Vanessa Sapino, Senior Vice President and Partner at FleishmanHillard's Sacramento office, joins host Eric Grotenhuis to talk about the real work behind public relations and why she has spent 22 years doing it. From leading the Kubota account for 17 years to one career-defining moment with a celebrity client that she never saw coming, Vanessa has built a career around being ready for whatever comes next.

She gets honest about how PR actually shows up for marketing teams, why the best-laid plans always need a Plan B, when to make a statement and when silence is the smarter play, and how she is putting AI to work without ever letting it leave her hands unchecked.

If you have ever wondered what is happening behind the scenes when a brand handles a moment well (or scrambles when it does not), this one is for you.

Links Mentioned in the show:

https://fleishmanhillard.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessajsapino/

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_________________________

00:31 Meet Vanessa Sapino
01:30 PR Versus Marketing
03:35 Planning And Pivoting
08:09 Sacramento Niche Focus
11:55 Building Media Networks
16:25 Networking Habits
21:32 Weekly Workflow Systems
25:32 Crisis Story Hurricane
32:24 PR Timing Decisions
33:00 Crisis Plans and Messaging
36:35 When Silence Wins
39:45 PR Versus Marketing
41:16 Writing and Press Releases
42:08 Sponsored Content Mix
44:13 Trust in Local News
47:51 Responsible AI in PR
53:39 Career Lessons and Biz Dev
57:17 PR Team of One Advice
58:39 Connect and Wrap Up

When a fan messaged in with real frustration about being stretched too thin, Eric and Mike did what they do best: turned it into a conversation worth having. This one is all about the challenge of finding help when you're a marketing team of one, and why it is harder than it sounds.

They dig into how to figure out what you actually need help with before you go looking, why handing everything to someone new on day one is a recipe for disappointment, and how to vet partners in a way that builds real trust over time. They also get into where to find the right people, from local creative communities to professional networks, and why investing in those relationships before you desperately need them is the move.

Links mentioned in the show:

https://dribbble.com/

https://www.behance.net/

_____________________________________

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👉 http://www.youtube.com/@MarketingTeamofOne

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Join our professional network and stay connected with the latest updates:

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-d-hendry/

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-grotenhuis-pagedesign/

🔗https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/marketingteamofone/

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Engage in discussions, ask questions, and connect with fellow marketers:

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Visit Our Website:

For more resources, articles, and information, check out our website:

🌐 www.marketingteamofone.com

Buy our Merch:

If you want to show your support and represent the show, check out our merch store:

🧢 https://marketing-team-of-one-show.printify.me/

_____________________________________

Referral Links:

If you are considering signing up for this service, please use our referral link to help out the channel. These are some of the many products we use daily, and you can trust that they will serve you well.

Fathom - The #1 rated AI notetaker. Instantly summarize your meetings so you can focus on the conversation instead of taking notes.

https://fathom.partnerlinks.io/2mzzhdo4ekii

_____________________________________

00:00 Empowered To Network

00:20 Why Solo Marketers Need Help

01:18 Define The Help You Need

04:26 Build Trust With Small Tests

05:30 Find Partners In Communities

11:17 Online Platforms And Pitfalls

12:37 Marketplaces And Low Risk Trials

15:07 Network Pays Dividends

18:16 Build A Trusted Stable

20:53 Wrap Up And Where To Connect

What happens when you're the strategy lead, the project director, the brand cop, and the air traffic controller all in one?

Monica Griffis, Director of Marketing and Communications at the California School Board Association, joins host Eric Grotenhuis to share how she stepped into a tough situation and built something she's proud of. Her team of about 10 people ran over 800 projects in a single year, sharing how she had to rebuild the foundation while keeping everything moving.

She gets honest about the systems she put in place, the pushback she navigated, and what it actually looks like to bring a team back from the brink.

If you've ever had to build the plane while flying it, this one's for you.

Links mentioned in the show:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicagriffis/

https://monicagriffis.com/

https://www.csba.org/

Project intake form:

https://www.marketingteamofone.net/freebies/project-intake-form/

_____________________________________

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👉 http://www.youtube.com/@MarketingTeamofOne

Subscribe to YouTube and hit the bell icon to stay updated.

Connect with Us on LinkedIn:

Join our professional network and stay connected with the latest updates:

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-d-hendry/

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-grotenhuis-pagedesign/

🔗https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/marketingteamofone/

Download Free Tools:

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📥 Download Free Tools - www.marketingteamofone.net/freebies/

_____________________________________

Join Our Reddit Community:

Engage in discussions, ask questions, and connect with fellow marketers:

👾 https://www.reddit.com/r/marketingteamofone/

Visit Our Website:

For more resources, articles, and information, check out our website:

🌐 www.marketingteamofone.com

Buy our Merch:

If you want to show your support and represent the show, check out our merch store:

🧢 https://marketing-team-of-one-show.printify.me/

_____________________________________

Referral Links:

If you are considering signing up for this service, please use our referral link to help out the channel. These are some of the many products we use daily, and you can trust that they will serve you well.

Fathom - The #1 rated AI notetaker. Instantly summarize your meetings so you can focus on the conversation instead of taking notes.

https://fathom.partnerlinks.io/2mzzhdo4ekii

_____________________________________

0:00 Introduction & Meet Monica Griffis

3:30 Inside the California School Board Association

12:00 Walking Into Chaos: Monica's First Days on the Job

15:45 Killing the Shiny Object Syndrome & Fixing Email Overload

20:00 Building Systems: Intake Forms, Timelines & Project Management

25:30 Policing the Brand & Getting Buy-In as the New Person

40:00 Tackling Legacy Tech & Serving Nearly 5,000 Trustees

52:45 Biggest Wins & the SOS for Student Achievement Campaign

1:03:00 Where to Find Monica & Wrap-Up