PR Masterclass: How to Be Your Own PR Agent and Write a Standout Pitch with Emily Blair Media - Fashion and Founders The Podcast

Intro Hello and welcome back to Fashion Founders, the podcast. My name is Victoria Smith and this week I'm joined with Emily Blair Marcus, the founder of Emily Blair media APR firm with offices in LA, New York and London. She is the PR powerhouse behind this new era of celebrities. She's worked with Morgan Riddle, Harry Jowsey, Sabrina the Tube girl, Eck and Sue from Love Island, Pookie and Jet Boys Lie, Sophia Franklin, and so many anymore. Hearing from her about the strategy of why she took this approach and why she launched in the UK is just so smart. There is so much to learn from Emily in this episode. She thinks differently, acts fast, and just gets her work done so well that the clients keep coming to her. She also shares some amazing tips on how to write a winning pitch, how to actually get a journalist attention, how to be your own PR agent. She has a lot of like really good little secrets and tips and it shares things that you can do for yourself that are so smart and easily applicable today. There's so much value in this. I'm so thankful for Emily for sharing and for my lovely friend Chloe, who runs the UK branch, for helping make this happen. So let's get into the episode. And this week's highlight is the brand Coster Culture, an emerging Australian brand. Highlight: Koster Kulture Yasmine, the founder, shared with me that she originally started by sewing every piece by hand and has since designed, produced and marketed Coster Culture all herself, building it to be a highly regarded, aspirational brand to inspire others to embrace self-expression and ultra femininity. They were featured in British Vogue last year and aimed to create each piece to be wearable art. Coster Culture primarily utilizes sustainable, upcycled or recycled fabrics and partners with packaging and distribution companies. They'll work to offset their emissions and engage with 100% recycled materials. They are dedicated to the highest quality craftsmanship, an unparalleled attention to detail and visionary innovation. They have a new collection releasing soon. They as Mean says will be perfect for summer. I found her brand on Instagram and immediately loved it. I think I've always also gravitated towards Australian brands. I find something so timeless and elevated about the designs I've seen. Definitely go check them out at cost or culture with K's not C's. And I would also love to start featuring more global brands like this. So if that is you or you know of one, please DM me. Speaker 2 Hi, I've never seen across someone before when doing these. Starting her Business This is funny. Speaker 3 Or usually with next to the yeah, we're usually like all black business meeting. Speaker 2 But I would love to get started with a bit of your background and introduction on to how you started and like their media. Speaker 3 Yeah, Oh my God. There's like the Cliff Notes version, there's the like season long limited Netflix series version. But Long story short, it's like I've always been so inspired by like the world of media. Like I would wake up in the morning when I was like in elementary school and write my own, like, what's in my bag articles, like my sister and make her own magazine. So like I was always so enthralled by that. And like growing up in LA and living close to Hollywood, it was always top of mind for me. And I was so alert by it. And in high school, I would never go to like high school parties and, you know, drink beer and, you know, do that whole thing. I was very uncool. But I was like, I was like 13 more than 30. Like, I want to grow already and so my friends and I would go to like, fancy restaurants and order like $10 desserts just to like, sit somewhere spectacular. Are you from LA? Speaker 2 No or not, I'm from DC. Speaker 3 Okay, faster. I love, like Georgetown. Speaker 2 Yeah, I went to school. Really. Speaker 3 Yeah. Speaker 2 I. Speaker 3 Love DC so much and my God I wanna go back but there's a lot of like nightlife culture there. Speaker 2 Too. Yeah, so it's like expensive. Speaker 3 Exactly, like if you wanted to like grow up and be in politics in DC, like, you know, the bars to hang out at, you know, like the places to be seen, like over here, cool conversations, you're like see certain people, I'm sure. Plus that's like a stereotype from watching Scandal. But that's what I would assume to some degree. And it's very much like that in LA. And so I would put myself in those positions. One thing after another. I like eventually saw Cameron Diaz leaving, leaving the Shanton, Vermont when I was a junior in high school. And I tweeted about it and reported Us Weekly found my tweet and it turns out there's ways to like Geo tag or it used to be on Twitter. Now it's X like saw Cameron Diaz or walked by Cameron Diaz or she was searching for people who had seen Cameron Diaz because it was her Bachelorette party that I had seen. And so she reached out to me, asked for information about seeing her and I wrote her a thesis paper on every single detail I could remember. And then that ended up like leading me asking her actually for an informal internship, which I did throughout the rest of my high school experience and into college. And then by the time I was a senior in college, I was full time writing and reporting for Us Weekly and it was very hand in Montana. It was like literally like college finals in the morning, apologizing for like being late on assignments, Oscars at night. And so I went to a school that was very accommodating towards that. And we're used to students, like working in the industry. And so by the time I graduated, two things happened. I was burnt out on writing stories about Kim Kardashian all day. I was like, there's not any more in life than this. I just know it. And then I realized there's like a significant shift happening in like the landscape of media, like traditional celebrities who got famous for making movies that hit the award season junk in or like musicians that opened on tours and then did their own global tours. There's this new pocket of talent that was very digitally native that were becoming famous in ways that I've never heard of and my editors had definitely never heard of. And it was happening with overnight. And so I realized there was like a sweet spot to help them take their audiences of several million, like the artisans and the Dixies of the world and communicate their messaging to the press in a way that was like mediable. Because like as a reporter, I knew like how to write a pitch, it's going to get automatically deleted and what's actually going to be opened and how to navigate that. And I realized I could like reverse engineer that whole process and provide value to this like new way of talent. And that was the impetus of very, very much circumstantial, like, I don't know if COVID would have happened, like where I would be in my life. I thought I was going to go to grad school and I ended up just taking a chance on this experimental PR thing and here we are. Speaker 2 Yeah. Well, I love that like coming of age story does feel very 13 going on 30. Starting a business Did you have any practice in what it would mean to start a business? Like how to file a registration? No, an employee like all of those? Speaker 3 Things, no. It was very much like learning on the fly. And I'm someone who has no ego, which I think is like, I can't like stress the importance that enough. I am not afraid, I'm wrong. I'm not afraid to ask for help. Like I just never want to be the smartest in the room. And so that really helped me because like I was able to like see outside of myself and not like, I'm going to do this on my own. And I don't have investors. I don't have anybody who was like, OK, you have to do XY and Z and like, here's the room. Have to do it. Work with this person, work with that person. It was very go as you go. And my mom just well, as this owner. And so I relied on her a lot. I've used all of her people until like a few years ago where I was like this lawyers are kid girl. Like, why does this accountant literally file everything paper? Like, why does he not have the computer? And so I started to, like, trust in my own people on my own vision. But I had a lot of, like, support beginning with, like, having her help me with, you have to do this. You have to do that because people don't know, like, file an LLC. It's expensive. And you have to, like, publish something in a newspaper announcing that you're a business. And it's like, I don't want to do that on my own. And so I hired a lawyer who's like, we will take care of all of that for 2K. And I'm like, have my money, I guess. So a lot of stuff, yeah. Speaker 2 What was it like pitching to your first clients? Pitching to First Clients Do you know, do you remember who was your very? Speaker 3 Yeah, I do. So I was so my friend Kat, who's a makeup artist, when I was telling her it was, it was basically like right when COVID was about to happen. And the last event I really ever covered for Us Weekly was the Critics Choice Awards, like that whole and the Golden Globes, the award season circuit of 2020. And so it usually starts the Globes in January, the Emmy September, and then it goes like Critics Choice, independent spirits, Oscars. And I was sitting with her for the for the Academy Awards, I think, and she was doing makeup and I was talking to her about how like things felt weird in LA. Like it was around the time of that the long premiere was happening. And I think that was like the last big premiere. And I like before things shut down for like 2 years, everyone is like, are we going to this? Are we not like, are we shooting kids people? Are we not like what's happening? And so people works like a little bit nervous. And then she was like, well, and I was telling her that I had this back interest NPR but didn't know what I wanted to do with it. And she had this other client who her name is Tara. And she remember the show Dirty John on Netflix. It was a wondering podcast also. It was about this girl who Julia Garner starred in it and it was and Connie Britton, I think, and this girl killed her stepfather in salt defense and he was like a psycho. And she this girl with their real life girl who like Julia Garner paint on the show was also a client of makeup artist and she was like Tara's looking for press because like she wants to tell her side of the story and like have this whole like arc is like it was based on me, like maybe you can work with her. And I was like, well, I've never been a publicist, but all my friends are journalists. Like they work for E they work for people. They work for Us Weekly. Like, it's not a cold pitch it to the stratosphere. It's like, I know how to get this done. And like, I know how her story should be told. The anniversary of the whole accident is coming up. Like she should be doing an op-ed for people. She should be on Good Morning America. Like it all. I could see it in my head. I just needed to, like, execute it. And Tara took a chance on me. And like, I worked with her for a few months and like, we were able to do a lot of great things and cater for me, another client after that. And it all trickled down. But that was my very first entry point to PR. Yeah. Speaker 2 Wow. Well, there's a quote I want to pull out from your website because I want to hear more about what the services of PR entail because I think it's easy like, oh, it's one article. What are the services of PR? But really, I I definitely know it's much more than that, but I want. Speaker 3 To hear it from you and a lot of people think different things about the meeting up here. Speaker 2 Yeah, it's interesting. And it was from Harry jealousy, which I think so speaks to the, like, digital native celebrity in a way, Yeah. Speaker 3 Totally. He's right up there. One of the first, yeah. Speaker 2 And he said there isn't anything she wouldn't do for her clients and the people she cares about. And I feel like that is so different than just a business transaction that's so much more than that. What are these relationships like with your clients? Speaker 3 Yeah. I mean, like the things that we genuinely do for them day-to-day are not baked into our scope of works. Like our scope of work is like, we'll pitch you to press. We'll set up opportunities for you to Share your story on podcast, print, digital, television, operations, events, whatever it might be. But like, in truth, PR is we're a therapist, we're a crisis manager, we're a chauffeur, we're a social media manager, we're a strategist, we're everything. And so I think that for me, like I genuinely want to work with people who I will ride for till the end. Like we are in this together, like through thick and thin because it's also like what a lot of PR has taught us in the news the last few months. It's like you're in it with your team, like whether you like it or not, like we can all read between the lines there when you are are writing for your client and suggesting something like it's a very, very intimate and personal relationship, especially when you want them to trust you with something. And a lot of people have they've been burned before by other teams or they have a misunderstanding of what PR is to another team. And it's completely different definition of what it is to your company. And so I'm really sensitive of that. Like when I'm signing new clients, I always ask like what worked for them in the past and what didn't. And it's not to like shit on my competitors. Actually really, God, I even admire so many my competitors and I'm friendly with them. It's more so just to understand that client in particular, like what needs like work for them because everyone's so different, our communication styles, how we absorb information, how we give information. And I'm like a chameleon. I'm like, I can be whatever you want me to be. Just like, tell me what works for you. And I think having such a genuine passion and love for my clients and really trying to sign people who fit or values the company and like who I can see it with. And like, if you give me an amount of time, like, here's what we're going to do. And Harry's such a great case study of like the guy who we met in 2021, I think when he was like fresh off of too hot to Handle, the hot guy on the beach, Like, where do you go from there? And then three years later, he's on Dancing with the Stars. And so like there was a trajectory and there were definitely things that we had to overcome along the way. And it's like, because we have that trust and that respect, and I just think he's an incredible person. Like we were able to really just navigate the more challenging parts and just like get through it all with just grace and Gray. Speaker 2 And he's on the unwell network. And that's so that's like such like the perfect example story. Speaker 3 Amazing. He like really restarted his podcast too, which I we're hearing earlier. Like it's interesting how some people like it might not be the right team or the right time or the right place and it's like to close one door and a whole new one can open it with results that you never saw coming. Yeah, I. Self-publication lacks legitimacy Personally believe that like in this day and age of social media, anyone can be a self publicist right? But it lacks complete legitimacy and traditional PR. Like the services you provide is what will take someone to that next level. So I can be on Instagram, be like, I'm amazing and you'll be like. Speaker 3 Okay, however, pitch yourself out to journalist. Like have you ever done like research? I'm like, oh, like this person writes for Bessel like she's written about like XY and Z like maybe she'd want to know what I'm doing. Like I'm curious if like you've ever like I. Speaker 2 Have yeah, because I've also like talked to Chloe yeah, yeah, yeah. So she I would like ask her questions about that, but I think it is one hard to like self pitch. But I think that's the main difference. I can post to make. I'm amazing, but if like then I'm in vogue, it's like, OK, like. Speaker 3 Now I'm getting you that credibility. Like it's interesting that we get in the media power to like define us and tell our story a little bit. But I mean, I do the same thing. Like I have like I've been really focused in the last few years in founder press and like I used to be so behind the scenes and like I don't want to be seen, acknowledge, perceived. I would love to be private on Instagram. And then I realized like, OK, this is my brand. Like unfortunately I tapped my name on it. It's not called the public relations company. It's called. I'm like, whatever. Yeah, I pie and Emily. And so in order to like win those awards, get that recognition, like attract more clients, like I need to put myself in front of it. And so in doing that, I, yeah, like Forbes calling me like best in class PR, being on the insider list every year of top publicist, Those are things that have really helped me because I know that like, it always leads to calls of potential future partners, potential clients. It's a tool. And so I think that having that credibility is still so great. But I also know it's super expensive and hot tip for everybody. I know people in the past who literally like created like a fake Gmail account. Speaker 2 Done that. Speaker 3 For you like Sasha at. Speaker 2 Like it once did and then I like got nervous because like I'm going to mess this up and respond from the wrong. Speaker 3 That's so no, like I literally, I think Celeste did that. Actually, I think my friend's last straight Co hosted podcast and she did that. And like, because it's the same thing. It's like we give power to other people. Like if somebody is advocating for you, like it's, it's awkward maybe for you to brag about yourself, but Sasha can talk all day about how you were providing a platform for like emerging founders and XYZ or whatever. And it's like when someone else is like bragging on your behalf. It's like, oh, this is this is interesting. Speaker 2 Yeah. Do you have tips for people who, I think that was the word I was looking for credibility because once like you get that PR and like you're invoked, you're in business of fashion, you're in West magazine, like now you've just reached that next level of your business. Tips for utilizing PR to get to the next level But if someone that can't afford to hire PR or it's like what they really want to do, I'm sure you can't take on every client that wants to work with you. What are your tips to utilizing PR to get to that next level? Speaker 3 Yeah, it's really interesting. I think there's a lot of things that people can do for themselves and it really comes down to like PR so personal and like when it's done right, like it can't be robotic. Like I can't tell you how many times as a journalist I would receive emails that were like, hey, Sarah, hope you're having a great day. I'd love to tell you about expensive. And like, OK, this person last pitch, they didn't carefully understand. They have no idea what my byline is because I'm not going to be interested in this Snuggie, even though I think it's really fun and cute. Like I write about like Kim Kardashian's nail Polish color, like, why am I going to cover a Snuggie? And so it's really getting down to like, very much pinpointing what you're doing. OK. So if you are, you know, launching a sustainable skin care brand and you really know your competitive edge, you know your market consumer, you know everything about what makes you different and the why there's a place that I need for you. I would do a deep dive on like don't overwhelm yourself. Choose like 5 beauty outlets, like choose the lawyers of the world that the cream of the crop, but also choose like, you know, some that are like more small and like can be like a good entry point. Maybe I don't know, like dig any publications They level. I love all friends, but like choose one that has like maybe a lower readership than something like Vogue and go through the website and like really familiarize yourself with like who's on the staff there. Like, oh, OK, Like Jennifer covers, like sustainable beauty launches. Interesting. Oh, Sarah looks like she's a freelancer because she doesn't have like a official app, whatever e-mail. Like at the end, it's a Gmail or AOL account. But like if you look at her Instagram and she's a press highlight, OK. Like everything that she's written about is like new founders, like what's new this year? What's the new launch this year? Like, cool. OK, these are people that I would want to reach out to and so never DM pitch an editor like there are a lot of editors have in their Instagram BIOS. Don't pitch me and don't. But what I do and like I've had editors told me this in the past that this works is which is so validating to hear because I just something I've tried is you don't want to be just like a name in someone's inbox, especially when they get hundreds of emails a day. So what I'll do is like if there's a predator like Jennifer, so I found Jennifer's Instagram cool. I know I'm going to send her a pitch that I think she'll like, but I could get buried in like a sea of pitches today. I'll go to different Instagram a like five of her recent posts. I will maybe like comment on one like, Hey, Jennifer, like just sent you an e-mail like XX or something like that. And like that's not too aggressive. Like that shows her that like, OK, look, someone left to comment. She might now look out for my name or like my name will process something that she's seen before in the past, like in her emails. And I'll make it so specific. I really like to get to know these editors, not stalking them, but like find a mutual place. Don't be like, Hey, Jennifer, hope you're having a great day. Let's tell you about so and so and so. Do you know what we're telling her about so and so that day instead be like, Oh my God, I just saw you just got back and like a vacation. It really looked so fun. Hadn't left the country and years dying for a break lol Something else I thought you'd like really enjoying your next vacation. It's like something that you need in your travel bag. Here is why I launched XYZ. And so just making it like more humid like we all just like want to see how products can be a necessary thing in our lives, especially with like overconsumption and like the issues that we have right now around that. It's just finding like really like getting so specific like why this person needs to know about you and that could all be better than APR team. It's just like we can obviously do it faster and in higher volume and like about those existing relationships, but anybody can do it. Speaker 2 Yeah, and you like know the formula? Speaker 3 Exactly, and also there's a lot of leveraging. It's like if I really want one of my clients to end up in bustle and I know that this editor is more likely to prove this client if I give her this client first. It's like it's all a game and it's like it's all relationships too. Like I have a friend now a friend of mine who like works at she overseas talent for like bustle this over poor like Elite Daily nylon, and she's genuinely my friend. But like when I first like saw her on the Internet, like I took her to dinner as lunches. It's like really like schmoozed her up because like I wanted her to like to like me and to like my clients, like end of the day. And like in doing that, I just realized your social comment. I've been genuinely adore her and like, now if I hit her, it's not like, hi, Samantha, I hope you're having a nice day. It's like, babe, what can we do here? Please? SOS all Well, it's like more casual because it's just like that's the relationship we have. And I also know what kind of things she needs for like her content colors. So it's mutual. Speaker 2 And you would think the customization and like not mass emailing people would be a bit more common sense. But like I've bought in pitches for the podcast. So people, I'm like, you have nothing to do with what I talked about. Speaker 3 Like from publicist or people from publicist? Speaker 2 No, yeah, I'm like, yeah, I'm just like on your list. You're just like one up in the. Speaker 3 Nutcracker Stitches, you know, those are, yeah, you're just, they found you by some algorithm or maybe you covered a really specific kind of founder and they're like, I have a platform like a tech app that's just like that, yeah. Speaker 2 It's funny being on the other side. Yeah, I think you learn a lot from being like, oh, OK, that's what it feels like. If I pitched to the wrong person, well, I'm still on a lot of people. Speaker 3 'S e-mail list when I worked it this weekly and I don't subscribe to that. Like it's like a little secret for me. And like I like to see how other people are pitching. Like if there's a holiday missing, like, Oh my God, today's national lipstick day. Who knew? Like let me make sure I'm pitching XYZ. And so I like having that little like, secret sauce. Speaker 2 Yeah. It's like those little things. I think that can actually make the biggest difference because so much. Speaker 3 Yeah, and it shows, like your level of care to like attention in detail. Yeah, up on the tiniest things. Speaker 2 Yeah, called public relations. Like the relationships are key, yeah. Speaker 3 Exactly. Exactly. Speaker 2 I've been on the other side of things. What would make an intern stand out at NPR? If someone wanted to work NPR, maybe they want an intern for you. What would make them stand out as like a potential intern or at an agency? Speaker 3 Yeah, yeah. I really love what you just said. Like greatest, let's talk about it like ADHD and I mean relationships, relationships. Like that's so true Interns. Yeah. Whenever somebody DMS me or e-mail to me, like I will always respond and like funnel it through to like the hiring team. So I am always really excited when people like reach out cold about like internship opportunities. I think for us, and we also hired previous interns full time and like that worked really, really well for us. Like in all of our offices, New York, UKLA, which has been awesome because like, they can see the actual data flow. They get a lot of responsibility. They're not doing busy work. We're not having them run coffee. Like they are genuinely like getting in the nitty gritty of it, which I appreciate because like that's how I was when I was an intern at Us Weekly. And like, I think that you get the most value and learn the most whenever we do like in person events, like we had like a summit last year. We had a lot of interns that came from that. We had a few new hires that came from that. Whenever I do like speaking opportunities that always meet students. We've I've hired someone full time in our New York office and I met Vogue when I slept there last summer. And so I think that just like showing up in those places, but you don't necessarily have to have a PR background to the girl who runs our who's our social media assistant in New York, who's incredible. Cecily, like she's finance background. And like, I remember talking to her last summer and she was telling me that she really wanted to break into comms, but she didn't have that background educationally. And like, but we talked about Cecily is like, she's doing this program in the summer. Like she's I've done, I did the same program she did. So I know it like prepares you for what we do. She's obviously exceptionally smart. She's like a finance degree. She understands like business, she understands communications. How far can it be like for her to apply that skill sets like social media events? And that's what she's passionate about already. And so there was a great baseline, like she was an enthusiastic person for me. It really comes down to that. Even when I'm interviewing people like full time, like are you confident? Can you carry yourself in a room? Can you communicate things that articulate them well? Because so much of like PR is talking and conversing and you can't be pass it and like, wait, we have some questions. Like have some proactive you have to ready to answer questions on the go, like jump into a hard conversation. And even me, I have to bolster myself up sometimes before home. I'm like, we're gonna have this call. It's not gonna be fun, but we're gonna do it. And like I self talk about the time like a crazy person, but like it works. And so I look for those. Speaker 2 Skills too, yeah. So I'm sure if someone stands out immediately if they come up to you or send you the e-mail, cuz like that's what they'll have to do if they're working for you, they like put themselves out there. So a. Speaker 3 100% they have to be comfortable with. I'll never forget this, our summit in the fall. I had this girl come up to me and she was there because she knew that Harry Dowsy was speaking at her summit. She went up to me and Harry and she was like, I want to give you this cover letter. I saw that I'm well as hiring a social media director. She was still college. So like love her. She's amazing. Probably wouldn't have gotten a director position, but she saw that was like an opening role. She wrote a whole cover letter like directed and Harry and Alex attached to her resume, printed and handed it to Harry. He didn't know what to do. Like he was like flabbergasted. I'm like. Speaker 2 I have nothing. Speaker 3 Have you ever seen one before? Like cuz his team is like I've been there since like the start and like he's. Speaker 2 He was like 21. Yeah, he's. Speaker 3 Very young, like I don't think he and bless his heart, he's very smart and capable, but like it was just it shocked me too. Like cuz whenever that's that's lost art, like yeah, that's something that you don't see every day. And so people like e-mail me and they're like, I really liked what you wrote in XYZ or I really like what your client did on this campaign. I'm like, they're taking the time to study us. We're not just another PR for that. They collect, apply, apply, apply on LinkedIn. They know why they're applying here. And I think that that is really a stand. Speaker 2 Up I wanna ask about you as a founder. Lessons for Founders So I know you have your own podcast and you talk about that. Yeah, everyone should go listen. But you did this without having found in a business before. What have been your biggest lessons, learnings and any tips you might have for someone trying to start a business that they can avoid certain mistakes? Speaker 3 Boy, boy, where do we get Something I really strive to do is never make the same mistake twice. And so I'm not someone that gets all riles. I've been frustrated and angry. I'm like, okay, let me like assess this like rationally and like if I just have a way for a minute, I do, but like where did I go wrong and how can I course correct in the future? And so things now that like I can solve or remedy in 5 minutes, but taking me hours years ago. And it's like, if there's a saying that it takes like 10,000 hours to like become an expert in anything. And so it's, I don't know how many hours I had this, but it's a lot. It sure is hell a lot. And so I think you just get smarter and smarter. And like when I said earlier, like something I always tell myself is like, if I'm the smartest one in the room, in the wrong room, like I want to surround myself with people who are experts in what they do. Don't ever hire me to like run your finances. You will go bankrupt in a day. But if you want to hire me to like strategically execute your visions for your company, I'm your girl. And so I plug in people who are experts in what they do, like when it comes to legal, when it comes to like CFO operations, like I have amazing people around me. And so I really try to like pinpoint what I want to do in my day and like where I can be the most of service and value to my clients and my team and like how to have people around me who can fill in those other gaps. And so it's really hard. And there's a lot of things that people don't tell you and it's very nuanced depending on where you live. Like, for example, California has a whole host. I always joke that I'm like basically like all woods. Like I have an all woods law degree. Like I know so many random like California employment law and labor laws and like everything because I run a company like base California and I have a team of like 15 here. I have to know those things. Like I have to know if I'm like providing the best environment for them or if there's things that like they may have questions about, like I need to have answers to it. And so like our handbook or employing it, like is being updated monthly on laws like bio legal team to make sure we're like after Sandra is a protocol. And there's all these things that I'm not researching. Like what's the latest in California? Like that's where my OPS team does and they're like, they bring it to my attention. Like when you make sure we're compliant here, like do we have this down? And so it's all those little nuances that you don't think about when you're just in the fun part of like hitching and talking to your friend at Nylon. And it's like, that's like the sunny part of it, but like you have to to make sure that your, you know, structure is so organized. Like are you, you know, filed as an LLC? Are you submitting your LLC taxes? Are you like submitting all of your, you know, finances appropriately so you don't get audited? Like, because our business is really interesting. Like we're not, you know, there's a lot of things that can be considered write offs or things that like genuinely like, yeah, I got my hair makeup done for the Oscars. Like that's, that's a write off legitimately. Because, yeah, I'm not going to be Oscars with my hair in a clock lip. Like, but for someone else, like if you were working at a restaurant and you were for the Oscars, that's fun right off if you're going as a post one for fun. So there's a lot of things like that you have to understand to be like legally compliant and operate as goodly as you can that I didn't know anything about. And I'm always learning more things, but I don't know if you've. Speaker 2 Covered those topics on your podcast. I have to check it out, but I think those are like the exact things I would want to hear. I was like a listener. It's like, OK, she's done it. And you're not some like fifth year old corporate dude. I'm like, we don't speak the same language. You're like, this is how a write off works. Have you seen the Schitt's Creek? And there was a clip of David. He's like, that's a write off. And he's like the government refunds me and the child, like freaks out. It's like, I remember, like watching and I was like, wait, is that not what that is, Alexis? Speaker 3 The OG publicist, I love her. Speaker 2 So I think that would be so interesting to hear. If it's like 10 minutes I'm like this is how you file a write off. Speaker 3 That's really good to know. Yeah. We, we always dance around those subjects that we talk about them. But like, again, like we're never like we're so new that we're not really sure like where the feedback is. But I think you're right. Like I don't know where I would go necessarily right now if I wanted to find like more information about that. Because a lot of people I listen to are like Lauren Bostick, which is all about like authors in your life and your Wellness or Tanks, which is about like dating and pop culture. And so I don't really have like a go to for those things right now. And I think you're right that like we often get preached down to by people who've been doing it for 30 years, 40 years, but it's things change by the millisecond. Like I hire people fresh out of college because they know way more about social media than I do like, and I have no shame in saying that. So I think that because things are changing so often, like we got to Createspace for people to understand how it's done and not get keep all of those tricks of the trade. Speaker 2 Yeah, not like letting go of your secret sauce, but I think that is at least from my perspective, like what I would wanna be looking for and what's really I haven't heard in any podcast because it is like interviews, comedy fun. And then I'm like, okay, now I want YouTube watching this like creepy video. So I'm doing me in his basement about like how do I register an? Speaker 3 Headphones and like monitors. Speaker 2 Or it's like a government page from like, I don't want to like this is. Speaker 3 No, it's not like, yeah, it's not all witsy like, yeah, I want like the L woods. Speaker 2 Version of like how to start a business. Speaker 3 Basically like that, that's that's that's a really for me to put. Speaker 2 It Yeah. Speaker 3 Yeah, because nobody teaches you and like you, you also you mess up a lot of things like as you go. And then you you don't realize you messed it up until you end up in a position where like you actually needed that one piece of information, whatever it is, and you have it. And so having a road map would have helped me a lot. Speaker 2 Because for example, like I've talked to people who are starting like creative agencies right now where like they're, they're in a job and they're like, there is such a ceiling on how much money I can make. I want to now not have a ceiling, but like set the floor for myself, like how high I can go. They have asked me like in conversation and like, I don't know how to price myself. How did you go about being like, this is what I'm worth? And now you have a team of 15 people like, Oh my gosh. Speaker 3 There's a lot. Speaker 2 But it's like, you obviously have to grow. And sometimes, at least for women too, we can have like imposter syndrome. Navigating Imposter Syndrome And it's like, wait, maybe that actually isn't worth X amount. It's actually a little less. So it's like, no, no, no, you guys should be hiring or spending way more. How did you navigate those situations? Speaker 3 Yeah. And that's a great question. And I'm a bad negotiator when it comes to like clients because I'm like, so client facing like a compromise, small business background. So my mentality is like the customer is always right. And that's like seared into my mind where it's like if they're trying to negotiate, like, yeah, I want like I want them to sign that. That's because I need that money because I need to make payroll. And it's just like my CFO has helped me understand, like you can't look at just what's in the bank, how much time was inside. This person wants to pay you lower than what you might, you know, otherwise charge. Like how much are you paying all the people that run their account? Are you losing money? Are you earning money? And it's like those conversations I've hired someone to help me like navigate. So I know, but it also comes out to having good relationships with your competitors and like having authenticity and like honest conversations. I'm in a group chat called PR Girlies with like 3 girls and a gay. And we like Fashion Week every year. We're like, OK, what's the deal? Like we have a mutual spreadsheet we all share. We're like everyone filling our contacts, like who's running missions, running that show? And it's so helpful because we're not like insane during the year, like, oh, who's the best person at this outlet these days? Or like, do you know if so and so is looking for this? Like it makes it so helpful because like, I'm always going to need a favor from someone. Someone will probably need a favor from me. And it's like, we all win together. And like, if we help each other with those things rather than like gatekeeping our relationships. And so that's really like even financially, I'm like, what are you guys charging for this or what are Mr. clients making? And it's like having making money less taboo, I think is like really something that I would love for people to like, get into more because it's hard. It should be like, yeah, making this like, I would love making that. Like, what do you think I could do to get there? And on the other side of it, I think about that for my staff because I'm like, I'm a growing business. Like I'm hired an executive coach this year. The first thing you told me, I know like, my assistant had like an intervention with me. And she was like, you need a coach? And I'm like, OK, I actually had an ego about it for like a month. And then I came around. But he was like, you're going from a small business to a medium side of this business like you are now. Like when you hit around 30 people, like you're no longer a startup. And I think you've been in like startup mode for so long. I'm like, oh, I have done Jack the thought be like that. And it's like, no, we have such a structure. Like we used to sit around the table and have structure meetings. I swear to God that we run into white. We're like, how should we? Like, what's your structure? Like? Nobody knew what we were doing and we figured it out and we got here. Now we are so structured. But I'm thinking about when we got to meetings business, like the people I have who are heads like head of talent, head of brands, like how do their roles evolve? The future of Meetings How do people like, I don't want them to think that they've hit a ceiling like like you said in there earlier, mid 20s, like I want them to see themselves growing here for years to come. And so it's like, OK, do we want to see ourselves building out a beauty department, a fashion apt, a sports department? So we have a good VP of athletes, a good VP of beauty, AVP of fashion, like, and people take ownership over those lanes. Men like that had a brand's role or had a talent role can keep growing to like oversee those things. And so I'm always trying to think of like what the next five years looks like 10 years. So I can like understand the growth path. So people are just like, what are we all doing here? Yeah, I think that's really important people to know, like, especially with joining earlier companies, like where they're going to be because they're not joining Google. We're not like you're going to start here and in 12 years you're going to be there. Yeah. Like that's on us. Yeah. But like they can see a path at least like five years is the future. Speaker 2 Yeah, and you're definitely not a startup anymore. You have a branch in the UK. Speaker 3 You know, it's so freaky, You know, like, think about that. We're like, wait, hold on. Like this isn't like experimental can't shit anymore. Speaker 2 Yeah. Why did you decide to branch out to be not just naturally more, but global and have an office in London? PR in the UK Yeah, I have always been so fascinated by UK culture. Like I think it's amazing you were when we met there. You were just visiting, right? Or either. Speaker 2 I did the same masters. Speaker 3 As Chloe did the Masters. Speaker 2 And then I was living there, subletting. Speaker 3 Okay, so you could probably understand first hand then. Speaker 2 Love UK culture? Speaker 3 It's amazing and they're so let's talk about it. We represent Atkins Zoo. Speaker 2 I love, love. Speaker 3 Island, it's so addicting, like I like if I watch shows like that I will get on a tailspin for summer. Speaker 2 Anyway, so. Speaker 3 Good. So culture in the UK and Asia, I think are like, so far ahead of us. I don't think they look in America. And they're like, well, actually, let me take that back. Like, I think some parts of the American culture, they're like, you guys are weird. Like, we don't need to copy that. But I think other parts of the American culture they respect and admire. Yeah. And what I noticed was like spending a lot of time in the UK, like doing a program at Connie Nast and just being obsessed with traveling in London in general, spending all the time there. I'm like, OK, my clients like who are bar British or how the UK presidents are just what I've seen about UK celebrities in general. They get like tabloid process, like they're in the Mirror, The Sun, the Daily Mail, by the way, like their PR teams are pitching those outlets and their networks of the shows they're on are also pitching those networks. But I'm like, that's so weird because people like Harry Jowzy who have the same background or in GQ in America, it's like what's going on? And so I realized and also the whole ecosystem of like talent in the UK is very much segmented to the UK, hardly ever have it known before. Like Madeline, RG was able to like really breakthrough in that kind of way. Like GK Berry, I can tell you that name. And you know who that is. Yeah, living in the UK, but like no one here would know who she is like on a mainstream level. And she's like the Alex are all of the UK or so or the Alex Cooper, rather. And so it's like I realized that like they didn't really have an approach to kind of like elevate the way that they're being positioned. And they were just used to like click baity press and then also true. Yeah. And then also like they weren't. And GK is like a great example. Like she's one of the top podcasters in the UK. She has sold out tours. She's created a conversation for women, talk about their sexuality, talk about their dating life, like very candidly, but she's monetized that she's she's done like what largely would call her daddy has done. And so that's a legitimate story. Like, why isn't that being spoken about in like a larger capacity? Why is that just in the sun when she's leaving a restaurant? And so adopting that model, I like realized we could bring it to the UK and we had some clients who live there and some relationships with managers already for when people were trying to come to America and grow their audience. And so I had a great entry point and I started to talk to managers out there and people gave us a chance. And Sabrina Bassoon to grow was like very much like our best case study of it working and like crapping the code because we signed her when she was just becoming viral with all of her videos in the UK. And then she was going to America to do a whole partnership launch and we got her on Chloe. Chloe like spearheaded this and it was great. She was on GMA, she's on the Kelly Clarkson Show, She talked to the late daily like she was everywhere. And I think that really changed the game for her. She had a cause of Middle East cover, like she was global. She wasn't just segmented to like this UK market anymore. And so our understanding of how to do that, like we have two UK clients who are coming to New York for Fashion Week this year. And like we know how to get them into shows, how to get them pressed when they're here, like how to build their profile in the States just the same and it makes them more marketable. And so I think global communication is so interesting and I'm always learning about like the differences culturally in the UK versus America. Like there's a lot of things that are different. Like there's so many person conversations there and like here, like I'll hop on a call with someone, what a time we go to lunch or like, and the UK, like our retainers are a lot different. They're a lot lower than they are in America and it's hard for them to just give you money and with the fingers crossed mentality. And here PR is more structured out where people know that it's not guaranteed results right away and seems like prove yourself more there. And so there's a lot of nuances, but I finished of it without like my team on the ground there some who are American and some who are European and a great mix. Speaker 2 I think the example with Serena, tube girl and you guys also represent Pookie and Jeb, right? Speaker 3 We worked for them last year and then she went on meet us when she got pregnant. Speaker 2 But I was going to ask, there's some influencers and these like digital native creators that you can either be like 1 viral moment and then you never hear from them again or you're established and you're getting on to real publications and talk shows and you're going to events like where is that sweet spot? So I'm sure there's so many people who could have been big names and they just didn't get the necessary management or PR, whatever it is to like actually establish themselves. Speaker 3 It's so true. And it's really interesting you say that. And I think it like comes down to two things, like striking all the iron's high and like knowing when there's tension around you and then being willing to invest in PR. It's the same way where I tell our team someone could be famous tomorrow and like, none of us have ever heard about them and they're going to be all we're talking about when all the Internet is talking about for the next week. And it's interesting. Like jewels abroad. Remember the demure girl? Yeah, that like how often do you think about her? Like and she was everything last year and we took a meeting with her team and she didn't end up signing at this. And like she's done incredible things. Like no shame to her. Just like I saw a longer term strategy because I knew that like something like that was like a fleeting moment. And how do you build a career off of like? Speaker 2 A moment to I was going. Speaker 3 To say talk to her next. I mean like she's like has the whole thing, but I don't really understand her whole point drama. But like it doesn't look you look cute or fun to go with. And I've had clients before that like, you know, I'm not going to name Blast anyway, but like I've had clients who are going so viral and then they develop somewhat of an ego and they're like, I don't think I should be doing like Us Weekly or people like what I should be waiting for Vogue or I should be doing this. And I'm like, honey, like, let me level track with you. And like, sometimes they're usually their managers are on the same side as me. And so we'll have like internal conversations and like how to best explain something to someone and then a group chat with the client, which is so helpful. But like bringing someone back down to earth who has a little bit of an inflated ego will be hard. And I've had clients who like are not as relevant as I think they could have been because they didn't understand the building block that you need to take. Like just because you were on top of the world and everyone on takes, somethings are amazing. You're not going to be able to cover a boat. You're just a lot of. So it's like you have to talk to the ES and the people's next weekly, get the SEO like drive the headlines you want, like be relevant, staying that and then like, let's go to the moon. Speaker 2 I think Morgan Riddle is such a good example of this because I've watched tennis my entire life. Oh really? That is the biggest tennis fan ever? Like barely ever watched football or anything like that, but like tennis, like I've played since I was three. I've been watching. Like have you been to? Speaker 3 Indian balls or like any of the turbans? Speaker 2 I've been to Wimbledon, the US Open and the Olympics. So like, tennis has been like this giant thing in my life. And then I love that I were seeing her content. I was like, I've never seen someone like talk about tennis from the inside or like the girly side or like the fashion and. Speaker 3 Before Taylors have made black culture. Speaker 2 I know, I know. But I think like Morgan, for example, like did such a good job of that from the inside. That is such a good example because now she's like in Vogue or these other major publications, but you do have to like build your way up. She's a. Speaker 3 Phenomenal example of that. Yeah. And like, I usually don't work with clients who don't have management or don't have agents because, like, you need for those people to, like, advocate for, like, your role because it might not happen today, tomorrow, but like, in a month, you could be on the cover of The New York Times. And like, when we started with Morgan, like, she was a friend of mine, honestly. And like, I was working with another client who was in her lane, who I stopped working with. And I would text and work. And I was like, I have a lot of open PR opportunities where I need to give this editor so they won't pay me like somebody to talk about like commentary, like just expert commentary on tennis trends. It wasn't popular the way it was now. Challengers wasn't a thing. Nothing about tennis culture right now like existed then. And I was like, I don't even charge you, but like, if you want to talk to senator, like people in Cosmo, like fashion do that. And then she was interested a little bit. And then we sent out like a pitch and like a few pitches. And all of a sudden, like, we were able to like, she's turning down so many things. Like she won't even do like photo Diaries anymore around like, you know, and she used to do like town and country, like day in the life of like Morgan and be U.S. Open or like a paper magazine photo takeover. And like now like we're being super selective because we have bigger goals and we did, but like we're on your free with board men. And so like that trust and that establishment is like developed. I know her brand so well. I know her manager's vision so well. She's become a good friend of mine, her agency or people that we share most of our clients with in general. And so it's just it's very calculated. Like Morgan isn't talking about Miller at all in press. If you read articles, you won't see his name unless it's like the New York Times cover. And that was something that we all talked about his team extensively. So that's how to say no shame. Speaker 2 That was such a good headline I remember. Speaker 3 That was crazy. A number of people that were so like, what the hell? It's the US Open and like, she's getting the spotlight. It was crazy. Speaker 2 No, I, I love it. I love the tennis culture, the sport culture. It's so fascinating. You know you have to say yes to everything and then you get to say no. Speaker 3 Exactly. We're selective and it's like listen, like her content is all about like we don't shy away from the fact that she's following Taylor on the road. Like that's what, you know, gave her this disability and we're so excited about it. And they do step together around the Olympics or partnerships during the open. But we're trying to build Morgan outside of Taylor, like out of respect for Taylor's career. Also, Morgan is interested in fashion, travel, lifestyle, hosting. She just hosted an AM for event for F1, which we were able to secure for her. And so like, it's so fun having that trust and that vision. So clearly we're like, we know we're pinching her eyes and like, Taylor is a note in that pitch, but he's not anything about the main story. Like it is really her. And it's very carefully crafted so that we can be more selective and turn things down. She has such an incredible platform now, and she didn't not have it three years ago. And like it's, it's a very exciting thing like Harry, to look back and be like, look what we were able to do and what we can do for someone else. Speaker 2 Yeah, it's really cool to see the development and the progress. Speaker 3 I love someone like that, can see that I've like a tennis fan. Speaker 2 So yeah, yeah. Because I've been watching it since I was like, probably at five years old. Wow. And then all of a sudden I was like, wait, I've never heard like this on social media, on TikTok and like other people talking about tennis. It's mainly like me and my dad. Speaker 3 It's not like a moment in pop culture like the way it is now. I think athlete culture in general has really shifted in so many interesting ways. Speaker 2 Yeah, I also just think like that a lot of the conversation around Wags before it was like, oh, these women just like feed off of their. Speaker 3 I mean their shows on E like Basketball Wives and things like that. Speaker 2 I've never seen that. Yeah. But like, no, she's like an entrepreneur. She's making money off of this. It's very different, I think, from prior WAG culture. Yeah. So like, she's not really a WAG. Speaker 3 Yeah, we don't like, it's interesting. We also like play around at that term and like an interesting, I don't want her to be defined as someone's partner, but at the same time, we're very cognizant of like that's how our platform developed. But she's also like she has great relationships in fashion. Like she went to meet me on S front row here Fashion Week. And so we view her more as like a fashion tastemaker and like a sports someone who's like sports adjacent is like what I say she's sports adjacent. So there's ways to PR it. Speaker 2 OK, I have a couple speed round questions. OK, so first question is what is a misconception about working NPR? Speed Round Yeah, I think that like how I view do it. Maybe it's more like, did you rush the hills? No, like so you probably don't tell like a charm. It's like she was like she was like this archivist to figure out the hills who like actually real life publicist is really interesting company. But like, her approach was like, intense. Speaker 2 And like they. Speaker 3 Call like the devil wears Prada, all hands on Jack like that was also scripted like notion to Kelly, like she's she's awesome. But like I think people have that vision of like this publicist like wearing high heels and like everything so intense and like, and like I I think that like it's, it's so much more. It's comes out to relationships like it's being like relatable to your clients and like who would I want to work with if I hired a publicist? Like I want to work with someone who I feel like gets me like who understands my vision. And I think that's why there's such an opportunity for like the younger generation to get involved in PR because like, we understand things so fundamentally, like, we're not like 50, like whatever, Like no shame to those publicists. But like, we're not having to catch up and like, catch up and learn things as we do all the real time. Like we develop, we know them in real time. We're learning them alongside you. And like, we understand how to optimize them. So I think that like this big, scary, unapproachable figure, NPR is like, not what I think of it, but everyone, like you said, has their own version. Like some people might think it's slaving away, whatever. But like, I think it really is just like figuring out how to be most approachable like your client. Speaker 2 And what is the best piece of advice that you've gotten or maybe given? Speaker 3 Oh well, something that we say in office. It's like our mantra. I, I honestly, I think I made this up, but I really don't want to take credit if someone along the way told me so like if we did whatever you are, thank you. But it's PR, not the ER. And I think that kind of goes into what you said. We sometimes feel like things are life and death and like, Oh my God, if we don't like this for this time, this time they're gonna do and like, okay, what's the work is gonna happen the same way that I genuinely, I love my staff. I have the best team in the world. I can't have my business be reliant on any one person other than myself. Same way their clients. We can't be like, Oh my God, a dis client leaves, everything's going to fall apart and a meteor is going to have the earth and we're all going to die. Like it would be really unfortunate, but like it's not life or death. And so I think that removing yourself from that equation, like let's you do things more rationally and encourage you to, like, go slower and do things more thoughtfully because it can feel really intense. But like, guess what? At the end of the day, we're talking about like, galore. We're talking about an article for an influencer who's 18. We're not talking about the nuclear codes. And so I think that like, just trying to, like, humanize it a little bit. Yeah, it's important. Speaker 2 I like that a lot. And then lastly, do you have any recommendations for someone who is looking to get maybe into PR, wants to be a founder business related could be like a bulk podcast newsletter? Substack Recs Yeah, I'm really into sub stacks these days. Like they're really, really. Yeah. Which ones do you describe to? Speaker 2 I have a sub sack so that's. Speaker 3 Oh, I need a. Speaker 2 Spread Pure, the millennial decorator has one. They're mainly like vintage. Speaker 3 And. Speaker 2 Stuff so I haven't really found yet be more business side, so I'm always asking. Speaker 3 OK, cool. Yeah, So for me, like I subscribe to so many editors, sub stacks and I'm happy to support them. It's like whatever, a few dollars a month. And like it's so interesting because like it shows their POV's, like especially during the LA wildfires, like our conversations in office every day, we're changing around like pitching sensitivities. Of course, we want to be aware of, cognizant of what's happening around us and like not pitch something that's so tone deaf. But at the same time, like there's a lot of freelancers out there still need jobs and like still need assignments. Our clients are not on pause with us if they still expect their coverage to be secure. Where's the line and how do you navigate that? Our idea as an approach, we're literally changing in real time. And I was so grateful to have subscriptions to so many subsets that a lot of editors were like literally making the headline, here's what to do during a natural disaster or like, here's how to pitch me and how to not pitch me. And they're telling you exactly. And these are like really big editors, like what to do. And it's like, instead of guessing or like throwing a dart at the board and hoping it sticks, we're getting the information right from the source. And so I think that that that's been super, super helpful. And that note too, like if you don't subscribe to things, you're like don't want to put the money into that, like reach out to people. And just like if there's someone you really like on LinkedIn or if they're an editor or like an agent or someone that you like, want to be with professionally, like them someday. Like what I would do is approach it like don't ask for their time and like what they can give to you. Make it as easy as possible for them. So what I would do was like, I would send them like a $10 Starbucks, a card and be like, would love to have like a virtual 10 minute like coffee gate, just like pink or brainer. A few things like share some ideas to you and see what you think. It's gotten me like really far when I was younger and I still do it today. Like Oliver, talk to an editor and be like not pitching you, not asking anything of you. I would love to know like what your priorities are this year so I know where to pitch you. And like that's led to some great things where they're like, oh, we're actually launching this vertical and like we're interested in like founders who do this or Gen. Z influencers who are into that. And I'm like, amazing. Then I think back back to my team and be like, let's not pitch all 60 clients to this editor, but this editor really would be interested in like 4 of these types of clients. So let's like develop our pitches that way And like, it just makes everything so much easier. So don't be afraid to like ask questions and just actively listen. Don't just don't yap away. Like there's always stuff to learn. Speaker 2 Yeah, I love that theme too, of like just learning I think has been throughout the episode as well. Like you want to learn from other people in the room and these stuff stocks. So that's a great ending point there. Where can everyone find you? Do you post about your clients on like Instagram? Speaker 3 I do. I'm like a proud mom. My Instagram's like my resume. I don't have like any had a private account. It's just Emily Blair Gifts and Emily Blair Media. And I need to be better about thought leadership on LinkedIn. But you can find me there too. And you can e-mail me and call me, beat me, text me, Snapchat me, show my house. There's so many ways to find me and I will respond to all of them. Speaker 2 Amazing. Well, thank you so much. I'm glad we could. Speaker 3 Meet Thank you for having me. I'm really honored.