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The PR Maven Podcast


The PR Maven® Podcast is the combination of traditional networking techniques combined with the power of social media to build your personal and professional brand. The podcast features interviews with industry leaders, top executives, media personalities and online influencers about public relations and their personal brand. Each week, Nancy connects with a special guest to talk about their career, and business or organization, as well as the latest news and events that will give listeners a unique perspective on the world of public relations, marketing and personal branding, including actionable takeaways.

Jul 16, 2019

About the episode: 

 

Lisa DeSisto is the Chief Executive Officer for Masthead Maine which publishes six daily and twenty-three newspapers in Maine. The titles include The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, Sun Journal in Lewiston, and the popular Forecaster Newspapers. 

 

Lisa sits on the board of the Maine Press Association, the Associated Press, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Foundation and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maine. She hosts of a live event series; “Like A Boss” where she interviews other Maine CEOs on their leadership principles. 

 

Before moving to Maine in 2012, Lisa spent 17 years at The Boston Globe where she served as 

Chief Advertising Officer and General Manager for Boston.com. 

 

Lisa is a 1985 graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and lives with her family and a herd of goats and alpacas in North Yarmouth. 

 

 

In the episode:  

 

1:5 Lisa shares how her career started in the media marketing niche where every company she worked for had “Boston” in its name before she up and moved to Maine.  

 

3:55 – Lisa explains how her digital experience got her the job at MaineToday Media but she soon faced the challenge of balancing print and digital 

 

5:52  Nancy asks what Lisa would have done differently to which Lisa stated she should have moved to Maine sooner.  

 

6:32  Lisa describes how social media is used to spread journalism.  

 

8:00  Nancy and Lisa talk about trending stories unique to Maine, including the seagull that snatched a lobster roll and a whoopie pie theft 

 

9:56  Lisa shares that email has become an effective way to acquire customers since she started her career.  

 

11:06  Nancy asks Lisa how Stephen King helped the Portland Press Herald gain subscribers.  

 

13:55  Lisa mentions President Trump’s opinions of the media.  

 

15:14  Lisa explains her challenge of being a working mother.  

 

19:33  Lisa shares that page views, engagement and customer acquisition are important forms of measurement.  

 

22:41 – Nancy compares Google to Santa Claus. 

 

24:29 – Lisa describes how she uses social media to build her network.  

 

28:30  Nancy asks how social media has advanced Lisa’s career.  

 

31:12  Lisa states that the resources she uses to stay connected are industry newsletters.  

 

33:08  Lisa and Nancy discuss how special events connect the community.  

 

Quote: 

"I feel like one of my biggest challenges is figuring out that balance between growing our digital business but also really taking care of and nurturing our print customers." - Lisa DeSisto, CEO of Masthead Maine 

 

Links: 

pressherald.com  

sunjournal.com  

centralmaine.com  

 

Looking to connect:  

Email: lisa@masthead.me  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisadesisto/  

Twitter: @MaineLisaD