Today we’d like to introduce you to Catharine Montgomery

Hi Catharine, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I started Better Together out of a deep passion for creating a more just and equitable world through strategic communication and social impact initiatives. My journey was far from easy, marked by significant challenges that shaped my resolve and direction.

After graduating from college, I entered the professional world with a strong desire to make a difference. However, I quickly encountered systemic biases and microaggressions that many Black women face in the workplace. My previous job was a painful chapter, where I had to leave due to a racist colleague who faced no consequences and was instead promoted. This experience motivated me—it ignited a determination to build something that not only stands against such injustices but also actively works toward social responsibility and impact.

With the support of a venture capital firm, I founded Better Together in January 2023. The agency was not just a business for me; it was a passion project to make a real difference in the world. I wanted to ensure that organizations didn’t just pay lip service to social responsibility but took meaningful actions to drive positive change.

Our approach at Better Together is innovative and data-driven. We use strategic communications to address the root causes of social issues, and we collaborate with purpose-driven organizations to create impactful solutions. One of our standout projects involves tailoring a communication campaign to reach underrepresented women with breast cancer, using data to identify the best methods of delivering resources to them.

Building Better Together is a journey of growth and learning. I’ve learned the importance of networking and building authentic relationships, which helped us secure our first clients. Honesty and transparency with clients about what it takes to be successful in communications have also been crucial. Fostering a positive work culture where intrinsic motivation thrives has been a cornerstone of our success.

Better Together is a testament to resilience, passion, and the power of collaboration. We offer comprehensive services, including brand strategy, media relations, content development, and stakeholder engagement, all aimed at driving social impact and sustainability. My journey has been filled with challenges and triumphs, but every step has reinforced my commitment to positively impacting society.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

The road to establishing Better Together was anything but smooth. It’s been a journey filled with significant challenges that have tested my resilience and determination.

One of the earliest and most impactful struggles was leaving my previous job due to a toxic work environment. Facing racism from a colleague who faced no repercussions was a painful experience. It was a stark reminder of the systemic biases that Black women often encounter in the workplace. This incident fueled my determination to create a business that stood against injustices and actively worked toward social equity.

The opportunity to start Better Together came when I wasn’t actively seeking to launch my own agency. I discovered the chance through a Slack group called Ladies Get Paid. This unexpected opportunity aligned perfectly with my passion for social impact and strategic communications, and I decided to seize it.

Starting Better Together came with its own set of challenges. Attracting clients was initially (and sometimes continues to be) daunting. I spend countless hours networking, attending events and building authentic relationships to gain trust and establish our brand in the market.

One significant challenge is maintaining our commitment to working with purpose-driven organizations, regardless of their size. Many organizations doing meaningful work often lack the funds to afford our services, but I have remained steadfast in our mission. We’ve found a balance by taking on a mix of clients that allow us to stick to our mission of using communications to achieve equity.

I’ve faced the constant pressure of proving myself in an industry where Black women executives are underrepresented. Overcoming imposter syndrome and building my confidence is an ongoing journey. Embracing my identity and building strong relationships with allies and mentors is crucial in overcoming these challenges.

Despite these struggles, each challenge has reinforced my commitment to our mission. Better Together is now a thriving agency, known for its innovative, data-driven approach to social impact. We’ve built a team that shares our passion and dedication, and together, we continue to navigate the challenges and celebrate our successes.

As you know, we’re big fans of Better Together. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?

Better Together is more than a communications and marketing agency; it’s a mission-driven venture making a tangible difference in the world. Founded with a deep-seated passion for social impact, our agency works exclusively with organizations committed to positively impacting the world, regardless of size, to drive meaningful change through strategic communications.

We specialize in several services, including brand strategy, media relations, crisis communications, content development, and stakeholder engagement. What sets us apart is our innovative, data-driven approach to addressing social issues. We don’t just create campaigns; we use data to tailor our strategies, ensuring that our efforts reach the right audiences in the most effective ways. For example, one of our standout projects involves creating a communication campaign specifically designed to reach underrepresented women with breast cancer, using data to identify the best methods of delivering resources to them.

Our commitment to social impact and sustainability is unwavering. We believe real change happens when people come together to make a difference. This belief is embedded in everything we do, from the clients we choose to work with to the way we develop and execute our strategies.

Brand-wise, I am incredibly proud of the reputation we’ve built for authenticity and impact. Our clients trust us because we not only talk about making a difference; we actively work toward it. We’ve become known for our ability to transform words into impactful deeds, helping organizations promise social responsibility and live it.

What I want readers to know about Better Together is that we are committed to creating a more just and equitable world. We partner with organizations that share our passion for social impact and sustainability, and we provide them with the tools and strategies they need to make a real difference. Whether it’s through innovative communication campaigns, effective media relations, or comprehensive brand strategies, we are here to help our clients achieve their goals and drive positive change.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?

The communications, and marketing industries are on the brink of significant transformation over the next 5-10 years, primarily driven by advancements in technology, particularly generative AI. Integrating AI will revolutionize how we approach our work, creating both opportunities and challenges.

Generative AI has the potential to enhance our capabilities in ways we’ve only begun to explore. From automating routine tasks to generating content ideas, AI can free up valuable time for creative and strategic thinking. One of the critical areas we must address is the inherent biases in generative AI systems. At Better Together, we are actively researching and working on identifying and mitigating these biases to ensure that our AI-driven solutions promote equity and inclusivity.

As we move forward, our industry must embrace AI while being mindful of its limitations and ethical implications. We must develop frameworks that ensure AI-generated content is fair, unbiased and representative of diverse perspectives. This involves training AI models on diverse datasets, regularly auditing AI outputs for bias, and being transparent about how AI is used in our processes.

In addition to the ethical considerations, the adoption of generative AI will bring about significant changes in how we execute campaigns and engage with audiences. Personalized content at scale, predictive analytics for campaign performance, and enhanced customer insights are a few of the areas where AI will make a substantial impact. These advancements will enable us to deliver more targeted and effective communications, ultimately driving better results for our advocacy partners.

Another major trend will be the shift toward more integrated and holistic marketing strategies. As data becomes more accessible and AI tools more sophisticated, we’ll see a convergence of various marketing disciplines—PR, content marketing, and social media—into unified strategies that offer seamless brand experiences across multiple touchpoints.

The role of human creativity and emotional intelligence will become even more critical. While AI can handle data-driven tasks and generate content, the human touch in crafting compelling narratives, building relationships, and understanding nuanced audience needs will remain irreplaceable. The key will be finding the right balance between leveraging AI for efficiency and maintaining the human elements that make our work impactful.

Another exciting development on the horizon is the impact of Google’s Gemini and its new search features. These advancements could potentially eliminate the traditional need for SEO and keywords on websites. With AI-driven search capabilities, the focus will shift from optimizing content for specific keywords to creating high-quality, relevant content that AI can easily interpret and deliver to users. This shift will encourage a more natural and user-centric approach to content creation, further emphasizing the importance of authenticity and value in our communications.

The next decade will bring transformative changes to our industry, driven by generative AI and other technological advancements. By embracing these changes, addressing ethical concerns, and integrating AI thoughtfully, we can harness its potential to elevate our work and drive meaningful social impact.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebettertogether.agency
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thebettertogetheragency