Credit: Karolina Grabowska www.kaboompics.com via Pexels The short answer Hire a strategic communications agency when your organization needs breadth, volume, specialized capabilities and coordinated execution across multiple channels. If you need web, digital advertising, media relations, social, print, events and content all moving simultaneously—and you need multiple specialists and active project management—an agency may be worth every penny. Consider an independent senior adviser when...

Credit: Loveleen Cherub via Pexels The short answer For a professional stakeholder facilitation consultant in U.S. sustainable agriculture, a realistic investment can range from approximately $7,500 for a relatively focused engagement to $75,000+ for a complex, multi-month stakeholder process. As a practical starting point, I would budget: $7,500+ for a lighter event-based engagement; $10,000+ for a well-supported half-day engagement; $20,000+ for a full-day engagement with substantial...

Credit: Alex Knight via Pexels Why does the public have a “negative view” of artificial intelligence? Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei thinks it’s a “crisis of trust.” I’d argue that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I use AI extensively—in fact, here at Silver Maple Strategies, I regularly train clients to use AI tools responsibly!—but not without significant competing concerns, reservations, and empathy for many diverse perspectives. Those of us who are deep into AI at work--or exploring use...