The blog

I make my living with words,
so it'd be strange not to have a place to use my own.

This is where I write about the craft of telling stories: what works, what doesn't, and what twenty years of helping other people sound like themselves has taught me. Some of it's about corporate communications. Some of it's about writing in general. And some of it will be about art, because I can't help myself. Pull up a chair.

Sep 2026 · The Executive Voice

The PGA Tour Town Hall Speech That Survived Delivery

I’m a big golf fan. I’ve played since I could walk. My dad started my high school program. I have been inside the ropes at some of the…

Read more →

Sep 2026 · Communications Strategy

Communicating Through a Labor Dispute Without Making It Worse

I remember the email. Can you be on site at our office for three full days to help us draft talking points for communicating during a labor dispute…

Read more →

Aug 2026 · Internal Communications

Nobody Visits: How to Improve Your Intranet Content Strategy

Full disclosure: AI created the headline of this post. I was the global editor of Kellogg’s company intranet for four years. What I learned from that experience was…

Read more →

Aug 2026 · Corporate Storytelling

Wendy’s Anniversary Book: Turning 50 Years of History Into Stories People Keep

50 Years, 50 Stories. Wendy’s wanted to commemorate its 50th anniversary in 2019 with a coffee table-style book. I was fortunate to be the guy they asked to…

Read more →

Aug 2026 · Corporate Storytelling

How to Interview Employees (a.k.a. Colleagues)

When you put a microphone in front of someone, they change. Especially in a corporate setting. I’ve studied how to interview employees for years. In person. On the…

Read more →

Jul 2026 · General Thoughts

How Sportswriting Helped My Corporate Communications Writing

I was 17 years-old when the Kalamazoo Gazette published my first article. They assigned me to cover the Little League Softball World Series, which was staged just around…

Read more →

Jul 2026 · General Thoughts

Visual Storytelling: In Words and in Color

The best piece of writing advice I received was from the great ESPN writer Wright Thompson. This was early in my sportswriting career. I connected with Wright on…

Read more →

Jul 2026 · Communications Strategy

You’re a Freelance Corporate Communications Writer? Huh?

So what do you do? I’m a writer. I’ve grown accustomed to people’s reactions when I tell them that. They sort of perk up because it’s a response…

Read more →

Jul 2026 · The Executive Voice

Executive Ghostwriting: How to Make Leaders Sound Like Themselves

Fun fact. I ghostwrote consistently for a CEO I never met. Instead, the company’s chief communications officer sat with him for a few minutes to get his thoughts…

Read more →

Jul 2026 · Corporate Storytelling

Corporate Storytelling Isn’t Compelling (And Here’s Why)

Your company probably has a corporate storytelling problem. Why? Because companies have too many people to please. Too many talking points. Too much jargon. Companies also have a listening…

Read more →