ICON 2026 Preview: Betting on Yourself and Breaking Barriers
By John Elsasser
July 2026
Gaby Natale on Finding Your Pioneer Spirit
The following ICON 2026 previews are edited excerpts from posts that first appeared on PRsay. Register for ICON 2026 by Aug. 14 to save $250. Details here.
A journalist, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and breast cancer survivor, Gaby Natale made history in 2017 as the first Latina to win three Daytime Emmy Awards. The awards honored her talk show “SuperLatina,” which she launched in 2007 in a studio she and her husband, Andy, built in a former carpet warehouse in Texas. “SuperLatina” was later picked up by the Spanish-language network V-me TV.
On Oct. 20, Natale will take the stage at PRSA ICON 2026 in Orlando, Fla. to deliver her keynote presentation, “PIONEER: Embrace Your Uniqueness, Break Barriers and Redefine What Is Possible.”
What skills matter most for communicators right now?
The pace of innovation makes continuous learning essential. There are many things today that can be automated and scaled with AI. But there are also things that cannot be replicated, and that’s where our attention should go.
AI models are good at identifying patterns based on what has already been said, what has already happened and what ideas have already been shared. If all we’re seeing is the dominant pattern, how are we going to create something new? It means paying special attention to our taste, our point of view and our discernment.
In an era when we’re constantly validated by likes and engagement, the ability to be temporarily disliked is becoming an important skill. Sometimes having a point of view means expressing an opinion that may not be immediately popular. If we’re fulfilling our responsibility as communicators with an open heart, we need to cultivate the ability to withstand that discomfort.
Your work helps people and organizations stand out in crowded environments. What mistakes do communicators make when trying to differentiate themselves?
Even when communicators are trying to differentiate themselves, they’re often playing it safe. They’re pursuing the same opportunities, targeting the same audiences, chasing the same messages or adopting similar styles of delivery.
That’s what I call the “emulator mindset” — when we look around, see what everyone else is doing, and then set our future goals based on someone else’s past results. Emulators don’t move the world forward. They perpetuate the status quo.
What we’ll talk about in Orlando is the opposite approach, what I call the “pioneer spirit” — the idea that we must believe in our vision before we have results to validate it.
What’s your advice for communicators who want to strengthen their own personal brands and build their professional visibility?
Make full use of all the tools available to us today. When I graduated in 1995, everything depended on gatekeepers. That’s no longer the case. Not all of us had these opportunities when we started our careers, and even today many people aren’t taking full advantage of the opportunities available to them.
Technology now allows our voices, ideas and messages to travel farther than we can imagine. That’s something I emphasize when I train professionals at Fortune 500 companies and organizations around the world.
Don’t underestimate the power of your voice. Don’t underestimate the power of your story. You can create an impact that you can’t even imagine today.
No matter where you work, chances are, you’re operating in a crowded environment. There are many talented people competing for limited opportunities. So how do you stand out? Part of it is doing great work and striving for excellence. But another part is developing a style of your own. And how do you develop your own style if you’re never willing to take risks?
Tyler Gillum on Betting on Yourself
Founded in 2016 by Jesse and Emily Cole, the Savannah Bananas have transformed a fan-first version of baseball into one of the hottest tickets in sports. Known as Banana Ball, the game blends fast-paced action with showmanship, fan participation, and plenty of theatrics, from dancing players to bright yellow baseballs stitched with navy-blue laces.
Since becoming head coach in 2018, Tyler Gillum has helped fuel that rise.
On Oct. 18, Gillum will discuss betting on yourself, building winning cultures, embracing the courage to be misunderstood, and why success starts with putting people first.
“Bet on yourself” has become one of your signature messages. What does that phrase mean to you?
The first time I really bet on myself was going from high school to junior college. I had scholarship offers, but I wanted to attend Seminole State because it was where winners went.
My own high school coach actually advised against it.
I knew I probably wasn’t going to start. I knew I’d have to compete every single day. But I wanted to become the best version of myself.
You’ve also said leaders need “the courage to be misunderstood.” Can you explain that mindset, and why you think it’s important?
We have a saying with the Bananas: You have to have the courage to be misunderstood.
When people have big dreams, even those closest to them often can’t see their vision. You have to trust yourself.
That decision to attend Seminole was probably my first real “bet on yourself” moment. In my first year, 42 players came out for baseball. Seventeen quit.
I’ve always believed life is a war of attrition. I’m not the smartest guy in the room. I’m just willing to stay in the arena longer than most people.
What advice would you give someone just starting a career?
Find something you love enough to do even if you weren’t getting paid. But not everyone finds that passion immediately. Try different jobs. Meet different people. Go to conferences.
Everything comes down to people. I recently saw a shirt that said: “Do hard things with good people.” That’s great advice.
What do you hope PRSA ICON attendees will be inspired to do differently after hearing your keynote?
Think outside the box. Have a dream. Write it down. Talk about it.
In 2017, I publicly set a goal of positively impacting one million people. That scared me. Then I worked backward from that goal.
At the Bananas, we’ve always tried to do what nobody else is willing to do. We weren’t going to become the New York Yankees.
So, we created dancing umpires, players on stilts, the Banana Nanas, coaches in cowboy boots and owners in yellow tuxedos.
The biggest lesson is not letting society keep you inside the lines. This whole thing is a blank canvas. Paint something different.
