Why This Agency Matchmaker Rejects Fossil Fuel Clients

Ever wonder what happens when a PR matchmaker draws a hard line against fossil fuel clients? Meet Steven Shimek. In this eye-opening conversation, Keith Zakheim welcomes the owner and CMO of Shimek Strategic—an influential voice who helps determine which agencies win multi-million dollar RFPs. Steven pulls back the curtain on agency practices most clients never see. "What I try to do is educate our world of marketers about what's not in the deck, what's not on the logo slides," he explains, revealing how his network of 5,000+ marketing professionals gives him insider knowledge about which agencies secretly represent oil and gas interests. But this isn't just business—it's personal. After watching Greta Thunberg stand up to "mean, aggressive, angry, belittling people," Steven reconnected with his environmental science roots. He traded his Yukon Denali for a hybrid. He made tough choices. Despite the financial hit, he vowed never to work with agencies representing oil, gas, tobacco or firearms. The conversation takes a fascinating turn when discussing today's political climate, where companies are "green hushing" their sustainability efforts. Yet Steven remains optimistic. "Even if it is hushed, I truly believe companies are still going to do the right thing," he insists, noting that abandoning sustainability triggers "a continuous low roar" of customer discontent. For communications professionals navigating this shifting landscape, this episode offers both practical wisdom and moral clarity from someone who's seen it all—and chosen which side of history he wants to stand on. Steven Shimek is the Owner and CMO of Shimek Strategic, an influential agency matchmaker who has helped over 1,600 companies across 46 countries find their ideal marketing partners. With a Master's in Environmental Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Steven combines his deep environmental knowledge with extensive industry experience gained at PR Newswire, Ruder Finn, and Fleishman Hillard. What sets him apart is his principled stance against representing agencies that work with fossil fuel, tobacco, firearms, or private prison companies, despite potential revenue loss. Inspired by climate activists like Greta Thunberg and his own children, Steven has transformed his business into a vehicle for positive change, educating marketing leaders about agency transparency while helping brands find partners whose values align with their sustainability goals. In This Episode: (00:00) Steven's career journey from PR Newswire to Shimek Strategic (08:14) Agencies adopting climate values and sustainability practices (10:39) Steven's environmental science background and personal awakening (14:08) How Steven brings transparency to agency selection process (16:08) Discussion of "green hushing" in the current political climate (19:08) Forecast for sustainability in corporate communications (21:21) Conclusion and information about Antenna Group Share with someone who would enjoy this topic, like and

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Why This Agency Matchmaker Rejects Fossil Fuel Clients is an episode from Raising Your Antenna by Keith Zakheim.

This episode is 00:23:18 long.

This episode was published on Jun 17, 2025.

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