The Story Isn’t in the Headlines. It’s on the Ground.

The Volatility is Off the Charts

At this point, checking my news alerts feels like scrolling through a group chat that desperately needs a moderator. We’ve got AI hype cycles swinging faster than Nvidia stock, Congress fighting over TikTok like it’s a Cold War asset, and global shipping lanes more jammed than your spring calendar. Meanwhile, the Fed is teasing rate cuts… cautiously… someday… maybe. I’m this close to deleting my trading apps just to save myself a few blood pressure points.

Businesses Don’t Fear Change. They Fear Chaos.

I started my career in DC at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As a young staffer who didn’t know anything about anything, I quickly learned that businesses don’t fear change. They fear chaos. They thrive on certainty.

And right now, certainty feels like a luxury good, somewhere between gold and semiconductors. Markets are whiplashing. Policymakers are signaling in riddles. And global instability isn’t just a headline — it’s a factor in every forecast, contract, and boardroom decision. 

So What’s the Play?

You tell the story before someone else does. And no, not with those tired, doom-and-gloom political ads where someone stares into the camera like they’ve been kidnapped.

Real stories. Real people. The young oil field worker pulling 12-hour shifts to build a future while talking heads call his job obsolete. The local car dealer watching trucks sit on the lot because tariffs just tacked on another $20K to the sticker price. The restaurant owner forced to rework her entire menu because ingredient prices shot up again.

These people exist. They’re in your workforce, your supply chain, your customer base. You have to find them. Go to their homes, job sites, warehouses, and main streets. That’s how you cut through. Not by fear-mongering. But by telling the truth — with the ones most affected, and too often overlooked.

We build campaigns that do exactly that. Here’s a glimpse of what that looks like in action.

Don’t Wait for Clarity — Create It

Markets will swing. Policies will shift. And apparently, TikTok will remain both the national security threat and distraction of choice. But waiting for clarity is not a winning move. Clarity isn’t given — it’s shaped by those willing to lead. So, go find the people at the heart of your campaign. And put them front and center.

If you’ve got a fight ahead, a story to tell, or just need to make sure the right people are listening, let’s talk. And don’t worry, we’ll let you vent first…

Ryan Fitzpatrick

VP, Public Affairs