use to get buy-in and prove impact.
What like itâs hard?: Priyanka Sharma clapped back after reading about a head of growth at an AI upstart that said âGetting PR isn't complicated. Do something newsworthy, then tell the press about it.â Priyanka argues itâs wildly simplifying the issue. đ
âImagine this: If you go to Elon Musk for startup advice, and he tells you that starting a company isnât complicated - just build a product people want. Or, if you ask a Series D founder for fundraising advice and they say, âFundraising isnât complicated - just show strong metrics and a big TAM.ââ
đ ď¸ DIY or buy: One of the biggest things lighting up my group chat this week: comms tech. Upstart consultants to in-house vets are all asking the same question â do I need to buy PR tech, should I build my own, or is the old-fashioned "read the news/engage with journalists online" approach still the move? Since we're all builders now, I want to know: are you still investing in PR tech?
Vote: as you look ahead to 2027, are you building or buying your PR software?
𧌠One for the road: After my accidentally viral and globally relatable socks video, I'll leave you with a quote from my mom that I say weekly and, tbh, goes far beyond its intended meaning: Life's too short to fold pajamas. Thanks mom!
Chat soon,
Gab Ferree
Founder & Your Comms BFF, Off the Record
PS: Last week's most-clicked was Eleanor Hawkins' Axios Communicators departure announcement. Here's her final issue. End of an era. Thank you, Eleanor.
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