In this episode of Smart in Public, we sit down with Jenny Bavinger, VP of Marketing Communications at Sapphire Ventures, to talk about founders, why PR is a service business that can't be easily productized, the signals that tell a company it's time to take communications seriously, and how VC communications can be more brand than buzz.

Jenny pulls back the curtain on what founders are really thinking about when it comes to communications, when companies finally clue in that PR is not optional, and why most agency searches go sideways. She gets honest about the parts of agency work that wore her out, what made Sapphire feel different, and how she's building a comms strategy that's more about reputation than press hits.

If you're a founder figuring out when to hire your first comms person, an agency lead wondering where the puck is heading, or a marketer who's tired of vanity coverage, this one's for you.

Chapters

• 00:00 — Introduction and guest introduction
• 01:01 — Jenny's background and transition to VC
• 02:23 — What are founders thinking about? The role of comms
• 04:38 — Jenny's career path and agency experience
• 07:24 — Why agency life didn't work out
• 10:09 — Building Sapphire Ventures' communications strategy
• 16:25 — Challenges and opportunities in VC communications
• 22:28 — Founders' perspectives on comms and brand building
• 27:37 — When do companies realize the importance of comms?
• 36:31 — The future of PR and AI in venture capital
• 47:19 — Jenny's experience at VC Comms Conference

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AI video is everywhere, and in this episode, The Katies welcome Joe Ciarallo, Head of US Communications at Synthesia, to pull back the curtain on what it takes to build a brand in one of the most scrutinized corners of enterprise AI. We get into the messy, useful stuff: how Synthesia is rethinking corporate training, why media training with AI avatars is quietly becoming a comms team's secret weapon, and how to cut through AI hype when your entire category is the hype.

Joe also shares hard-won lessons from Buddy Media's acquisition by Salesforce and the Salesforce IPO — and what those moments taught him about narrative-building for founders who don't fit a tidy mold. Plus: where AI security and governance fit into the trust equation, why judgment and taste are the skills that aren't going anywhere, and how comms teams can use AI to streamline the boring stuff without losing the human element.

If you work in communications, lead an AI startup, or are trying to figure out where AI adoption actually pays off in your business, this one's for you.

What we cover:

• Why trust and security sit at the center of AI video adoption
• Building a narrative for a unique founder (and a category that's still being defined)
• Practical AI use cases in corporate communication — from media training to keynote prep
• AI hype vs. reality: what's actually working in comms right now
• The future of content creation, and why the human element still matters

Chapters

• 02:33 Career Insights and Decision-Making in Comms
• 05:28 Understanding AI Video and Its Applications
• 08:39 Building a Narrative for a Unique Founder
• 11:44 Navigating Industry Commentary and Stakeholder Engagement
• 14:47 Trust and Ethics in AI Video Technology
• 17:36 The Evolution of Trust in Video Media
• 20:45 Innovative Approaches to Corporate Training
• 23:35 Media Training Use Case and Its Impact
• 24:11 Cutting Through the AI Hype
• 25:35 Media Training with AI Avatars
• 27:06 The Role of AI in Spokesperson Preparation
• 28:52 AI for One-Off Interviews and Keynote Practice
• 29:58 The Importance of Live Interaction in Training
• 32:34 AI Hype vs. Reality in Communications
• 34:35 AI's Role in Streamlining Communications Tasks
• 37:37 The Human Element in AI-Driven Communications
• 39:54 The Future of Content Creation with AI
• 43:33 Innovative Use Cases for AI in Communications

Resources mentioned:

• Synthesia — https://www.synthesia.io/
• Taylor Lorenz on AI and likeness — https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/09/taylor-lorenz-ai-likeness-privacy

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What happens when your company moves so fast that your communications strategy is already outdated by the time you ship it?

That's the reality at Lovable — the AI-native company that's making software creation accessible to anyone, anywhere. And their Head of Communications, Senka Hadzimuratovic, is living it in real time.

In this episode, Boysen sits down with Senka for an honest conversation about what it actually takes to do comms inside a company that's rewriting the rules for how everything we knew about business, technology, and the systems we use for them.

Some highlights from an episode that is one long highlight:

🤖 AI can honestly be so fun for comms. Senka breaks down how she's using AI for storytelling, measurement, and strategic messaging in ways most communications teams aren't even thinking about yet.

🏎️ Speed as a communications crisis. When your product ships faster than your narrative can keep up, what do you anchor to? Senka's answer might surprise you.

😶 Numb to the hype. Are people are tuning out AI announcements and how do we grab their attention if that's the case?

🎯 Core narratives are still a survival tool. In a fast-growth environment, the discipline to keep coming back to your foundational message is what separates strategic communicators from reactive ones.

💡 Authenticity isn't soft — it's structural. When you're building for a young workforce that has a finely tuned BS detector, how you say things matters as much as what you say.

Balancing innovation with strategic control isn't a compromise — it's the whole job now.

Chapters

• 01:49 - Senka's Career Journey in Communications
• 03:45 - Understanding Lovable and Its AI Capabilities
• 05:34 - Leveraging AI in Communications
• 09:10 - The Fast-Paced Environment of AI Companies
• 10:54 - Establishing Core Narratives in a Rapidly Changing Landscape
• 13:37 - Mindset Shifts in Communications with AI
• 16:45 - Navigating Skepticism and Backlash in AI Narratives
• 20:16 - The Role of Storytelling in AI Companies
• 24:08 - Emerging Trends in AI and Communications
• 28:18 - The Impact of Vibe Coding on Job Creation
• 30:05 - AI and the Future of Communication Roles
• 31:48 - Managing Innovation in a Young Workforce
• 34:07 - Balancing Control and Freedom in Communication
• 36:49 - The Importance of Strategy in a Changing Landscape
• 38:30 - Authenticity in AI Communication
• 40:04 - The Role of Relationships in Communications
• 45:01 - Embracing Change and the Future of Comms

🔗 Connect with Senka: linkedin.com/in/senka-hajimirovich 🔗 Check out Lovable: lovable.ai 🔗 Follow Katie: linkedin.com/in/katieboysen

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