By Dan Lalande
Here are three rules, according to Barry McLoughlin, for creating a good Substack column:
Have something to say.
Make it timely and relevant.
Tell stories and anecdotes that support the points you’re making.
Those are the philosophical directives behind his weekly newsletter Communicate with Power®. Even though the paywall-subsidized platform boasts almost 20,000 journalists, critics and pundits, Barry’s contribution enjoys a healthy—and growing—subscription list. It’s predicated on his palpable passion for current affairs, his avuncular personality and his background as a performer, educator and mentor.
Barry is the proverbial self-made man. He learned to look out for himself after coming to Canada from Northern Ireland, a kid with an accent, a stammer and, protectively, a sense of humour. He combined his quick wit with an ear for voices. Soon, he was distinguishing himself as a young impressionist.
It was enough to enfold him in a nascent version of the Royal Canadian Air Farce, followed by a deal with CJOH and Global TV to write and produce Shhhh! It’s the News!, a weekly satire he developed with Canadian icon Don Harron and future CTV Toronto news anchor Ken Shaw. The topical sketch series, reflecting Barry’s budding interest in current affairs, enjoyed a fan base that included a young Mike Myers.
From there, Barry and Ken Shaw cracked Hollywood, contributing to Mary Tyler Moore’s short-lived variety hour. Thrilled to have an industry success story in its own backyard, Algonquin College’s Radio and Television Arts program brought Barry home to teach. One of the star pupils of his course on the fundamentals of camera presence was Peter O’Malley, press secretary to NDP Leader Ed Broadbent. After Peter publicly lauded Barry’s coaching, the House of Commons came calling. Next thing you know, Barry was keeping company with a different set of celebrities: Canada’s political elite.
At that same time, he took advantage of a golden opportunity for mature learners. “I read a Time Magazine article profiling the new John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard,” he recounts. “They were looking not for academics, but people with real-world experience in politics, public policy and communications. It seemed like it was written for me.”
Upon graduation, Barry reconnected with the girl he left behind— former broadcaster and political staffer Laura Peck, now his wife and business partner of 40 years—and kicked off his own communications company. “I rented an office in a house overlooking the old Voyageur Colonial bus station on Catherine Street,” he retraces. “My first contract was the PC Candidates in the 1984 election, led by Brian Mulroney. Meanwhile, Laura was working on the Liberal campaign led by John Turner. That was interesting! Laura joined me when that campaign ended, and we’ve been working together ever since.”
The power couple went on to coach most of the ministers in the Mulroney, Chretien, Martin and Harper cabinets, as well as premiers across the country. That said, their own political stance remains strategically neutral. “We’ve stayed away from being a partisan company,” Barry qualifies. “Our positioning is as outside, objective trainers and consultants.”
In time, the company migrated to leadership communications skills, including parliamentary committee training and crisis and risk communications. In 2014, Barry and Laura founded TLC Transformational Leadership Consultants Inc., which includes a U.S. affiliate in Washington servicing corporations, national associations and high-tech firms.
Small wonder the reputable, personable Barry fell into a sideline as a public savant, offering empirical perspectives on matters of the day. His countless appearances on panels and platforms include his current stint on Now You Know with Rob Snow, heard on City News radio stations across the country.
But his latest preoccupation is his Substack column. From a high wire strung over polarized ground, it covers the burning issues of the day, framing current events with accessible intelligence and folksy aplomb. Recently, Barry and his stylish wife have added a complimentary podcast. “It’s a lighter blend,” McLoughlin explains, “featuring shared, real-world experiences.”
It’s the latest milestone in a career that has promoted the personalization of every form of media-based expression. It keeps Barry’s mind sharp, his connections strong and his spirits high. “It gives me a great sense of validation and appreciation every day. Plus, I can work with my wife and partner. Best of all? They pay me for it!”
So, did this article of mine have something to say? Was it timely and relevant? Did it offer supporting stories and anecdotes?
Maybe I’ve got a Substack column on my hands…
You can subscribe to Communicate with Power® at barrymcloughlin.substack.com.
