Communicators spotlight: Ciara Bartholomew of Foxtide Communications
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Ciara Bartholomew. Photo: Errich Peterson
As founder and principal of Foxtide Communications, Ciara Bartholomew identifies issues before they become problems, pressure-tests stories for different audiences and helps leaders decide what they should — and shouldn't — say.
Why it matters: Private markets are becoming more accessible for a broader set of investors, bringing greater scrutiny to the sector.
Zoom in: With every audience — media, regulators, investors, etc. — becoming more sophisticated, "credibility, consistency and follow-through are truly a license to operate," she said.
- That's especially notable in private markets, where she pointed to Edelman Smithfield research showing almost half of limited partners prioritize reputation and positive CEO perception over pure investment returns.
- "That's a remarkable signal that nearly half of respondents are telling us that reputation and perceptions of leadership can directly influence investment decisions," Bartholomew said.
Tough lesson: Communicators shouldn't confuse access to leaders with influence — that needs to be earned.
- "Treat every interaction with leadership as an opportunity to pull back the curtain on how communications works," she said.
Trendspotting: "The communications teams and agencies that preserve opportunities to learn, rather than automate them away, will have a real advantage," Bartholomew said.
- Drafting a press release from scratch, building a media list and researching targets helps younger communicators "recognize what works and what doesn't," she explained.
- Teams that keep these practices will nurture "judgment, instinct, and confidence."
Life lessons: Having three boys age 5 and under has taught Bartholomew "to separate the nice-to-have from the necessary, prioritize quickly and stay calm."
- Plus, yoga is "a non-negotiable that gives me space to close all the tabs in my brain and get quiet among the noise."
Currently reading: Belle Burden's "Strangers."
- "The book is about what happens when the story you thought you were living no longer matches reality, and the process of having to reconsider what you thought you knew," Bartholomew said.
Best advice: "When you're starting out, be a sponge. Take on new projects, learn how the business works, and treat those years as your training ground," she said.
- "But at some point, saying yes to everything can make you a master of none. You need to understand where you create the most value, and what kind of work you enjoy most."
