2025 was quite the year for me – new business, new jobs and getting back on the road across Australia.
I met lots of people doing really outstanding work in broadcasting, community services, science, tech, policy, environment and advocacy – I’m really blessed that I get to work with people across so many fields and learn from their expertise.
As a comms professional in 2025 working across lots of different non-profits, one theme kept popping up:
Too many of our tools, partnerships, contracts and structures are designed around isolation.
Frankly – a lot of non-profits and small businesses are being taken advantage of.
As an example:
Websites/apps/tools/contracts designed to lock you in and lock you down
In 2026, whether in our personal or professional lives, we’ve all got that one subscription that we’re “stuck” in. There’s that one feature we “need” so we pay an exorbitant price to keep it.
Often these tools are hard coded specifically to lock you in and make you reliant – instead of working with you and helping you grow, many of these companies focus on isolating you.
They want to be your only option.
BUT
My other experiences in 2025 showed me there is a cure to this isolation.
For every company focused on isolating you and your organisation in a blood contract for life, there’s a company or talented person out there looking for genuine collaboration.
This last year I’ve relied heavily on community – as the diversity of my work has expanded, so have the challenges. So, I have leaned into my comms, design, creative, policy, advocacy, campaigner and tech communities.
These relationships have turned into many wonderful, ongoing collaborations and in many cases have helped pull myself and the organisations I’ve worked with outside of silos we didn’t even realise we were in.
My challenge to you in 2026
Take a look at your current comms tools, partnerships, contracts and structures and ask yourself – are these genuine relationships? Are these genuine collaborations? Or are we doing this out of habit? Are we doing this out of reliance? Are we stuck?
There’s work involved in changing – and genuine, collaborative relationships don’t flourish overnight. But in a world and business environment trying to isolate us from each other – the benefits of fostering community and problem-solving together lifts us all.
Collaboration is the cure.
P.S – the header photo in today’s edition is me visiting broadcasters 3KND and PBS 106.7FM doing a joint broadcast for the Share The Spirit Festival. Doing exactly what I’m talking about – collaborating with each other to make the maximum impact for their communities.
Hi, I’m JB – I’ve been working as a broadcaster, content maker and comms advisor for nearly 20 years. Aus Comms Guide is my newsletter to share comms tips for good people and good causes. Sign up on email at auscommsguide.com
Amazing job alert!
I’ve been working with Super Consumers Australia over the last year (and their team is filled with lots of talented people I’ve had the pleasure to work with over many years) and I’m so excited that they’re recruiting for a Head of Strategic Communications:
https://www.ethicaljobs.com.au/members/choicehr/head-of-strategic-communications?locations=3
I’ve had a preview of the work they have coming up and if you love:
- Digging into quality research/data and crafting great stories out of it
- Working with talented policy experts, researchers and advocates
- Thinking strategically about getting the best community outcomes
- Taking a sometimes complex industry and de-mystifying it for different audiences
Then please, please, PLEASE consider applying for this role. I highly recommend their work and their team. (or pass on to someone you know would be great!)
Xavier O’Halloran, Katrina Ellis and the team are fantastic to work with and for.
Read more about their work on challenges facing renters in retirement here: https://superconsumers.com.au/journalism/people-who-rent-face-impossible-financial-challenge-in-retirement/
Starlight Foundation SuperSwim
On a personal note – I’m doing the Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia SuperSwim this month!
Initially I set a $500 target and my incredibly generous family, friends and colleagues beat that target within 48 hours. That’s now bumped up to $1000 and we’ve nearly beat that!
Today from 12pm AEDT Starlight have a donor matching your contributions – so if you want to double your impact and help me reach the $1000 please show your support from midday:
Interesting stuff
An interesting read from the summer break about how AI generated/fake experts managed to get quoted in the UK media on hundreds of occasions:
While I could despair, it reminds me of what I said earlier – collaboration is the cure – even in public relations. Stuff like this happens when our relationships are transactional, but when we genuinely collaborate with media we can achieve real outcomes for our audiences.
Jonathan Brown Comms is available
After a lovely summer break, Jonathan Brown Comms is amping up for the year.
I’m an experienced media trainer, communications consultant and change-maker. Let me be your comms nerd and cheerleader in 2026.
Email me at comms@jbau.com.au for a chat.
A huge thank you to James Cashion-Lozell and Cloud Three for helping spruce up Jonathan Brown Comms recently (These business cards are so gorgeous – please ask me for one if you see me!).
-JB
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