Cut Through the Noise with Aisling O' Rourke

Welcome to Season 11 of Cut Through The Noise with Aisling O’Rourke, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!In this episode of Cut Through the Noise, Aisling is joined by Andrew Dobbin, referral marketing and networking expert from The Business Mindset.As we look ahead to 2026, digital fatigue, declining search traffic, and rising competition mean businesses can no longer rely solely on online marketing. Andrew explains why referral marketing and relationship-led growth must become a core part of your marketing strategy,  not an afterthought.Together, Aisling and Andrew unpack the difference between networking and referral marketing, why most businesses rely on word of mouth without a plan, and how to intentionally build a referral strategy that delivers consistent, high-quality introductions.🔑 Key Topics Covered:The difference between networking and strategic referral marketingWhy 98% of businesses rely on referrals but only 3% have a planThe “golfer vs footballer” mindset, why referrals are a team sportHow to identify the “jeweller” or magnet in your industryAndrew’s Five Relationship Levels: Recognition → Knowledge → Trust → Referral → AdvocacyHow professionals like accountants naturally become powerful introducersWhy one-to-one meetings are the foundation of referral successThe importance of human-to-human connection in an AI-driven worldHow trust, clarity, and social proof fuel better introductionsWhy referral strategies should sit alongside SEO, ads, and social, not replace them.In this week’s bonus content, available exclusively on YouTube, Andrew talks us through why strong one-to-ones can solidify the foundations of a relationship, and kickstart referrals.Make sure to check out our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all of this season’s exclusive bonus content: YouTubeIf you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldConnect with Aisling:Website Email InstagramLinkedInConnect with Andrew Dobbin:LinkedInWebsite

Welcome to Season 11 of Cut Through The Noise with Aisling O’Rourke, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!Taylor Swift isn’t just a global pop icon, she’s one of the most powerful business leaders of our time.In this special episode of Cut Through The Noise, host Aisling O’Rourke is joined by economist, author and former NASA engineer Sinead O’Sullivan, whose book ‘Good Ideas and Power Moves’ breaks down what business leaders can learn from Taylor Swift’s extraordinary success.Together, they explore how Swift built an entire market, not just a brand by collapsing the distance between CEO and customer, playing the long game, and anchoring every decision in clear values.This conversation goes far beyond social media tactics or personal branding. It’s about trust, narrative, emotional connection, and why clarity beats virality every time.In this episode, we cover:Why Taylor Swift is better understood as a CEO than a celebrityHow she built a billion-dollar ecosystem by prioritising relationshipsThe power of playing the long game in marketing and communicationsWhat most businesses get wrong about storytelling and authenticityWhy collapsing hierarchy builds stronger brands and communitiesLessons business leaders can apply, regardless of size or sectorWhether you’re a solopreneur, founder or senior leader, this episode will change how you think about marketing, leadership and long-term value creation.🎧 Listen now and discover what it really means to cut through the noise.In this week’s bonus content, available exclusively on YouTube, Sinéad shares her top marketing and communications insights for leaders heading into 2026.Make sure to check out our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all of this season’s exclusive bonus content: YouTubeIf you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldConnect with Aisling:Website Email InstagramLinkedInConnect with Sinéad O’Sullivan:LinkedInWebsite Instagram

Welcome to Season 11 of Cut Through The Noise with Aisling O’Rourke, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!Want to kick 2026 off right, but don’t know where to start?Planning your marketing for a full year can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re a solopreneur or running a small business without a dedicated marketing team. If 2025 flew by in a blur and you’re starting 2026 feeling behind, this episode is for you.In this episode of Cut Through The Noise, Aisling is joined by marketing strategist Denise Fay of Achieve Marketing to break down how to approach your 2026 marketing strategy calmly, clearly and realistically, starting exactly where you are now.Together, they explore how to plan your marketing over 12 months without panic, how to use 90-day sprints to reduce overwhelm, and why staying true to how you communicate best is just as important as following trends.In this week’s bonus content, available exclusively on YouTube, Denise explains The Fay Way, her six-step approach to building a marketing strategy that works.Make sure to check out our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all of this season’s exclusive bonus content: YouTubeIf you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldConnect with Aisling:Website Email InstagramLinkedInConnect with Denise:LinkedIn

Welcome to Season 11 of Cut Through The Noise, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!In this opening episode of the new season, and the first episode of 2026, host Aisling O’Rourke, Founder of The Communications Coach, sets the tone for the year ahead by addressing a challenge many business leaders are quietly struggling with: reactive, exhausting communications that lack structure and consistency.After a period of reflection at the end of the year, this episode focuses on how business owners can move from constantly responding to demands, messages, algorithms, and expectations, to leading with clarity, confidence, and intention.This is not about louder marketing or chasing trends. It’s about foundations, ownership, alignment, and preparedness, so your business can show up clearly and credibly, even when circumstances change.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why reflection is strategic, not indulgent and how it sets you up for stronger decision-making in 2026What “communications systems” really mean (and why tools alone are not the answer)The hidden risks of ad hoc marketing and unclear ownershipHow inconsistent messaging quietly erodes trust both internally and externallyA real-world example of how simple frameworks can transform confidence, clarity, and efficiencyThree foundational principles you can apply immediately:Communications as infrastructure, not an afterthoughtWhy consistency builds trust more than creativity aloneChoosing preparedness over prediction in an uncertain worldThis episode sets the foundation for the next six weeks, where Season 11 will explore AI, regulation, visibility, influence, sustainable marketing, and leadership communications through a practical, business-focused lens.If nothing changed externally, would your communications still be clear, consistent, and credible?Make sure to check out our YouTube so you don’t miss out on this season’s exclusive bonus content: YouTubeIf you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldAisling’s Socials:Website Email InstagramLinkedIn

Welcome to Cut Through the Noise, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!I’m your host, Aisling O’Rourke, the communications coach. With nearly twenty years in the Irish media landscape, I use my experience to advocate for communication as the cornerstone of business success.As we close out Season 10 , and the year that was 2025, this final episode is part reflection, part reset, and part invitation to slow down before moving forward.Throughout this season, I explored artificial intelligence through a communications and marketing lens: how it can support productivity, scale, creativity, and decision-making, and where it can quietly undermine our thinking if we’re not intentional. From systems and structure to cybersecurity, critical thinking, and business growth, the conversations highlighted one central truth: tools only work when the foundations are solid.In the second half of the show, I take a step back to acknowledge the reality of 2025, a year that has felt fast, complex, and overwhelming for many business leaders. Global uncertainty, shifting priorities, and constant change have made it harder to pause, reflect, and work on the business instead of just in it.This episode is an honest acknowledgment of that collective fatigue, and a reminder that progress still happened, even when it didn’t always feel like it.I share:Why it’s vital to pause before rushing into 2026How reflection creates clarity, momentum, and better decision-makingThe importance of recognising small wins in a challenging yearHow to separate facts from assumptions when reviewing your businessA practical walkthrough of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle as a simple framework to assess 2025 and plan intentionally for the year aheadRather than pushing goal-setting or resolutions, this episode encourages a quieter but more powerful practice: getting everything out of your head, naming what worked (and what didn’t), and using those insights to shape how you want to communicate, market, and lead in 2026.This is a grounding end-of-year listen for business leaders who want to move forward with clarity, confidence, and intention, without ignoring how hard the last twelve months have been.🎙 Cut Through the Noise will return in 2026 with more conversations, tools, and guidance to help you stand out, communicate clearly, and lead authentically.Make sure to check out our YouTube for exclusive bonus content: YouTubeIf you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldAisling’s Socials:Website Email InstagramLinkedIn

Welcome to Cut Through the Noise, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!I’m your host, Aisling O’Rourke, the communications coach. With nearly twenty years in the Irish media landscape, I use my experience to advocate for communication as the cornerstone of business success.Artificial intelligence is transforming how we work, but what does that really mean for communications and marketing professionals?In this extended episode of Cut Through The Noise, I had the pleasure to be joined by Tom Hewitson, AI expert and founder of General Purpose, the UK’s longest-established AI training school. Together, they unpack the hype, fear, and opportunity surrounding AI and explore how business leaders can use it ethically, safely, and effectively without losing the human touch that makes great communication work.From the fear of AI replacing marketing jobs, to the rise of generic “AI slop”, to concerns about sustainability, regulation, and mental health, this conversation cuts through moral panic and focuses on what actually matters.We talk about:Why AI will never replace the human role in communications and marketingHow AI can help marketers become faster, more responsive, and more strategic, not more genericWhy AI struggles with emotion, creativity, and originality, and why that’s good news for communicatorsHow to avoid obvious “AI-generated” content and train tools to better match your voicePractical tips for getting more value from ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and similar toolsIn this week’s bonus content, available exclusively on YouTube, Tom discusses the regulation around the various AI platforms, and if more rigorous regulation is needed to monitor their use and enhance their success.Make sure to check out our YouTube so you don’t miss out: YouTubeIf you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldAisling’s Socials:Website Email InstagramLinkedInConnect with Tom:LinkedInXWebsite

Welcome to Cut Through the Noise, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!I’m your host, Aisling O’Rourke, the communications coach. With nearly twenty years in the Irish media landscape, I use my experience to advocate for communication as the cornerstone of business success.In this thought-provoking episode of Cut Through the Noise, I had the pleasure to speak to cyber psychologist and lecturer Dr. Nicola Fox Hamilton about the psychological impact of AI on the way we work, think, and create.We talk about:Why AI cannot replace human creativityHow AI influences stress and workplace expectationsThe risks of offloading too much thinking to technologyHow bias embedded in AI models can distort decision-makingHow to use AI mindfully without losing your voice or perspectiveWhy a simple three-second pause can dramatically improve your judgment onlineDr. Nicola also shares practical strategies for communicating with managers about AI expectations, how to use it ethically and effectively in marketing and communications roles, and why skepticism is an essential skill in an AI-driven world.In this week’s bonus content, available exclusively on YouTube, Nicola gives her key takeaways from our conversation, as well as some practical ways you can protect and nurture your critical thinking in the advent of AI.Make sure to check out our YouTube so you don’t miss out: YouTubeAI is a tool, it is not a replacement for your creativity, authenticity, or professional value.If you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldAisling’s Socials:Website Email InstagramLinkedInConnect with Nicola:LinkedInInstagramWebsiteNicola's Podcast: In bits: Deconstructing our digital lives 

Welcome to Cut Through the Noise, your go-to podcast for mastering the art of communication in your business!I’m your host, Aisling O’Rourke, the communications coach. With nearly twenty years in the Irish media landscape, I use my experience to advocate for communication as the cornerstone of business success.In this week’s episode, I am joined by tech journalist and co-host of For Tech Sake, Elaine Burke, for a deep dive into AI security, data protection, and the hidden risks behind your favourite AI tools.We explore:What you should never upload to AI platformsWhy free AI tools often mean you are the productReal-world examples of data leaks and how to avoid them)How to protect client confidentiality when using generative AIIf you rely on AI in your work, this episode will help you do it more safely, securely, and responsibly.In this week’s bonus content, available exclusively on YouTube, Elaine gives her top tips for managing your confidentiality and security when using AI day-to-day.Make sure to check out our YouTube so you don’t miss out: YouTubeIf you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ieEditing is by Amanda FitzgeraldAisling’s Socials:Website Email InstagramLinkedInConnect with Elaine:LinkedInInstagramElaine’s Podcast: For Tech Sake