314: FROM THE TRENCHES / From cold pitch to go-to source: Becoming the expert journalists trust - with Hunter Stuart
- S11E314
- 55:52
- February 17th 2026
*** Why empathy, relevance and long-game thinking beat press releases, spray-and-pray pitching, and transactional PR ***
This week’s featured track is FROM THE TRENCHES — in-depth conversations with experienced operators working at the sharp end of PR, media and communications.
Hosted by Trevor Young, this series explores how recognition is earned, how credibility compounds, and how influence is built in today’s reputation economy.
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EPISODE OVERVIEW:
Getting media coverage isn’t about clever subject lines or perfectly polished press releases.
It’s about becoming someone journalists trust.
In this episode, Trevor sits down with Hunter Stuart - founder of Big Game PR and former HuffPost journalist - to unpack what really happens inside modern newsrooms, and what it actually takes to move from cold pitch to go-to source.
Drawing on experience from both sides of the journalism–PR divide, Hunter shares grounded insights for founders, solo experts and B2B leaders who want to build authority that lasts.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- What today’s shrinking, time-poor newsrooms mean for founders seeking coverage
- Why most pitches fail before they’re even opened
- How to bridge the “empathy gap” between experts and journalists
- The power of sharp, well-formed opinions in a sea of bland commentary
- Why relationships outperform mass pitching every time
- How to think in angles and trends, not product announcements
- Practical ways to become a trusted, repeat source, even without a PR team
- Where hybrid, niche and industry media create overlooked opportunity
Whether you’re building profile from scratch or looking to strengthen your position in top-tier outlets, this conversation will help you think more strategically about how authority with the media is earned over time.
Connect with Hunter Stuart:
Find him on LinkedIn or at Big Game PR.
Tune in now and start earning your spot in the media!
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EARN THE RIGHT with Trevor Young
EARN THE RIGHT is your audio platform for reputation-based authority building — turning credibility into recognition, and recognition into opportunity.
Hosted by Trevor Young, it’s for credible founders, experts, and solo practitioners who’ve earned their stripes and are ready to amplify their voice with integrity.
Across four distinct (but inter-related) tracks —
- Crank The 3rd
- Pocket PR Essentials
- In The Arena
- From The Trenches
— you’ll get the ideas, stories, and strategies that help you cut through the noise and build lasting authority.
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1️⃣ CRANK THE 3RD
CRANK THE 3RD celebrates the Wisdom Economy — a world where depth, perspective, and lived experience fuel what’s next. It features conversations with inspiring midlife founders and professionals who are turning decades of know-how into opportunity: building meaningful ventures, shaping ideas, and designing work that matters.
2️⃣ POCKET PR ESSENTIALS
POCKET PR ESSENTIALS delivers short, sharp coaching sessions on building visibility and recognition — without the hype. Presented by Trevor Young, this audio playbook helps credible founders and solo professionals master PR, content, and digital communication to raise their profile and grow authority in a way that’s strategic, sustainable, and respectful.
3️⃣ IN THE ARENA
IN THE ARENA is Trevor Young’s unfiltered take on earning authority in real time — sharp, strategic riffs on content, credibility, connection, and the courage to keep showing up. Essential listening for entrepreneurs and professionals navigating the intersection of creativity, communication, and personal brand authority.
4️⃣ FROM THE TRENCHES
FROM THE TRENCHES presents deep-dive interviews with PR practitioners, content strategists, and digital communications experts that explore how reputation and influence are built today. Hosted by Trevor Young, this track shares grounded insights, hard-won lessons, and practical wisdom from those shaping credible marketing communications in the modern reputation economy.
You've put in the hard yards, now it's time to capitalise!
Earn attention. Build authority. Stay human.
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