Mainland

&nbsp;

When it comes to people who wear multiple hats, Cassie McAloon can certainly be deemed fashionable. Prior to joining <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mainland" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Mainland</a> three years ago, McAloon started her career in TV news while attending Marquette University. Her first role was working as an Associate Producer for ABC Milwaukee, eventually taking a job with Weigel Broadcasting in Chicago post graduation. 

While the newsroom was exciting, McAloon decided that she ultimately wanted something with more structure on a daily basis. &ldquo;I decided that I really wanted to find a position that offered me the ability to work regular hours again,&rdquo; said McAloon. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;re in the newsroom, you are working late nights, early mornings and your day is completely dependent on the news cycle.&rdquo; 

Working for a startup within Weigel, McAloon gained experience with social media. When looking for new roles, she found an opportunity at <a href="https://www.hellomainland.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-behind-a-computer-to-on-camera-how-cassie-mcaloon-connected-her-own-silos-2709916" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Mainland</a> to merge her passion for content with her interest in social media by working as a writer. 

&ldquo;When I first started at Mainland, I was only one of two writers responsible for all content,&rdquo; said McAloon. &ldquo;I really enjoyed the challenge, and as I became more and more in-tune with the vision, I decided I wanted to try my hand in digital account management as well, working closely with those we represent. That was a role that didn&rsquo;t exist previously. You&rsquo;ll find that at Mainland, if there&rsquo;s somewhere specific you want to go, you can ask for it and they&rsquo;ll work with you to make it happen.&rdquo; 

Since first joining the company, McAloon <a href="https://1851franchise.com/pennstation/qsr-magazine-how-to-turn-pizza-experience-into-sandwich-franchising-success-2708208#author" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">has written countless articles</a> tied to the franchise industry, helping to lead the charge on digital content for current digital publications <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mainland" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">1851 Franchise</a> and <a href="https://estatenvy.com/index.php?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-behind-a-computer-to-on-camera-how-cassie-mcaloon-connected-her-own-silos-2709916" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">ESTATENVY</a>. Additionally, she has been a pivotal part of what the company refers to as &lsquo;connecting the silos,&rsquo; or bridging the gap between social and digital content, as well as public relations and traditional media.

&ldquo;As a writer, we started the &lsquo;connecting the silos&rsquo; process,&rdquo; said McAloon. &ldquo;Writers started sitting in on more content calls to gather quotes from the industry experts we spoke with. As I started speaking up and getting more questions for interviews, tasks such as editorial calendars shifted to writers.&rdquo; 

Beyond writing, McAloon has also found herself going from behind the camera as a producer to being in front of it. Mainland&rsquo;s former weekly video series &lsquo;The 8&rsquo; was something McAloon was not originally expecting to become a part of. 

&ldquo;When I first started, Nick [Powills, CEO of Mainland] filmed &lsquo;The Weekly Sizzle,&rsquo;&rdquo; said McAloon. &ldquo;It was Nick on camera, literally holding up a piece of paper. Later on, that switched to The 8. Originally, I had no intention of being on camera. But then one day, Nick said, &lsquo;You&rsquo;re filming today.&rsquo; Little did I know, it would stick and has continued for two years, ultimately evolving to its latest form, our podcast, &lsquo;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/live-to-tell-april-26-2019-2709793" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Live to Tell</a>.&rsquo;&rdquo;

Having the ability to get in front of the camera has also provided McAloon additional exposure to leaders within the franchising space. &nbsp;

&ldquo;As we made changes to the weekly series, people started to recognize me at franchise conventions,&rdquo; said McAloon. &ldquo;While continuing to evolve our content, we wanted to branch out beyond the franchising space to give it a broader appeal and create our own podcast. As a media company, all of us are exploring new areas, allowing us to learn more and serve as experts for our clients. &lsquo;Live to Tell&rsquo; and &lsquo;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/life-drives-success-episode-10-cubs-anthem-singer-john-vincent-2709871" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Life Drives Success</a>&rsquo; are all about how personal stories impact business. Nick&rsquo;s always said that brands don&#39;t sell brands, people do, and the more I dive into the stories behind businesses, I keep finding it to be true.&rdquo; 

As innovative content continues to become more and more prevalent in today&rsquo;s age, McAloon is excited for what still lies ahead. 

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really great to see Mainland officially out there so that we can introduce it to everyone,&rdquo; said McAloon. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t wait to see what we&rsquo;re able to do with it. I know we will continue to build new platforms&mdash;we&rsquo;re just about to get 1851 to a place where it&#39;s operating the best it ever has and where we have the ability to track its performance and its impact.&rdquo; 

When asked what she enjoys most about Mainland, McAloon&rsquo;s response was simple: &ldquo;The people.&rdquo; 

&ldquo;Whenever I tell people about this place, I like to say its a company where the ping pong table actually gets used&mdash;it isn&rsquo;t just something to put on Instagram,&rdquo; McAloon said. &ldquo;At Mainland, we genuinely like each other and like working together, and the culture has evolved to the point where it brings out the best in everyone and our results are that much stronger.&rdquo; 

While it might not have been a planned journey, McAloon is certainly proud of the path she has created for herself here at Mainland. 

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s invigorating to be someone who came in not knowing a lot about PR and digital, getting to see both evolve and to actively contribute to their development,&rdquo; said McAloon. &ldquo;I never once wanted to be on camera throughout my entire career in news. But then I took a job at a PR company, ended up on camera anyway, and honestly, I&rsquo;m not mad about it. It seems like it was just meant to be.&rdquo;

From Behind a Computer to On-Camera: How Cassie McAloon Connected Her Own Silos

1851 Franchise

A journey of how one professional shifted from sharing stories, to creating them. 

This brand page has been paid for by MAINLAND. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

from-behind-a-computer-to-on-camera-how-cassie-mcaloon-connected-her-own-silos

INFORMATION

Contact

About Mainland

Hello by Mainland

Other Publications

Learn

Download Brochure

Visit Website

MAINLAND

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

SOCIAL MEDIA

Scaling the Soon-to-Be Famous: How Layne’s Chicken Fingers Leveraged a Mainland Franchise Assessment to Fuel a 110% Growth Surge

How Mainland Sees AI Changing Franchise PR and Marketing

 How Mainland Helped Right at Home Turn Local Media Into a Franchise Development Breakthrough

MAINLAND MOST READ STORIES

1851 LOGIN

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

ABOUT MAINLAND

CONTACT MAINLAND

facebook

instagram

linkedin

First Name

Last Name

Email

Phone

Comments

Contact Mainland

Franchise buyers have more tools than ever to research brands, and artificial intelligence (AI) is&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/goodspark/why-franchise-brands-need-to-rethink-distribution-in-the-ai-era-2732127#featured">quickly becoming one of them</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/">Mainland</a> is already thinking about how that shift could change marketing and public relations moving forward.“You watch the news or listen to the voices of this world, there is some fear over what the future of our job force will be in a world of AI,” said Mainland co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/powills/">Nick Powills</a>. “Rightfully so. Anytime a new technology pops into production, it can raise some concerns for people who don't know how to use it and how to leverage it.”As a franchise PR agency,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mainland/info">Mainland</a> works at the intersection of storytelling, media and brand visibility. That means understanding not only where media is today, but where it is headed next.“We have to be looking at what is going to evolve and change in that category and in delivery,” Powills said. “One, to make sure we're staying ahead of the curve as a business and, second, to make sure we're staying ahead of the curve for our clients.”<h2>Media Has Changed and PR Is Changing With It</h2>Social media is one of the clearest examples of how fast media can change. In the past, brands relied on newspapers, television and radio to reach audiences. Today, anyone with a phone and a platform can become part of the media conversation.“All of a sudden, we, the people, became the media,” Powills said. “And it's fascinating because it's impacted elections. It reports on breaking news faster than anything else.”&nbsp;That change has directly impacted PR. Traditional media placements still matter, but they are no longer the only path to getting seen. Podcasts, creators, influencers and digital-first storytelling have all become part of the mix. PR has to be built across multiple channels where both people and AI are getting their information.&nbsp;“In the past, it was PR, meaning ‘Let's go get in biz journals and daily newspapers and radio and TV,’” Powills said. “Then comes podcasts, then comes bloggers. And so now the availability of the message continues to heat up.”<h2>AI Is Becoming Part of Franchise Buyer Due Diligence</h2>One of the biggest shifts Mainland is watching is how&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/goodspark/ai-franchise-sales-2732234#featured">AI is changing the research process</a> for franchise buyers. Prospective franchisees can now use tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude or Google’s Gemini to ask detailed questions about a franchise before ever submitting an inquiry form.“I can go on to ChatGPT or Claude or Gemini or whatever system I use and I can say, ‘Should I buy this franchise? What are the pros and cons of buying this franchise? Who are their top franchisees?’” Powills said. “What AI is doing is acting as my Wikipedia before buying a business.”&nbsp;As AI becomes part of the research process, brands need to think about how their stories are being found, summarized and presented before a buyer ever reaches out. That means thinking carefully about where their story appears and how AI tools may interpret it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>The Future of PR Is Bigger Than Media Relations</h2>AI does not signal the end of PR. But it does change the job. Rather than focusing only on pitching journalists, PR professionals will increasingly need to think strategically about how stories are structured, distributed and understood by both humans and machines.“PR is going to change drastically,” Powills said. “We’re not going to be in the business of pitching just the media any longer because the media is going to continue to change. It’s going to be in the business of building influence around a product or a business.”Powills believes that this will raise the bar for communications professionals. PR professionals will need to raise their level of professionalism and deepen their knowledge base. “They’re going to have to have a strategic conversation,” he said. “They’re not just going to be doers.”<h2>Building Brand Stories for the AI Era</h2>At Mainland, the focus is on helping brands make their stories visible wherever people search for information, whether that is through traditional media, podcasts, search engines or AI assistants.“We have to make sure it’s machine-ready, it’s machine learning, it’s telling the good, the bad and the ugly and we’re transparent,” Powills said. “I think transparency is going to lift up even more as this gets stronger.”Now, franchise brands have to think strategically beyond earned media impressions and ask a new set of questions: How is the brand being talked about online? What information is AI pulling into answers? And what story is a prospective franchise buyer hearing before they ever speak to the development team?“When you’re looking at how to hire a PR agency, you’re actually finding one that is thinking about how do we integrate your story, not just in the Wall Street Journal, but in ChatGPT,” Powills said. “And it carries equal, if not greater, weight for what you can do for your brand.”AI is reshaping how franchise stories are found and shared, and the agencies that adapt early will be the ones helping brands stay visible in this new era.&nbsp; To learn more about working with Mainland, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/">https://hellomainland.com/</a>.&nbsp;

New developments in AI are entering franchise marketing, franchise public relations, PR strategy, and franchise marketing trends.

mainland-ai-changing-franchise-pr-marketing

Franchise candidates rarely make decisions overnight. In fact, most spend months researching, validating and looking for proof points before taking the leap. For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennychaney">Jen Chaney</a> and the team at&nbsp;<a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/">Right at Home</a>, one of those proof points came in the form of a regional media placement secured by&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/">Mainland</a>.<a href="https://www.gazettextra.com/news/local/right-at-home-in-home-care-company-eyes-janesville-market/article_baad327d-db3b-49b0-bb59-77f09051d024.html">A feature in The Gazette (GazetteXtra)</a> spotlighted the brand’s expansion into the Janesville, Wisconsin market and highlighted the human stories behind the opportunity.According to Chaney, the coverage became a pivotal touchpoint for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-villa/">Katie Villa</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryjovilla/">Mary Jo Villa</a>, a mother-daughter duo in Janesville, Wisconsin who had been exploring <a href="https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/right-at-home-mother-daughter-franchisee-janesville-2732128#stories">their next chapter</a>. Katie spent years on the frontlines of healthcare, beginning as a caregiver in college and later working as a nurse, an experience deepened by personally caring for her grandfather during hospice. Meanwhile, her mother Mary Jo brought a background in human resources and operations, having held a variety of roles across newspapers and radio stations.After reading the article, they saw themselves reflected in the opportunity and ultimately decided to move forward with a&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/info">Right at Home</a> franchise.<h2>The Power of Seeing Yourself in the Story</h2>The GazetteXtra feature focused on more than just a business opening. It told a story about people and community impact.“When Katie saw this article and sent it to me, my first piece of pride was, ‘Yes, she's still reading the newspaper.’ But I told her we should absolutely explore it,” Mary Jo said. “I have been so impressed with Right at Home. They were clearly selecting us, and we were selecting them.”That approach is a prime example of what Mainland’s Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemaw1">Julie Maw</a> says is a defining PR trend for 2026:&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mainland/top-pr-earned-media-trends-2026-2731198#stories">franchisee-led storytelling</a>. “The most powerful PR asset in franchising is the franchisee, not the brand,” Maw said.For prospective owners who may be transitioning careers, these stories act as important validation. The mother-daughter duo saw a version of their own future reflected in the coverage.&nbsp; “Katie's only 30 years old, and so yes, she has me, but you need someone other than your mom validating what your mom says,” Mary Jo said. “So I’ve been extremely impressed with the expertise coming out of Right at Home corporate&nbsp;and how they bring new owners on.”<h2>Regional PR as the Conversion Catalyst</h2>Mainland knows that&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/local-vs-national-franchise-marketing-2726180">regional and local coverage</a> can play a different role than national press, especially when candidates are already weighing the benefits of a specific market.“While national credibility gets attention, local relevance drives the action,” Maw said.The GazetteXtra article served as a localized proof point. It demonstrated demand in a specific market, highlighted community need and showed how the brand operates on the ground. For candidates already in the consideration phase, that kind of visibility can accelerate decision-making. In this instance, it became the tipping point.<h2>Activating the “Buzz Factory”</h2>Mainland’s strategy centers on what Maw calls activating the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/buzz-factory-process-mainland-franchise-growth-2731901">“buzz factory,”</a> making sure brands are consistently visible across national and local channels throughout the research cycle.&nbsp;That GazetteXtra feature, for example, was just one piece of a larger PR puzzle designed to keep Right at Home top-of-mind while candidates weighed their options across multiple touchpoints.“PR is a marathon,” Maw said. “It’s not just a flash-in-the-pan moment.”<h2>More Than a Placement&nbsp;</h2>For Mainland, this outcome reflects a larger philosophy that PR is not just about media coverage. It’s about building a strategic narrative that&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mainland/how-mainland-and-1851-franchise-impact-your-brand-story-supports-the-sales-funnel-2717348">supports franchise growth at every stage of the funnel</a>.Sometimes, all it takes is the right story, in the right publication, at the right moment.Growing and selling franchises is difficult. Want to learn more about how Mainland helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&amp;%3Butm_medium=article&amp;%3Butm_campaign=mainland-secures-nearly-10-million-in-media-value-for-franchise-clients-in-early-2025-2728648&amp;utm_source=1851franchise.com&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=top-pr-earned-media-trends-2026-2731198">https://hellomainland.com/</a> and see what we can do for you.

image of right at home pr feature acquired by hello mainland

When a mother-daughter duo came across local coverage about Right at Home’s Wisconsin expansion, the story helped push them toward franchise ownership.

right-at-home-regional-pr-franchise-development

The Buzz Factory Blueprint: How Mainland Amplifies Brand Narratives By Leaving Traditional Blanket Marketing Behind

buzz-factory-process-mainland-franchise-growth

image of 1851 franchise nick powills coffee and analytics webinar on multi unit conferences 

The Secret to Selling Franchises: You Spent Thousands at Multi-Unit. Now What?

multi-unit-franchising-conference-strategy-franchise-growth

From Behind a Computer to On-Camera: How Cassie McAloon Connected Her Own Silos

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS