1) The press release is no longer the main event. Sometimes it’s not even invited to the party.
2) Internal comms IS external comms. Your employees have audiences, opinions and screenshots.
3) Social is not the intern’s job. It’s a business function, a reputation engine and often your brand’s most visible front door.
4) A journalist isn’t your only gatekeeper. Creators, employees, customers and comment sections can move public opinion faster than a front-page feature.
5) The best comms leaders understand the business, not just the brand. If you can’t connect your work to business outcomes, you’re leaving influence on the table.
6) Culture is a communications strategy. No amount of beautiful messaging can fix a broken employee experience.
7) The lines between PR, marketing, brand, social and employee experience have all but disappeared. Our org charts just haven’t caught up yet.
8) A viral moment is not a strategy. Neither is a calendar full of national awareness days.
9) Thought leadership requires an actual thought. Preferably one that isn’t just a recycled talking point dressed up as an original idea.
10) AI can help you write or edit the message. It cannot replace the judgment required to know whether you should send it.
11) Transformation comms is stakeholder management, not just hitting send on one email. The real work is building alignment, navigating competing priorities and bringing people along the journey, not simply announcing where you’re headed.
12) Measurement has to move beyond impressions. Visibility means very little if it doesn’t change understanding, trust, behavior or action.
13) Experiences are communications. Sometimes what people feel in a room is more powerful than anything you could ever write about it.
14) The best communicators aren’t order takers. They’re the people willing to challenge the brief, ask the uncomfortable question and occasionally say, “We probably shouldn’t do that.”
15) Comms deserves a seat at the table BEFORE the decision is made. Not just an invitation to figure out how to announce it.
16) Reputation is built long before a crisis hits. You can’t communicate your way into trust you haven’t earned.
17) Comms is no longer just about broadcasting. The most important conversations are often happening in comment sections, group chats and communities you aren’t invited into. Listening is a strategy, too.
18) The best brand ambassadors are already on your payroll. Authentic employee advocacy will always be more powerful than asking people to repost a corporate graphic.
19) Events aren’t just logistics and run-of-shows. They’re strategic brand moments that build relationships, shape perception and create impact long after the room clears.
20) The biggest shift I’ve witnessed? We went from being the people who communicated the business to being the people who help shape how the business shows up in the world and I’m here for it!
About Danielle Lajoie
Danielle Lajoie is a communications and marketing executive who serves as Vice President of Communications, Events & Integrated Marketing at Exos, a human performance company.
With nearly two decades of experience, she has worked with major Fortune 100 brands, including Whole Foods Market, JetBlue and NIKE, Inc., leading integrated communications, executive events and large-scale brand campaigns.
Lajoie specialises in strategic storytelling, using purposeful communications to strengthen audience engagement, trust and business impact. She also designs engaging events and brand experiences that inspire employees and customers.
Beyond communications, she is passionate about developing high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, creativity and leadership while strengthening organisational culture.
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