Month: June 2023

From Cold Call Sales to Crime Reporting: The Unconventional Journey of Justin Mack (Ep.3)

From Cold Call Sales to Crime Reporting: The Unconventional Journey of Justin Mack (Ep.3)

In this episode of PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast, the hosts interview Justin Mack, wealthtech reporter at Financial Planning, a well-established industry publication that serves an engaged audience of financial advisors and wealth managers. He discusses his journey into journalism, his approach to collaborating with public relations professionals, and his current work. Justin also shares valuable insights into the importance of kindness, journalistic integrity, and the role of technology in the financial services industry. 

One of the most valuable lessons from this podcast is the importance of approaching every interaction with kindness and understanding, regardless of the industry. Justin emphasizes the need to remember that behind every email or missed call is a person, and that interactions may not always be perfect. 

Justin discusses: 

  • How he found his area of expertise as a reporter–and how he stays competitive!
  • How he established his creative voice as a journalist
  • How he weeds out the “bad” stories–finding reliable sources, working with anonymous contributors, and preserving his reputation
  • His interests outside journalism and how they inspire his work
  • …and more

Resources:

Connect with StreetCred PR:

Connect with Justin Mack:

About Justin Mack:

Justin is the wealth tech reporter for financial planning as well as the host and lead editorial producer of the Financial Planning Podcast.

The Cleveland, Ohio native earned his bachelor’s degree in communication and political science from Purdue University before spending more than a decade as a USA Today network journalist with the Lafayette Journal and Courier and the Indianapolis Star. His work as a reporter, anchor, moderator, and host has earned him awards for coverage across a multitude of verticals, including crime, politics, pop culture, business breaking news and investigations.

Justin also serves as a board member for the Indiana Professional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In addition to exploring the role technology plays in the lives of advisors on a daily basis, Justin also covers efforts to address the diversity and cultural issues that have plagued financial services for generations.

Weaving Together PR and Marketing with Kelly Waltrich (Ep. 2)

Weaving Together PR and Marketing with Kelly Waltrich (Ep. 2)

Given the substantial overlap between public relations and marketing, firms stand to benefit from a tight-knit collaboration between these two vital teams. 

In this episode, Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock speak with Kelly Waltrich, co-founder of Intention.ly, about her journey in financial services marketing. Kelly shares her story of why she decided to become an entrepreneur and start Intention.ly before passionately discussing how public relations and marketing strategies complement each other. She also provides tips on how to vet and establish a quality partnership with marketing agencies. 

Kelly discusses: 

  • Why she decided to become an entrepreneur and launch Intention.ly
  • Her experience at previous firms, going through an acquisition and merging departments while also keeping her clients at the forefront
  • How PR and marketing strategies complement each other
  • Intention.ly’s growth and her hiring process for the firm
  • The green and red flags to look for when evaluating prospective marketing agencies
  • What she would be doing if she weren’t working in financial marketing services
  • What she does for fun outside of the workplace
  • A moment of gratitude for Edmond Walters
  • And more

Connect with StreetCred PR:

Connect with Kelly Waltrich:

About our Guest: 

For over 15 years, Intention.ly Co-founder Kelly Waltrich has been championing the role of marketing in the financial services industry. As former Chief Marketing Officer at eMoney Advisor and Orion Advisor Solutions, she proved time and again that there is no better driver of an organization’s growth and overall success than a well-run marketing and communications team. At eMoney and Orion, Waltrich built powerhouse marketing teams from the ground up, developing the engines that would fuel the highest periods of growth for both companies. She designed the strategy behind several successful rebrands, acquisitions, and product launches – including spearheading the development of two advisor marketing products – while creating unmatched overall brand visibility and helping to turn company executives into industry thought leaders. Through forward-thinking demand generation, PR, and product marketing, Waltrich created a consistent inbound pipeline for both firms, driving CAC down and SOV up.

Welcome to PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast! (Ep. 1)

Welcome to PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast! (Ep. 1)

Welcome to PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast, where financial services meet credibility marketing!

Get ready for captivating conversations with industry leaders, journalists, and top influencers — including the various twists and turns that led them to where they are today.

In this inaugural episode, Elena Krasnow, Jason Lahita, and Jimmy Moock unravel StreetCred PR’s fascinating origin story, shed light on their biggest learnings from decades of PR experience, and set the stage for what listeners can expect from future episodes.

Elena, Jason, and Jimmy discuss: 

  • PR missteps from early in their career — and the wisdom gained from those experiences
  • What ignited their passion for financial services PR
  • StreetCred PR’s core values, vibrant company culture, and future plans
  • Their personal hobbies and interests (a glimpse into the individuals behind the expertise!)
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with StreetCred PR:

About our Guests: 

Elena Krasnow is a dynamic member of the StreetCred PR team who plays an essential role in several key aspects of the day-to-day agency activities. As an experienced writer and editor, she utilizes her written communication abilities to help manage the production and output of high-quality editorial content for clients. With her high degree of emotional intelligence and unwavering commitment to StreetCred’s high standard of client service, she is adept at making clients and teams feel valued while establishing strong, lasting relationships.

Jason Lahita, with a background in PR at United Capital Financial Advisors and an MBA from UC Irvine, took the leap and established his first PR agency in 2012. In 2018, he returned to his roots of working within RIAs when he joined Integrated Partners—a fantastic financial firm that evoked memories of his time at United Capital. Jason spearheaded their PR efforts for two years before venturing into a new phase in 2020. Thus, StreetCred PR was born, with Integrated Partners as its inaugural client. With the addition of new clients and a team of exceptional professionals, StreetCred PR has since gone from strength to strength. 

Jimmy Moock has, for the past 17 years, led campaigns for a diverse range of clients in the financial services ecosystem, including registered investment advisory firms, mutual fund complexes, hedge funds, ETFs, family offices, and more. As the legend goes, Jimmy’s prowess in public relations was apparent during his summer internship in 1998 when he secured a client appearance on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” within his very first week on the job. Building on this early success, he immersed himself in the fast-paced and highly creative public relations landscape of New York City. Jimmy has since played a pivotal role in shaping countless C-level executives’ critical business communications initiatives.

PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast Coming Soon

PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast Coming Soon

Welcome to PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast with Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock from StreetCred PR. In this podcast, Elena and Jimmy will welcome industry leaders, journalists, influencers, and friends of the firm. Our guests will shed some light on who they are–and the various twists and turns that led them to where they are today. We’re grateful to have you listening in and we hope you enjoy the show.