Don’t Screw It Up: Executive Media Training Is a Business Imperative

Every executive has been there — articulate in the boardroom and then completely off-rhythm in front of a conference audience or a TV camera. Not because you lack expertise. Because the format changed and your preparation didn't.

The stakes have never been higher. A keynote that lands can elevate your organization’s reputation in a way that no press release can replicate. And a media interview that goes sideways can undo months of careful positioning. The difference between those two outcomes almost always comes down to one thing: preparation.

At Marino, we've spent more than 30 years preparing CEOs, founders, board members, and senior executives for the moments where reputation is made — or lost. We've guided executives through broadcast appearances, adversarial journalist encounters, investor events, and high-stakes conference keynotes across virtually every industry and regulatory environment.

Now, we’ve developed the Executive Speaking & Media Readiness Playbook — co-authored with veteran national news journalist and media training expert Jessica Layton — to put that institutional knowledge into a practical, field-tested, interactive framework any leader can use.

Inside, you'll find nine chapters covering message architecture, keynote structure, media interview protocol, crisis-adjacent Q&A, rehearsal progressions, on-camera fundamentals, and post-event follow-through.

Whether you have a speaking opportunity on the horizon or simply want your leadership team operating at a higher level of public readiness, this playbook is where preparation begins.

Download the playbook to get started.