Corporate Comms in the Digital Age: Part II

6 examples of how After Earnings is helping set a new bar for effective digital engagement

Earlier this year, The Roundtable Roundup highlighted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his interview with Morning Brew Daily as a masterclass in strategic communications. Since then, Stakeholder Labs has partnered with Morning Brew to launch After Earnings, where public company CEOs and CFOs have the opportunity to jump into the hot seat and articulate their post-earnings call messaging to a retail investor audience. For this week’s roundup, we’re highlighting six of our favorite moments from the first 15 episodes of After Earnings that exemplify best practices for reaching and engaging modern investors.

How to address a mistake:

In this week’s episode of After Earnings, Austin and Katie sat down with Better.com’s BETR 0.00%↑ CEO Vishal Garg, who became the “main character of the internet” for a few days in December 2021 when he famously fired 900 people via Zoom right before the Christmas holiday.

Since then, Better.com went public via SPAC in August 2023 and has seen their stock price plummet over 95% since its Nasdaq debut. Many CEOs wouldn’t be able to survive this series events but Vishal’s appearance on After Earnings allowed a broader audience to see a personal side that perhaps the Better.com board recognizes and it helps explains why the company continues to charge forward despite the setbacks.

Vishal Garg: I really messed up. I didn’t manage the process with the level of empathy and care that I should have. I was trying to lead from the front. I was trying to take accountability, and I did a poor job of displaying empathy. That’s on me, and I’ve worked really hard to fix that and improve my leadership style.

Katie’s genuine question evoked a personal and introspective response that helped humanize the initial mistake while also presenting an opportunity for Vishal to articulate how this process has made him a better leader. Additionally, hearing about Vishal’s initial journey into becoming a Wall Street trader by buying and reselling Century 21 designer clothes on eBay in the late 1990s added context to who he is as a naturally hard-charging business person who needed to learn soft skills. Through this interview, the audience’s preconception of Vishal as an out-of-touch fintech CEO was transformed as he directly and authentically confronted the mistake and shared the important lessons he learned.

How to lead and inspire others with a mission:

Our first guest on After Earnings was Matt Meeker, co-founder and CEO of Bark BARK 0.00%↑ , known for their monthly dog toy and treat boxes. Matt really loved his dog Hugo. So much so, that the former founder of the successful community platform Meetup.com started an entire company dedicated to bringing health and happiness to every aspect of dogs' lives. Throughout the course of the interview, we learned more about Matt’s relationship with Hugo, the evolution of the company, his emotional impulse to return as Bark’s CEO after Hugo’s passing, and how that passion coupled with his business expertise makes him uniquely suited to drive a global brand, culture, and community around dogs.

Matt Meeker: Hugo was my inspiration. Everything we do at Bark is to make dogs’ lives healthier and happier. After Hugo’s passing, I felt a deep responsibility to continue our mission and build a community that celebrates the joy dogs bring to our lives.

How to authentically talk about ESG policies and principles:

CAVA CAVA 0.00%↑ has made Wall Street headlines as an IPO darling with over 100% increase since their debut a year ago. CAVA CEO Brett Schulman did a fantastic job articulating the internal CAVA culture that has propelled the business into being a “14-year overnight success.” While you won’t find many formal ESG scores or DEI statements predominantly displayed on their IR website, CAVA’s investment in their people and communities is communicated as part of their DNA of “Mediterranean hospitality.” The authenticity of their efforts is felt by the end consumer and shareholder within the overall CAVA experience.

Brett Schulman: Our culture is rooted in Mediterranean hospitality, which means treating our employees and customers like family. This philosophy is woven into everything we do and is a big part of why we’ve been able to grow so successfully.

How to humanize a business challenge / opportunity:

Prior to Affirm AFRM 0.00%↑ CFO Michael Linford’s appearance on After Earnings, Bloomberg published a story titled Americans Are Racking up ‘Phantom Debt’ That Wall Street Can’t Track, calling out the company for accelerating a ballooning consumer debt crisis that economists cannot see. Michael covered all the PR talking points on why the claims were overstated, but most importantly, he used the personal story of his mother, a retired teacher, racking up a huge revolving credit card bill by slightly overspending, to illustrate the foundational issues that consumers face when trying to manage their personal finances. Sometimes in the breakneck speed of our capital markets, we forget that CFOs have mothers too, and Linford’s family experience with the Affirm solution brings enormous credibility to his message.

Michael Linford: “My mom, a retired teacher, struggled with managing her credit card debt. Affirm’s mission is to provide a better way to manage finances and avoid the pitfalls of revolving debt. This is personal to me because I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be.”

How to pump up your team:

ServiceNow NOW 0.00%↑ might not be a household name, but this software company with over a $150B market cap has been making big waves on Wall Street with 3000% growth since entering the public markets in 2012. While many CFOs have a tendency to stick to the numbers, ServiceNow’s Gina Mastantuono is a public champion for her employees and the overall culture of the company. It’s no accident that ServiceNow received over 1M job applications last year and continues to be ranked one of the top places to work.

Gina Mastantuono: Our employees are the heart of ServiceNow. We’ve created a culture where people want to work, grow, and make an impact. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about building a company where people feel valued and inspired.

How to be CEO & Chief Brand Ambassador:

Popular energy drink Celsius Holdings' CELH 0.00%↑ stock price has skyrocketed on the Nasdaq over the last 5 years, growing 3721%, even accounting for the 31% drop in the last 30 days. With consumers across demographic and economic spectrums falling in love with the drink and brand, one might wonder what the CEO of an energy drink company might be like, and John Fieldly didn’t disappoint. John passionately discussed the power of the Celsius brand and his personal fandom for the product, showing how the brand experience is essential to the conversation.

John Fieldly: I’m a huge fan of Celsius myself. It’s not just a product; it’s a lifestyle. Our success comes from connecting with our consumers on a personal level and creating a brand that they can be passionate about.

Conclusion:

These are just a few examples from the 15 executives who have appeared on After Earnings that demonstrate exemplary modern corporate communication. By showcasing these conversations, After Earnings is helping set a new bar for effective stakeholder engagement and these interviews emphasize the power of authenticity and empathy. By humanizing their business challenges and opportunities, these leaders create stronger connections and build more loyalty with shareholders. Special thank you to all of our guests so far as well as the entire production team at Morning Brew. For more details and to explore these conversations further, tune in and subscribe to After Earnings!