Talk Shop is a communications agency redefining content to help organizations get known and be understood. Our passion lies in sparking meaningful conversations that resonate and endure. Through innovative communication strategies in public relations, corporate communications, digital marketing, and social media, we pave the way for connections that truly matter, fostering relationships that go beyond the ordinary and leave lasting impressions.
Tell us about yourself?
I’ve spent the last 15-plus years working in-house and on the agency side for brands such as CIBC, Rexall, Dove, Foodtastic, Unilever, Embark Financial, and more. My early career was focused on marketing communications and public relations, and about eight years ago, I shifted my efforts to social media and digital marketing. After seeing a growing number of requests from clients to explore digital opportunities in solving business challenges, my interest was piqued. Parallel to my personal life, I decided to dabble in creating a personal brand for myself and launched Suburban Faux Pas, a Canadian lifestyle destination speaking to fashion, home decor, beauty, and more. The learnings I gleaned from building my own digital brand were influential in guiding strategies and plans forward for my clients.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
If I were to advise myself in 2023, I’d suggest focusing on adaptability and growth. Embrace change as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Stay curious and keep learning, as knowledge is a powerful tool in navigating any situation. Prioritize self-care and balance to maintain resilience in the face of uncertainty. And most importantly, remember to stay connected with others, as collaboration and support are invaluable in both personal and professional growth. Oh, and embrace AI prompts!
What problem does your business solve?
We use communications tactics such as PR, corporate communications, digital marketing, and social media to support brands in meeting their business goals. From driving sales and marketing efforts, to raising brand awareness, we pivot the tactic depending on the business goal. How we show up for our clients can range in service offerings such as brand visibility, message consistency, audience engagement, market positioning, content creation, and more. By addressing a need with an appropriate marketing vertical, we can track and measure the success of our efforts.
What are some recent wins at Talk Shop that have you excited?
In addition to our geographic expansion, Talk Shop welcomed new brands to its roster at the close of 2023 and into 2024. Some of these names include Rascal and Friends, Copper Branch, an extension of our existing Foodtastic portfolio, Parkbridge, Cwench Hydration!, Zenterra Developments, MedSpa Partners, TouchBistro, and more.
What is your magic sauce?
Without a doubt, our people and our values as a business. Talk Shop’s innovation and success are tied to a passionate group of communication enthusiasts who understand how to craft the right message and ensure it’s targeted to the appropriate audience at the right time. In parallel, one of our core values – Care Wildly – shows up in all we do. Whether it’s strategies backed with market research, creating meaningful connections, or creating opportunities where none exist, this value of caring wildly shows up in all we do.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
Looking back, 2023 was a monumental year for Talk Shop as we launched our first LA office, and 2024 represents five years in Toronto. As we continue to grow and expand our reach across North America as an integrated agency, I’m excited to see us continue to bolster our corporate communications and digital marketing capabilities while setting our sights on new markets across Canada and the US.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Changing consumer needs and expectations encouraged us to take a look internally at who we were and who we wanted to be. Evolving Talk Shop to expand its core service offering from public relations to digital marketing, social media, corporate communications, and more continues to be ongoing internal and external work to ensure current and prospective clients understand where we thrive as a communications agency. This has meant nurturing new teams, thinking about the way we do business development, and carving out new opportunities internally for clients who choose to leverage Talk Shop as their AOR.
How can people get involved?
Executives or brands seeking to understand more about the service offerings at Talk Shop can visit our website at www.talkshopmedia.com or contact me at krystin@talkshopmedia.com