Why Say More is Showing Up to Mackinac

(And Why It Matters)

We’re not going to the Mackinac Policy Conference just for the fudge and bike rides. We’re going because the conversations that happen there set the tone for our state and nation’s future.

This year’s Mackinac Policy Conference is all about “Michigan’s Equation for Impact.”

It’s a call to combine vision, tools, and action to build a state where people, business, and the environment can all move forward. Same equation, different tools: we’re solving for impact with storyboards instead of statutes.

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We’re Showing Up to Tune In

Say More is a content studio. While our job isn’t to push policy, we pick up the signals, cut through the clutter, and amplify what matters.

We’re heading to Mackinac to get closer to those signals. To listen for what’s shifting. To figure out what the people leading this state are actually saying between panels and press releases. Because what we hear influences how we help our clients show up – smarter, sharper, and more in tune with the moment.

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We’re After the Stuff That Doesn’t Make the Agenda

Some of the most meaningful ideas at Mackinac never make it to a microphone.

They happen in passing. Whether that’s in a spontaneous conversation over coffee or during a morning walk with new and old friends. That’s where we like to hang out.

We’re not there to chase headlines or break news – we’re there to spot the threads worth pulling, from the overlooked insight to the things that could become something bigger if someone’s paying attention.

So, we are.

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We’re Not There to Play Along

We’re here to show up curious, clear-eyed, and a little allergic to groupthink. 

We want to have real conversations because we believe you can take your work seriously without making it boring. Our team helps organizations tell sharper stories, build bolder brands, and show up with more clarity and character across every channel. 

And that starts by listening closely before saying anything at all.

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If you’re going too…let’s talk.
We’re always down for a walk, a coffee, or a conversation that doesn’t involve five-point plans or five-dollar words.

Why Your Execs Need to Stop Ghosting LinkedIn

How We’re Helping Them Show Up, Speak Up, and Stand Out

Let me just start by saying this: If your executive team is still treating LinkedIn like it’s Facebook in 2011 (aka untouched, slightly awkward, and full of vague job titles), it’s time for an intervention. 

Here’s the truth I’ve learned after years of executive communications work: most execs don’t understand the value of having a personal brand. And I get it—they’re busy. They’re running companies, making big decisions, and attending meetings that definitely could’ve been emails. But in today’s digital world, visibility isn’t just nice—it’s necessary.

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You are a brand.

Yes, you, CEO of [insert company name here]. You, the CMO who swears they “don’t really do social.” You, the SVP of Strategy, who hasn’t updated your profile photo since the iPhone 4. 

The modern executive isn’t just expected to lead the business—they’re expected to lead the conversation. Internally and externally. That means having a voice. That means showing up online. And yes, that means posting on LinkedIn.

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So here’s what we’ve been doing: executive LinkedIn trainings. 

That’s right. We come in, caffeinated and ready, and help your leadership team understand how to build their personal brands with purpose, not just to be seen, but to be heard, trusted, and followed.

We start with the basics: 

• Do you even have a LinkedIn?

• Do you know your password?

• Do you have a profile pic that doesn’t look like it was cropped from your cousin’s wedding? 

Then we dig in: 

• What should your headline really say? (Hint: “Chief Marketing Officer at XYZ” is not giving what it needs to give.)

• Is your About section actually about you—or just a copy/paste of your job description?

• How do you grow your network in a way that’s not weird, pushy, or salesy? 
  

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Then comes the fun part: content. 

We walk through content styles (text, visuals, video—yes, video, and no, you don’t need a ring light and a TikTok dance). We show you how to tell real stories from your leadership lens. We talk about what’s safe to post, what’s not, and how to keep things authentic without oversharing your grocery list or your kid’s science project (unless that’s your brand—then carry on). 

And the best part? 

We flex with you. Some execs want a fully built content engine—we got you. Others want to post themselves but just need the right tools and a little confidence boost—we got you, too. Whether you want to ghostwrite or just write, we meet you where you are. 

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Why does this matter? 

1. Because 89% of professionals trust LinkedIn as a source of industry insights. 

2. Because visible leaders build organizational credibility. 

3. Because your competitors are already out there building trust, recruiting talent, and owning the conversation—and if your execs aren’t, you’re behind. 

So yes, we’re a creative agency, but we’re also a team that believes that personal brand is professional power. And helping executives actually show up online?

That’s our kind of power play. 

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The TL;DR: 

• Your executives are brands.

• LinkedIn isn’t optional anymore.
   

We can help them show up and stand out—authentically, confidently, and creatively. 

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Want to bring this training to your team? Let’s talk. (On LinkedIn, obviously.)

People and Prompts: Working Alongside AI

The Leadership Perspective

Ryan Gajewski is the Chief Strategy Officer at Truscott Rossman. He has a background in content creation and is a driving force behind our adoption of artificial intelligence technologies.

The following is a transcript of a recent interview with Ryan on the power of AI:

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What made you realize that we had to become AI-powered? 

RG: Let's back up. I brought up AI back when I interviewed to work here and basically said, ‘It's something that will change our industry, whether we like it or not.’ From what I've heard from the leadership team since then, having a perspective on AI was more than anyone else had.  

When I was brought on and began to push for those changes, I was impressed by the positive reception from our leadership team. It would be easy to assume that someone like John Truscott, with his career that is so deeply tied to his craft, would be against something like a full-throated adoption of AI. But he was as open-minded as possible. And that is a credit to our values at TR. 

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What about other staff? 

RG: People's concerns were well-founded. Ultimately, I think the business case justified itself, but I do remember a lot of good questions. People wanted to understand our perspective on it. There was open-mindedness, but trepidation too. 

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What is the business case for TR to become AI-powered? 

RG: Coming into Truscott Rossman, my push for AI adoption was truly about self-preservation for the company. There will come a point, if not this year then in the near future, where we'll have to ask hard questions about what is the best use of a human's time versus a computer's time. Machines can now do many things that humans traditionally spent time on just as well, if not better. 

For an agency that bills time, any technology that reduces the hours spent on tasks—whether that's by 10% or 50%, depending on the skill—creates real value for our customers. Being smaller has actually given us an advantage in this space. Anyone who has worked at larger agencies knows how difficult it can be to change direction or introduce new technology at scale. With a smaller, more nimble team like ours, we can leverage AI technology faster, which has been one of the most exciting aspects of this transformation. 

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How has AI specifically impacted our work in content creation?  

RG: The intersection of adopting AI and launching our content brand has been particularly powerful. As a recovering content creator myself, I've seen firsthand how AI tools can expedite work and enhance quality. More than any other area of our business, content creation has been revolutionized by these tools. 

Sure, you can use ChatGPT to write a press release, but the deeper capabilities, like tools that integrate into Adobe Suite, are where the real magic happens. With Say More in particular, we're meeting a moment where we can provide exceptional content at a pace that previously would have been impossible. We now have both increasingly accessible, professional-quality equipment and AI tools that help us maximize their potential. 

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What keeps you up at night regarding AI? 

RG: The pace of growth is staggering. When ChatGPT crossed that threshold, we entered a new world. Since then, we've seen enormous investment and exponential advancement, but society's understanding of what's plausible, possible, and likely hasn't kept pace. 

I see both sides of the coin. On the hopeful side, AlphaFold won recognition for healthcare breakthroughs where AI helped quickly discover proteins to cure diseases, and now the field has suddenly opened to save more lives. But then there's the darker potential, like AI-powered robocalls using a child's voice to manipulate parents. 

I'm bullish on AI as a business multiplier, but I'm apprehensive about what becomes of society if we don't take it seriously. That's why we created our AI Ethics Policy, though I believe it should evolve every year as the technology advances. 

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Any final thoughts on creativity in the age of AI? 

RG: I still hold being right-brained very personally. There's something admirable about the relationship an artist develops with their medium, like a sculptor with stone. But that traditional approach isn't sustainable in a world that values speed and efficiency. I believe being creative with code and technology is just another step in the artistic journey. If artists feel threatened by these tools, I encourage them to see what's possible with AI rather than focusing on what it might replace.

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Ready to see how an AI-powered approach can elevate your content strategy? Contact our team today to explore the possibilities. 

Say More: A New Kind of Content Studio, Built for What Comes Next

In a world where content is everywhere, vying for attention, the best way to stand out isn’t always to be shinier—it's to be smarter, faster, and more real. That’s where Say More comes in. 

We’re a content and creative studio built for what’s happening now and what’s coming next. Bold, inventive, and completely unpretentious, we help brands create content that doesn’t just fill space; it speaks volumes. 

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The Spark Behind Say More

The idea for Say More didn’t happen overnight. It grew from years of conversations, the rise of the creator economy, and a clear shift in public relations trends. More and more, we hear clients asking for content strategy and creation. However, we shouldn’t be creating one-off deliverables. Content should have a consistent output, focusing on being informative, entertaining, and engaging. 

Ryan Gajewski, Chief Strategy Officer at Truscott Rossman, and I talked about this often. We saw the future leaning toward content that we would actually engage with. Audiences were becoming more aware and often disinterested in polished corporate messaging. It was time for something different. 

Say More was built to meet that need. Clients were ready for a partner who could plug into their teams and provide fresh ideas, ongoing support, and high-performing content. We bring both strategy and production to the table, adding capacity and creativity in equal measure.

Content as a Service, Not Just a Service Line

Truscott Rossman has always been known for its strength in public relations and public affairs. Say More is a natural evolution of that work. We’ve chosen to launch it as a standalone boutique alongside Truscott Rossman because it deserves its own space to grow. 

This isn’t content filtered through a PR lens—it’s content designed to lead. By creating a separate identity and team structure, we’ve made room for new ideas and creative freedom. That structure gives us the ability to move quickly, try new things, and own the entire process from start to finish. 

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What Makes Say More Different

We believe in speed over polish. We’re not creating prestige TV. We’re building pipelines of content to meet people where they are and keep them coming back. 

We believe in ideas over ego. We don’t hold content too tightly. We use every tool available to make something that works and gets attention. 

We believe in understanding over assumption. We are not just content creators but also avid content consumers. We know what works because we live in the same media environment as the audiences we’re trying to reach. 

Clients who thrive with us are the ones who believe in progress over perfection. If you want to collaborate, try new things, and create quickly, Say More is a great fit.

Built to Scale Without Losing Our Edge

One of the biggest questions we hear is how we balance fast-paced creativity with structure and consistency. The answer is simple. Our model is built for both. Our scopes include a mix of content types like video, articles, and social media. Everything is built to be scalable from the start. That allows us to stay flexible without sacrificing quality or reliability. 

How We Measure What Matters

We care about metrics, but we care even more about meaning. Yes, we track client KPIs like reach and engagement. But we also pay close attention to things like time on page and repeat visits.  We want the content to hold people’s attention. We want them to spend time with it. That kind of impact goes beyond a like or a view.

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What’s Next for Say More

We are aiming for more clients, more services, and an expanded team. We have ambitious goals and plans already in motion. We’re also working on new and unexpected ways to help brands connect with audiences. We’re not sharing everything yet, but we’re excited about what’s coming.

What We Hope You Say About Us 

We want to be seen as a true content partner. Not a vendor. Not a temporary solution. A real extension of your team. Even though Say More is a new brand, we’ve been doing this work for years. Now, with our own name and structure, we’re ready to go even further.

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If you’re looking for a creative partner who understands how content actually works today, we’d love to talk. Let’s make something people remember.