Politely Pushy with Eric Chemi

Much of what we understand as “the internet” is shaped by American companies: Google, Microsoft, Meta, etc. But what does that mean for countries like Austria and France when American administrations change? It means many countries are working to build their own successful platforms for cybersecurity, banking, and administrative tasks. In this episode, Eric sits down with Jarad Carleton, Global Vi...

With the tech world constantly pushing forward and focusing on the next best thing, AI has been a very hot topic. While many are looking for ways to incorporate agentic AI workstreams, Lori Freifeld, Publisher of Training Magazine, is hesitant. In this week's episode, Eric and Lori discuss tech trends over time, as well as what magazine publishing looks like in an increasingly digital age, an...

National reporters get between 100 and 200 pitches every single day. These range from great pitches they want to write about, to emails that have the vague impression of being a pitch, with no concrete information. Andy Medici of The Business Journals is writing seven to eight stories every single week. In this episode, Andy sits down with Eric to discuss the metrics journalists are focused on, ho...

Local journalism is changing fast. Smaller newsrooms, digital platforms, and AI are reshaping how reporters cover the stories that matter to their communities. Tucker Caraway, News Producer and Saturday Anchor at Redwood News, is no stranger to navigating these shifts.  Tucker sat down with Eric Chemi to discuss her experience in the newsroom, the evolving role of local news, what makes a PR pitch...

So many articles treat AI as magic. However, that approach doesn’t fly with reporters. In this episode, Eric Chemi speaks with veteran journalist and Bospar AI Strategy Analyst and Content Director, Clint Boulton, to break down what it takes to move beyond the hype and position AI capabilities around real, lasting value.  They explore why the strongest AI stories are grounded in practical impact,...

In this episode, Eric Chemi is joined by Bospar's Curtis Sparrer, John Ward, and Bospar's first client, Priti Khare to discuss the 300 award wins Bospar has under its belt, after winning 5 PRSA-NY Big Apple Awards last week. The conversation dives into what award winning work looks like, how Bospar prioritizes business results, and why awards are important not just as industry accolades,...

Every company claims to have an AI strategy. Blaine Mathieu says that's hardly the point. In this episode, Eric Chemi sits down with Blaine, founder of the River Group and author of "The River Doesn't Wait," to unpack why a technology strategy is table stakes for the AI era and how the real competitive edge comes from an operational strategy. Eric and Blaine dig into the "...

Introducing something new in the AI industry is rare after several years of roaring momentum, innovation, thought leadership, and company launches. Yet Sharon Goldman, a renowned AI reporter, is leaning into just that with the launch of the AI newsletter Ground Level AI. Sharon sat down with Eric Chemi to discuss the "why now" behind launching this newsletter and her sharpened focus on t...

At the 27th annual PRWeek Awards, Bospar won Best in Financial Communications for its campaign with fintech platform Smarty, “How Smarty Owned the Tariff Moment.” The campaign prevailed over finalists that included Citi and a major IPO communications campaign, showing how strategic storytelling can help emerging financial technology companies compete with some of the largest global institutions. I...

Behind every "disruptive" and "innovative" product or service is a team of expert communicators who fuel the company's story and break through in a competitive market. Mastery of storytelling is a must-have for survival. In this episode of Politely Pushy, Eric Chemi is joined by former tech journalist and PR expert, Cliff Edwards. Cliff shares anecdotes from his coveted ro...

During the 27th annual PRWeek Awards, Bospar and San Francisco Pride celebrated winning Best in Community Relations for the "Queer Joy is Resistance" campaign. This campaign underscored the nonprofit's 2025 theme and the community's resilience during a complex cultural moment. In this special edition of Politely Pushy, Shaun Leavy and Patience Baldacci interview Executive Direc...

AI has been the main character in every conversation across every layer of business. This year, industry analyst Josh Bersin proposes a shift in AI's role: from an individual productivity tool to a tool for problem assessment. In this episode, Eric Chemi sits down with Josh to discuss the evolution of the $400B corporate learning segment of the HR industry, the relationship between analysts a...

Award season and conference season go hand-in-hand. In the PR world, CES signals the beginning of another exciting event calendar.   Eric Chemi is joined by Bospar's Emily Roberts and Caroline Kamerschen to explain why integrating PR, media relations, and digital marketing efforts ahead of tech industry conferences, such as NVIDIA GTC and RSA, is a critical investment. Promoting new products...

Where do people turn when seeking information, yet are tired of sales-minded responses? Maybe Google, but increasingly, the answer is Reddit. In this episode, Eric Chemi chats with Bospar colleagues Connor Grant and Emma Rafanello to unpack why Reddit has become the most influential–and misunderstood– platform in B2B marketing and PR. Widespread AI-generated content has driven platform users to mo...

We want answers fast. Not just any answers. We want relevant, peer-contributed, and verified answers. What happens if those answers are wrong, primarily when referring to your business and the offerings you provide? In this episode of Politely Pushy, Eric Chemi peels back the curtain on GEO (generative engine optimization). The episode features critical considerations outlined by: Bospar Principal...

"Frequency and authenticity are the two biggest drivers of engagement in today's channels." In this episode of Politely Pushy, Eric Chemi connects with Nathan C Bowser, a product strategist, podcast host of "The Tech Glow Up," and founder of Awesome Future. Interacting with Fortune 1000 companies and interviewing 300+ technology leaders has fine-tuned Nathan's data-me...

2025 was the 10th anniversary of Bospar, the "politely pushy" PR and marketing firm. Throughout the past decade, Bospar defied conventions and delivered winning results for companies across healthcare, finance, tech, and more. Eric Chemi sits down with Bospar Principals Curtis Sparrer, Chris Boehlke, and Tom Carpenter to discuss 10 years of lessons learned and achievements made. Cheers t...

Retail is at an inflection point, and AI is the lever.  In this episode, Eric Chemi chats with Greg Buzek, Chief AI Officer at IHL Services, as he breaks down how leading retailers are moving from pilot projects to sustained AI implementation.

AI adoption isn't happening in isolation. If you've wondered how to turn AI from a buzzword into business value, look no further than AI Realized: a global network of enterprise AI adopters. In this episode of Politely Pushy, Christina Ellwood, organizer of AI Realized Summit, shares how this event connects enterprise executives at the Fortune 2000 level to collaborate, learn, and turn i...

The secret to amassing engagement online, especially on social media, is driving divisiveness. Larry Magid, journalist, technology columnist, and President and CEO of ConnectSafely, shares how strengthening online safety is more critical than ever. Tune into this episode as Eric Chemi and Larry discuss the importance of ConnectSafely's organizational mission.

The era of AI has brought about a drastic shift in online user behavior. It's also ushered in a new consideration for elevating your brand across digital platforms. In this episode of Politely Pushy, Jennifer Devine from Freshwater Creative unpacks the nuances, importance, and implementation of SEO, GEO, and AEO.

Introducing Audit*E, a tool that evaluates company presence and content performance across eight major AI platforms, including Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, Mistral, and DeepSeek. In this special episode of Politely Pushy, Bospar Principal Curtis Sparrer and Freshwater Creative Founder Jennifer Devine discuss a critical challenge businesses face today with the influence of AI-powered sea...

Your company's funding announcement is on the horizon. Now what? Seasoned journalist and Bospar Content Director, Tomio Geron, joins Eric Chemi to share best practices for crafting the narrative, including the impact of the funding, and planning your outreach strategy. 

All analysts, by definition, are influencers. But not all influencers are analysts.  Eric Chemi welcomes Jon Arnold of J Arnold & Associates. Jon is an independent research analyst with a rich background in marketing and a diverse range of projects spanning telecommunications, technology, energy, transportation, and other sectors. Tune in as Jon shares how companies and leaders can effectively...

"I'm not here to report the news. That's the past. The job of the analyst is to predict the future by setting up a framework or paradigm that you want to establish with your readers and clients so they can visualize where the market is and where it's headed." After years of working alongside healthcare organizations, former Gartner analyst Seth Feder shares his insights wi...