How I Got Here: Nick Loui of PeakMetrics champions a peer community for support, growth

Nick Loui is the co-founder and CEO of PeakMetrics, a leader in AI-driven narrative threat intelligence that helps organizations identify and forecast adversarial messages online.

Before launching PeakMetrics, Loui served as chief marketing officer for an ad-tech startup, where he scaled the team from one to over 80 members and secured more than $70 million in funding. His career began in engineering and digital marketing, famously helping Ashton Kutcher become the first person to reach a million followers on Twitter. When the CEO isn’t working, he spends time giving his dog belly rubs. 

My first comms job was:

I recently pulled up an old family newsletter that talked about how I was building my first computer company and attempting to raise venture capital. I was 10—clearly a kid with big ambitions. But, my first work in marketing/comms came during college when I interned at Lionsgate. I organized tapes and convinced public radio stations to use our collection for giveaways. It wasn’t the most glamorous, but I loved those early experiences.

The thing I’m most excited about for the future of my profession is:

The increasing level of data sophistication, data science, and analytics being applied to the field. The media landscape is constantly shifting with technological advances. We’ve seen the internet revolutionize communications—first with publications moving online, then with the rise of social media, and now with the proliferation of generative AI. As technology evolves, so must communications teams, and I’m inspired to see more of my colleagues becoming proficient in data and engineering, adapting to the demands of this environment.

One piece of advice I would give other people in my profession is:

Build a community of peers who are at the same stage as you. This has been one of the most valuable things in my journey. Having that support system of people who understand the same challenges and milestones makes a huge difference.

The key to excellence in storytelling is:

The Hero’s Journey. My own path hasn’t been a straight line—I began as a film major and started my career at the intersection of entertainment and technology. From those roots, I learned the power of storytelling and how it transcends industries. The Hero’s Journey is foundational to countless narratives and can be applied in diverse contexts, including business. Even Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, has discussed how this timeless structure plays a role in shaping the journey of both companies and their customers

The most rewarding part of my job is:

Seeing the real-world impact of our work and knowing it’s helping with incredibly important use cases. Whether we’re working with clients to uncover digital deception and emerging threats around their brand or collaborating with journalists to provide critical insights into the disinformation flooding news cycles, it’s fulfilling to know we’re making an impact. 

And, of course, working alongside a team that’s just as passionate makes it all the more rewarding.

I stay on top of trends by:

Tons of email newsletters and blogs are centralized by Readwise Reader. I personally love Ben’s Bites for all things AI and NewsGuard’s newsletter for all things mis/disinformation. 

A lesson I learned the hard way is:

Listen to constructive criticism, but don’t let skepticism or negativity hold you back. Cherish and nurture relationships with the people who genuinely support and celebrate you.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.