There is a scene in Hulu’s new series, “ The Dropout ,” where Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, wearing a white blouse, stands in front of a mirror and practices saying, “This is an inspiring step forward.” With each iteration, her voice deepens.

As the world has learned about Theranos’ web of deception – whether through John Carreyrou’s bestselling book, “ Bad Blood ,” Apple’s podcast series “ The Dropout ” or Hulu’s streaming series of the same name – Holmes’ supposed attempt to alter her voice is a detail that captivates audiences. The behavior might strike some people as bizarre, even sociopathic.

But because of my training in vocology , the study of vocalization, and my interest in speech biases , I’m intrigued by why Holmes may have felt compelled to change her voice in the first place. I see the story of her voice as part of a broader cultural fixation on the way women speak and sound.

Reactions to Holmes’ voice

Whenever Holmes is in the news, some questions always come up:

What’s with that distinctively low voice ? Is she faking it?

I have not been able to find definitive proof, in the form of video or audio recordings, to show that Holmes’ voice is noticeably different in its current form than at some previous time.

One video claims to capture Holmes shifting between two very different voice modes. During this interview with Elizabeth Holmes, commenters highlight a vocal switch between the 1:28 and 2:08 marks.

However, it could have been easily edited. And dramatic, sustained pitch changes in speech can be associated with heightened emotional states without indicating a put-on voice. At the same time, people who know Holmes have claimed that she changed her voice in order to cultivate a persona as a Silicon Valley wunderkind.

Only a clinician like a laryngologist can make a voice-related medical diagnosis. But since I can’t definitively answer if Holmes’ voice changed intentionally, it is worth considering what natural or medical processes could cause a similar effect. Hormones directly impact the voice, including pitch and the perception of roughness or hoarseness. Women’s voices tend to decrease in pitch range during menopause .

Holmes’ young age at the time she became known for her voice may rule out an age-related hormonal voice change, but a similar effect could be found with certain hormone therapy . There are also several voice disorders that impact pitch range.

If she did it … how?

There are all sorts of reasons people seek voice therapy or coaching to address vocal insecurities. Whether they’re concerned about their voice range or simply seeking skills to become better communicators, the voice is resilient and can be developed with training. There are also wonderful resources available for gender-affirming voice support for transgender people.

So what is the physiological process at play when someone intentionally lowers their voice.

Engaging a tiny laryngeal muscle called the thyroarytenoid causes the vocal folds, which are housed inside the larynx (or “voice box”), to relax and become shorter and thicker. Imagine decreasing tension on a rubber band. These shorter, thicker folds vibrate at a lower frequency, resulting in a lower-pitched voice, just as a thicker or more lax guitar string has a lower pitch.

It is likely the singular nature of Holmes’ voice is related not only to its low pitch, but also its resonance , the unique tonal quality, and placement of the voice. Holmes might adjust her resonance by consciously lowering the larynx. Doing so creates a longer space above the larynx, which boosts the deeper, darker tones in the voice.

Women’s voices subject to scrutiny

In my role as a theatrical voice coach , I’m sometimes asked to help women actors lower their voices. I’ve encountered directors and producers with a significant distaste for higher-pitched women’s voices, especially when this pitch range is combined with nasal resonance .

In movies and on TV, characters with high-pitched voices are often portrayed as comical, dim-witted, and generally undesirable. Think of Lina Lamont, the character from “ Singin’ in the Rain ” memorably played by Jean Hagen. Her high, piercing voice became a source of consistent laughs.

Might sexist attitudes about women’s voices cause women in leadership roles to feel pressured to adjust their pitch range down?

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher , nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” famously down-shifted her voice to burnish her stature. Research on perceptions of pitch in women’s voices shows higher ones are associated with physical attractiveness, while lower voices are associated with dominance.

Meanwhile, many women radio and podcast hosts are barraged with negative listener feedback about “ vocal fry ,” the creaky mode of speaking made famous by Kim Kardashian.

Yet physiologically, to create this sound, the vocal folds must vibrate at a low frequency, associated with low pitch. This much-maligned vocal feature is at one end of the pitch spectrum. But there’s another equally hated speech feature that is achieved at the other end: the high-rising terminal intonation pattern, or “ uptalk .” This feature is noted for the dramatic upward pitch at the end of each thought, which can make statements sound like questions.

The insistence that women in media change the pitch of their voices often comes with little concern for the anatomical and physiological factors that will limit how much pitch change is ultimately possible. My current research is investigating perceptions of women’s speaking voices in the performing arts and considering whether it’s time to part ways with some old aesthetic preferences.

Either way, the delicate dance of trying to strike a happy medium – the Goldilocks voice profile, where one can be taken seriously as a leader without being perceived as inauthentic, grating or patronizing – seems to be elusive. Women’s voices are the subject of endless scrutiny at both ends of the range – it seems they just can’t win.

If everything about this story were the same except the gender of Theranos’ CEO, I wonder whether his voice would even be remarked upon. If it were, might the same vocal qualities be perceived as positive traits befitting a capable, serious-minded leader?

Elizabeth Holmes undoubtedly lacks the practical skills and moral compass to be a great leader. But all the noise about her voice, and the potential that she changed it to get ahead, just may reveal a sexist double standard that women seemingly can’t escape.

This article by Kathryn Cunningham , Assistant Professor of Theatre, University of Tennessee is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

How to use ‘controversial’ content to drive high-quality backlinks

I understand the hesitation you might have when starting this article. Controversy can feel a little scary and negative, especially when it’s associated with your content.

But there are definitely ways you can utilize the share-power of controversial content without it reflected poorly on your brand.

And when you pull off that balance, you can earn impressive media coverage and backlinks, setting a very solid foundation for organic growth.

Tip #1: Don’t speak — but share others’ voices

There is certainly a time and a place for you to communicate your brand’s values. But you probably won’t want to take a stand on every topic out there. After all, companies are made up of human beings with differing opinions, and you won’t want to alienate people.

The key is remaining neutral while still contributing value to a conversation. For example, if you wanted to talk about politics but not take a side politically, you can communicate insights from both sides of the aisle and let your readers decide what they think.

But let’s look at more practical examples, because most of us will probably be avoiding the really controversial topics of politics, religion, and the other classics we’re told to avoid at the dinner table.

My team and I created a project for a client about the expenses associated with relationships. Certain aspects of this topic get a ton of debate — like, should the man always pay on the first date? — but we didn’t pick a side. We surveyed people on how much they spent and reported on the results.

The project earned coverage (and links) from USA Today , The Motley Fool , Elite Daily , and more. And publishers like to seize the opportunity to write compelling headlines that could amplify people’s reactions to the data.

The finding that single people spend more money than those in relationships and marriages isn’t inherently controversial, but the debate that can arise from this kind of data. For example, topics like how many dates you should go on a month, expectations of gifts, and more, can certainly go the route of controversy.

So if you have a topic, think about what data or insight you can supply that lends itself to the discussion.

Tip #2: Go “controversial lite”

Jumping into legitimately controversial topics isn’t usually wise. So, I like to suggest going for “controversial lite,” meaning topics that people probably have varying opinions on, but those opinions aren’t attached to their core identity.

For example, you may have an opinion about the best TV show of all time and feel strongly about it, but hearing that a friend vehemently disagrees wouldn’t end your friendship.

This is the sweet spot to aim for.

This project by Insurify is a great example. The insurance comparison site analyzed their own database and calculated which states have the rudest drivers. This is a data-backed way to spark conversation and play to the ego of people in different areas without being likely to engender actual conflict. But it was also compelling enough to get great local coverage .

Driving in general can be a semi-controversial topic, especially when you get into comparing the quality of drivers in different cities or states. But disagreeing about which state has the meanest drivers won’t end relationships, either.

Tip #3: Try creating “tangential” content

In the spirit of not wanting to attach your brand to anything controversial, you can try creating “tangential” content. This is a strategy I like to employ when we’re trying to get national news coverage for a client in the US, whether the content we’re creating is controversial or not.

Why? Because national publications aren’t going to want to run an ad for your brand. It’s possible to create content that’s absolutely in line with your service offering and performs well, but it’s not something you can typically succeed at on an ongoing basis. So when you run out of material, you can broaden your scope.

One of our most successful content projects ever, Perceptions of Perfection , is a great example of this. It was for our client Superdrug Online Doctor; their brand mission is to “take the hassle out of visiting your doctor for common issues or embarrassing moments.”

Instead of doing all of our campaigns about medical issues, we went the tangential route. We zoomed out to think about health and what verticals were similar. In this case? We went with beauty.

Body images and beauty ideals are certainly debated in American culture, and this project adds to the discussion in a creative, more objective way. We asked designers around the world to Photoshop the same image of a woman to be what their country perceives as the “ideal” female body.

The project comes from a place of curiosity rather than having an agenda, which is key. The brand can care about the health and wellness of women and research the topics without desiring a particular answer. That makes the result easier to trust. All in all, this project earned more than 1,500 backlinks.

Note: while you can do controversial research more in line with your core brand offering, if the results promote your business, it may be perceived as biased and be less likely to be covered in the media. Exceptions exist, especially if you have a very authoritative brand, but it’s something to be mindful of.

Conclusion

If you want to dabble in creating controversial content without getting into a PR nightmare, try these methods of focusing on the data and not diving right into the ultra-controversial. Ask yourself what about the topic is controversial and what is every possible reaction someone could have upon reading the content.

If you’re comfortable with all of these reactions, then give it a shot! Good luck.

How Google Workspace unlocked the market for subscription business software

The software stack of a startup in 2020 looks much different than a company starting in 2007. In 2007, a new company would require large capital expenditures to build a Windows infrastructure for email, file storage, accounting, and marketing tools. It would cost tens of thousands of dollars and require hiring IT experts to deploy and manage ongoing.

Today, all of those solutions can be “purchased” using a credit card and paying a monthly fee. Very few companies are hosting email onsite, file storage can quickly be done in the ‘cloud,’ and there are countless solutions for a company to manage their accounting online. In just over a decade, all of the core solutions required for a company to operate have gone from extremely expensive to becoming ‘turn-key’ solutions that only need a credit card to set up.

How did we get there, though? It certainly didn’t happen overnight, and in my mind, it’s Google that deserves a lot of the credit for driving acceptance of ‘software as a service’ in the enterprise.

Google Workspace — formerly G Suite, formerly Google Apps for your Domain — is Google’s enterprise offering for email, calendar, file storage, and collaboration. Many of my customers are using Google Workspace alongside Spike’s products, so I think it’s important for founders in this space to realize the influence Google has had and what it means for your business today.

A key thing to keep in mind is that not only did Google Workspace help simplify the IT experience for companies, but it also boosted innovation. Before Google Workspace, Microsoft was the only game in town for the enterprise. Outlook was the only email available on desktop, and even mobile devices either used Outlook or required dedicated ‘connectors’ to an Exchange server.

The only way to do ‘productivity’ was in Microsoft Office. If you wanted to build an application, the only way to deploy it to companies was by tying directly into Active Directory. In short, the enterprise technology stack was driven by Microsoft and its applications.

So instead of fearing Google’s popularity, I think it’s important to see how it opened up the market to new subscription business software solutions and use it to find a place for your own idea to thrive.

Google for your Domain

In 2006, Google set out on a course to change that, though. When they launched Google for your Domain, they began a path that would forever change the enterprise landscape. In 2009, they added an Outlook sync plugin that made Outlook work almost precisely as Exchange did. Many users were so tied to how Outlook worked that it was needed to bridge the gap.

Employees who wanted to use Gmail on the web could easily do that. Employees who wanted to use Macs and Apple’s email program could easily do that. Employees who wanted to continue using Outlook could easily do that, too.

Over the next few years, they would add the Google Apps Marketplace to make it easy to integrate into other solutions, add FISMA certification, and build an API for third-party email clients to work natively with Google email.

I remember, in the beginning, IT professionals were hesitant to ‘outsource’ their email to a third party, but over time, it became standard operating procedure. IT departments didn’t feel like they would lose their jobs by allowing Google to host their email. They began to see it was a way to free up resources to focus on leveraging technology as a business tool instead of just repairing broken servers.

Where enterprise IT is today

Today, as a result of Google driving the concept of ‘SaaS’ into standard operations, there are many innovations in the enterprise that would not have previously been able to exist. When someone has an idea for a new business, their path to reaching their customers has never been easier.

Instead of focusing on selling IT departments on integrations into their systems, the focus is now on providing a great end-user experience. Because companies know that they can build a hosted solution that anyone can quickly sign up for, they now focus on selling directly to the people using the software instead of selling to IT professionals.

By focusing on selling to the same people who will use the software, they can communicate the key benefits that their particular solution offers without worrying about how to deploy it on a company’s server infrastructure.

For businesses that are just starting up, it’s also been a critical part of controlling costs. Instead of spending $50,000 on a server infrastructure, organizations can subscribe to a hosted email solution, a web-based accounting system, and a hosted customer management tool for a recurring monthly expense. Instead of large capital expenditures, you end up with operating expenses that are much easier to budget for in the future.

This trend for software sales has been terrific for ambitious founders as it’s led to a wealth of innovation in almost every software category on the market.

As Google began to replace Microsoft in many organization’s software stacks, they began to look elsewhere for more specialized solutions as well. As long-standing customers of Microsoft’s began to explore elsewhere, niche services developed audiences. Specialized problems began seeing specialized solutions.

No longer are companies tied to generic software solutions that only meet some of their needs. They can now find specialized solutions for specialized needs.

If you are a project manager for a construction firm, you no longer are required to force your workflows into Microsoft Access. There are specific apps and services for the job of a construction project manager. If you write books, you don’t have to figure out how to make it work in Microsoft Word, there are now specific services that assist authors in that process. If you want to manage your email like a chat app, there are specific services for that. If you want a service to manage company credit card receipts, you don’t have to build complex macros in Excel and Access. All you need is a credit card and a web browser.

In the last 15 years, we’ve gone from a world where everything a business did was tied to a Microsoft app or something that potentially required millions in custom software development. As companies became comfortable with Google for their corporate email, they suddenly became comfortable with a lot of other web-based companies helping manage their company operations.