Host: Carrie Tuttle
Guest: Shauna MacDonald

This episode of Suits & Sneakers pulls back the curtain on the PR world with Shauna MacDonald, the powerhouse founder and principal of Brookline Public Relations. Their client roster spans major brands, hotels, and community organizations like the Edmonton Oilers Ice District, The Brick, Sobey’s Inc. and Calgary Public Library.

Shauna nurtures talent, builds culture and leads with both heart and backbone. You’ll hear how her leadership philosophy is rooted in empowerment and clarity—she’s direct, but always gives her team plenty of rope to grow. She explains why being “all in” is the only way to make it as an entrepreneurial leader.

Shauna talks about the importance of over-communicating with intention, and why authenticity and respect are the secret sauce for both brands and leaders. She shares her take on personal branding, and the risks of leader-as-brand (hello, Elon Musk).

Whether you’re a new leader or just someone who loves a good story about grit and growth, you’ll leave this episode inspired to own your journey—and maybe even take a few risks of your own.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

• “Whether you win or lose, you need to own it no matter what.”
• “Even if you feel that you've given the rationale of this is why we're doing it, there still might be some people that just don't understand it. And you have to be okay with that.”
• “I will look for someone and I will hire someone that's passionate and eager versus someone who knows exactly what to do… but also willing to accept the consequences if it's not done right and learn from that.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Brookline PR offers a full range of services, from crisismanagement to media relations.
• Leadership involves making tough decisions and listening to different perspectives.
• Mentorship is crucial for developing new talent
• Leaders can’t over-communicate when setting expectations
• Clear communication of expectations is essential for effective leadership.
• Brand communication should tell a compelling story and connect with audiences.
• Motivating teams requires understanding individual needs and celebrating successes.
• Authenticity in communication builds trust and respect in leadership.
• Leaders should embrace change and be adaptable.
• Entrepreneurs must be all-in and ready for continuous engagement.

LINKS FROM EPISODE:Learn more about Brookline Public Relations @ Website: https://www.brooklinepr.com/

Shauna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunamacdonald/

Brookline on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/brookline-public-relations-inc./

Shauna’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaunabpr/

Brookline on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/brookline_pr/

Beyond PR podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rexC3J2jkd4LJEA4p1LTF?si=c5c37e453b4e42a7

Resources mentioned:

Book: “Good to Great” by Jim Collins - https://amzn.to/4l38lQp

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Host: Carrie Tuttle
Guest: Ian Tell

What happens when a chemist-turned-sales leader meets the AI revolution?

In this episode, Carrie sits down with Ian Tell, Chief Revenue Officer at Bison and Bird, to demystify the real-world impact of AI on operations, sales, and leadership.

Ian breaks down how AI agents can take on specialist roles in your organization, from summarizing emails to analyzing complex schedules. Learn why the future isn’t one all-knowing AI, but a team of specialized agents working together, like staff would do. He shares how AI support helps him be more present in human-to-human interactions and speed up contract review.

Before you go implementing the next shiny new tech, he calls out the importance of understanding organizational needs and analyzing your activities, especially repeatable tasks, to see where AI can help.

Once you start implementing, Ian suggests treating AI like a new team member. Give it context, set expectations, and get specific. He emphasizes the importance of clarity in interactions with AI and human teams, the necessity of onboarding and training AI systems, and how AI tools can enhance leadership effectiveness. The more you communicate, the better the results—just like with people.

Leaders, take note: Even if you haven’t rolled out an official AI policy, odds are your team is experimenting on their own. Ian talks about governance, security, and onboarding to keep your data safe and your team empowered.

Ian’s Top AI Tools:

• Copilot: For secure, private work environments.
• ChatGPT: For creativity and brainstorming.
• Claude: For detailed documentation and SOPs.

About Our Guest

Ian Tell is the Chief Revenue Officer at Bison and Bird, where he helps companies streamline operations, predict trends, and drive growth through cloud, AI, and tech-driven leadership. With a background in chemistry and over 25 years in sales and leadership, Ian brings a unique blend of technical know-how and people-first wisdom.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make AI work for your team—or what “data therapy” really means—this is the episode for you.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

• “The more specialized the [AI] agent is, the better it's going to be able to perform a specific task.”
• “Software isn’t the answer. It’s a gateway to better answers.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Small, specialized AI agents can drive big efficiency gains when they’re given clear roles and context.
• AI can automate administrative tasks, freeing up time for high-value work.
• Digital transformation begins with understanding your team’s roadblocks and goals
• Leaders should establish governance around AI usage to protect sensitive information
• Different AI tools serve different purposes
• Ask AI questions about it’s capabilities and limits, so AI teaches you to use AI effectively
• Effective leadership involves understanding team members' goals.
• The best leaders are those who know themselves and empower their teams to do the same.
• The fastest way to learn about AI is to start testing it and try to break it

LINKS FROM EPISODE:

Learn more about Bison and Bird @ Website: https://www.teambisonandbird.com/

Bison and Bird on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bison-bird/

Portal Mill https://www.portalmill.com/

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Host: Carrie Tuttle
Guest: Margaret Glover

In this candid conversation, Carrie interviews Margaret Glover, Fractional Chief Product Officer at Product Better and a strategic product leader with over 20 years of experience.

As former COO at Virtual Gurus, she drove a 678% revenue increase through U.S. expansion. At Poynt Corporation, Margaret led global product strategy and marketing initiatives. She played a pivotal role in securing strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Apple, Google, and Nokia.

Margaret shares the importance of data analysis, and how listening to customers through user feedback shapes successful products. She emphasizes the need for effective communication and the balance between data-driven decisions and intuition in innovation.

Margaret talks about how her no-B.S. approach has helped her leadership and balances her compassionate side. She takes pride in mentoring others. The moment when she shares the advice she would give to her younger self is gold!

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

“There's a point when technology and data actually gets in the way of operations and progress because we start to rely too heavily on the data and forget that there are humans behind every interaction.”

“…as a product manager, you are bringing all of the disciplines together. So you effectively are the bridge between marketing operations, customer success, the technology team, and you're talking to customers.”

“If you're really attuned to it, there's data everywhere that you can find and figure out how to use it to your benefit.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Product management is about being the bridge between various disciplines.
• Data analysis is crucial for understanding user behavior and preferences.
• Effective communication is key to team efficiency and success.
• Customer feedback should drive product development decisions.
• Leadership involves empathy and understanding team dynamics.
• Innovation often requires a balance between data and gut instinct.
• Building rapport with clients is essential for understanding their needs.
• A good leader challenges their team to strive for excellence.
• Humility is important in leadership roles.
• Everything starts with the customer in product development.

LINKS FROM EPISODE:Margaret Glover on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretglovercampbell/

Product Better on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/productbetter/

Product Better Website: https://productbetter.ca/

Resources Mentioned:

Atomic Habits – James Clear https://amzn.to/3Ziy92q

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Like What You Heard?

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, or follow us on YouTube or your favorite podcast service, so you never miss an episode!

Interested in being a guest on Suits & Sneakers? APPLY HERE