Kris Hughes 🪓

Social Media Content Creator

Coaching ambitious freelancers to build better businesses.

Developing a strong marketing program isn't easy.
A couple of roadblocks stand in the way.
Some have to do with time, and others, resourcing.

Here's the typical scenario for many companies:
* They're doing some marketing content and storytelling now and then.
* They may occasionally fire off a cold campaign, or run some ads.
* Their marketing is 'good enough,' but they know it could be better.
* Marketing responsibilities are split between several different people.
* Who check the 'task boxes' begrudgingly.
* And the resulting work is disjointed at best, or confusing at worst.

For these companies, marketing is anything but strategic. Or the strategy is made of sticks and string when it should be concrete.

Things can be different, though.

Our work as Fractional Marketers helps these companies:
* Tell a more cohesive and powerful story
* Identify their core audience and create a marketing narrative that resonates
* Find the right channels to develop so effort isn't wasted
* Execute quickly on short-term opportunities and lay the foundation for long-term growth and sustainability 
* Install and execute on repeatable, predictable processes & strategies that continue to move the needle

We offer three options for engagement:

* It all begins with our Marketing Tune-Up. Over 30 days we'll take a 'look under the hood' of your current marketing and find 2-3 opportunities for quick wins that we can work on together. 
* Your investment for the Marketing Tune-Up is directly applied, to one of two monthly retainer options if you choose to keep working with us, the Scale plan and the Soar plan.
* Under the Scale plan we're developing warm and cold email outreach, an organic traffic engine, social media marketing, and thought leadership content to have things firing on all cylinders.
* Under the Soar plan, we become your marketing team, hiring freelancers from our network and going full-speed ahead to help you pour fuel on the fire of your marketing momentum.

You get two of us at Zanate—me and my wife Julie—who bring a combined 30+ years of experience in content, marketing, and storytelling to the table to help your portfolio companies custom-craft and execute a content strategy that's right for their unique situation and niche.

The cost?
Less than half the annualized cost of a typical full time Chief Marketing Officer, on the high end.

Interested to learn more?
It all starts with a free Marketing Strategy Call to set the table.

DM me or book 30 minutes here:
https://savvycal.com/krishughes/marketing-strategy-call

Founder --> Ghostwriter & Content Creator for Growing Coaches & Solopreneurs

Michael Barris

Michael Barris Consulting

-Help financial services professionals develop communication and presentation skills to build trust on a regular basis and attract high-net-worth clients. Work with professionals in advisory, insurance, banking, real estate.

-Guide clients, either in 1:1 sessions or group presentations and workshops, to develop ability to use speaking skills to connect, resonate and build trust when presenting in front of an individual or group, be it in-person or online.

-Emphasize the importance of cultivating an audience-first mindset and filtering every word spoken and physical action taken through the question: "How is my message going to impact the person receiving it? Is this going to move them forward and closer to me?"

-Teach clients how to tell stories to warm up listener and inspire them to share back narratives of their own.

-Draw on years of experience as a Dow Jones Newswires & Wall Street Journal editor-writer and Rutgers University adjunct professor of public speaking.

Financial Services Communication & Presentation Coach

-Unpacked strategies for memorable public speaking for readers at every level of speaking proficiency in "How to Become a Super Speaker: The 7 Principles for Speaking with Confidence and Connecting with Audiences," a concise, easy-to-digest volume that became an immediate bestseller.  The book helps people find their voice, simplify complex ideas, and build trust, paving the way for conversations that get influence and conversions.

"Makes the idea of public speaking fun and not intimidating." - New Jersey real estate sales associate.   
Amazon book details: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1674459793 


-Wrote narrative, conducted interviews with government staff, experts for "The Social Media President: Barack Obama and the Politics of Digital Engagement," a 215-page analysis and critique of the use of social media in the campaigns and administration of US President Barack Obama, published by Palgrave Macmillan. Co-written with James E. Katz, the Feld Professor of Emerging Media at the College of Communication, Boston University, and Anshul Jain, the book is a "fascinating and instructive" look at the strengths and weaknesses of social media for public involvement in governmental decision-making, according to reviewer Fred I. Greenstein, Professor of Politics Emeritus at Princeton University.

Publisher's website link: http://us.macmillan.com/thesocialmediapresident/JamesEKatz


Sample: 
https://mike2012blogdotcom3.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/the-social-media-president-ch-4-5-framing-the-peoples-white-house-white-house-online-town-hall1.pdf

Bestselling Author: "How to Become a Super Speaker";  Co-Author: "The Social Media President"

South China Morning Post SCMP

-Shape, sharpen and improve storytelling and reporting by native and non-native English writers as member of SCMP’s North American news team, rewriting heavily as needed. Format copy and add SEO headlines, photos, graphics, videos, links before publishing. Edit video scripts.
-Rank articles on scmp.com for global audience, selecting high quality material for Apple News channel. Send out news alerts. Communicate extensively with managers and reporters to fix errors and ensure copy meets house style, taste and formatting standards.

US Copy and Production Editor - Homepage Team

-Spurred administration of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to form Council of Innovation in response to recommendation of report I drafted for New Jersey Policy Research Organization (NJPRO) on potential for industry-academia collaboration to enhance NJ economy. NJPRO is think-tank of New Jersey Business and Industry Association. 

-Used interviews, case studies and data analysis to determine that social media is unlikely to be a source of meaningful input in White House decision-making in "The Social Media President: Barack Obama and the Politics of Digital Engagement" (Palgrave Macmillan). Co-written with Boston University mobile tech scholar James E. Katz.

-Raised profile in Western media of a leading Chinese business school, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, by crafting op-ed pieces, scripts, media interview responses, scholarly articles on behalf of Dean, senior faculty and conference panel speakers. Promoted school programs, Ivy League partnerships, alumni presentations in video interviews, articles, online marketing, press releases. 

-Enhanced New York Post's "Media City" feature through weaving reporter submissions into engaging narrative and injecting original content. Edited print-edition business pages, including headlines, copy and proofreading/correcting galleys. 

-Covered breaking news and features in both print/video for Mobile Marketer/Mobile Commerce Daily. Moderated Mobile FirstLook conference panel with New York Times, Yahoo's Tumblr on making money with mobile content.

Freelance Editor and Writer

China Daily USA

-Beat the competition on stories for leading State-owned English-language Chinese daily newspaper about China's moves into US auto market, including launching California electric-bus factory. Provided video voice-overs, stand-up reports. Held forum with Twitter users. 

-Tracked and interpreted political, social, financial and legal issues affecting US-China relationship in in-depth features. Covered United Nations, Council on Foreign Relations. Traveled within US to report on conferences, interview newsmakers. 

-Edited copy from across nine US China Daily bureaus. Critiqued home edition for managers.

Business Reporter/Editor

Rutgers University

-Introduction to Public Speaking. Blended personal public speaking experience with in-classroom teaching and online learning and communication systems to guide students on managing speaking anxiety, connecting with audiences. Taught many non-native English speakers. 

-Expository Writing 101. Applied insights from work as professional journalist to enlighten students on synthesizing diverse texts, presenting thesis statement.

Adjunct Professor, Departments of Communication, English

Dow Jones Newswires

-Helped manage 30-person staff on Dow Jones Business News' public website. As Assistant News Editor, distilled, edited extensive range of subject matter. Controlled online front page, including prioritizing items and crafting headlines. Assigned, monitored and updated breaking news stories.

-Turned major press releases and filings into market-moving articles within 20 minutes as Rewrite Desk Copy Editor for Dow Jones Newswires, Wall Street Journal and WSJ.com. Beat rivals with early stories on Kirk Kerkorian proposal to buy DaimlerChrysler, causing automaker's stock to surge. Was among first outlets to publish stories on Bernie Madoff investment scandal, Pfizer layoffs. 

-Influenced direction of US newspapers' business coverage by selecting, rewriting DJ stories for distribution via value-added Associated Press wire. Served as lead Copy Editor on Newspaper Desk. Worked together with AP counterpart to keep stream of DJ stories flowing to world's largest and oldest news service. Assigned stories, had final-reader responsibilities for style, grammar, headlines.

Assistant News Editor, Copy Editor

Knight Ridder Financial News

-Edited and wrote headlines for articles on corporations, equities, commodities and currency for global financial newswire. Assigned coverage of breaking news.

Corporate Copy Editor

News Tribune and Courier News

-News Tribune: Laid out front page of daily newspaper. Directed breaking front-page news coverage. Collaborated with editors, reporters, photographers and technical staff on layouts for front page, local section, state pages. 

-Courier News: Final gatekeeper, managed daily copy-desk news flow. Edited, laid out local, state pages. Worked with reporters, editors to adjust copy to ensure clarity.

Assistant News Editor, News Tribune/Slot Editor, Courier News

Speaking Coach and Bestselling Author | Public Speaking, Communication, Career Growth

I wrote one of the first Dow Jones Newswires/Wall Street Journal online stories about the arrest of Ponzi scheme mastermind Bernie Madoff, perpetrator of a US$50 billion global investment scam.

My job was to get this story out as fast as possible. But I couldn't stop my mind from going to the scores of fraud victims. My thoughts also were on another casualty: the financial industry and, specifically, investor trust.

Flash forward to today. Madoff is dead after 13 years in prison, but his crime has left an indelible mark on me.

After years of experience in speaking, coaching, presenting and writing, I now help financial services professionals to develop their communication and presentation skills; not just to help them handle a Madoff-style crisis but to build trust on a regular basis and attract that higher-level clientele. 

When we work together, you will learn to develop strong speaking skills, whether you're presenting in front of an individual or an in-person or online group, to ensure that you're connecting, resonating and building trust. 

It's necessary to filter every expressed action and word through the question: “How is my message going to impact the person receiving it? Is this going to move them forward and closer to me?"

So I devote a lot of special attention to storytelling techniques that work, whether it's for an audience of one or one to many, to connect you emotionally with the people or individuals you want to reach.

Many of the ideas that I developed while I was a Rutgers University adjunct professor of public speaking are expressed throughout my book, “How to Become a Super Speaker."

If you know that you could attract more deals, close more business and attract high-net-worth clients with stronger speaking skills, I’d be happy to have a conversation about how my method can get you there.
 
💥 If you'd like to get a taste of what I teach, I welcome you to access my free speaking course. You can get it here: michaelbarris.com/mini-course

Here's what some people have said after my presentations:

"Michael provided top-notch direction and coaching around delivery and more. He is an excellent teacher, a true professional and a great communicator." 
—Heather Adams, VP Creation & Development

“Michael was recommended to host a training session at our Learning and Development Festival, and he was fabulous! Some attendees enjoyed Michael’s session so much that we invited him back for a second time.”
—Lindsey Leigh Hobson, Founder, The Learning and Development Collective

Speaking Coach: Helping You Fast-Track Your Career Growth, Navigate Workplace

-I show up-and-coming professionals how to use the techniques of public speaking and communication to navigate the workplace and take their careers to the next level. I give them the tools to deal with organizational challenges at a time of stretched resources in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, helping them to gain experience and wins ahead of their next upward move. When they work with me, they develop their ability to talk up products and services, tell relatable stories, inspire teams to increase productivity, handle media Q&As, impress investors, close deals, command conference stages and handle other high-level speaking tasks. I help them smash down their roadblocks through a mix of mindset strategies, speaking skills development, stagecraft education and close coaching that is influenced by the audience-based methodologies and frameworks of professional performers. I do both 1-on-1 and group coaching and give talks and lead workshops based on my bestselling public speaking training book, "How to Become a Super Speaker: The 7 Principles for Speaking with Confidence and Connecting with Audiences." I also give clients access to my online course, "Unleashing the Power of Your Voice," consisting of 20+ lessons featuring me speaking and demonstrating on video the mindset strategies, basic speaking techniques and stagecraft elements that undergird my coaching and speaking programs.

I once got an email from Steve Jobs.

After a news service colleague and I published an earnings story on Apple’s quarterly results, an email landed in my inbox from sjobs@apple.com. 

It informed us we’d made an error in how we explained the geographic breakdown of Apple’s sales.

It was signed simply: “Thanks, Steve.”

I milked that for all it’s worth, for years: “Steve Jobs called me an idiot - and I’m so proud!” I’d tell anyone who would listen.

But here’s the serious part.

Right now, as fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings roll out, a single interview can shape how results are remembered - sometimes more than the numbers themselves.

Research shows CEOs who appear in high-profile media often see meaningful compensation increases - driven as much by perception as performance.

I’ve watched strong leaders stumble in interviews - especially on layoffs, governance issues, or disappointing results - leaving the wrong impression under pressure.

Three quick ways to avoid that:
	1.	Anticipate tough questions. Prepare for the hardest topics and answer with clarity and empathy.
	2.	Practice concise messaging. Short, focused answers travel farther than long explanations.
	3.	Control your body language. Stay calm, maintain eye contact, avoid defensive gestures.

With earnings interviews happening right now, it’s not just about results - it’s about how those results are understood.

When have you seen a leader stumble badly in a media interview - on earnings or any topic?

One reason Warren Buffett connects so well with audiences is he doesn’t try to sound impressive.

❇️ The multi-billionaire Berkshire Hathaway chairman - who just stepped down as CEO - is plainspoken and anti-jargon. 

In one of his annual letters to investors that I covered for The Wall Street Journal, Buffett described a downturn in the insurance industry simply: 

“That party is over.” 

No theatrics. No unnecessary complexity. 

The influential executive - who is worth roughly $148 billion - once said his greatest investment was taking a speaking course when he was a college student. 

So it’s not surprising that he understands something many senior leaders miss: 

✳️ Communicating with complexity often signals fear. 

✳️ Communicating with clarity signals confidence.

Most communication breakdowns aren’t about intelligence.

They’re about forgetting there’s a human on the other side.

How does this approach land for you? 

Sound off in the comments and poll.

When senior leaders lose the room, what’s usually the culprit?

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

How wary are you of AI making mistakes?

▶️  The game-changing technology is fast and powerful — but some of its fails have been epic. 

Not just embarrassing, but dangerous, expensive and reputation-killing, as Thor Olavsrud reports in CIO magazine.

Here’s a roundup of AI misfires:

- The Chicago Sun-Times and Philadelphia Inquirer published fake summer reading lists after an AI-assisted writer hallucinated book titles.

- McDonald’s drive-thru AI misheard so many orders (like 260 McNuggets on loop) that they shut it down.

- Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot falsely accused NBA star Klay Thompson of vandalism — apparently confusing the basketball slang expression “throwing bricks” (missed shots) with criminal activity. More recently, Grok has drawn scrutiny for producing other unsafe and misleading outputs.

- A lawyer used ChatGPT to find legal precedents. The problem? The cases didn’t exist.

- Air Canada’s chatbot gave false bereavement fare info. A tribunal ordered the airline to pay damages.

- Zillow’s home-buying algorithm overpaid for houses, leading to $300 million in losses and mass layoffs.

- Microsoft’s Tay bot turned racist and misogynist in under 16 hours on Twitter, after absorbing toxic content.

- Amazon’s AI recruiting tool learned to disadvantage women, penalizing terms like “women’s” and downgrading résumés from graduates of all-women’s colleges.

Moral of the story?

⏩ AI is powerful — but it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it tool.

You still need ethics, oversight, and common sense … because it makes mistakes!

▶️ ▶️ How much risk are you willing to accept from AI errors? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments and poll.

AI gave someone 260 Chicken McNuggets. How often do you trust bots to get it right?

AI's "hype phase" is ending - 2026 will be about evaluating the tech's usefulness. That's what leaders and teams tell me. 

In the weeks and months to come, the questions - which used to be mostly about what AI could do - will go more like this: 

❇️  Where does AI genuinely add value?
❇️ Where does it create distance?
❇️ Where does it erode trust if we're not paying attention?
❇️ And is it actually helping us communicate better?

Sure, AI can help us say things better and faster. But connection still isn't scalable. 

✳️ ✳️ Which leads to a simpler question: When the message really matters, who do you trust to deliver it?

Share your thoughts in the poll and comments.

When the message really matters, who do you trust to deliver it?

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The Battle

Kris Hughes 🪓

Michael Barris

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taplio

The Battle

Kris Hughes 🪓

Michael Barris

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Michael Barris's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreMichael Barris's LinkedIn Performance