How to Start: Doing your own PR

My mom (affectionately) calls me a "Shameless Self-Promoter"

Hi there!

Been a minute but I am excited to get back into things with some actual, tactical business advice. This Substack sometimes overwhelms me as I grapple with “what do I really know anyway?!” and then I remember that I learned quite a bit over 10 years of running STIK.

Moving forward, when I write about my learnings, I am going to make them for my paid subscribers. I hope to create a community here of people who are starting their own businesses and can learn from me for as little as $5 a month. I am always encouraging other entrepreneurs to know their worth, so pushing myself to do the same (occasionally)!

So today, I’m talking about PR. And I have THOUGHTS about PR!! When you’re just starting out, a typical PR agency is likely out of our budget. And I would argue that a typical PR agency is likely out of your budget for many years - as they are crazy expensive and when you get the “discounted rate” you also tend to get the discounted performance. The top Account Executive pitches you incredible ideas and the second you wire over the money, an intern is sending out emails (I have real life experience of this).

True story: it was always my goal to be on Oprah’s Favorite Things list. Disclaimer: I never got on said list, but I did get far into the process! And I did make an impression on the head editor. I happened to meet him while I was doing a pitch competition for the Tory Burch Foundation and he said, “I’ve definitely heard of you - your PR girl is really persistent”…. and I said… I am my PR girl!