Echoes & Influence

What does it mean for a brand to have permission to speak, act or grow in a particular direction? Jo and Franki explore the idea with brand strategist Tessa Graham, who argues that permission is earned through consistency, credibility and trust, not visibility or influence. They look at how brands earn, extend and lose that permission, and when collaborations can help bridge the gap between what a brand is and what it wants to become.

Reputation is one of the few business assets that can't be bought. It has to be earned.

In this episode of Echoes & Influence, your hosts Jo and Franki explore the idea of the reputation dividend: the competitive advantage organisations gain when trust is built consistently over time. They unpack the difference between reputation and public relations, why actions matter more than messaging and how trust influences everything from customer loyalty and talent attraction to resilience during a crisis.

Drawing on research including the Edelman Trust Barometer and established corporate reputation frameworks, Jo and Franki examine how organisations build credibility through values, leadership and behaviour rather than marketing alone. They also discuss why reputation should be viewed as a strategic business asset, not simply a communications function.

Whether you lead a business, manage a brand or work in communications, this episode offers a practical look at why reputation is one of the most valuable forms of capital an organisation can build, and why trust is increasingly becoming a measurable competitive advantage.

Investor relations is far more than financial PR. In this episode of Echoes and Influence, investor relations specialist Jacques de Bie explains how IR shapes market confidence, builds investor trust and helps listed companies communicate with analysts, shareholders and the media. Discover why credibility, strategy and clear financial communication are essential in today's AI-driven capital markets.

Alexander Leibner, Founder and Managing Editor of The Sandton Times, joins Echoes & Influence for a candid conversation on the future of journalism, PR and digital media. Discover how technology, AI, content creation and media entrepreneurship are reshaping communications, why relationships still matter and what PR professionals can do to work more effectively with today's newsrooms.

@AlexFLeibner, @sandtontimes

In this episode of Echoes & Influence, Jo and Franki unpack the growing tension between editorial integrity and commercial survival in modern media. From advertorials and sponsored content to boosted posts and paid partnerships, they explore how the once-sacred divide between journalism and advertising has blurred and what that means for PR professionals navigating today’s landscape. It’s a candid, insider conversation about ROI, credibility, media sustainability and why communicators may need to rethink their relationship with paid media altogether.