On this episode of The Press Playbook, Kendall Aldridge sat down with Jordan Hart, Account Manager at BAM, to break down how the team helped Radical AI land a feature in Interesting Engineering around its partnership with Sandia National Laboratories.
The biggest takeaway? Sometimes landing the right story means expanding your media list, being flexible with your timeline, and trusting that the right placement is worth waiting for.
Below are the key moments and takeaways from the episode, or listen where you please:
Episode Overview
Guest: Jordan Hart, Account Manager at BAM
Client Featured: Radical AI
Key Placement: Interesting Engineering
Episode Focus: Trade media, partnership announcements, journalist targeting, and patience
Key Moments & Takeaways
00:00–02:30 | Meet Jordan + Radical AI
Jordan introduces Radical AI, a company operating a self-driving materials lab in Manhattan.
Using AI and robotics, the lab can conduct up to 50 experiments a day to accelerate the discovery and testing of new materials.
02:30–03:45 | Finding the Story in a Major Partnership
Radical AI was preparing to announce a partnership with Sandia National Laboratories focused on making clean hydrogen more affordable.
For the BAM team, this was an opportunity to show how Radical AI's technology could tackle real-world energy challenges, rather than just demonstrate what's possible in a lab.
03:45–05:00 | Finding the Right Reporter
The team expanded its usual media list to include journalists covering hydrogen, energy, and scientific innovation.
That led them to Georgina Jedikovska at Interesting Engineering, a reporter whose coverage closely aligned with the announcement.
Although the team didn't have an established relationship with her, they had followed her reporting and knew the story would be relevant to her beat.
05:00–07:20 | Why the Team Decided to Wait
This placement required patience.
Georgina was going to be out of the office, and the editorial timeline meant the feature wouldn't run for another month or more.
Rather than rushing to publish the announcement on Radical AI's blog, the team worked with the client to hold off and give the reporter time to develop a comprehensive story.
The result was a feature in a publication that was highly relevant to Radical AI's industry.
07:20–08:55 | Why Trade Publications Matter
Jordan explains why founders shouldn't overlook respected industry publications when building their media strategies.
While everyone wants coverage in major mainstream outlets, publications like Interesting Engineering can deliver highly relevant audiences and in-depth reporting.
For technical startups, that can be exactly what they need.
08:55–09:10 | Advice for Founders
Jordan's biggest advice comes down to three things:
- Be patient. Great coverage doesn't always happen on your preferred timeline.
- Meet reporters where they are. Understand what they cover and what their readers care about.
- Trust your PR team. The right reporter, publication, and timing can make a huge difference.
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