Igniting powerful change across the globe through hope-filled news every single day.

Summary

Podcast Summary: Igniting Powerful Change Through Hope-Filled News

Podcast Information:

• Title: Becoming NEXTonSCENE™
• Host/Author: NEXTonSCENE Media, LLC
• Episode Title: Igniting powerful change across the globe through hope-filled news every single day
• Release Date: May 16, 2024

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In this inspiring episode of Becoming NEXTonSCENE™, host Jackie Zoc delves into the transformative power of positive journalism with special guest Kate Glaser, the founder of Hope Rises. The episode, released on May 16, 2024, explores how sharing uplifting stories can ignite meaningful change worldwide.

2. Host's Opening Remarks

Jackie Zoc sets the tone by sharing a valuable marketing and self-care tip on knowing your worth. She emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries both personally and professionally, illustrating this with her own experience of declining a client who undervalued her services. Jackie states:

“Knowing your worth no matter where you are in life. Like trust your instincts because your instincts might feel scary, but on the other side of scary are amazing doors that are going to open for you.” (00:00)

3. Introduction of Guest: Kate Glaser

Transitioning from her tip, Jackie introduces her guest, Kate Glaser, highlighting her role as the founder of Hope Rises. Kate is recognized for her work in storytelling, uplifting narratives, and her impact as a non-profit leader. Jackie warmly welcomes Kate to the podcast, setting the stage for an engaging conversation.

4. Hope Rises Platform Overview

Kate Glaser provides an insightful overview of Hope Rises, describing it as a good news platform dedicated to sharing hope-filled stories from around the globe. She elaborates on the mission to not only report positive news but also to make good news happen, having raised over $600,000 for various causes, including support for military families, children battling cancer, rescue animals, and first responders. Kate explains:

“We are more than just telling good news. We are making good news happen.” (03:46)

5. Kate Glaser's Background

Diving into her personal journey, Kate recounts her transition from a TV reporter to the non-profit sector, working with organizations like Make a Wish and Mercy Flight. Her passion for storytelling and making a tangible impact led her to establish Hope Rises in 2017, inspired by the tragic Las Vegas concert shooting. Kate shares:

“It was something that was needed more than ever for me to start Hope Rises.” (05:21)

6. Effective Pitching to Hope Rises

Jackie inquires about Kate’s approach to collaborations and story pitches. Kate outlines the qualities she values in pitches—kindness, preparedness, and patience. She advises against aggressive follow-ups and emphasizes the importance of providing comprehensive information and quality visuals to assist in storytelling. Kate advises:

“Approach everything with kindness, give people time to respond back, be patient, be understanding.” (10:04)

7. Current Trends and Interests

The conversation shifts to current television trends and their impact. Kate expresses her admiration for the animated series Bluey, praising its life lessons, while also discussing her passion for reality TV, particularly Love is Blind. She reflects on the dynamics of such shows and their portrayal of relationships, noting:

“I really appreciate the theme behind Love is blind, but it doesn't always end up in a good way.” (14:31)

8. A Day in the Life of Kate

Kate paints a vivid picture of her daily routine, balancing her roles as a non-profit leader, business owner, and mother of three young children. She highlights the collaborative efforts with her social media team and husband, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in managing her multifaceted responsibilities. Kate shares:

“There is no typical day... it's just crazy. We have so much going on.” (15:28)

9. Future Projects and Campaigns

Looking ahead, Kate outlines upcoming initiatives for Hope Rises, including a significant pediatric cancer awareness campaign in September. She discusses the ShineGold campaign, aimed at educating the public about the gold ribbon representing pediatric cancer, and the organization’s ongoing efforts to form creative partnerships and expand their positive impact. Kate emphasizes:

“We do a big campaign in September... to honor these kids who are fighting so, so hard.” (18:56)

10. Conclusion and How to Follow Hope Rises

As the episode wraps up, Kate provides information on how listeners can engage with Hope Rises, encouraging them to follow their social media platforms and contribute story ideas. Jackie expresses gratitude for Kate’s contributions and encourages the audience to support the mission by staying connected.

“You can definitely follow Hope Rises and Kate on all social media and stay in touch.” (21:22)

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Notable Quotes:

1. Jackie Zoc on Knowing Your Worth:
   “Knowing your worth no matter where you are in life. Like trust your instincts because your instincts might feel scary, but on the other side of scary are amazing doors that are going to open for you.”
   (00:00)

2. Kate Glaser on Making Good News Happen:
   “We are more than just telling good news. We are making good news happen.”
   (03:46)

3. Kate Glaser on Starting Hope Rises:
   “It was something that was needed more than ever for me to start Hope Rises.”
   (05:21)

4. Kate Glaser on Effective Pitching:
   “Approach everything with kindness, give people time to respond back, be patient, be understanding.”
   (10:04)

5. Kate Glaser on Reality TV Relationships:
   “I really appreciate the theme behind Love is blind, but it doesn't always end up in a good way.”
   (14:31)

6. Kate Glaser on Managing Multiple Roles:
   “There is no typical day... it's just crazy. We have so much going on.”
   (15:28)

7. Kate Glaser on Pediatric Cancer Campaign:
   “We do a big campaign in September... to honor these kids who are fighting so, so hard.”
   (18:56)

8. Jackie Zoc on Supporting Hope Rises:
   “You can definitely follow Hope Rises and Kate on all social media and stay in touch.”
   (21:22)

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Becoming NEXTonSCENE™ offers a compelling look into how positive journalism and purposeful storytelling can drive global change. Through Kate Glaser’s dedication to Hope Rises, listeners gain valuable insights into the power of good news and the impact of collective efforts in fostering hope and support for those in need. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a passionate storyteller, or someone looking to make a difference, this episode provides inspiration and practical advice on leveraging media for positive transformation.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome back to becoming Next on Scene, everybody. It is your host, Jackie Zoc. It is another awesome day for another awesome episode of how to become next on Scene in your field of business or in your passion. Before I bring on my amazing guests, I always like to start with a marketing tip to get your week started that can also be incorporated into some self care as well. My tip of the week is I just actually talked about this on my social media recently and it was about knowing your worth. And I think the this can be tied into your life personally or professionally. And if somebody really tests your boundaries and it doesn't feel aligned to you, do not take any steps forward to pursue that. I am a huge proponent now, even since becoming a mom, that as your time becomes more limited, no matter what you're doing in life, no matter who you are and what you face, I feel like it's really important to set boundaries. And the moment that you do, even better, doors start opening up for you. And I was recently tested myself not too long ago and it was really about somebody who wanted me to discount my services to work with them. And I didn't really know them at all. And I am a huge proponent. I give back on a regular basis. I mentor, I give back to different charities. I constantly am doing things to support other people, whether it's personally or professionally. And for somebody to ask me who didn't know me at all really made me feel vulnerable and insecure about my worth. And so I actually declined. I really took, I took the initiative and it was very out of my comfort zone, but I declined and just shared that this wasn't fit and this was my price point. And whether it worked for you or not, like I totally understood. But this is what it is. And at the end of the day, we ended up not working together, which is fine, you know, choose the path that works best for you. But since that door closed, I had two amazing clients come in my funnel that didn't even question my worth and absolutely paid my value. And it was amazing and a huge step to recognize that sometimes knowing your worth and your value, even though it's scary, can be so huge. So I really believe in like knowing your worth no matter where you are in life. Like trust your instincts because your instincts might feel scary, but on the other side of scary are amazing doors that are going to open for you. So I wanted to share that tip with you today. Now we're going to bring on my amazing guest. We have Kate Glaser, who is the founder of Hope Rises she is doing such amazing things with storytelling, uplifting, amazing stories. She has a journalist background and she still is a journalist today, but she's an amazing platform where she promotes amazing stories that have great charitable components. And her platforms are now global. So if you're not familiar with her, definitely check her out and hear from the Amazing Kate. The ups, the downs, and all the in between.

[B]

What it takes to become Next on Scene. Are you next? Follow us at Next on Scene.

[A]

Welcome back to becoming Next on Scene, everybody. I'm so excited to be here with the amazing Kate Glazer. She is the founder of Hope Rises. Kate, welcome to the podcast.

[B]

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.

[A]

So excited. So for those of you who don't know who you are, tell us what Hope Rises is. You are doing such amazing things, so I can't wait for you to share with my audience what it's about.

[B]

Yeah, I appreciate it. So we are a good news platform. Everyone loves good news, right? It's something that is so needed nowadays, especially with so much going on in the world and really hard stuff to see. So we focus on the really beautiful stories. Sometimes they are a little sad, but there is always hope and that's what's inspired Hope Rises. Because hope does rise out of every tragedy. So that is kind of how we started as a good news blog and now we are a big platform. We span across the globe. We have followers all across the world. We have stories that we highlight all across the world. I am from Buffalo, New York. So, you know, go Buffalo Bills. I'm very, you know, New York based. However, we tell stories all across the world and we are just so thrilled that it's grown so much. We are also a nonprofit, so we are more than just telling good news. We are making good news happen. We've raised over $600,000 for causes and families and organizations and individuals that are in need. So we're just so proud to not just, like I said, tell good stories, but also make good stories happen. We've impacted the military, children fighting cancer, rescue animals, first responders. We have done so much food insecurity, educational sort of projects. It's just been amazing how it's grown in five years.

[A]

Amazing. And how did it come about? Like, what inspired this? Because it's really amazing what you guys are doing.

[B]

So thank you so much. So I've always wanted to start a blog. It was something that I've always believed in. I actually left my role as a TV reporter back in 2013, went into the Nonprofit sector. I worked for Make a Wish and an organization called Mercy Flight, which is life saving helicopters. So I really loved my job, but I really missed some storytelling elements. So when I was at Mercy Flight, I decided to start Hope Rises. And I was actually driving back from a family trip I was on in Florida. So all those hours driving home and I don't know, it's about 22 hours from Buffalo to Orlando. And we had heard over the radio the Las Vegas tragedy where the gunman had gunned down people at a country concert. And country music is something I love. It's something that I find a lot of joy in. I go with my friends to country concerts, and it's just a big part of our summer sort of like, agenda. We always go to country concerts here in Buffalo. And to be there and to experience something so evil, it's something so joyful for so many, it just felt like it was needed more than ever for me to start Hope Rises. It was something that I had thought about for years, but it really was that moment where I said, now is the time to bring good news right to people's, you know, phones, right to people's social media platforms. So that was kind of the inspiration behind starting it so fast. And within, like, two days, I had a logo. I had my first Facebook story up. I actually highlighted one of my co workers who is a pediatric cancer survivor, and she was one of my first stories. Her name is Melody. And that was back in 2017. And I want to say that story got like, maybe 80 likes. It was not a very big launch. When we started, we were very grassroots. We still. We still are very grassroots, but I do feel like we have grown so much, and that's because we've been consistent and we've really been just a very trusted brand for so many people that want to follow good news.

[A]

Amazing. I think it's so inspiring. I love the stories you guys are sharing and all the things. So thank you. So you also have a background, as you share earlier, as a reporter. So what were you doing, like, before Hope Rises? Tell us more about that.

[B]

Yeah. So started my career as a TV reporter, and prior to that, actually I used to work as a high schooler, which is crazy, But I did this. I was a reporter for my local newspaper. So I've always been a storyteller. I've always had a passion for news and information and being able to help people through stories. It's such a powerful thing to give people a platform to share their story because so many people have really good stories. But not everyone has a platform to share their story and we can only be as good as the stories that we share. Right. We are very, very big on choosing stories that are not just one sided or one specific topic. We really cover so many different people, so many different ethnicities and cultures and it's so, so important. So I've always had a passion for that. So I was a print journalist, then I went into TV journalism. I was a reporter for about eight years in the TV and left that to go work for Make a Wish Foundation. Pediatric cancer is something that I am very passionate about. It has touched my family personally. So being able to give these kids wish a life changing wish was so important for me. So I worked at Make a wish for 10 years and then I went on to work at Mercy Flight, like I said, which is a life saving helicopter agency. I did PR for them and marketing and then I went back into the journalism type of thing by starting Hope Rises. So I Dabble still into TV news. I have a segment every Wednesday on Channel 4 here in Buffalo. It's our CBS affiliate. And I still do commercials and I still do a bunch of TV stuff. But as far as that full time gig, I don't. But I really do respect our journalists and our reporters who go through so, so much. And it's a very grueling career. It sometimes isn't paid very well. However, you really have to have a passion for doing what you do.

[A]

Mm. And I'm sure you get reached out by a lot of people from all different backgrounds and pitching different stories. Like, what are some of your biggest turnoffs and things that, that are like, actually like, thank you for reaching out. Like, I was actually inspired by you.

[B]

Yeah. I think people that just approach things with kindness always as a turn on for me, someone who's not aggressive, someone who comes at it from someone else's perspective. Reporters are very stretched thin. So I will say that even I get a ton of requests for coverage through Hope Rises because we have so many followers. We have over 725,000 followers on Instagram alone. And then TikTok and Facebook are its own platform. But I will say that, you know, having someone reach out if they don't hear back right away, like consistently every single day is a big turn off for someone because reporters are going through so much and they will get back to you if the story makes sense and if it fits their sort of like theme of the week or whatever they're looking for. So I will say that just approach everything with kindness, give people time to respond back, be patient, be understanding. And the biggest thing I love is when people prepare the reporters with information and content. And sometimes we as reporters can't grab good photos or good video. We have to rely on the person that's pitching it to do that. And making it easy for a reporter is the biggest, I would say, a asset for any PR person.

[A]

I love that. Thank you for sharing. Because of course, people all the time to pitch themselves and they feel like when they get ghosted, it's just maybe it's not fit right now, but it doesn't mean you can either. Right?

[B]

So, yeah, and I have had people reach out, you know, like, let's say they reached out initially and then a couple months later they said, hey, didn't hear back from you. Like, would love to try to see if this fits into your schedule, your agenda. Like that makes total sense as opposed to someone reaching out every single day. Because I have had that before and it can be a little overwhelming.

[A]

I'm sure. I'm sure. Because it's not like it's the only thing you have time for, honestly.

[B]

Right. That's like 100%. Yeah. 100.

[A]

So what are some like trends that you're following right now that are really intriguing you in terms of like anything your kids might be watching or shows you watch that are really standing out to you?

[B]

Oh my gosh. My kids are like big Bluey fans. I have very young kids. But I will say that Bluey is actually like an amazing show. It has so many life lessons. If you do not watch Bluey, go watch it. It actually is really good. I have a 3 year old and I have two 7 year olds, so I am a very, very busy mom. But I will say Bluey's always like a number one. I don't know if that's a trend per se, but I really appreciate Bluey and what Bluey brings to my kids. As far as like what I like, I will say that I'm serious person when it comes to my job and making sure that I'm like, you know, everything is in line, ducks are, ducks are in a row and. But I love, absolutely love reality tv. So anything like kind of like that junk reality tv, I really love it. My favorite show right now is Love is Blind. I don't know if that's like a trendy thing. I think it is, but I'm a big Love is Blind junkie. I love anything with Bravo. Love is Blind, the dating sort of like reality TV shows. It's just one of those things that you can kind of like just watch and have, you know, just kind of veg and just kind of get your mind off the seriousness of the career because it can be quite overwhelming. Like I said, we're running a media platform, a business, and also a non profit, so things are a little crazy. But I do love my reality tv.

[A]

I love that. Me too. That is my guilty pleasure too, I have to say. So I can totally. And I. You are.

[B]

Are you a love is blind sort of fan?

[A]

I didn't watch this season, but I watched every other season. How is this season? I'm like, good.

[B]

It's good. It's a little slow. I will say only one couple, and I feel like this is not a spoiler because I'm not going to say who, but only one couple ends up getting married. So it was kind of sad that there was only one and the matches were really off. There was a lot of drama this season. So I feel like people do love that, but I genuinely love when a couple gets marri and they're still together and they find that love because finding love can be really hard in this day and age. So I really appreciate the theme behind Love is blind, but it doesn't always end up in a good way. Right. So there was a lot of drama this season, but I still love it. I still love watching and seeing the couples interact.

[A]

It reminds me of the Bachelor and Bachelorette. Right. Because they have such a short period of time to, like, get to know each other. And, like, love is blind is like you don't even know who's behind the wall and you have this, like, a limited time to get engaged. It's like, like fascinating. It really is.

[B]

It's fascinating. And I will say I would never, like, live up to the test because I really do feel like you need to see someone in person to know if you really love them. I, I, it's just the chemistry you get from someone, and talking through a wall can be really tough. So I give these people a lot of credit, especially those who end up together and they're still together. Like, that is a testament to personalities matching and how that can really work. But I don't think I could do it myself, that's for sure.

[A]

Me neither. I have to agree with. I don't think that's my forte for sure. Yes.

[B]

Right, Right. But it's still fun.

[A]

Yeah. So how. What's a day in the life of Kate like? Because you have a few different things that you juggle. So, like, Walk us through a typical day.

[B]

There is no typical day. I just. Because I just hired someone who is like my social media girl. She's really, really vibrant. She's in her young twenties, very, very good at what she does. She loves. I have put her on things that are just so different. And she's like, wow, working for you is a little interesting, but it's fun, you know, like, everything is positive, but it's so great. So, for example, like, one of her days was we went over and we shot do you know the Shamrock Shakes? I don't know if you've ever heard of those through McDonald's. I hope that's not just a Buffalo thing. I thought they were nationwide, but they're a shake at McDonald's that are green. It's for St. Patrick's Day, but it benefits the Ronald McDonald Charity Charities, which is a great charity in most of the U.S. i mean, Ronald McDonald houses are everywhere. So the sale of those shakes benefit Ronald McDonald House. So that makes sense for us to cover that on Hope Rises because we tell stories of, you know, people doing good things and charities and organizations. So I sent her to do a reel at McDonald with the Shamrock Shake and to interview Ronald McDonald House Charities. And then she went over to our eye care clients, who is one of the biggest eye care clients in Buffalo. And he does, you know, Lasik and evo ICL and cataract surgery. So he is involved in that. So she went over and did a meeting with him and did some reels with him. And then she helped me with another project that I was working on for the nonprofit right after that. It was a commercial shoot. So, I mean, it's just crazy. We have so much going on. Like I said, we have the nonprofit, we have a business which works with clients on marketing and branding and social media, and then we have the media platform. So she also sources a lot of media videos for us. So if we're looking for content, she'll go on TikTok and she'll go on Instagram and look for really vibrant content. And then we contact every one of those creators to see if we can utilize that video for a video on our channel. That's kind of how it works. So she does a lot of sourcing for videos as well, because I don't always have the time to go on and research videos. So she's a big help in making sure that we can always have really vibrant, very positive content.

[A]

I love it. And then. But then beyond work, like when you're home with the Kids, are you cooking? Yeah.

[B]

Beyond work? Yeah. That is a whole nother thing. So we actually. My husband is amazing. He is a huge asset when it comes to running everything. He also helps us a lot with running the behind the scenes. But I am not a cook. I'm really, really bad, actually. I've always admitted that I'm horrible. So my idea of dinner is to go to Wegmans, which is our local grocery store. That is amazing. And they make these really fresh meals. So I would do that every single night of the week and probably once in a while, cook, like, I don't know, quesadillas or something. I am the worst cook in the world. But we really do tag team it. We step up for each other. We really do help each other in this busy lifestyle, because, like I said, we have three kids, and they're seven and under, so things are a little busy. But we are just so grateful for each other and for working together as a team. I would say.

[A]

I love it. So what's, like, what are you working on for this summer? Like, what's coming up for you guys in terms of, like, the summer into the fall?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, we have a big pediatric cancer campaign because September is pediatric cancer awareness month. So we do a big campaign in September. But into, like, June, June, July, August is kind of when we fundraise. Last year, we raised just about $150,000 for pediatric cancer in September with our big campaign called ShineGold. Because gold is the ribbon for pediatric cancer. A big part of that is a lot of people know that pink is for breast cancer. Pink is something that is worn all the time. There's been so many great branding around breast cancer as there should be. But not a lot of people know that the pediatric cancer ribbon is yellow or gold and that it's in September, and that we should be honoring these kids who are fighting so, so hard. So we do a big campaign in September. So that is a big part of our summer as far as, like, you know, hope rises, we turn gold. Starting September 1st through September 30th, we do every single day, we tell a story of a warrior on our page. That is something that's very, very important to me and something that I think we can all do something to give back to these kids. So as far as the platform goes, that is a big initiative that we have every single year. And I don't know, we're doing a bunch of different cool branding things. We are working with a couple different partners to link up and tell their good stories. And kind of do brand deals and all of that. So it's been really awesome to see how we just sort of every single day, every single week, there's new opportunities and new ways that we can grow our brand.

[A]

Yeah, it's kind of endless in. In your world.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because you have less options when you run it, which is amazing. So you do.

[B]

You do so. I used to work for very, very corporate organizations. Like I said, I used to work for Make a Wish. They're probably one of the most, as far as when it comes to their brands, one of the most protective, which they should be because they are an amazing organization. But it was really hard to do kind of unique, out of the box sort of partnerships when I worked at Make a Wish. Now that I run Hope Rises, we can really kind of kind of play around and be creative and not be limited to a certain box. So I'm grateful for that for sure.

[A]

I love it. Well, thank you so much for making the time today. How can people follow you? Stay in touch and all the things.

[B]

Yes, we're on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook under Hope Rises network. We have a yellow sun is our logo. There's a couple different, like Hope Rises sort of platforms, but we have a yellow sun and we. Our tagline is to ignite hope through stories of love and goodwill from across the globe. So send us your story ideas if you have any, you know, unique things that you want to highlight. Like I said, we have over a million followers across our digital social media platforms. We have a very active website, so feel free to pitch stories to us and hopefully we can cover them.

[A]

Amazing. Thank you, Kate. You're awesome. Everybody. Definitely follow Hope Rises and Kate on all social media and stay in touch. Thank you so much for watching, becoming Next on Scene and listening. And stay tuned for who's next on scene.

[B]

The ups, the downs and all the in between. What it takes to become Next on Scene. Are you next? Follow us at Next on Scene.