Hey, I’m Jake 👋

I’ve been in the game long enough to know that the smartest leaders don’t just build companies, they build reputations. Success depends on it.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve spent my career on both sides of the reputational firing line — first as an editor and publisher, writing about the influential, and now as a strategic comms advisor to CEOs, founders, and leaders in the creative industries.

These days, I run Sound Story. We're a communications and reputation consultancy trusted by global brands, ASX-listed companies, disruptive startups, and industry leaders. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned working with them, it’s this: no matter how big or powerful you are, reputation doesn’t manage itself.

But the reputation game is noisy. Everyone has an opinion, every move gets magnified, and attention never sleeps. That’s why I started this blog and Noise Control, a free newsletter for leaders shipped every weekend.

👉 In each issue, I’ll drop one tight, no-BS email into your inbox with:

• The Playbook | A sharp lesson on reputation and communication
• Five Minute Fix | Something you can put into play instantly
• Hit or Miss | A leader who crushed it (or completely tanked it)
• Slack Attack | The links that lit up Sound Story's Slack this week
• One to Think On | One simple lesson or idea to get you thinking

It’s not homework. It’s not theory.

It’s a fast, five-minute hit of clarity, delivered with bite.

If you care about your reputation, you’ll feel at home here.

Welcome to Noise Control. 👋

🟠 Why Listen to Me

• 25+ years working across media, marketing, and communications
• Published respected trade titles The Music Network and Radio Today
• Edited the local editions of Rolling Stone Magazine and Variety in Australia
• Co-Founder of Sound Story, advising leaders on reputation matters

🟠 Who This Is For

• Leaders who want to turn reputation into real leverage
• Leaders tired of spinning corporate sludge, craving clarity
• Leaders who don’t want to wait for a crisis to hit them
• Leaders learning that respect outlasts likes, every time

🟠 What You’ll Get

• Practical lessons on protecting and growing your reputation
• Real-world examples (the hits and the faceplants)
• Tools and tactics you can use in five minutes
• A peek into what I'm reading, watching, and listening to

📙 A Bit More About Me

Fuel: pizza and rosé. Feed: music, podcasts, and way too much news. Headspace: business, always. Nickname (courtesy of my team): the CEO Whisperer. Unwind: in Bali by the pool, or splashing around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe. Home: the Sunshine Coast with my partner, Brian, and our pet jug, Aria. 🧡

📳 Stay Connected

• 💼 LinkedIn — where I share updates on Sound Story, and storytelling
• 🌐 Sound Story — my reputation and communications consultancy
• ✉️ Subscribe below to get Noise Control in your inbox every week