On this episode of Innovation Storytellers Show, I’m joined by Bobbie Carlton, an award-winning marketing, PR, and social media professional who is transforming the way we think about public speaking, storytelling, and women’s visibility in innovation. As the founder of Carlton PR & Marketing, Mass Innovation Nights, and Innovation Women, Bobbie has dedicated her career to breaking barriers and creating platforms that amplify diverse voices.
In our conversation, Bobbie shared her fascinating journey from broadcasting to global PR at Cognos and her transition into entrepreneurship. She revealed her passion for storytelling as a catalyst for innovation and her mission to eliminate the all-too-common “manels” (all-male panels) that dominate tech and innovation conferences.
Through Innovation Women, she’s redefined public speaking as a tool for visibility and career advancement, positioning it as a gateway for women to claim leadership roles, board positions, and career-changing opportunities.
Bobbie also unpacked the art of memorable storytelling, emphasizing the power of refrains and structure in capturing an audience’s attention. She spoke candidly about the common mistakes speakers make, such as telling overly lengthy or irrelevant stories, and offered actionable advice to start stories closer to their conclusion to maintain impact and clarity.
We also reflected on our shared roots in PR, reminiscing about the clip books and envelope-stuffing days that shaped our understanding of the evolving communication landscape.
This conversation is a masterclass in using storytelling as a tool for innovation and a reminder of the importance of making stages more inclusive. How are you using storytelling to spark innovation and amplify voices in your field? Share your thoughts after tuning in!
Name: Bobbie Carlton
Title: Founder
Company: Innovation Women
| Facebook | Instagram |Twitter | Website
Bobbie Carlton, founder of Carlton PR & Marketing, Innovation Nights and Innovation Women, has been called Boston’s Innovation Den Mother and the Startup Fairy Godmother. She’s an award-winning marketing, PR and social media professional. She speaks regularly on marketing, public speaking and women’s issues. Her humorous approach and fiery “let’s make something happen” brand is supported by the real world results she helps drive: 1500+ new products launched, $4B in funding, 3 million monthly views and 4000+ women speaking at conferences and events.
Currently a “parallel” entrepreneur (instead of a serial entrepreneur), Bobbie has spent the last 16 years building her own businesses as well as supporting client and community efforts. Previously, in addition to working with a number of Boston-area PR and marketing firms, she headed global PR at Cognos and PTC, both publicly held enterprise software companies. In 2006 she switched gears, joining a startup focused on supporting self-esteem and positive role models for preteen girls through a social network and book series.
In 2008, she started her own company…the first one.
Carlton PR & Marketing is a boutique agency servicing a wide variety of startups and small companies, providing support for PR, content creation, social media marketing and marketing programs.
Mass Innovation Nights (MIN) is a social media powered new product showcase and networking event. MIN has launched more than 1500 new products for free. These startups have received more than $4 billion in collective funding. When coupled with Bobbie’s PR work, she figures she’s helped launch more new products than any other PR person on earth.
Innovation Women is an online “visibility bureau” helping drive visibility for entrepreneurial, technical and innovative women through speaking engagements. Bobbie’s goal is to eradicate “Manels” (all-male panels) and get 2400 additional women on-stage a month. (This number should get us to gender-equity on-stage. Currently, more than 70 percent of all conference speakers are men.)
In 2010 she was called one of the “ten Bostonians who have done the most for the startup community”. She’s also received numerous professional awards: Marketing Sherpa Viral Campaign of the Year, several PRSA Silver Anvils, Mass High Tech Luminary Award, Boston Business Journal Woman to Watch, PR News Gamechanger award and Boston’s “50 on Fire.” See her TEDx talk for the Innovation Nights and Innovation Women stories.
