Your Most Loved Content of 2025
plus the lessons we learned that we are (and def are NOT) taking with us đ©·
Thank you so much for letting us show up in your inbox.
Affiliate has long been the wild wild west, and we are genuinely excited to help you navigate it with clarity, context, and strategies that actually fit how PR works in the real world.
We have also had a wave of new subscribers join us recently, so we wanted to pause for a moment and look back on some of our most loved pieces from 2025, just in case you missed them.
Based on opens, shares, and replies, these were our top stacks of 2025:
đ„ The Rise of Reddit and What PR People Arenât Ready For
đ„ PR Metrics Are Broken but Performance PR Has the Tools to Fix Them
đ„ How to Find Affiliate Managers
What this tells us is important.
Youâre not here for surface level affiliate tips. You are here because you are operating inside an evolving industry and you see the seismic shift others are ignoring in traditional PR. You want to find ways to pitch smarter, provide accurate reporting, set better client expectations all while learning to navigate internal silos with grace and poise.
You see media email replies plummet.
You see commerce content bleed into every facet of media.
You see affiliate decisions happening outside of PR, and you want to secure a seat at the table so your insights actually shape how those decisions get made.
Above all, you do not want to be caught on the sidelines. You want to be in the game, and this is why you are my people. That is exactly why this Substack exists.
Weâll continue to focus on where PR, affiliate, AI and performance actually intersect. We will break down how to speak affiliate without abandoning PR credibility. We will flag what editors, brands, and networks are quietly changing before it becomes obvious. And we will share practical frameworks you can use with clients, teams, or leadership immediately.
If you are newer here or missed one of those issues, start with the three pieces above. They form the backbone of how we think about Performance PR, not as a trend, but as an evolution of the work many of you are already doing. Weâll link âem at the bottom of the newsletter, too.
And if you have been here for a while, thank you. From the bottom of our hearts. Your replies, forwards, and questions are shaping what comes next more than you probably realize.
Now, given the holiday gifting spirit, here are 5 things I spotted this week that PR and Affiliate pros need in their life. As they say
Gifts for the PR and Affiliate Pro
Under $50
Wired Earbuds (Yes, On Purpose) - https://amzn.to/48P5Pdu
Bluetooth is convenient, but it comes with tradeoffs people rarely talk about, including constant low-level EMF exposure (sorry, health nerd over here) but also inconsistent audio quality. If youâre recording podcasts in 2026, or doing remote segments via zoom, wired earbuds remove one more variable, give you cleaner sound.
A Good Book - Stop what youâre doing right now and find a good book, but one for your phone, but a physical one. There is something really special about picking up a hard copy of a good read. I rotate between spiritual reads, thrillers, and business books.
Some I had read this year and highly recommend:
đ Day Trading Attention â Gary Vaynerchuk - https://amzn.to/4qhD4M7
Gary Veeâs playbook for social media. Weâre not just chasing eyeballs, but understanding where attention lives, why it matters, and how to capture it strategically. For PR pros and affiliate communicators, this book reframes content, context, and cadence and helps anyone understand the changes that have occurred in social media into what he now refers to as interest media.đ Your Fully Charged Life â Meaghan B. Murphy - https://amzn.to/4ap5sY8
Yes, that Meaghan from Hearst. A thoughtful blend of mindset, rest, and intentional living thatâs shockingly applicable to performance work. If youâre running on hustle-culture fumes and spreadsheets, this book helps you rethink energy, priorities, and what actually fuels sustainable impact.đ Marketing to Mindsets - https://amzn.to/3Y7y9la
A framework for moving beyond demographics and into the why behind choices. This one zeroes in on how people actually think, which is essential for those of us who craft thoughtful messages, pitches, and experiences that need to resonate in a crowded narrative landscape.
Portable Seat Cushion (Because Your Chair Probably Sucks)
https://amzn.to/4aptjqJ - Pick up a portable seat cushion, like Cabeauâs Evolution Cushion. Itâs lightweight and shockingly helpful for long days at your work from home desk, wherever that is. Itâs actually designed for those crappy airline seats, so imagine what it can do for your work from home kitchen chair.
â Pour-Over Coffee Setup
My morning routine includes quiet, coffee, and no notifications. Iâve been doing pour-over for years and it forces a pause you didnât realize you needed. This setup is simple, calming, and makes genuinely better coffee.
Kettle: https://amzn.to/4aptjqJ
Maker: https://amzn.to/495LO18
A couple splurges
Work From Home Slippers - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098MD5ZV3
There is at least one day a week or month that you are buried in admin work, am I right? So for those days, your feet deserve a little break. Cozy, supportive slippers are one of those âwhy didnât I do this soonerâ upgrades.
âïž SAD Light Therapy Lamp (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
Seasonal depression is real, and it hits women harder than men. Less sunlight impacts mood, focus, and energy. This lamp consistently ranks well in Wirecutter testing and is a smart addition if your workday starts before sunrise or ends after sunset. Mental health is part of our performance, full stop!
2026
We also wanted to share a few things weâre focused on for 2026 and hope they inspire you to take time to reflect on your work and how you spend your time. Itâs the only thing you can never get back.
ditching decks - gone are the days where we are okay with building 100 decks just for the sake of building a deck. Less is more.
more networking - 2026 will be the year of massive networking for Sarah specifically. If you want to chat, just reach out. While we are protecting our time, networking is a HUGE priority for Sarah.
more creative partnerships - Kris is asking clients & affiliate partners to think outside of the box & sharing more ideas about things we could test - always happy to gather more data.
Cute reminders because we all need them:
donât think you need to do this alone; reach out for help & take a 3 hour break to go on a walk, eat something you love & call a bestie - it will help settle the nervous system.
set boundaries RIGHT away with everyone. Clients. Friends. Romantic Partners. Family. Wontâ be taking calls on Friday? Say it before you onboard!! Donât want to host a family gathering, suggest you meet at a fun central location instead. Invite more of the things that make you feel loved & taken care of.
donât be afraid to do the thing youâre scared of. you start. you suck. you learn. you ask questions. you get better.
Thank you all for being here.
Enjoy your break and see you in 2026, friends!
Links to top stacks from 2025: