Hack Your Own PR

In this episode, Odette Barry is joined by Lem Zakharia, a powerhouse in the Australian media industry with an eclectic career spanning radio, music, and podcasting. Currently the executive producer of It’s A Lot with Abbie Chatfield, Lem has been instrumental in transforming the podcast from a casual, couch-recorded project to a top-ranking hit in its sixth season. With a core audience of women aged 19–35 and strong ties to the LGBTQ+ community, the podcast covers everything from reality TV to politics and current affairs.

Lem shares how she strikes the perfect balance between supporting Abbie’s unfiltered “stream of consciousness” style and introducing strategic structure to enhance the listener experience. Beyond her work on It’s A Lot, Lem is breaking new ground with her venture, Bedou, a business bridging the gap between brands and digital creators, and curating a roster of high-profile influencer talent.

On Hack Your Own PR, we always explore the art and science of media relations, publicity, and storytelling to help you to DIY PR, amplify your voice and share your message.

In this episode, Lem provides an insider’s perspective on:

• The challenges and opportunities of producing a top-tier podcast.
• Practical tips on how to craft a killer pitch and build strong relationships with media teams.
• Her vision for the future of brand partnerships in the creator economy.

Key Takeaways:

1. Know your audience and personalise your pitch. Tailored, thoughtful pitches that align with a show’s tone and audience are far more effective than generic ones.
2. Build relationships with producers, not just talent. Behind-the-scenes teams often hold the key to successful collaborations.
3. Persistence pays off. Lem reminds us that it’s often the second or third follow-up that gets a response, so don’t give up after the first attempt.

What to Avoid:

1. Generic copy + paste pitches. Personalisation is key, and impersonal pitches rarely work.
2. Surface-level or clichéd content. Pitches around generic themes like “empowerment” can fall flat unless deeply aligned with the show’s tone and values.
3. Underestimating corporate processes. Creative ideas often need multiple layers of approval in corporate media, so set realistic expectations.
4. Unclear communication or surprises. Unexpected changes, especially around compensation, can jeopardise relationships.

This episode is packed with actionable insights and behind-the-scenes wisdom for anyone in PR, media, or the creator economy.

Find Odette Barry online:

https://www.odetteandco.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/odetteandco/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/odette-barry/

Find Lem online

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamazakharia/

https://www.instagram.com/lemzakharia/

https://bedou.com.au/

Introducing my new miniseries, the Big Ideas Podcast, where I walk through exactly how to get your big idea seen, heard and acted upon.

I think we can all agree that the current state of play, of systems, waste, climate inaction is not good enough. We’re in a dire state of crisis upon crisis. We need to dramatically change the way we operate in business and the way we care for one another, we need innovation AND simplification, we need fierce clarity and gentle compassion. We are ready for a new generation of leadership and business.

We need the ideas, innovation and experience of a diverse range of impact-makers, original thinkers and honest experts. We need to hear from those who drive change. Transform communities. Awaken the world. The status quo is no longer good enough.

This podcast miniseries is designed to support you to build out your arsenal of big ideas. To build the confidence to present these ideas on big stages, in news media and pitch your ideas to publishers.

In this first episode, I uncover what’s happening in the media landscape and why thought leadership PR is key to shifting the dial for your brand. We establish the groundwork to shift your big idea from your notes app, Google Document or journal into a 30-second bit, a 5-minute pitch and a 45-minute keynote.

You’ll walk away with a greater knowledge of what is a ‘big idea’ and the trending topics for 2024 and we touch on the importance of not being a basic bitch with your ideas and the essential do’s and don’ts of releasing your big ideas into the wild.

If you’re a little fed up with the state of play and have ideas about how we can make a more just and equal society, these bite-sized episodes will equip you with the motivation and inspiration to make 2024 your year to genuinely and confidently make an impact, leaving a legacy for a more positive future.

If you want to grab a copy of my comprehensive State of Thought Leadership Playbook. If you’re dreaming of TED stages, media headlines, or industry recognition, this eBook is your roadmap. Get your copy at www.odetteandco.com.au/playbook.

Find Odette Barry Online

https://www.odetteandco.com.au/authority-brand

https://instagram.com/odetteandco

https://instagram.com/hackyourownpr

Wendy Tuohy is a senior writer focusing on social issues impacting women and girls at The Age.

With over 40 years of experience writing about social affairs, Wendy is one of the true advocates, who in particular, has chosen to use her position of privilege to amplify and influence the mainstream media narrative about issues that truly matter.

In a time when mainstream media is copping heat left right and centre for its misrepresentation and downright misbehaviour, Wendy occupies a corner of the media where she has the time to thoroughly and thoughtfully interrogate heartbreaking and sensitive issues that matter, but also, very delicately work with stories and spokespeople that require careful thought, unwavering honesty, support through the process of shining light on very personal circumstances.

In this episode, Wendy shares her approach, from running 10+ stories concurrently in her mind, the power of brave, courageous and outspoken spokespeople, the importance of humanising tough stories with lived experience, and her ridiculously patient approach to receiving and supporting young PRs in the industry.

From the ‘why do you need to know this right now’, to the power of 3, and tips on how to lighten Wendy’s load with deep backgrounding of the industry, Wendy generously shares how change makers and social warriors fighting for a more just world can get on her highly coveted pages.

Get in touch with Wendy Tuohy

https://www.theage.com.au/by/wendy-tuohy-h15ltx

[email protected]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-tuohy-a22689b0/

Find Odette Barry online:

https://www.odetteandco.com.au/hackyourownpr

https://instagram.com/odetteandco

https://instagram.com/hackyourownpr

Today’s guest is so accomplished I’m exhausted just sharing her intro. We’ve been sharing time across the screens for a couple of years and it’s been an absolute joy to watch her business go from strength to strength. And as a HYOPR graduate, she was a standout performer, amassing over 20 pieces of coverage including articles in Smart Company, Better Marketing and Mumbrella.

Her name is Mia Fileman and she’s the founder of Campaign Del Mar, a popular marketing education platform that helps switched-on startups create killer campaigns for less through her signature programmes, Campaign Classroom and Marketing Foundations.

Mia has two decades of marketing experience under her belt, having spent 10 years in Brand Management for global companies such as L’Oreal, BIC and Kraft. She’s been a Director at creative agencies and also ran her own marketing agency for seven years.

So if anyone understands the ability of marketing and PR to spread your brand message, gain your audience’s trust and boost your cred, it’s Mia.

In this episode, we’re chatting all things Medium, the online digital publishing platform with over 100 million readers across the globe.

To say Mia is a fan of Medium is an understatement. She’s a prolific Medium author who uses the platform to establish connections with fellow small business owners, flex her creative muscles, boost her brand message and establish herself as one of Australia's preeminent marketing experts.

To date, she’s had over a dozen articles published on Medium that have been read over 32,000 times.

If you’re struggling to dip your toe into the world of PR, or not sure if your writing skills are worthy of traditional opinion pieces, this is a must listen. Mia takes you through everything you need to know to get published on Medium, and how to maximise your reach once you’re a fully-fledged Medium author.

Available now on your favourite poddy platforms.

Find Mia Fileman online

• https://www.campaigndelmar.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/campaign_del_mar
• https://www.facebook.com/campaigndelmar/

Find Odette Barry online

• https://www.odetteandco.com.au/hackyourownpr
• https://instagram.com/odetteandco
• https://instagram.com/hackyourownpr

Meet Nicole Maycroft, the PR & Communications Manager at Kic.

Nicole walks us through what media efforts have successfully converted for Kic, how she gets Steph and Laura involved with timely trends and expert commentary, and how to create leverageable collaborations and events.

We get to hear the behind-the-scenes strategy for Kic’s latest ‘feel good’ January campaign which saw a 100% increase in year-on-year sales, and how the Kic team was able to rise above the ‘new year, new me’ toxic messaging that the health and wellness industry communicates.

Nicole tells about the importance of working with brands and publications that share a like-minded audience who align with your mission and why you should always follow up your initial pitch with a new story angle - it might just be the one that lands you top-tier coverage!

Stick around to learn how this iconic brand has successfully landed thousands of media mentions and prestigious partnerships and how you can adopt elements of Kic’s PR strategy in your own business.