hey, i’m Matt…
The editorial thought
leadership specialiast
you talk. i write. Everybody loves it. we win.
I have slots for five clients on a retainer working five to ten hours a week. We meet once a week, you tell me what’s on your mind and then I help you by drafting opinion pieces and placing them with editorial outlets. I also leverage my press relationships to introduce you to journalists who are genuinely interested in your work. I’m honest and direct but never a jerk about it.
Book a quick zoom call here, and let’s chat about your needs.
Active Clients ❤️
Articles, op-eds, emails and blog posts written ✍🏼
Media outlets in which my writing has appeared 🗒
What people say about working with me
Why editorial thought leadership?
Filling A Niche
I often do this work alongside colleagues from PR Agencies. They’ll be looking to pitch organizational work to reporters. The trouble is most reporters aren’t interested in this kind of thing. What they’re looking for is ongoing relationships with experts in each area. They want people they can call for comment on their stories as they’re writing. Not someone who’ll make them write a whole different story of their own.
More Strategic than an Agency
What’s big news internally at most cause-driven organizations struggles to rival the major news of the day. Essentially, PR agencies specialize in throwing a lot of spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. They land press coverage sometimes, but they charge at least $10,000 a month to do it. When I make an occasional introduction to a journalist, it’s because I know they’re interested in your work.
Better Value for Your Money
My rate works out at $150 an hour. In a year doing this with one organization I’ve delivered more than 50 pieces of press coverage. The work names the client and features them as leaders in their field. That’s less than $1,000 per published article about the client. If your PR agency can offer that kind of return on investment for their services, then stick with them.
Cause-Driven Organizations Want to Be More Relevant
Cause-driven organizations hate feeling cut off from what’s going on in the newspapers. They want their work to have relevance to a broader audience. To do that they need to figure out how to involve themselves in the news cycle more often and this is a proven way to do it. Instead of asking “what are our program areas and what are they doing?” one needs to ask oneself, “what do our leaders have to say about the breaking news of the day?”
Leaders Don’t Have Time to Write
I’m yet to encounter a chief executive who can pen an op-ed in their voice quicker than I can do it. Or one who would prefer to do it. I can get your voice down and have a first draft ready for your review fast. It’s immodest, but: I don’t know anybody who can do it quicker or better than I can. It is what it is. Flex flex flex.
Building Writing Capacity for Your People
As organizations work with more diverse constituents, they want to lift their voices. I enjoy helping people shape drafts that they feel comfortable with. It can be a transformative process for somebody who has felt invisible for years. Now they’re writing pieces for publication in the media and they’re leading. It’s an act of political allyship for me to help such people raise their voices.
Deep journalistic and campaign experience
Experienced, Trustworthy, Conscience-Driven
I spent 10 years as a journalist and won multiple awards for my reporting on the U.S. criminal justice system, particularly its treatment of Black and Brown people, juvenile detainees and those in mental health crisis. I’ve since led communications at nonprofits in London, Oakland, and in New York City, and now I work on a contract basis for a variety of clients whose missions interest me.
Drawing Attention To Injustice
In California, when Harvard University started buying up water rights in a valley where groundwater was running out, I took a Greyhound bus down there and found the people whose livelihoods would be threatened, making an 11-minute film that attracted the interest of the Wall Street Journal, who subsequently ran an investigative story on the issue, prompting lawmakers to pay more attention to how water rights are regulated in the state.
Supporting Winning Campaigns
A million Californians lacked access to safe and affordable drinking water, so I went and found them. People who had spent their lives having to buy bottled water, and I made films in the Coachella Valley and Los Angeles, shooting footage of people bringing their arsenic-laced water to the state capitol. All this was ultimately part of a coalition effort that led the state legislature to allocate $130million a year to improve things.
Recent client List
17 Communications
89UP
Alana Foundation
America’s Promise Alliance
Berlin Rosen
Boston University
Catnip Comms
Center for Popular Democracy
Columbia University Justice Lab
Community Sponsorship Hub
Children’s Defense Fund
Clearly Next
Data.org
/dev /color
E3G
Further Faster
iFoster
Fenton
Flannel & Blade
Freedom Futures
The Fund for Global Human Rights
Generation Citizen
Inward Bound Mindfulness Education
Health in Her Hue
Ignite National
Katten
Kounkuey Design Initiative
Los Angeles County California
Movement for Black Lives
M+R
MacArthur Foundation
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Milk + Honey PR
New England Foundation for the Arts
NEAR
Nonprofit Builder
Open Squash
Open Supply Hub
National Farm To School Network
Porter Novelli
Pulse Forward
Quadrant 2
Quora
Radical Health
Refugee Congress
Refugees International
Refugee Advocacy Lab
Real Voices Media
Ripple Effect Images
The Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Roddenberry Foundation
San Francisco Unified School District
Techsoup
Trust for Public Land
The Shareholder Commons
United Stateless
Thoughts you can use…
Top Five Reasons Nonprofits Bring In A Communications Consultant
Nonprofit communications directors often face a myriad of challenges. I did the job myself, before I started consulting, so I know how hard it is. Luckily, I also know how I can help. I've just had a rare spot open up in my consulting roster, too, so if you're...
The Writing Process Isn’t Linear
When you’re trying to express a complicated idea, be prepared for your communications to take a few creative turns.
Winning Feels A Lot Like Losing, Until You Do It
I had an unusual win on the squash court last night, and it gave me hope for the 2024 election. My opponent was higher rated than I am by a significant degree. He played squash at Princeton and is a decade younger than I am, and I was sure he'd win. I even sent him an...
Be Careful of Stress Changing How You Communicate
When you’re stressed, it can impact your communications. Get a second pair of eyes on things!
“Let Go and Be Yourself” Online for Deeper Engagement
I've been running The Comms Whisperer as a LinkedIn newsletter for more than two years, now. I am a total evangelist for doing these kinds of newsletters. On a pure per-client basis, spending a couple of hours each week writing these posts has paid for itself. It is...
Measuring Return on Investment in Public Relations, Marketing and Strategic Communications
I’ve found that smart cause-driven funders and leaders do still think like businesspeople. They want to know that if they’re spending money on things, they’re getting a return.
Why We Need Jon Stewart’s Take on the 2024 Election
Honestly I’d rather have a laugh than cry.
The Importance of Greeting Your Customer
I have a pet peeve. When I walk into a retail store or a cafe, I want you to greet me straight away.
Beware Negative Self Talk As You’re Finding Your Voice
Beware negative self-talk. Notice it, put it aside, and keep talking to yourself in a positive way. Also, beware overconfidence.
When You Loved The Movie But The Critics Hated It
Have you seen anything good at “the pictures,” lately? And what do you think of critics? Did you like Saltburn?
Insights on Grief and Loss From Nick Cave
It's been a difficult week with some bad news in our family. I'll spare you the details, but we'll all be alright. Not to worry. At tricky moments I find it helpful to remember that things are rarely as bad as they seem. The flip side is they're also rarely as good as...
Speaking From a Place of Peace
If you’re like me, the New Year is a frenetic time. I call it “the Januaries.” But… let’s all calm down and take a breath before we communicate!
for more advice You can explore My strategic communications brain…
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I'm based in Manhattan's West Village but work with clients all over the world.