How to Spin It – Details, episodes & analysis

You can be brilliant at your job and still be terrible at communicating it.

In this first episode, I speak with Jess Preston, co-founder of Inside Voices and a communication coach who works with leaders and spokespeople to help them speak with clarity and confidence. We explore how habits, nerves and early influences shape the way you speak, and what to do when your voice doesn’t match your intention.

We talk about the British discomfort with confidence, media training, and what makes a strong spokesperson in today’s landscape. We also discuss how brand jargon weakens messaging, and why clear, human language matters more than ever in public relations and internal communications.

Jess shares practical advice on voice training, public speaking and managing nerves, drawing on her background in performance and coaching. I reflect on what I’ve seen go wrong and right behind the scenes in brand PR and leadership communication.

Follow Jess on Instagram at @weareinsidevoices and explore her work at weareinsidevoices.com.

Connect with me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit love-comms.com to learn more.

What does it take to 'spin' today’s scandals and successes? How to Spin It is about the people shaping perception; those working behind the scenes to build and direct the stories we see around businesses and brands.

Hosted by Kayleigh-Anne Soryal, a Head of Comms, this series explores how PR & Comms professionals do what they do. It’s a conversation about modern communication, and the space between intention, interpretation, and influence.

Social platforms shape what we see, how we speak, and what gains attention.
In this episode, I speak with Dr Zoetanya Sujon, sociologist and author of The Social Media Age, about how digital platforms influence behaviour, tone and public conversation. We explore why people use platforms differently depending on their role or life stage, what happens when polarised content is rewarded, and how this can affect communicators trying to strike the right tone.

We talk about:

• How platform design influences interaction, visibility and audience behaviour
• Why life stage, profession and pressure affect how people use social media
• The cultural tension between speaking up and staying silent

Dr Zoetanya Sujon is the author of The Social Media Age, published by SAGE. Follow her at linkedin.com/in/zoetanya-sujon.

You can connect with me at linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit love-comms.com.

Motherhood and PR is not always a great mix; the industry has traditionally rewarded long hours, always-on ambition and those who put work first.

In this episode, I speak with Bethany Pearson (Betty), PR Director at Grayling and a founding mother of PR Mums, about how the PR world is starting to respond to these challenges and what still needs to change to build more inclusive careers.

We discuss how ambition is perceived after maternity leave, the structural barriers faced by returning parents, and the emotional labour many continue to carry. We also explore where progress is happening and how leadership and teams can better support working parents, and the amazing work of PR Mums and other organisations to drive positive change.

About the guest:
Bethany Pearson is a senior PR leader and a founding mother of PR Mums, a platform supporting parents in PR & communications through recruitment, community and long-term cultural change.
Connect with her on LinkedIn
Visit: https://www.prmums.com

Mentioned in this episode:
PR Mums White Paper on Best Practice: https://www.pr-mums.com/news/championing-parental-policy-best-practice-in-pr
Leaders Plus: https://www.leadersplus.org
Tommy’s Training for Line Managers: https://www.tommys.org

You can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit https://www.love-comms.com
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PR has a perception problem, and a work culture problem. In this episode, I speak with Riannon Palmer, founder of feel-good agency Lem-uhn, about what it means to build a more thoughtful, purpose-led approach to PR that delivers strong results without burning people out.

We talk about the culture of overwork that still dominates agency life, how flexibility and boundaries can lead to better campaigns, and what it takes to run a values-led business without compromising on ambition. We also explore the role of AI, greenwashing, and why the best comms people are often the first to call out bad decisions from within.

About the guest:
Riannon Palmer is the founder of Lem-uhn, a feel-good PR agency working with purpose-led brands to drive real impact. She was named one of Management Today’s 35 Under 35 and is a champion for building a healthier, more progressive PR industry. Connect with her on LinkedIn

Mentioned in this episode:
Better Business Act: https://betterbusinessact.org/
B-Corp: https://bcorporation.uk/
NY Times article:  “We can bury anyone”
Clean Creatives: https://cleancreatives.org/

You can connect with me Kayleigh-Anne Soryal on https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit https://www.love-comms.com

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow and share it. It helps new listeners find the show.

Influence drives the fashion and beauty industries, but are we measuring it in the right way?

In this episode, I speak with Alison Bringé, Chief Marketing Officer at Launchmetrics, about the real power of celebrity and influencer partnerships. From red carpet moments to viral TikTok clips, these are the moves that shape brand perception and sales. But behind the buzzwords and paid fame lies a deeper question: how do we actually qualify influence?

We discuss the murky history of measuring press impact and reach, and Launchmetrics’ Media Impact Value (MIV®) that help brands quantify the true value of visibility across print, social and online. Alison also shares her views on what makes a great brand moment, how brands get it wrong, and why understanding context is just as important as counting clicks.

Mentioned in the episode:

·         Launchmetrics Brand Ambassador Marketing 2025 Report

·         Upcoming Webinar on Qualitative Metrics

About the guest:
Alison Bringé is the Chief Marketing Officer at Launchmetrics, a brand performance platform used by leading fashion, lifestyle and beauty brands to measure and amplify their influence.

Connect with her on LinkedIn
Learn more about Launchmetrics

You can connect with me on LinkedIn at Kayleigh-Anne Soryal or visit lovecomms.co.uk

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow and share it. It helps new listeners find the show.