Lauren Kopulsky leads communications at Iterable, an AI-powered martech platform, but her path there wasn't traditional. From working on the 2016 presidential campaign in Pennsylvania to standing up refugee education agencies in Jordan to navigating energy comms at Chevron, she's built a career that looks more like a "prairie" than a ladder—and that's exactly what makes her approach to tech communications so distinctive. In this episode of The Narrative, Lauren breaks down how the urgency and authenticity of political campaigning translates to tech comms, why she's t...
Lauren Kopulsky leads communications at Iterable, an AI-powered martech platform, but her path there wasn't traditional. From working on the 2016 presidential campaign in Pennsylvania to standing up refugee education agencies in Jordan to navigating energy comms at Chevron, she's built a career that looks more like a "prairie" than a ladder—and that's exactly what makes her approach to tech communications so distinctive. In this episode of The Narrative, Lauren breaks down how the urgency and authenticity of political campaigning translates to tech comms, why she's training executives to reject the tired founder tropes, and how the media landscape is forcing communications leaders to rethink everything from podcast strategy to direct-to-audience channels.
Topics Discussed
- Why speed-to-response and narrative influence matter as much in tech as they do in political campaigns—and how to balance when to speak up versus stay silent
- The importance of humanizing executives through podcasts and niche media, moving beyond boilerplate messaging to authentic storytelling
- How to navigate the evolving media landscape as journalists go independent and traditional breaking news loses its value
- Why appearance and personal brand matter more than founders want to admit—and how to have those difficult conversations
- Building real relationships with press and podcasters instead of relying on agency batch-and-blast pitches
- The shift toward direct communication channels (like executive X accounts) as companies move away from traditional PR intermediaries
- Media training fundamentals: helping executives craft repeatable stories and develop compelling, authentic presence
Comms Lessons for Founders & Leaders
- Your story needs to be repeatable, not comprehensive. Lauren is blunt about this: "A lot of founders and executives will meander through a very long life saga that really nobody cares about." Focus on how you got the idea, where the struggle was, where the success was, and what's next. If you can't articulate that concisely, you're not ready to go to market.
- Appearance is strategy, not vanity. In a world that runs on five-second videos and TikTok clips, how you look matters as much as what you say. Lauren has literally told executives they need makeovers before going on stage or broadcast. The question she asks: "Could you walk into a boardroom and a subway station and draw the same kind of attention?" If not, you need to evolve your aesthetic.
- Relationships beat agencies every time. Lauren's most successful media placements come from coffee chats and personal connections with journalists and podcasters—not from agency pitches. "Why on earth are you gonna respond" to a batch-and-blast email, she asks. The same principle applies to podcast bookings: hosts respond to direct founder outreach, not hired guns.
- Treat podcasts as humanization, not promotion. The goal isn't to recite your boilerplate on air. Lauren's philosophy flips The Godfather's famous line: it's not just business, it's personal. Podcasts work because they let audiences see the person behind the brand. Put executives on niche, emerging shows where they can be authentic—not just the top-tier traditional forums.
- Harsh feedback accelerates growth. When delivering tough messages about presentation, messaging, or performance, Lauren leads with self-awareness: show them the video, ask what they think, then be direct. "What you say is not personal, it's professional," she reminds executives. The delivery might sting, but that's what makes it memorable and actionable.
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Sponsors:
Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io
The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co
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