The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by 9-time Emmy Award Winning Journalist and Executive Coach Jane Hanson.

Follow Jane on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janehansontv

Follow Jane Hanson online at: http://janehanson.com

Jane answers these questions:

1. Jane, you spent nearly 3 decades as a broadcaster on NBC and won nine Emmys before becoming a communications coach. What did live television teach you about communication that most business leaders never get the chance to learn?
2. Your website carries a line I love — “Don’t EVER wing it” — along with that famous quip about how long a good speech takes to prepare. In a world of back-to-back meetings and AI-drafted talking points, what does real preparation look like for a busy executive?
3. You’ve coached leaders across finance, insurance, tech, fashion, media, pharma, and even chefs and restaurateurs. What’s the most common communication mistake you see, no matter the industry?
4. You help clients become “comfortable and commanding on camera.” Today so much leadership happens on video — all-hands calls, LinkedIn clips, podcasts, retailer pitches. What are the two or three things a leader can do right away to show up better on screen?
5. In your Forbes piece on the 2026 Oscars, you wrote that audiences remember stories far more than lists of names. How should a CPG or retail executive use storytelling in a boardroom, an earnings call, or a joint business plan with a retailer?
6. That same article praised Conan O’Brien’s humor for building rapport, but warned about letting humor become the headline. How can leaders use humor and personality to connect without creating a problem for themselves?
7. You’ve spent a career asking tough question in s as a journalist. Now that you coach the people being asked, how should a leader handle a hard question — whether it comes from a reporter, an investor, or their own team — without getting defensive or going off message?
8. Another lesson from your Oscars piece: your reputation enters the room before you do. In an era where every comment can be clipped and shared, how should leaders think about consistency and message discipline over the long term?
9. You wrote about how AI was supposed to make in-person conferences obsolete, and instead attendance is surging. As AI writes more of our emails, decks, and talking points, what parts of leadership communication must stay unmistakably human?
10. Much of your Forbes work focuses on how communication helps women advance. Looking at your reporting on the gender pay gap, where does communication — negotiating, advocating for yourself, being heard in the room — make the biggest difference, and what should organizations be doing differently?
11. You’ve also written about how consumer brands communicate with women — from the DIY beauty boom to the American Heart Association’s Go Red campaign with retailers. What can CPG leaders learn from those examples about speaking to consumers versus speaking to their own teams?
12. If a leader listening today could adopt just one communication habit starting Monday morning, what should it be?

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SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

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