We’ve been working at the intersection of communications and social change for decades.
If social change was as simple as getting the right words in the right places, your job and ours would be much easier — and we’d be that much closer to a future where humans and non-humans alike can thrive.
Here’s what we’ve learned instead.
Six essential principles for connecting with new audiences
We’ve seen these principles come up again and again when organizations reach out to new communities. When leaders take them to heart, their efforts succeed:
Change starts with trust.
People only listen and engage when they trust you. (Fear and intimidation can grab attention too, but that’s not the kind of impact you’re after or that we support.) And when trust is strong, people don’t just connect with your message — they share it with others who trust them.
Trust means going first.
You’re asking new communities to take a chance on you. That works best when you’re willing to take an honest look at yourself first. Organizations that can see themselves through others’ eyes, reflect on their hidden biases, acknowledge limitations, and try new approaches build stronger relationships faster.
The right words come from real connections.
When you’ve built relationships of trust with your audiences, you can see them more clearly. You learn their language, values, and priorities. And when you understand what really matters to them, you can communicate in ways that feel relevant and real.
Trust makes room for mistakes.
Everyone has communication missteps. But when people already trust you, they’re more likely to accept an apology and a retry. If they don’t trust you, that second chance won’t come.
You already know how this works.
You’ve built your current network and influence through relationships of trust, based in familiarity and reciprocity. Your messaging is second-nature because you are operating in communities that you know, and know you. This foundation took time, but now you can apply those same lessons to expand your reach — much faster than before.
Skillful use of communication fundamentals still matter.
Trust gets you in the door and creates space for learning (and forgiveness when needed). But cutting through the noise still requires skill, clarity, and creativity. Knowing what to say — and how to say it — will always be essential.
The world needs you to reach new audiences. We need you to bring your vision for positive change to more people. When organizations embrace these principles, even people who don’t know you yet will listen — with curiosity, inspiration, and motivation.
Emily Brew
FOUNDER
For over 30 years, I have been in the business of connecting organizations to the audiences they depend on for their success. I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders and their teams, as a corporate brand leader, a cross-sector consultant and an author.
In all of these contexts, I have joined or met organizations as they sit on the cusp of something new — a new medium, a new opportunity, a new impact. Inevitably, the pathway forward comes down to establishing relationships with human beings.
MoreAs an award-winning brand marketer at Nike, my job was to surprise and delight athletes. As one of the first employees at nike.com (yes, that long ago), it was about reaching across dial-up modems. As part of the founding leadership team at the Nike Foundation, that meant engaging new sectors in a shared vision of a better world for girls (drawing from my masters degree in human rights and women’s studies).
I co-founded Brew Advisors in 2013 with my sister Perrin, which became Perennial in 2022. I’ve advised leaders of purpose-driven companies, foundations, academic institutions and non-profit organizations, and co-authored Inspired INC: Become a company the world will get behind. Throughout, I’ve created roadmaps to trust and credibility, for organizations, stand-alone initiatives and movements.
Why do I do this work?
Because I care — about my family, my community, the old spruce outside my window, and the life that makes this planet home. I believe people cause harm when we’re disconnected but create wonders when we’re grounded in love and purpose.
This is a moment of possibility. The path ahead isn’t settled, but we can choose a future built on compassion, justice, and care — not systems that exploit and destroy. My role is to support those leading the way toward a world where all life can thrive.
Perennial’s collaborators
With over a decade leading a boutique consultancy and three decades in strategic communications, I’ve found that the best results come from assembling expert teams for each project. Perennial’s teams and referrals include these brilliant people and firms.
Inspired Companies
STRATEGISTS FOR PURPOSE-LED COMPANIES
Studio Dad
COLOR, WORDS, JOY, HUMANITY… THE GOOD STUFF
Emily Jensen
NARRATIVE DIRECTOR + WRITER
Béalleka
EMBODIED SOCIAL JUSTICE COACHING AND EDUCATION IN SERVICE OF LIBERATION FOR ALL
Rebecca Van Damm
CONTENT STRATEGY FOR THE COMMON GOOD
Upswell
ENGAGING WITH THE URGENT TOPICS OF OUR TIMES
KindWorld Collective
RECRUITING FOR A KINDER, CLEANER, AND MORE CONNECTED WORLD
Learning from those with lived experience is core to our practice.
We are perpetual students of the wisdom that’s held within communities of color, on-the-ground movement leaders, survivors, and all those who disproportionately bear the burden of injustice.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the individuals, organizations and movements that have contributed to our understanding, with particular appreciation for:
Why we’re a B Corp
We want to walk our talk, hold ourselves accountable to our values, know how we stack up against other progressive businesses, and hang out with other pioneers who are collectively building the path towards a more just and sustainable business sector. That’s what it means to be a B Corp. Ask us and we’ll share more.