PR That Builds Authority, Not Just Press: A Conversation with Cris Gordon

What does it take to build a brand that lasts — not just one that gets a moment of press and fades? That’s the question at the heart of this episode of the Brandinc PR Podcast, and my guest Cris Gordon has spent more than 17 years answering it in real time.

Cris is the founder of CB Communications, Chief Brand Officer and Head of MMC Beauty, and the creator of Brandidly Speaking — a media and learning platform built to transform real-world marketing experience into real-world impact. She has worked with global prestige names like Estée Lauder Companies and Sisley Paris, and she brings that same strategic rigor to the indie and founder-led beauty brands she champions today.

Breaking Into an Industry Not Built for You

As a first-generation Dominican woman and mother of four, Cris entered the beauty industry at a time when leadership rarely looked like her. Rather than conform to a system not designed for her success, she built her own — founding CB Communications in 2017 with an earned-first approach to PR and brand building that prioritized long-term relevance over short-term visibility.

Her story is a masterclass in what it means to lead from the outside in — and why diverse voices in communications aren’t just important for representation, but essential for strategy.

Earned Media Strategy That Actually Moves the Needle

One of the most important distinctions Cris makes — and one that every brand owner and communications professional needs to hear — is the difference between PR that generates press and PR that builds authority.

Press gets you a moment. Authority gets you a movement.

For beauty brands especially, where the landscape is crowded and consumer trust is everything, Cris argues that showing up in culture from the inside out is the only sustainable path. That means building community before you need it, creating messaging that resonates beyond the product, and investing in communications infrastructure that supports growth at every stage.

What Indie and Founder-Led Beauty Brands Need Right Now

The beauty industry is in a moment of major disruption — legacy brands are fighting for relevance while indie challengers are capturing cultural share at a pace that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. Cris has worked on both sides of that equation, and her perspective on what separates the brands that break through from the ones that plateau is sharp, practical, and immediately applicable.

Spoiler: it almost always comes back to story, trust, and consistency.

About Cris Gordon

Cris Gordon is the founder of CB Communications, Chief Brand Officer and Head of MMC Beauty, and the lead voice of Brandidly Speaking. With 17+ years of experience across agency and in-house marketing and communications, she has worked with global and prestige brands while also advising emerging founder-led businesses at every stage of growth.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. 

Andy Barr Invented Digital PR — Here’s What He Thinks You’re Getting Wrong

Quick Answer: According to digital PR pioneer Andy Barr, most communications professionals are still treating PR and SEO as separate disciplines — a strategic mistake that costs brands authority, discoverability, and long-term commercial results. In 2026, the communicators who win will be those who integrate creative storytelling, search strategy, and reputation management into a single unified approach.

In the latest episode of the Brandinc PR Podcast, host Dr. Brandi Sims sits down with Andy Barr — strategic communications specialist, digital PR expert, and the man widely recognized for pioneering the discipline of Digital PR as we know it today.

Andy has spent his career advising global brands, major organizations, and senior political figures on reputation, media strategy, and crisis communications — combining creative storytelling with sharp SEO and media strategy to build brands that command attention, trust, and commercial results.

This conversation is a no-fluff look at where digital PR came from, where most practitioners are falling behind, and what the discipline demands from communicators in 2026.

Why PR and SEO Can No Longer Live in Separate Lanes

For years, PR and SEO operated as entirely separate functions — different teams, different goals, different metrics. Andy Barr saw the convergence coming before most of the industry did. And in 2026, the gap between those who integrated early and those who didn’t is impossible to ignore.

The strongest campaigns start with one shared objective: build authority in places that improve both discoverability and trust. Coverage improves authority. Authority helps rankings. Better rankings make brands easier to find and easier to trust — which in turn makes future outreach stronger because journalists prefer sources that already look established. Farmonaut®

That flywheel — earned media feeding search authority feeding more earned media — is the foundation of modern digital PR strategy. And it’s exactly what Andy has been building for his clients for years.

What Digital PR Demands From Communicators in 2026

The brands that win in 2026 will be those who blend channels seamlessly — pairing smart technology with powerful human storytelling, using AI and data to uncover insights, collaborating across SEO, paid, and content teams, and creating stories that are both machine-readable and emotionally resonant. Ecp-careers

For PR professionals still operating in a traditional earned media mindset, that’s a significant shift. Andy breaks down exactly what it requires — and where most communicators are leaving results on the table.

5 Key Takeaways From This Episode

1. PR and SEO are one discipline now. The communicators still treating them as separate functions are losing authority, discoverability, and commercial results to those who aren’t.
2. Creative storytelling is still the foundation. Technology changes the distribution. The story still has to be worth telling.
3. Crisis communications has fundamentally changed. What worked five years ago in a rapid-response situation will fail you today.
4. Political communications is a masterclass in reputation management. Andy’s work with senior political figures shaped how he approaches brand reputation for every client.
5. The future belongs to integrated communicators. PR pros who understand search, narrative, and reputation as one unified system will be the most valuable people in any room.

Listen to the Full Episode

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Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Search Brandinc PR Podcast wherever you listen.

The Brandinc PR Podcast is hosted by Dr. Brandi Sims, Founder & CEO of Brandinc PR, Forbes contributor, and strategic communications expert with 15+ years of experience in PR, entertainment, and brand strategy. New episodes drop weekly.

Connect with Brandinc PR: brandincpr.com

From Individual to Empire: Why Identity Has to Come Before Content, Platforms, or PR Strategy

Quick Answer: According to brand strategist and bestselling author Laura Bull, most founders and executives make the same critical mistake when building a personal brand — they start with content and platforms before establishing a clear identity. Real brand authority starts with identity first, then narrative, then positioning — in that order.

In the latest episode of the Brandinc PR Podcast, host Dr. Brandi Sims sits down with Laura Bull — Founder and CEO of The Brand Management Company and Amazon bestselling author of From Individual to Empire.

Laura spent a decade at Sony Music Entertainment, becoming one of the company’s youngest executives at 28 — leading artist development and marketing for Carrie Underwood, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Johnny Cash across Arista, RCA, Columbia, Epic, and Monument Records. Today she applies that same approach to founders, executives, and entrepreneurs building businesses around their names using her proprietary Brand Matrix framework.

Why Most Personal Brands Fail Before They Start

The most common personal branding mistake in 2026 isn’t a bad logo or inconsistent posting — it’s starting in the wrong place entirely.

Most founders jump straight to content before they’ve established who they are and what their brand actually stands for. Laura’s Brand Matrix flips that. Identity first. Narrative second. Positioning third. Everything else — the content, the platforms, the PR strategy — comes after.

The most resilient model is a personality-driven business brand — a company that is separate from your personal identity but uses you as a highly visible champion. Your name opens the door. The brand is what walks through it. Hollywood Branded

That distinction is at the heart of everything Laura teaches — and a lesson she learned building some of the most enduring artist brands in music history.

5 Key Takeaways From This Episode

1. Identity has to come before content. Starting with platforms and posting schedules before establishing a clear brand identity is the fastest path to an inconsistent, forgettable presence.
2. The music industry is a masterclass in brand longevity. The principles behind Carrie Underwood and Johnny Cash as enduring brands apply directly to founders building businesses around their names.
3. The Brand Matrix gives you a sequence, not just a strategy. Identity → narrative → positioning. In that order. Every time.
4. AI is changing personal branding — but it can’t replace the human work. Laura addresses exactly where AI helps and where it creates brand risk.
5. Marketing and branding are not the same thing. Building from brand before layering in marketing is one of the most commercially important shifts a founder can make.

Listen to the Full Episode

🎙️ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brandinc-pr-podcast/id1769667431

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Search Brandinc PR Podcast wherever you listen.

The Brandinc PR Podcast is hosted by Dr. Brandi Sims, Founder & CEO of Brandinc PR, Forbes contributor, and strategic communications expert with 15+ years of experience in PR, entertainment, and brand strategy. New episodes drop weekly.

Connect with Brandinc PR: brandincpr.com

Brandinc PR Founder to Moderate Featured Panel at PRSA Women of Impact Summit in Chicago

Brandi Sims will lead a national conversation on leadership in sports and entertainment communications during PRSA’s Women of Impact Summit on Aug. 6.

Brandinc PR is proud to announce that founder and principal publicist Dr. Brandi Sims, MBA, has been selected to moderate a featured panel during the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Women of Impact Summit, taking place Aug. 6 at the historic Union League Club of Chicago.

The featured general session, “Women Calling the Plays: Leading Communications in Sports and Entertainment,”will bring together accomplished communications leaders whose work is shaping some of the world’s most visible brands, organizations and cultural moments.

Hosted by the PRSA Entertainment & Sports Section, the panel will feature:

• Adrienne Allen, Founder, IPY Agency
• Tianna Robinson, Founder & CEO, Intertwined Agency and Founder, AI for PR
• Genna Goldberg Rosenberg, veteran storyteller and advisor at the intersection of toys, licensing and entertainment
• Sarah Schmidt, President, Interdependence

As moderator, Sims will guide a conversation focused on how women leaders navigate high-stakes communications, build influential brands, lead high-performing teams and create lasting impact across the sports and entertainment industries.

Why This Conversation Matters

The communications profession continues to evolve alongside rapidly changing technology, audience expectations and media consumption habits. Organizations today are looking for leaders who can communicate with confidence, adapt to change and build authentic relationships with stakeholders across multiple platforms.

This session will explore the leadership principles that help communications professionals thrive in today’s environment, including:

• Leading through high-pressure and high-visibility moments
• Building brands that earn trust and influence
• Developing resilient communications teams
• Navigating emerging technologies and industry change
• Creating meaningful impact across sports, entertainment and culture

These conversations extend beyond the sports and entertainment industries. The leadership lessons shared during the session offer valuable insights for agency professionals, corporate communicators, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs and students preparing for careers in public relations and strategic communications.

A Milestone for Brandinc PR

Being selected to moderate a featured session at PRSA’s Women of Impact Summit reflects Brandinc PR’s continued commitment to advancing the public relations profession through leadership, education and meaningful industry conversations.

Since founding Brandinc PR, Sims has worked with organizations ranging from startups and nonprofits to national brands, helping clients earn media coverage, strengthen their reputations and communicate with purpose. She has also remained actively involved in PRSA leadership, previously serving as Chair of the PRSA Entertainment & Sports Section and continuing to advocate for professional development opportunities that elevate the communications industry.

“One of the greatest opportunities in our profession is learning from one another,” Sims said. “I’m honored to moderate a conversation featuring accomplished women whose experiences can inspire current and future communications leaders while sharing practical insights that professionals can apply in their own organizations.”

About the PRSA Women of Impact Summit

The PRSA Women of Impact Summit brings together communications professionals from across the country for a day of leadership development, networking and recognition of women making significant contributions to the public relations profession.

The summit highlights leadership, innovation and the evolving role of women across communications disciplines while creating opportunities for professionals to learn from industry experts and build meaningful connections.

Brandinc PR looks forward to participating in this year’s event and sharing key insights following the panel discussion.

About Brandinc PR

Brandinc PR is a strategic public relations agency specializing in media relations, thought leadership and brand visibility. The agency partners with businesses, nonprofits, executives and entrepreneurs to develop communications strategies that build credibility, strengthen reputations and create lasting impact through earned media and strategic storytelling.

From the Ranch to the Newsroom: How Agricultural PR is Changing the Story of American Farming

Podcast: Brandinc PR Podcast | Guest: Carson Horn, APR | Episode Theme: Agricultural Communications, Ethical PR, Niche Industry Storytelling

What Does It Take to Change the Narrative Around American Farming?

For most people, public relations brings to mind celebrity brands, tech startups, or Fortune 500 companies. But what about the farmers, producers, and agricultural businesses that feed the country? Who’s telling their story — and how?

In this episode of the Brandinc PR Podcast, host Dr. Brandi Sims sits down with Carson Horn, APR, VP and Director of Public Relations at The Communications Group in Arkansas, to explore one of the most underrepresented and critically important areas in strategic communications: agricultural PR.

Who Is Carson Horn, APR?

Carson Horn didn’t start in a corner office. He grew up on a cattle ranch and row-crop farm in Yukon, Oklahoma — and that origin story is exactly what makes his work so powerful.

Today, Carson is:

• VP & Director of PR at The Communications Group (Arkansas)
• Creator of the WIN: Women in Industry Podcast, featuring 74+ women in agriculture
• Developer of the PRESS POWER System, an executive media training program
• Author of the nationally recognized Ag Marketing Trends Report (5th edition)
• 2026 PRSA Arkansas Ethics Officer

His approach to communications isn’t about spin — it’s about truth-telling done strategically.

Key Takeaways from the Episode

1. Agricultural PR Is About Value, Not Commodity

One of the biggest shifts in modern ag communications is moving away from commodity messaging — price per bushel, yield per acre — and toward value-driven storytelling that connects consumers with the real people and practices behind their food.

Carson’s Field to Film series for Arkansas soybean producers is a prime example: using farmer and researcher voices to help everyday consumers understand the environmental and economic impact of soybeans in America.

2. Non-Traditional Tactics Can Have Massive Impact

When most PR pros are pitching press releases, Carson was pitching something entirely different: a public art mural to commemorate the Arkansas soybean industry’s centennial. He secured a national grant to make it happen.

The lesson? Sometimes the most powerful story isn’t in a press release. It’s on a wall.

3. Digital-First Is Now the Standard — But Most Ag Communicators Are Still Behind

According to Carson, over 85% of agriculture PR firms have shifted to digital-first approaches, with growing emphasis on authentic, sustainability-focused storytelling that proves environmental stewardship rather than just promising it. The gap between those leading the shift and those still catching up is widening — and it matters.

4. The Biggest Media Training Mistake Executives Make

Carson’s PRESS POWER System was built to fix one of the most common — and costly — errors executives make: losing authenticity the moment a camera turns on. Understanding how to communicate under pressure, with clarity and credibility, is a skill set that separates effective leaders from forgettable ones.

5. Ethical PR Is Non-Negotiable

As PRSA Arkansas’s 2026 Ethics Officer, Carson speaks directly to the growing ethical threats facing the communications industry. In an era of misinformation, AI-generated content, and reputational risk, ethical storytelling isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a competitive advantage.

Why Agricultural PR Matters Now More Than Ever

Consumers are increasingly skeptical about food production, corporate agriculture, and sustainability claims. Meanwhile, farmers and producers are working harder than ever to prove their environmental stewardship and community value.

Strategic agricultural communicators like Carson Horn are at the center of that tension — building bridges between rural producers and urban consumers, and making sure the full, honest story gets told.

For PR Professionals Breaking Into Niche Industries

Whether it’s agriculture, government, B2B, or another specialized sector, Carson’s advice for communicators looking to break into niche storytelling is clear: stop thinking like a generalist. The mindset shift required to succeed in niche PR isn’t about learning industry jargon — it’s about developing genuine respect and curiosity for the people whose stories you’re telling.

Listen to the Full Episode

🎙 Brandinc PR Podcast— From the Ranch to the Newsroom: How Agricultural PR is Changing the Story of American Farming

Available on:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube @BrandincPR

Connect with Carson Horn and The Communications Group, and find the WIN: Women in Industry Podcast wherever you stream.

About the Brandinc PR Podcast

Hosted by Dr. Brandi Sims, Ph.D., MBA — Founder & CEO of Brandinc PR, Forbes contributor, and PRSA Entertainment & Sports Section Chair — the Brandinc PR Podcast delivers bold, strategic conversations for communicators, founders, and brand builders ready to level up their visibility and impact.

New episodes drop weekly. Follow, rate, and review to stay in the loop.