Tobi Oredein

The latest 'One Step Forward, Two Steps Black' survey from UK Black Comms Network (supported by Opinium and PRWeek UK) is a stark reminder of the continued need for creating more inclusive and equitable workplaces. Overlooked for promotions and awards, experiencing microaggressions and racism, while feeling like they have to tone down their personalities to 'fit in'. No wonder two thirds of Black PR pros consider leaving the industry. As Kamiqua Lake (nèe Pearce) says "For an industry that prides itself on being able to engage, influence and understand people - we have no excuses for not doing better on inclusion." 🎯 I encourage you to: - Read the report. Then read it again and think about how your company can be different - Speak and listen to your Black employees - Ask yourself what you could do better As a process lover, I'd also suggest you: - Check your promotion and retention data. Who is leaving, when and why? Who is being promoted and why (not)? - Review and set clear promotion criteria. Agencies in particular are historically bad at promoting the loudest or popular voices or those that fit a certain image. Make it super clear what someone needs to achieve to get to the next level - What policies do/should you have in place and are they being acted upon? No point having something on paper if people don't know it exists or feel like they can refer to it - Look at how you can provide mentoring and sponsorship for your Black talent. If it isn't available in-house, look externally - Review your training and development offer. Yes, the EDI related training, but also ensure that people are being given the tools and skills they need to excel in their job. You can check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/esYp6XcK

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How do you build a brand and create stand-out communications when you're an entrepreneur or start-up on a budget? This is Tom, Alice and Mali - the awesome family behind ORIGIN, the UK’s first non-profit fashion brand. For a few years now they've been leading the way for ethical business practices, and now go further by embedding shared profit value across the supply chain; from the cotton growers to the garment sewers. For them, every penny of profit matters. I was THRILLED when they got in touch to say they had read my book ‘Influence: Powerful Communications, Positive Change’. And over the moon when they said it had provided real value to them. That’s why I wrote this book: because everyone wanting to create a positive impact deserves to have their story heard. And as a largely stay-at-home dad these days, it’s good to know I can still make a difference myself just by having this book out there. Tom and Alice used the book to reignite their value proposition, resulting in bold new brand language proudly on display at the recent Happy Place Festival, established by Fearne Cotton. Tom said: “'Influence' playfully reminded us to define why our brand is special and gave us the confidence to get our key messages back out there again. It's a fun and inspiring manual that helped us redefine our communications. This should be on the essentials list for social entrepreneurs.” If you know a changemaker or campaigner in need of a pocket communications consultant, let them know about Influence. And PLEASE check out originafrica.co.uk to buy great clothes and learn why ethical fashion choices are so important.

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Over two-thirds (68%) of Black professionals in the PR industry have considered leaving their roles. While 14% of Black talent received a pay rise, only 6% were promoted. 📉 It's disheartening that many Black communications professionals are not surprised by the findings from the UK Black Comms Network 'One Step Forward, Two Steps Black' report. I also reached a point in my career where I questioned if communications was the right path for me, feeling overlooked and experiencing other unfortunate situations. Luckily I no longer feel this way anymore! It's a shame that so many Black PR professionals face similar, if not worse, challenges. These experiences underscore the urgent need for action to improve the career experiences of Black professionals in the PR and communications sector. This responsibility shouldn't fall solely on HR and diversity and inclusion teams. Organisations and agencies must hold themselves accountable and drive meaningful change.🙌🏾 Read the full report here:

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How would you feel about always running towards the danger? If you thought telling an Ultra High Net Worth Principal ‘no’ was hard, try working with journalists. Becoming a Media Safety Advisor - What You need to Know | with Ken Perry https://lnkd.in/eRU8xJnE #mediasafety #mediasafetyadvisors #safety #media #securityprofessionals #securitysupport #riskmanagement #tvnews #circuitmagazine #OnTheCircuit #cosainconsultancy

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Your future isn't shaped by what happened to you. Your future is shaped by what you decided to do today. Think about that and begin the edit. Trust me, it gets better. 💜 #TheRonkeBrand #ItCanOnlyGetBetter #digitalwellbeing #MentalHealth #lifejourney

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Important report here produced in partnership with the RSA and Purpose Distruptors on why in the context of a climate emergency we need to reimagine the advertising industry and the steps we can take to do it. https://lnkd.in/egdkbyYw

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Marketers, copywriters, content and comms people, I've got something for you! My new 6 week course starts this Friday, 7 June. It's called "Bold Type: making your words inclusive and accessible." And it's a group programme teaching you everything you need to know about inclusive and accessible communication. Why you should join Over our 6 weeks together, you’ll: • learn everything you need to get started as an inclusive and accessible communicator • stop worrying about “getting things wrong” • feel confident, brave and supported, with a lovely community of fellow learners by your side. We've got expert teachers, including 2 of the greatest human beings I know. Teaching you about anti-racism in communication, we've got Collette Philip, Founder of Brand by Me, the anti-racist brand agency, and one of the wisest and most insightful anti-racism educators and communicators in existence. And we've got Sulaiman R. Khan – سلیمان راشد خان, Founder and Chief Radical Officer of ThisAbility® Limited | Certified B Corporation™. Sulaiman's utterly brilliant, and not just when he's teaching about Disability Justice. I'm so excited for you to get to learn from them, and to have you as a part of this learning experience. Check out my website for all the details including: dates, format, logistics, the cost, solidarity places (aka free or scholarship spots on the course) and how to apply. Lastly, can you help me find more bold types? Please like or comment on this post! I'm looking for anyone who communicates. Copywriters, content designers, UX folks, transcreators and more. Share it with anyone you know who might be interested. Thank you! https://lnkd.in/eNfkkJ5u #InclusiveLanguage #InclusionMatters #DEI #Accessibility #AntiRacism #ConsciousLanguage #A11y #DisabilityJustice #AccessibilityMatters Image description: on a cream background, black text reads Bold Type: make your words inclusive and accessible. On the right, there’s a photo of Ettie. I’m a white person with shoulder length light brown hair, my arms are folded, and I’m wearing a beige jumper and mustard dungarees, looking at the camera and smiling broadly. Photo credit: Brand by Me

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Affirm has OFFICIALLY launched in the UK! 🇬🇧 💰 🚀 Affirm’s expansion to the UK ADDS to its presence in the US and Canada, further build upon its growing network of 50 MILLION consumers and over 300,000 active merchants worldwide. 💷 ⏰ Affirm is launching in the UK with Alternative Airlines and Fexco, a leading global fintech and payments processor, with additional UK and international brands expected to follow. Eligible Alternative Airlines customers can now select Affirm at checkout and select from Affirm’s monthly payment plans for their flight purchases. ADDITIONALLY, Fexco’s international clients with a UK presence can now integrate Affirm and offer it as a payment option to their customers at checkout. 👨‍💻 Max Levchin, Founder and CEO of Affirm, commented: “Affirm was founded on the premise of putting people first and empowering consumers to take greater control over their finances. Building on our leadership in the US and Canada, where we partner with top retailers and commerce platforms, we see a significant opportunity to extend our mission of building honest financial products to the UK. We know that UK consumers are savvy shoppers who appreciate upfront, no-nonsense products. We look forward to offering them responsible credit options that truly put consumers first and working collaboratively with our UK partners to demonstrate how honest finance is good business.” Read more on the link below! 👇 Poppy Gustafsson Niall Mackenzie CBE Brian Cleary Fexco Sam Argyle #affirm #uk #payovertime #flexiblepayments #FCA #finance #buynowpaylater #merchants #checkout

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Echoing the sentiments of my Black colleagues, I am not surprised by the findings from the UK Black Comms Network "One Step Forward, Two Steps Black" survey supported by Opinium PRWeek UK. Two in three Black & mixed-race PR professionals are considering leaving the PR and communications industry, and a staggering 82% still face microaggressions and subtle, indirect racial discrimination at work. It's frustrating to see Black & mixed-race professionals receive less praise for their work and lack visibility at senior leadership levels. This is an issue I've often discussed on my podcast, where I spotlight Black, Asian, and ethnic global majority PR and comms professionals who share their experiences and challenges. These stories and statistics highlight the urgent need for a more inclusive and equitable industry. I've said it before we need to see real change, the system isn't working. You can check out the research here: https://lnkd.in/eB9qR_5J #Diversity #Inclusion #PR #Communications #OneStepForwardTwoStepsBlack

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👥 Are you reaching your full potential as a leader? Communication, regardless of its simplicity, remains a formidable challenge in our increasingly polarised world. The best communications demand rigour, creativity, empathy, and most importantly, emotional intelligence. Achieving this without specialised support is a tall order. This is where, we believe, our expertise comes into play. We assist talented individuals in enhancing their leadership through exceptional communication, enabling them to present the best and most sincere version of themselves. We work with people to help speak with conviction, confidence, clarity and composure. For additional leadership advice and strategies, feel free to reach out to us at AGL Communication. We're here to assist you in navigating your leadership journey with confidence. #Leadership #Coaching #CareerGrowth

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I can't believe I'm typing this... This has been years in the making - a journey full of wins, lessons, late nights, and countless hours thinking, refining, and tweaking. I’m launching The Leveraged Podcasting Programme (next week) Monday 21st October! This isn’t just about podcasting - no no, it’s about transforming your podcast into a growth machine for your brand, network, and revenue. The info in this programme has generated: → Multiple six figures in accumulated revenue for clients and myself → Millions of social views across platforms → Well over 100,000+ podcast streams → Hundreds of successfully uploaded podcast episodes → A handful of new valuable podcasts launched → Countless positive feedback from the audience → Numerous podcast communities → Warm inbound leads for clients and myself → Notable accreditations for clients and myself After witnessing the results from the recent challenge and seeing the game-changing transformations from my 1:1 clients, it was crystal clear - it’s time to open the doors and make this information accessible to more of you. And the best part? Challenge attendees already had first access. 2 out of 5 spaces are already filled! 😉 Here’s some of what you’ll get: → 6 modules covering podcast strategy, growth hacking, automation, and monetisation → 8 weeks of live coaching with me, answering your burning questions → A community of podcasters ready to grow, collab and support each other It’s time to stop treating your podcast like a hobby. Let’s turn it into an asset and make your podcast work for you... not the other way around! Want in? Check out this page for more details → https://reidentify.co/lpp p.s. doors close on the 26th October!

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Representation Matters: A Call to Action for the Media Industry “Had Lia been welcomed into the office the same way I was and seen as an individual and not just as her disability, then maybe her perspective on the media industry could have been shaped the same way mine was” - Andrew Sintras This isn’t an uncommon story told by Andrew; so many of us are treated inappropriately because of the misguided assumption that a disabled employee is a less capable employee. That's a social attitude that needs to be challenged and changed because this way of thinking just fuels the stigmas and stereotypes people with disability (PWD) have fought for decades. These poor social attitudes about the disability community can often be linked back to the lack of authentic disability representation in the media. According to the Media-i DE&I Survey, only 2.6% of media agency employees have a diagnosed disability or additional need, despite 20% of Australians living with a disability. This stark gap highlights a significant problem: our industry is talking a lot about DE&I but is still falling short on action. Representation isn’t just about filling quotas; it’s about making real, systemic changes that allow everyone to feel seen, valued, and included. It’s about ensuring that people with disability are not just present but are actively engaged and welcomed. Andrew’s article ‘Changing perspectives: It’s time to talk less and do more to create inclusive workplaces’ provides insight on how PWD can be included: - See the individual, not the disability. We’re people, we’re individuals who have our own personalities, opinions and goals in life. You wouldn’t judge a book by its cover, so why judge someone before you’ve spoken to them because you perceived them as being “different”.  - Engage directly. Speak to us, not about us and respect our boundaries when asking questions. Not every PWD is going to feel comfortable talking about themselves. You wouldn’t feel comfortable either if someone you didn’t know started asking you personal questions. - Respect equally. Treat everyone with the same dignity, regardless of disability, gender, or background. The industry has taken steps, like GroupM’s Disability Action Plan, but we need to push further. PWD have the same right as everyone to be represented respectfully and authentically. For too long, PWD have been used as “inspo porn” or depicted as props. It’s time the media stopped talking about DEI and started acting on it. #RepresentationMatters #DisabilityInclusion #DEI #MediaIndustry #AuthenticRepresentation #Inclusivity #DEI

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In 3 years, Spill the Beans, UK’s only event for Black/ethnic minority food and drink founders to get their products in front of supermarket buyers  will be bigger than the Mobo Awards for the ethnic community. Here's what I mean:   I'm proud of what I’m doing for the community. →Spill the Beans UK's, only event for Black/ethnic minority entrepreneurs to get their products in front of supermarket buyers!   →Mobo Awards started because there wasn't enough representation in the music industry for Black artists.   →Spill the Beans began due to big stores are ignoring ethnic producers →Mobo Awards struggled to get sponsors who understood their values.   →Spill the Beans has faced rejection from foodie sponsors who didn't see the value at first.   →Kanya King, heard "NO" from every TV station until one took a risk and it paid off. I don't give up easily. I find ways to make things happen, just like her. 📌P.S.John Hills & Callum Melrose from Crowdcube know what I am talking about 👊😎 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 👋I’m Colin, aka (“the food scene’s Kanya King”) a London-based food and drink Content Creator🧙‍ 📚Helping foodie brands promote themselves via storytelling. 🎤Founder, Spill the Beans - UK's sole event for Black/ethnic minority food producers to meet supermarket buyers 💻Connecting foodie brands with their target audiences via social media 🗣 Wanna chat? 📲Connect with me, and we can talk about your projects😁

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Really enjoyed attending Isabel Berwick's book launch of 'The Future-Proof Career' at Daunt Books. I was so engrossed in the discussion that I failed to take a photo of the event but I’m very pleased with my signed copy and getting stuck in! Isabel hosts the Working It Financial Times podcast which I’d highly recommend for fellow employee engagement/ internal communications specialists. Sharing weekly insights into how the world of work is changing, the discussions address the issues facing employers and employees today, from AI, to multi-generational and flexible working, to the rise of 'Quit-Tokers'. The recent episode with Jeremie Brecheisen of Gallup on disengaged workers is definitely worth a listen. My favourite take-outs from the book launch: 💡 listen to your employees - focus on the message they want to share, not simply what you want to put across, to better understand and engage your people 📖 management is a learned skill - train people on how to communicate with their teams; how to listen; how to build trust - getting this right has a positive impact on employee retention 🌟 don't forget that employee satisfaction is directly related to customer satisfaction - the investment will pay off #employeeengagement #internalcommunications #worldofwork

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Be left with the kind of lingering doubt that will be yours forever. 😀 My 5 effective techniques to become more British in the workplace: 1. Walk into that room like you rent it. 2. Confidence is arrogance. Remember that. 👉 Self-esteem is very American. Brits consistently feel that if we are proud of our achievements, we are somehow a bell-end. Own that feeling. 3. Socially awkward body language. 👉 Look down, never make eye contact and apologise when you tell them the budget. 4. Be your authentic disempowered self. 👉 Focus on your weaknesses and slowly undermine yourself in the pitch by unnervingly outlining all the reasons why you shouldn't win. 5. Fill silence wherever possible. 👉 If the client's taking a second too long to answer your question, hit them with another one. 😊 Remember - you become what you practice most. I believe in you... to a point.

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A great example of the fact that it is conditioning that creates responses to circumstances . The work of you and your team Eva Hamilton MBE in adapting conditioning, moves people out of limitation and towards potential . You must be congratulated both for your work and your insight . In Mindsmith Thinking we change perspective by sharing deeper knowledge of the influences on thinking and behaviour.

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Great to see the response to my post yesterday, so here goes... I have led Black Ballad to work with some incredible and global brands that include Google, Just Eat, Garnier and more to produce some incredible campaigns and experiences for black women. Believe it or not, we have NEVER worked with a bank for a partnership. Yet, when we asked black women for their biggest priority in 2024, the most common response was improving their finances. From investing and buying property, nailing financial basics, money management was the NUMBER 1 focus for our audience in 2024 and it is looking to be the number one priority for our audience in 2025. So I would love to know the brands (especially banks and money apps) want to reach, engage and understand black women in 2025 and would see the value in working with Black Ballad to execute this. In 2025, we will have a focus on: Money Careers Health Beauty Motherhood/Parenting Tag or DM the brands, brand managers who SHOULD be working with Black Ballad and I. Cheers!

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In an eye-opening conversation, unlock the secrets to asserting your consumer rights with the ever-vigilant Helen Dewdney, the acclaimed 'Complaining Cow' who's made a career out of championing customer issues. Helen Dewdney highlights the importance of consumer rights, the need for businesses to prioritise customer service, and the role of advocacy in shaping policies and practices. Listen to the full podcast here: https://lnkd.in/e4E5w36S #cxpodcast #cx #customerexperiance #cxleaders 

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