COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS
Advisor Podcast
Not invited to the table. Required at the table.
That’s my vision for this field. Join me.
Listen in for conversations on strategy, leadership, executive influence, and being a business advisor using the lens of communications to advise.
COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS
ADVISOR
to,Podcast
Not invited to the table. Required at the table.
That’s my vision for this field. Join me.
Listen in for conversations on strategy, leadership, executive influence, and being a business advisor using the lens of communications to advise.
Latest Episode:
Episode 50: Fifty Episodes In, Here’s What I Got Wrong
Episode 50: Fifty Episodes In, Here’s What I Got Wrong Fifty episodes in, Tara McDonagh is looking back at some of the things she’s said on the Communications Business Advisor™ Podcast and admitting that she’d say a few of them differently today. The mission hasn’t changed. Tara still believes Communications and the people in it should be treated as critical business advisors. But after fifty episodes and years of working alongside communications leaders and their teams, her thinking about what that actually looks like has evolved. In this episode, Tara revisits four ideas she shared from the earliest episodes of
Recent Episodes:
Episode 20: New Year. New Mindset.
Episode 20: New Year. New Mindset. Welcome back to the Communications Business Advisor Podcast! It’s 2025, and with a new year comes the chance to adopt a new mindset – because mindset can change everything. Today, Tara McDonagh challenges communications leaders to rethink the way they prioritize their time and energy in their organizations. If you’ve ever struggled with justifying
Episode 19: Communicators’ Word of 2025
Episode 19: Communicators’ Word of 2025 Welcome to the final episode in 2024 of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with your host, Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara addresses a specific challenge faced by communications leaders looking to elevate their strategic role in corporate environments. In this episode, we explore… No: the professional communicators’ word of 2024 was “no.” And it
Episode 18: You’re (Probably) Not Crazy
Episode 18: You’re (Probably) Not Crazy Welcome to Episode 18 of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast, your go-to for advancing in corporate communications as a strategic business advisor. Today, we’re diving into that all-too-familiar feeling—wondering if you’re losing your mind from handling off-the-wall requests, lazy requests, and “I don’t want to admit I don’t know how to do this” requests. We often
Episode 17: How to Work with Tara
Episode 17: How to Work with Tara Welcome to another episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with your host, Tara McDonagh. In this episode, Tara delves into the ways Communications leaders and their teams in Corporate environments work with her and her company, Tara McDonagh Communications (TMC). TMC Consulting Tara provides a glimpse into the consulting suite, focusing first on
Episode 16: I Have a Comms Strategy — Now What?
Episode 16: I Have a Comms Strategy — Now What? Welcome to another episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast with your host, Tara McDonagh. This episode is all about taking that shiny new Communications Strategy off the shelf and turning it into something operational. You’ve finally crafted that amazing Communications Strategic Plan. Congratulations! What do you do next? Tara
Episode 15: Does Reporting Structure Matter?
Episode 15: Does Reporting Structure Matter? In this episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast, Tara McDonagh explores the complexities of Communications (PR, Internal Comm. etc) reporting structures within organizations and answers the important question: Does it matter who Comms. reports to? . Dive into the debate about where communications should fit within a company’s hierarchy and the potential challenges and
Episode 14: From Communications Waitress to Business Advisor
Episode 14: From Communications Waitress to Business Advisor In this episode of the Communications Business Advisor™ podcast, host Tara McDonagh delves into the evolution of communications professionals from what she calls “communications waitressing” to becoming strategic communications business advisors. Tara takes listeners through the career journey—from starting with tactical tasks to eventually becoming proactive, strategic leaders within organizations. Listeners will hear Tara
Episode 13: All Things Internal Communications Strategy
Episode 13: All Things Internal Communications Strategy In this episode of The Communication Business Advisor Podcast, host Tara McDonagh discusses the challenges internal communicators face with Rachel Miller, founder of All Things IC, and author of Internal Communication Strategy. Listeners will hear Tara and Rachel discuss: Challenges in creating an internal communications strategy and maintaining its relevance. Confidence as a critical
Episode 12: The Shadow Communicator
Episode 12: The Shadow Communicator In this episode of the Communications Business Advisor Podcast, Tara McDonagh explores the concept of the “shadow communicator”—individuals hired within specific business areas to handle communications tasks independently of the central communications team. Listeners will hear about: The challenges these shadow communicators pose, such as undermining established communication efforts and spreading irrelevant messaging. How to prevent
Episode 11: HR and Marketing, We Need to Talk
Episode 11: HR and Marketing, we need to talk We’re wrapping the first season of the Communications Business Advisor Podcast! But not before we talk about HR and Marketing … and Comms too. The HR and Marketing departments can be powerful allies, AND they can also be kind of a nightmare to work with. Let’s break it down. In this
Tara McDonagh
Your Expert Advisor & Comms Strategist
I’ve spent nearly 30 years changing how the communications function is understood, engaged, and used at some of the world’s largest companies.
That’s what this work is built on.
When Communications is finally engaged at the level it deserves, the whole business benefits. I’ve seen the ripple effect firsthand, and it’s what I want for every Comms leader and team I work with.
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