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Speaking with Annie Scranton; Founder & President of Pace PR
Today I speak with Annie Scranton. Annie is President & Founder of Pace PR. She has 8+ years experience as a TV producer at major networks including CNN, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC & ABC, where she booked guest appearances for popular shows like Good Morning America. For the past decade, Annie has been leveraging this experience and expertise to grow her own agency, Pace PR, where she focuses on getting her clients regular TV and media coverage to build their brands.
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This podcast series is hosted by Patricia Kathleen and Wilde Agency Media. This series is a platform for women, female-identified, & non-binary individuals to share their professional stories and personal narrative as it relates to their story. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age, status, or industry.
TRANSCRIPTION
*Please note this is an automated transcription, please excuse any typos or errors
[00:00:00] In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with founder and president of Pace PR, Annie Scranton. Key points addressed were Annie's tenure in major news network industries and how this launched and propelled her now decade old PR firm. We also spoke about the importance of relationship maintenance and client education throughout the shifting landscape of the global climate. Stay tuned for my talk with Annie Scranton.
[00:00:31] Hi, my name is Patricia Kathleen, and this podcast series contains interviews I conduct with women. Female identified and non binary individuals regarding their professional stories and personal narrative. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age status for industry. We aim to contribute to the evolving global dialog surrounding underrepresented figures in all industries across the USA and abroad. If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to check out our subsequent series that dove deep into specific areas such as Vegan life, fasting and roundtable topics. They can be found via our Web site. Patricia Kathleen dot COM, where you can also join our newsletter. You can also subscribe to all of our series on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, PodBean and YouTube. Thanks for listening. Now let's start the conversation.
[00:01:28] Hi, everyone, and welcome back. I'm your host, Patricia. And today I'm excited to be sitting down with Annie Scranton. She's the founder and president of Paice P r.
[00:01:36] You can find it online at W W W Dot Pace Public Relations dot com. Welcome annie.
[00:01:42] Thank you. Thanks for having me. Definitely. I'm excited to climb in to what you're doing. Your company has a lot of unique characteristics that I can't wait to unpack with you and for everyone listening.
[00:01:53] I will read a brief bio on annie to give you a preview. However, prior to that, here's a roadmap for today's podcast that you can follow along in its trajectory. We'll first look at Annie's academic and professional background and history to kind of garner a sense of her platform. And then we'll turn our efforts towards unpacking Pace PR and some of its logistics. The Who, What, when, where, why of founder ship the growth since then. And then we'll look at unpacking the ethos and the full philosophy behind the endeavor of the company. And then we'll look towards Miach Industries and other areas that pays PR might be servicing. Then we'll look at goals that Annie and Pace PR separately or together have for the next one to three years. Those are changing rapidly in today's landscape. We'll wrap everything up with advice that you may have for those of you who are looking to work with her, get involved on some of her levels or emulate some of her success. As promised, a brief bio. Any Scranton is president and founder of Pace PR. She has eight plus years experience as a TV producer at major networks including CNN, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC and ABC, where she booked guest appearances for popular shows like Good Morning America for the past decade. And he has been leveraging this experience and expertize to grow her own agency, Pace PR, where she focuses on getting her clients regular TV and media coverage to build their brands. So any I love that because it's very succinct. It feels very much so. Like you indeed own a PR firm. It's like the exact tincture of the axiomatic truth of your bio is like right there. But before we get into space PR, which I have a litany of questions for, I want to ask you to describe for us what you find to be the pertinent points about your academic and professional history that led you to the development of Paice PR.
[00:03:48] Well, I started undergrad when I went to Smith College. And so I studied English there as this small liberal arts school. There wasn't a journalism or a PR major which they do offer at a lot of universities now. But back then, I don't think it was as prevalent and it wouldn't have been an option anyway because it was a liberal arts school. So I think that really just started the foundation for me with critical thinking, my writing skills and communication. When I was there my senior year, I was the editor in chief of the SOFYAN, the college newspaper. So that kind of got my first taste of sort of, you know, the journalism world. And along the way, when I was in college, I had different internships at Condé Nast and I w ABC in New York. So I pretty much knew from early on I wanted to be in the media, I should say, even before that, when I was a little girl, my parents and I would always watch Katie Couric every morning on the Today Show. And, you know, I was like, I want to be her.
[00:04:55] I want to I want to work on the Today Show.
[00:04:58] So when I left Smith, it took me five separate interviews for five different jobs.
[00:05:06] But I finally got my first job at MSNBC as a production assistant. So that was sort of my launchpad for working in TV news. And then from there, as you read in the bio. I you know, I bopped around to a lot of different networks. I did that for eight years. And then I started my firm at the age of 30. We just celebrated our 10 year anniversary in business.
[00:05:34] I just turned 40 in quarantine, which was interesting. And and then along the way, about two years ago, I finished my masters at NYU. And there I did get my masters in PR, which everyone was like, why did you get your Masters NPR? You run a successful agency. But I did it with the intention in mind of hopefully in the next chapter of my career teaching and actually being able to go to the professorial route and to let people know more about PR or what I do.
[00:06:13] Absolutely. And I think some of the best professors in academia, I come from a long line of stuffy academics and, you know, I returned to it is an incredible retirement plan and my favorite professors were returning from the field.
[00:06:27] You know, we're coming back in from from abroad, if you will. So I think that's an awesome plan. And it's weird that anyone would ever ask you, like, why go back to school? Like, why aren't you my dad?
[00:06:38] To learn to think just to hang out.
[00:06:41] Yeah, it's. Well, as you were saying before, it's such a privilege to be able to learn, you know, and to get that education. So, yeah, absolutely.
[00:06:53] So looking at unpacking it a little bit further, let's get into some of the logistics for all of our little founder, entrepreneurial audience members listening. Let's start off with. It sounds like it was founded around 2010.
[00:07:05] And did you have co-founders? Did you take funding? Was it bootstrapped? How did all of it begin?
[00:07:11] No co-founders. Just me from from then until now, I'm 100 percent owner. No funding. Good.
[00:07:19] The good thing about PR is that it's a service industry, so you don't really need a lot of startup capital. I worked for the first year from my studio apartment where all I needed was my laptop, my phone and Wi-Fi.
[00:07:33] And that was that was. That was my startup. Those were my costs. So. And yeah. And then over the years. No, we haven't had to go to funding router or anything like that.
[00:07:46] So. Yeah. OK. And here's here's where here's the rub.
[00:07:49] So while you don't have funding, Pyar requires a lot of cachet. Right. And this is where the growth of PR firms is always astonishing to me because it's about relationships. It's built into the title is Plenty People Forget. But what you're providing your clients is only as so far as your relationships extend. Otherwise, you're cold calling people to get them more PR. You know, there's this duality that you have. I'm wondering, do you feel like your work with with all of your networks before helped establish your PR, or was that something you independently did after you launched Paice PR as we know it at Cisco?
[00:08:26] No, I mean it absolutely 100 percent. If I hadn't spent those first eight years working at all of so many different networks and building so many relationships with producers and bookers and journalists who many of whom are my friends, you know. And then there would have been zero chance that I would have been as successful. As we are today, because you're absolutely right. You know, as a former producer, I would get in one single day, hundreds of pitch e-mails, hundreds of e-mails from people. Put me on your show. I have something to talk about. Book me. And I deleted ninety nine of 100 every single day because if I didn't know the person, you know, it's just it's too much. There's just too much to keep up with. You can't get your work done. So having relationships is absolutely. I think it's a critical part for any business to be successful because you're only as good as your reputation, you know, and the people who will kind of go to bat for you. But NPR, it's it's even more critical, obviously, because of the, you know, the nature of being facing an external fee saying. But, you know, especially for a broadcast television, which is a big part of what my firm does. It's a very challenging you to get yourself booked on a TV news show if you don't really have an in with the right people.
[00:09:50] Yeah, absolutely. And I think that it appears as such, especially if you if you Google these things, you know, it's not getting published on Huff Post. It's a different beast unto itself is still remains, I think, kind of the unknown and misdefined.
[00:10:03] I think it's due to those old school relationships, which are very similar in Hollywood as well. I'm wondering the growth from the time, you know, you have these early relationships that definitely impacted, I'm assuming, the success for the first year. But did you have a spike at some point over the past decade of growth that you significantly remember? And if so, what do you think it was attributable to?
[00:10:30] There was a period of rapid growth. Yes, there were. It was probably about four or five years into my business where we went from four employees to like twelve employees and about maybe a year, year and a half. So it was just big. Get a big job then. And doubling our revenue. You know, in a three years doubling doubling our revenue. And what was it attributed to? I think it was just I think like in in the early days, you know, it was just me. So it's a little slower to kind of keep it moving and me or to keep it growing, I should say. And I'm a very risk averse person. So it took me a while to hire my first employee. And then it took me even longer to hire my second employee. And kind of so on until I got to there was four of us. And then I. I don't know. Something just clicked where I said to myself that if we were really going to continue to grow, I had to have faith in myself that the new business was going to keep coming and that the clients were going to say and that, you know, I had to just believe that the trajectory was going to keep going because there was no way with the current staff that we could keep up with with the workload.
[00:11:57] So I'm wondering, you you just mentioned that you have, you know, kind of a niche in obviously television, you know, representation and things like that.
[00:12:08] Does that kind of form what profile of client or industry that you work best with over 10 years? You must have at least ranged a small gamut. But do you have a niche that you prefer to pull your clients from?
[00:12:25] Yes and no. I mean, if we're talking cable news, then the best types of clients for me to have are print journalists and political pundits and lawyers. You know, people with past government, you know, or national security expertize so. Or, of course, I'm wealth managers and different financial experts for like the CNBC is and Bloomberg's of the world. So that's a very, like, linear, you know, sort of path. But our firm represents all different types of clients from lifestyle brands and products, you know, all the way to a you know, wealth managers managing a billion assets under management. So it's a very two tech startups, you know, so it's a very wide ranging base of clients. And, you know, it's I I think what makes us really good at what we do is it's a lot easier to get a wealth manager on CNBC or a political pundit on Fox News, but it's a lot harder to get, you know, a tech startup CEO or, you know, somebody with a rising product or brand, a prominent TV placement. And I think that that's that is an area where we excel. It could take a little more time, you know, to achieve. But that's where I think, you know, our connections and relationships with the different producers. But also just really, you know, feeling as though we are an extension of the media. And, you know, with that, watching all the shows, understanding what kind of content they want. You know, I just I say this all the time is just like you want to be on a certain show. You have to, like, watch the show and know what kind of stuff they do every day. So you run and present yourself with the, you know, in the right manner.
[00:14:14] Well, and into that same vein. I'm curious if you.
[00:14:16] I always feel like PR specialists educate their clients a great deal when they're doing a good job, you know, and they're they're kind of honing and refining the client's knowledge of what pieces of them need to be put in, which areas of the market to get the best price possible. But in what you just mentioned, I also wonder, knowing this show and seeing, you know, a natural progression that happens, you ever pitch networks on why they should kind of, you know, there are naturally heading somewhere. Is there an education to the other outlet as well, the news sources?
[00:14:52] Has that ever been or do you just try and fit the holes that they're developing? Well, it's easier to just sort of plug and play with what they're doing. But at the same time, we've certainly pitched ideas for like a recurring segment, you know, a once a week or something like that type of idea. And and we've we've certainly also pitched counterintuitive ideas, but we obviously make that connection, you know, at it to make it seem relevant for their audience. But, you know. Yeah, like if we. Having a good idea is is proper, is having the relationships is the most important part, but having a good ideas is very, very close second. So if you have a good idea and it's kind of interesting and they haven't done it yet. Yeah. Like, we've definitely had success with that in the past.
[00:15:44] Yeah. And that that being said, I kind of want to get into over the past decade that it's been around actually.
[00:15:53] You know, there's been this this behemoth called social media that turned marketing, PR branding, everything kind of inside out twice over again. And it allowed people to become creative in ways that weren't creative. It turned a lot of old ideas on its head and it actually allowed some, I think, of the pillars of non change, you know, to rise within our media structure.
[00:16:17] I'm wondering, can you speak to what was the biggest change regarding social media that you shifted or used creatively in regards to the process of pace PR? Where did you implement strategies that were interesting? Was it just the advent of all of them?
[00:16:35] Well, I mean, yes. I mean, when social media happened, I mean, it was you know, obviously it became sort of life life changing. You know, and kind of all consuming. Four for me. One of the best parts has been able to follow journalists and producers and show hosts on Twitter or Instagram or whatever, because it gives you a really personal look into who they are and what their interests are. And so that's such a critical component, because if you see that an anchor at MSNBC was just tweeting about some story and what their point of view is, and you represent a client who can speak exactly to that same sentiment or has the complete opposite sentiment, then that's a very that's a great in you know, to present that to the producer that you're going that you're reaching out to to make the case for, you know, well, the anchor feels this way. You know, she should really interview my client who will, you know, kind of go one on one with her about, you know, about the topic. So that's definitely been been one of the major ones. But for me as a business owner and being active on LinkedIn has been absolutely the number one besides a CEO, which is exactly social media, but sort of related has been the number one way that we've grown our business in terms of just cold outreach, you know, from percent perspective clients, because I'm very active and I post a lot. And so we've gotten a lot of inbound leads from that.
[00:18:18] So that was leading into my next question, which is new business development.
[00:18:22] Do you feel like it's what percentage of it do you think is is from your own marketing and PR efforts on behalf of yourself or happy good business clients referrals?
[00:18:35] 10 percent. What I do on my own 90 percent referrals and being a beautiful life. That's fantastic. It's yassa. Knock wood. That that it always stays that way. But. I mean, you know, we work hard. We we we pretty much always get results for our clients. You know, when you were talking about, like educating the clients, that's also, I think, like one of the reasons why even if we have an account that doesn't go exactly as well as we had hoped prior before I sent any client, I, I just try to be as honest and forthright and explain the process as as much as I can, because many clients, some have a good understanding of the media, but some have like no idea, you know, what goes into it and what to expect. And then what it's going to do for their business. You know, a lot of people may hear PR and they say we need PR because we're going to get, you know, so many new customers, you know, after we hire this PR agency. And you might. And we hope so. And and maybe but it's also the way that we look at it. It's really about getting these great placements in really well respected publications or TV shows or podcasts. So that way, your brand, your CEO, your company can have an elevated level of credibility, you know, and legitimacy among any others in in the field. So, yeah, you know, I think I think that's why, you know, but I. But I will say that. But being active on social media and making an an investment in FCO has absolutely paid off in terms of getting inbound inquiries.
[00:20:16] Yeah. What happened to a CEO? Everyone stop talking about her. Everyone is used to the buzz word, you know, for about five minutes, five years ago, social media took it away. I'm wondering when you mention the different clients that you work with.
[00:20:33] You know, you spend a lot of industries really quickly. And I'm curious, there's always a tenants of commonality, you know, that you run into. And and I like that unifying factor. I try to talk a lot about unifying factors because diversification is easy. And I'm wondering, over the past, while we don't have to go back 10 years, but we can. What are like the top three misperceptions or issues that most of your clients have regarding PR or what they should or should not be doing when they come to meet with you?
[00:21:08] I think a lot of people think that when they hire a PR firm or a publicist, it's it's they're going to very quickly be on the Today show or be featured in The New York Times or, you know, whatever insert dream media outlet is and end it. And they don't understand that. How I see PR and hiring a firm is that if you try to do your own PR, there's like maybe a one one to five percent chance that you're going to be successful. But like you're you're probably not going to see the level of success, you know, but hiring a PR firm, it's not only about pitching and using the right connections and relationships that we have, but it's also like taking a look at how you present your brand and the messaging that you're using and the the sort of a holistic approach of your of your company and saying, you know, I think that if we go and promote this one singular area of your firm, we're not going to have this success as opposed to us, you know, building it out in a way that's a little more attractive and also not even just attractive to producers. But I find a lot of times when clients come to me because we work with a lot of startups and smaller to midsize companies. It's really hard for them to actually describe what they do, you know, succinctly and in a way that's going to get someone interested, you know, because it's like no one really cares. Like everyone's so busy. There's a pandemic. Like, it's just, you know, there's there's so much noise. And so even though you think what you do is the most important thing ever, and maybe it is like me as a person listening, I want to know what's in it for me, you know, and what am I going to get out of it. And so, you know, the misconception is that, you know, a lot of clients think that we're gonna be able to get in an article in Forbes that's going to be just all about their company. And so we have to explain, no, that's advertising or that's sponsored content. You know, that's not editorial earned media. And so educating them that it's it's also just as valuable to have placements and interviews where you are seen as a thought leader in your industry and maybe you're talking about different trends in this space or, you know, you're weighing in on a current news cycle news story that's related to your field. And and also, can you provide me with happy customers, with people that you've worked with and you've helped them in their business because, you know, any any self respecting journalist is going to say, well, that company sounds great, but can you actually prove it to me? Can you put me in touch with somebody that they've worked with in that they've helped? And, you know, so without all of that sort of understanding and those factors. It's it's pretty much impossible. You know, it's, again, the PR that you're looking for. And so, you know, I said that in like 60 seconds, but it takes a long time to kind of get that in in a person's brain, you know, to really just make them understand everything that goes into it.
[00:24:25] Yeah.
[00:24:25] And with what you just explained, a core tenet of what you, you know, impart or educate your clients with has just ultimately changed due to what you just said. You know, you see, we're all in the middle of a pandemic. And I immediately think of when I think of PR is how many of your clients you need to go back in and say you need to embrace this dialog, you know, to alienate people by not speaking about it. I don't know of one commercial that I've seen and I try very hard not to see them. So I've only seen a few. And they've all incorporated the dialog of some type of of nod or acknowledgment or how it's playing into their customers. And I imagine is it is it like that for you or you? Are you going through and helping your clients are advising them to revamp and include this dialog of the Kovin 19 pandemic?
[00:25:13] Of course. I mean, for literally every single one. I mean, even if there's not a tie in or even if they don't need to address it, you know, like one of our clients is a direct to consumer 24 karat gold jewelry company. There is no there's no, you know, tie in really to the IRS. But we did advise them that when they were getting ready to send out there their newsletter with their latest collection, that it would be beneficial for them to address the pandemic even in just a very short way to their customers and say, we're thinking of you, we're here for you. If, you know, if if you know, just to kind of acknowledge it. Because if you don't, then I think that's where the reputational issue can come into play. But for every single one of our clients. Who stayed on as a client because we definitely lost some clients when this all hit. Like in the travel or luxury or real estate space. But for all of our other clients. You know, yeah. Their businesses changed as much as mine did where it became about that and about how how can we do we have a way to add value to the conversation? Meaning can we help? Is there a way that we can offer assistance in some way, whether that's financial expertize or in remote learning or in psychology or whatever? You know? And, you know, there is not. Then you have to just continue to find the journalists and the media who are not covering the pandemic. And just really be extra super careful that they are still writing about their previous topic and not incorporating the new news cycle.
[00:27:00] Yeah, absolutely. I want to turn now. I do a quick pivot into some of the demographics, and I'm not sure if this is dated because my research comes strictly from your Web site.
[00:27:11] But I got on and it looks like you have a crew of female or female identified individuals working for you. Nary a male or male identified face to be found. And I'm wondering if that statistic is true and if you can speak to whether or not I have to believe that that was a conscious thought at very least. And I was wondering if you can kind of open up that story.
[00:27:33] Sure. So it's so it it it wasn't it wasn't a conscious decision when I first started out. I actually had two different male employees on and they were great like but it was just when it was two people, me and them, you know, so. But then really what happened was once we started growing and then it became, you know, two female employees, three, four and so on and so forth. It just felt like it was a comfortable dynamic in the office. And also PR is a very heavily female dominated field. So, you know, the 80 percent of the resumes I was getting were women, you know, and not and not men. And then and then it just honestly, like, I kind of got to the point where it felt like it might be like weird if we were in, like, one office with nine women and one and one guy. But but now it's become something that's, you know, not not that is more serious and more intentional because now we are a female led company. And, you know, I'm I'm open to hiring men. I mean, I want great talent and great employees. But I think it's I think it's powerful. And I think it's it's been really inspiring to work with other working moms, to work with, you know, other really impressive women and to be in it in a situation where we actually are all, I believe, supportive of one another. And there's just kind of like that understanding, you know, woman to woman.
[00:29:16] Yeah, there's a camaraderie for sure. There's plenty of sociologists that have made their pitches on nothing else. So absolutely.
[00:29:23] I'm wondering, do you have you certified with any of the women and minority certification firms?
[00:29:31] And not only that for you, that question to you, but do you advise any of your clients to go and get certified with? I mean, a few are the WNBA or the WB e WB and see like all of these female and minority certification processes. Do you think it's a good source of PR? A lot of the processes are very lengthy and can be expensive, but there are a lot of companies now, particularly on the West Coast where I am, that are directly hunting these these companies out in order to make an impact.
[00:30:04] So I, I, I actually really pains me to say that I'm not part of any of these organizations because it's Dom and I should be and I have started the W MBT application like five times, and it is very lengthy. And you need a lot a lot of documents that go back a long way. And it's it's just been nothing but lack of time or interns who can help me to do it. So. So no, but it is on my list. It is on my to do list, although it's been there for a long time. I have to say admit. But yes, we do actually bring up those types of organizations to our relevant clients. And it's a common question that clients are asking us because they want to see and are a why from what we're doing and from the media heads that we're getting to them. But a lot of times, by being able to share a media clip in different organizations like that, that's a really impactful way than to build up your client base and to get new Kofman new customers.
[00:31:14] Absolutely. Yeah. And it's it's a new shift. And it's it's always interesting to see. I know that a lot of the companies that I've spoken to, the founders that are involved in them, take it really seriously.
[00:31:25] It's it's one of their greeting cards. You know, it's it's right there on the landing page. It's right there on the business card. And I think it's it used to be seen as kind of a fraternity status, kind of this, like nobody cares unless you've been in it. And then and now it's actually being sought out. I've hung out with a lot of venture capitalists and angel investors, probably too many over the past year. And. But it is this especially female which are largely underrepresented. And it's a part of fulfilling that economics and that environment of female founders turning into female investors in the lifecycle continuing. And there's a lot of talk about these certifications being necessary and important so that, you know, women investors, minority investors can turn around and do and fund firms that are doing it. You know, there's not a shortage of people to invest in. I've seen in the states as much as, you know, finding the right people that represent what you want.
[00:32:19] Now, you're right. And like, I'm going to as soon as we end this, I'm going to like e-mail myself a reminder that I need to actually do this and like, it has to get done. Yeah, you're going to everybody do it.
[00:32:29] You're like, that woman gave me homework. I cannot stand her. Yeah. Fantastic. Well, I think it's interesting and I appreciate your candor on that subject. I'm wondering, everyone's dialog has changed.
[00:32:40] I know that your workload increased with the pandemic, with your clients and things of that nature, even with losing some of them, having everyone had to go back and kind of rebound their message and consider what their message even was anymore.
[00:32:52] How you personally with pace PR, how has your dialog changed, if at all, considering the pandemic? And what do you see your goals for the next one to three years being?
[00:33:07] Well, you know, I think the dialog has become it hasn't changed, but it has become more even more intentional or even more pointed where, you know, we're we're trying to to make an impact and we're trying to work with clients and put out messaging that is going to be helpful and useful. And and and even if it's a a brand or a product or something that isn't directly related to, you know, these big global issues, making sure that we that we do it even more thoughtfully and even more carefully. And and so that way, we're we're always being proud of the work that we're putting forth for our clients and leading them in the best possible direction for their reputation as possible for me in terms of how what my goals have, my goals have changed. I don't I don't know. To be honest with you, because we're still sort of in the middle of all of this. But, you know, I have had to clear both sides of the spectrum of, like, you know, wanting to get back to work so bad full time and wanting to keep growing the business and go, go, go. You know, as far as we can go. And then on the other hand, you know, I'm I'm home now with my daughter, who's almost two. And it's been really nice, you know, on some days, not all days, but on some days it's been really nice. And so I'm not sure I think I think, like, you know, for me, as as a working mom trying to find that balance is, you know, who can who can find the balance like it's impossible, you know, ta ta ta perfected. Even though I always strive to perfected. But I think now. I don't know, I think I think I'm I think that things are shifting for me a little bit. So we'll have to have to see.
[00:35:04] Yeah. Well, and therein is the gift. Right? Just even the reflection and the privilege of being well enough to reflect and things of that nature.
[00:35:13] I'm wondering. So this is my favorite part of this podcast. Series is known for it.
[00:35:17] And so you'll have to indulge some of the joy, venality of the question. I am wondering if you were, you know, walking up within a safe social distance of someone tomorrow and they said, hey, listen, Annie, I need to ask you a couple of questions. I know you through so and so. You're in the PR game. You probably know everyone in Manhattan. So they walk up to you and they say, listen, it's a young female female identified, non binary individual, anyone other than like a standard white male. And they said, listen, I am I'm getting ready to launch into my own PR firm. I've had this great, you know, buffer of almost a decade in news and media and stuff like that. And I'm just looking to hit the ground running. What are the top three pieces of advice you would give the individual knowing what you know now?
[00:36:05] Make sure you have a safety net, a financial safety net, if at all possible, lay the groundwork while you are still gainfully employed. And don't undervalue yourself. You know, I think that getting to a point where I'm really proud of and comfortable with the rates that clients pay for our services has has has taken many years. And so, you know, I think it's maybe even more true for women out there. I don't know.
[00:36:40] Yeah, I hear that a lot. And I've spoken to over 200 over the past two years. And one of the top five things I hear from women who are in much more advanced and seasoned positions as a founder such as yourself.
[00:36:54] The number one thing they say is that life got a lot easier when they charged more and were available less, you know. And that's not some weird, twisted, dynamic of psychology. I think it was that they were saying that they just underwhelmed themselves. I had a lot of stories about people saying the first year and they were like on call 24/7 with their clients. People could text them at 3:00 in the morning. They would respond, Oh, yeah.
[00:37:17] Like, sometimes I would be on my computer like literally 16 hours a day. You know, I mean, little breaks here and there. I mean, is crazy. I mean, I was blessed because I loved it and I still love it. So it didn't feel like so much work. But I do actually think there's a little bit of psychology there because you're if you're not available 24/7, that means that you're respecting yourself and that you're setting boundaries for yourself and making family or whatever else a priority. And I think once you start to carry yourself in and live with that intention, other people pick up on it. And, you know, that's when things get a little easier in some ways. All right. So I have guys.
[00:37:59] So I've got a safety net. Lay the groundwork while you still got your day job, if possible. And don't under underestimate or undervalue yourself.
[00:38:09] That's awesome. Those are fantastic. We're out of time today, Andy, but I want to say thank you. I know you're busy. I've got a little one.
[00:38:15] You've got a massive company and you're sitting in New York, which is, you know, it's it's own hot pocket of issues, as we all have. But I just want to say thank you for your candor and your story and all of your information. I appreciate it. I know my audience does as well.
[00:38:29] Thank you. Thank you for having me.
[00:38:31] Absolutely. And for everyone listening, we've been speaking with Andy Scranton. She's the founder and president of Paice PR. You can find it online at W W W Dot Pace public relations dot com.
[00:38:43] And until we speak again next time. Remember to stay in love with the world and always bet on yourself.
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By Patricia Kathleen
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Today I speak with Annie Scranton. Annie is President & Founder of Pace PR. She has 8+ years experience as a TV producer at major networks including CNN, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC & ABC, where she booked guest appearances for popular shows like Good Morning America. For the past decade, Annie has been leveraging this experience and expertise to grow her own agency, Pace PR, where she focuses on getting her clients regular TV and media coverage to build their brands.
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This podcast series is hosted by Patricia Kathleen and Wilde Agency Media. This series is a platform for women, female-identified, & non-binary individuals to share their professional stories and personal narrative as it relates to their story. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age, status, or industry.
TRANSCRIPTION
*Please note this is an automated transcription, please excuse any typos or errors
[00:00:00] In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with founder and president of Pace PR, Annie Scranton. Key points addressed were Annie's tenure in major news network industries and how this launched and propelled her now decade old PR firm. We also spoke about the importance of relationship maintenance and client education throughout the shifting landscape of the global climate. Stay tuned for my talk with Annie Scranton.
[00:00:31] Hi, my name is Patricia Kathleen, and this podcast series contains interviews I conduct with women. Female identified and non binary individuals regarding their professional stories and personal narrative. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age status for industry. We aim to contribute to the evolving global dialog surrounding underrepresented figures in all industries across the USA and abroad. If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to check out our subsequent series that dove deep into specific areas such as Vegan life, fasting and roundtable topics. They can be found via our Web site. Patricia Kathleen dot COM, where you can also join our newsletter. You can also subscribe to all of our series on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, PodBean and YouTube. Thanks for listening. Now let's start the conversation.
[00:01:28] Hi, everyone, and welcome back. I'm your host, Patricia. And today I'm excited to be sitting down with Annie Scranton. She's the founder and president of Paice P r.
[00:01:36] You can find it online at W W W Dot Pace Public Relations dot com. Welcome annie.
[00:01:42] Thank you. Thanks for having me. Definitely. I'm excited to climb in to what you're doing. Your company has a lot of unique characteristics that I can't wait to unpack with you and for everyone listening.
[00:01:53] I will read a brief bio on annie to give you a preview. However, prior to that, here's a roadmap for today's podcast that you can follow along in its trajectory. We'll first look at Annie's academic and professional background and history to kind of garner a sense of her platform. And then we'll turn our efforts towards unpacking Pace PR and some of its logistics. The Who, What, when, where, why of founder ship the growth since then. And then we'll look at unpacking the ethos and the full philosophy behind the endeavor of the company. And then we'll look towards Miach Industries and other areas that pays PR might be servicing. Then we'll look at goals that Annie and Pace PR separately or together have for the next one to three years. Those are changing rapidly in today's landscape. We'll wrap everything up with advice that you may have for those of you who are looking to work with her, get involved on some of her levels or emulate some of her success. As promised, a brief bio. Any Scranton is president and founder of Pace PR. She has eight plus years experience as a TV producer at major networks including CNN, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC and ABC, where she booked guest appearances for popular shows like Good Morning America for the past decade. And he has been leveraging this experience and expertize to grow her own agency, Pace PR, where she focuses on getting her clients regular TV and media coverage to build their brands. So any I love that because it's very succinct. It feels very much so. Like you indeed own a PR firm. It's like the exact tincture of the axiomatic truth of your bio is like right there. But before we get into space PR, which I have a litany of questions for, I want to ask you to describe for us what you find to be the pertinent points about your academic and professional history that led you to the development of Paice PR.
[00:03:48] Well, I started undergrad when I went to Smith College. And so I studied English there as this small liberal arts school. There wasn't a journalism or a PR major which they do offer at a lot of universities now. But back then, I don't think it was as prevalent and it wouldn't have been an option anyway because it was a liberal arts school. So I think that really just started the foundation for me with critical thinking, my writing skills and communication. When I was there my senior year, I was the editor in chief of the SOFYAN, the college newspaper. So that kind of got my first taste of sort of, you know, the journalism world. And along the way, when I was in college, I had different internships at Condé Nast and I w ABC in New York. So I pretty much knew from early on I wanted to be in the media, I should say, even before that, when I was a little girl, my parents and I would always watch Katie Couric every morning on the Today Show. And, you know, I was like, I want to be her.
[00:04:55] I want to I want to work on the Today Show.
[00:04:58] So when I left Smith, it took me five separate interviews for five different jobs.
[00:05:06] But I finally got my first job at MSNBC as a production assistant. So that was sort of my launchpad for working in TV news. And then from there, as you read in the bio. I you know, I bopped around to a lot of different networks. I did that for eight years. And then I started my firm at the age of 30. We just celebrated our 10 year anniversary in business.
[00:05:34] I just turned 40 in quarantine, which was interesting. And and then along the way, about two years ago, I finished my masters at NYU. And there I did get my masters in PR, which everyone was like, why did you get your Masters NPR? You run a successful agency. But I did it with the intention in mind of hopefully in the next chapter of my career teaching and actually being able to go to the professorial route and to let people know more about PR or what I do.
[00:06:13] Absolutely. And I think some of the best professors in academia, I come from a long line of stuffy academics and, you know, I returned to it is an incredible retirement plan and my favorite professors were returning from the field.
[00:06:27] You know, we're coming back in from from abroad, if you will. So I think that's an awesome plan. And it's weird that anyone would ever ask you, like, why go back to school? Like, why aren't you my dad?
[00:06:38] To learn to think just to hang out.
[00:06:41] Yeah, it's. Well, as you were saying before, it's such a privilege to be able to learn, you know, and to get that education. So, yeah, absolutely.
[00:06:53] So looking at unpacking it a little bit further, let's get into some of the logistics for all of our little founder, entrepreneurial audience members listening. Let's start off with. It sounds like it was founded around 2010.
[00:07:05] And did you have co-founders? Did you take funding? Was it bootstrapped? How did all of it begin?
[00:07:11] No co-founders. Just me from from then until now, I'm 100 percent owner. No funding. Good.
[00:07:19] The good thing about PR is that it's a service industry, so you don't really need a lot of startup capital. I worked for the first year from my studio apartment where all I needed was my laptop, my phone and Wi-Fi.
[00:07:33] And that was that was. That was my startup. Those were my costs. So. And yeah. And then over the years. No, we haven't had to go to funding router or anything like that.
[00:07:46] So. Yeah. OK. And here's here's where here's the rub.
[00:07:49] So while you don't have funding, Pyar requires a lot of cachet. Right. And this is where the growth of PR firms is always astonishing to me because it's about relationships. It's built into the title is Plenty People Forget. But what you're providing your clients is only as so far as your relationships extend. Otherwise, you're cold calling people to get them more PR. You know, there's this duality that you have. I'm wondering, do you feel like your work with with all of your networks before helped establish your PR, or was that something you independently did after you launched Paice PR as we know it at Cisco?
[00:08:26] No, I mean it absolutely 100 percent. If I hadn't spent those first eight years working at all of so many different networks and building so many relationships with producers and bookers and journalists who many of whom are my friends, you know. And then there would have been zero chance that I would have been as successful. As we are today, because you're absolutely right. You know, as a former producer, I would get in one single day, hundreds of pitch e-mails, hundreds of e-mails from people. Put me on your show. I have something to talk about. Book me. And I deleted ninety nine of 100 every single day because if I didn't know the person, you know, it's just it's too much. There's just too much to keep up with. You can't get your work done. So having relationships is absolutely. I think it's a critical part for any business to be successful because you're only as good as your reputation, you know, and the people who will kind of go to bat for you. But NPR, it's it's even more critical, obviously, because of the, you know, the nature of being facing an external fee saying. But, you know, especially for a broadcast television, which is a big part of what my firm does. It's a very challenging you to get yourself booked on a TV news show if you don't really have an in with the right people.
[00:09:50] Yeah, absolutely. And I think that it appears as such, especially if you if you Google these things, you know, it's not getting published on Huff Post. It's a different beast unto itself is still remains, I think, kind of the unknown and misdefined.
[00:10:03] I think it's due to those old school relationships, which are very similar in Hollywood as well. I'm wondering the growth from the time, you know, you have these early relationships that definitely impacted, I'm assuming, the success for the first year. But did you have a spike at some point over the past decade of growth that you significantly remember? And if so, what do you think it was attributable to?
[00:10:30] There was a period of rapid growth. Yes, there were. It was probably about four or five years into my business where we went from four employees to like twelve employees and about maybe a year, year and a half. So it was just big. Get a big job then. And doubling our revenue. You know, in a three years doubling doubling our revenue. And what was it attributed to? I think it was just I think like in in the early days, you know, it was just me. So it's a little slower to kind of keep it moving and me or to keep it growing, I should say. And I'm a very risk averse person. So it took me a while to hire my first employee. And then it took me even longer to hire my second employee. And kind of so on until I got to there was four of us. And then I. I don't know. Something just clicked where I said to myself that if we were really going to continue to grow, I had to have faith in myself that the new business was going to keep coming and that the clients were going to say and that, you know, I had to just believe that the trajectory was going to keep going because there was no way with the current staff that we could keep up with with the workload.
[00:11:57] So I'm wondering, you you just mentioned that you have, you know, kind of a niche in obviously television, you know, representation and things like that.
[00:12:08] Does that kind of form what profile of client or industry that you work best with over 10 years? You must have at least ranged a small gamut. But do you have a niche that you prefer to pull your clients from?
[00:12:25] Yes and no. I mean, if we're talking cable news, then the best types of clients for me to have are print journalists and political pundits and lawyers. You know, people with past government, you know, or national security expertize so. Or, of course, I'm wealth managers and different financial experts for like the CNBC is and Bloomberg's of the world. So that's a very, like, linear, you know, sort of path. But our firm represents all different types of clients from lifestyle brands and products, you know, all the way to a you know, wealth managers managing a billion assets under management. So it's a very two tech startups, you know, so it's a very wide ranging base of clients. And, you know, it's I I think what makes us really good at what we do is it's a lot easier to get a wealth manager on CNBC or a political pundit on Fox News, but it's a lot harder to get, you know, a tech startup CEO or, you know, somebody with a rising product or brand, a prominent TV placement. And I think that that's that is an area where we excel. It could take a little more time, you know, to achieve. But that's where I think, you know, our connections and relationships with the different producers. But also just really, you know, feeling as though we are an extension of the media. And, you know, with that, watching all the shows, understanding what kind of content they want. You know, I just I say this all the time is just like you want to be on a certain show. You have to, like, watch the show and know what kind of stuff they do every day. So you run and present yourself with the, you know, in the right manner.
[00:14:14] Well, and into that same vein. I'm curious if you.
[00:14:16] I always feel like PR specialists educate their clients a great deal when they're doing a good job, you know, and they're they're kind of honing and refining the client's knowledge of what pieces of them need to be put in, which areas of the market to get the best price possible. But in what you just mentioned, I also wonder, knowing this show and seeing, you know, a natural progression that happens, you ever pitch networks on why they should kind of, you know, there are naturally heading somewhere. Is there an education to the other outlet as well, the news sources?
[00:14:52] Has that ever been or do you just try and fit the holes that they're developing? Well, it's easier to just sort of plug and play with what they're doing. But at the same time, we've certainly pitched ideas for like a recurring segment, you know, a once a week or something like that type of idea. And and we've we've certainly also pitched counterintuitive ideas, but we obviously make that connection, you know, at it to make it seem relevant for their audience. But, you know. Yeah, like if we. Having a good idea is is proper, is having the relationships is the most important part, but having a good ideas is very, very close second. So if you have a good idea and it's kind of interesting and they haven't done it yet. Yeah. Like, we've definitely had success with that in the past.
[00:15:44] Yeah. And that that being said, I kind of want to get into over the past decade that it's been around actually.
[00:15:53] You know, there's been this this behemoth called social media that turned marketing, PR branding, everything kind of inside out twice over again. And it allowed people to become creative in ways that weren't creative. It turned a lot of old ideas on its head and it actually allowed some, I think, of the pillars of non change, you know, to rise within our media structure.
[00:16:17] I'm wondering, can you speak to what was the biggest change regarding social media that you shifted or used creatively in regards to the process of pace PR? Where did you implement strategies that were interesting? Was it just the advent of all of them?
[00:16:35] Well, I mean, yes. I mean, when social media happened, I mean, it was you know, obviously it became sort of life life changing. You know, and kind of all consuming. Four for me. One of the best parts has been able to follow journalists and producers and show hosts on Twitter or Instagram or whatever, because it gives you a really personal look into who they are and what their interests are. And so that's such a critical component, because if you see that an anchor at MSNBC was just tweeting about some story and what their point of view is, and you represent a client who can speak exactly to that same sentiment or has the complete opposite sentiment, then that's a very that's a great in you know, to present that to the producer that you're going that you're reaching out to to make the case for, you know, well, the anchor feels this way. You know, she should really interview my client who will, you know, kind of go one on one with her about, you know, about the topic. So that's definitely been been one of the major ones. But for me as a business owner and being active on LinkedIn has been absolutely the number one besides a CEO, which is exactly social media, but sort of related has been the number one way that we've grown our business in terms of just cold outreach, you know, from percent perspective clients, because I'm very active and I post a lot. And so we've gotten a lot of inbound leads from that.
[00:18:18] So that was leading into my next question, which is new business development.
[00:18:22] Do you feel like it's what percentage of it do you think is is from your own marketing and PR efforts on behalf of yourself or happy good business clients referrals?
[00:18:35] 10 percent. What I do on my own 90 percent referrals and being a beautiful life. That's fantastic. It's yassa. Knock wood. That that it always stays that way. But. I mean, you know, we work hard. We we we pretty much always get results for our clients. You know, when you were talking about, like educating the clients, that's also, I think, like one of the reasons why even if we have an account that doesn't go exactly as well as we had hoped prior before I sent any client, I, I just try to be as honest and forthright and explain the process as as much as I can, because many clients, some have a good understanding of the media, but some have like no idea, you know, what goes into it and what to expect. And then what it's going to do for their business. You know, a lot of people may hear PR and they say we need PR because we're going to get, you know, so many new customers, you know, after we hire this PR agency. And you might. And we hope so. And and maybe but it's also the way that we look at it. It's really about getting these great placements in really well respected publications or TV shows or podcasts. So that way, your brand, your CEO, your company can have an elevated level of credibility, you know, and legitimacy among any others in in the field. So, yeah, you know, I think I think that's why, you know, but I. But I will say that. But being active on social media and making an an investment in FCO has absolutely paid off in terms of getting inbound inquiries.
[00:20:16] Yeah. What happened to a CEO? Everyone stop talking about her. Everyone is used to the buzz word, you know, for about five minutes, five years ago, social media took it away. I'm wondering when you mention the different clients that you work with.
[00:20:33] You know, you spend a lot of industries really quickly. And I'm curious, there's always a tenants of commonality, you know, that you run into. And and I like that unifying factor. I try to talk a lot about unifying factors because diversification is easy. And I'm wondering, over the past, while we don't have to go back 10 years, but we can. What are like the top three misperceptions or issues that most of your clients have regarding PR or what they should or should not be doing when they come to meet with you?
[00:21:08] I think a lot of people think that when they hire a PR firm or a publicist, it's it's they're going to very quickly be on the Today show or be featured in The New York Times or, you know, whatever insert dream media outlet is and end it. And they don't understand that. How I see PR and hiring a firm is that if you try to do your own PR, there's like maybe a one one to five percent chance that you're going to be successful. But like you're you're probably not going to see the level of success, you know, but hiring a PR firm, it's not only about pitching and using the right connections and relationships that we have, but it's also like taking a look at how you present your brand and the messaging that you're using and the the sort of a holistic approach of your of your company and saying, you know, I think that if we go and promote this one singular area of your firm, we're not going to have this success as opposed to us, you know, building it out in a way that's a little more attractive and also not even just attractive to producers. But I find a lot of times when clients come to me because we work with a lot of startups and smaller to midsize companies. It's really hard for them to actually describe what they do, you know, succinctly and in a way that's going to get someone interested, you know, because it's like no one really cares. Like everyone's so busy. There's a pandemic. Like, it's just, you know, there's there's so much noise. And so even though you think what you do is the most important thing ever, and maybe it is like me as a person listening, I want to know what's in it for me, you know, and what am I going to get out of it. And so, you know, the misconception is that, you know, a lot of clients think that we're gonna be able to get in an article in Forbes that's going to be just all about their company. And so we have to explain, no, that's advertising or that's sponsored content. You know, that's not editorial earned media. And so educating them that it's it's also just as valuable to have placements and interviews where you are seen as a thought leader in your industry and maybe you're talking about different trends in this space or, you know, you're weighing in on a current news cycle news story that's related to your field. And and also, can you provide me with happy customers, with people that you've worked with and you've helped them in their business because, you know, any any self respecting journalist is going to say, well, that company sounds great, but can you actually prove it to me? Can you put me in touch with somebody that they've worked with in that they've helped? And, you know, so without all of that sort of understanding and those factors. It's it's pretty much impossible. You know, it's, again, the PR that you're looking for. And so, you know, I said that in like 60 seconds, but it takes a long time to kind of get that in in a person's brain, you know, to really just make them understand everything that goes into it.
[00:24:25] Yeah.
[00:24:25] And with what you just explained, a core tenet of what you, you know, impart or educate your clients with has just ultimately changed due to what you just said. You know, you see, we're all in the middle of a pandemic. And I immediately think of when I think of PR is how many of your clients you need to go back in and say you need to embrace this dialog, you know, to alienate people by not speaking about it. I don't know of one commercial that I've seen and I try very hard not to see them. So I've only seen a few. And they've all incorporated the dialog of some type of of nod or acknowledgment or how it's playing into their customers. And I imagine is it is it like that for you or you? Are you going through and helping your clients are advising them to revamp and include this dialog of the Kovin 19 pandemic?
[00:25:13] Of course. I mean, for literally every single one. I mean, even if there's not a tie in or even if they don't need to address it, you know, like one of our clients is a direct to consumer 24 karat gold jewelry company. There is no there's no, you know, tie in really to the IRS. But we did advise them that when they were getting ready to send out there their newsletter with their latest collection, that it would be beneficial for them to address the pandemic even in just a very short way to their customers and say, we're thinking of you, we're here for you. If, you know, if if you know, just to kind of acknowledge it. Because if you don't, then I think that's where the reputational issue can come into play. But for every single one of our clients. Who stayed on as a client because we definitely lost some clients when this all hit. Like in the travel or luxury or real estate space. But for all of our other clients. You know, yeah. Their businesses changed as much as mine did where it became about that and about how how can we do we have a way to add value to the conversation? Meaning can we help? Is there a way that we can offer assistance in some way, whether that's financial expertize or in remote learning or in psychology or whatever? You know? And, you know, there is not. Then you have to just continue to find the journalists and the media who are not covering the pandemic. And just really be extra super careful that they are still writing about their previous topic and not incorporating the new news cycle.
[00:27:00] Yeah, absolutely. I want to turn now. I do a quick pivot into some of the demographics, and I'm not sure if this is dated because my research comes strictly from your Web site.
[00:27:11] But I got on and it looks like you have a crew of female or female identified individuals working for you. Nary a male or male identified face to be found. And I'm wondering if that statistic is true and if you can speak to whether or not I have to believe that that was a conscious thought at very least. And I was wondering if you can kind of open up that story.
[00:27:33] Sure. So it's so it it it wasn't it wasn't a conscious decision when I first started out. I actually had two different male employees on and they were great like but it was just when it was two people, me and them, you know, so. But then really what happened was once we started growing and then it became, you know, two female employees, three, four and so on and so forth. It just felt like it was a comfortable dynamic in the office. And also PR is a very heavily female dominated field. So, you know, the 80 percent of the resumes I was getting were women, you know, and not and not men. And then and then it just honestly, like, I kind of got to the point where it felt like it might be like weird if we were in, like, one office with nine women and one and one guy. But but now it's become something that's, you know, not not that is more serious and more intentional because now we are a female led company. And, you know, I'm I'm open to hiring men. I mean, I want great talent and great employees. But I think it's I think it's powerful. And I think it's it's been really inspiring to work with other working moms, to work with, you know, other really impressive women and to be in it in a situation where we actually are all, I believe, supportive of one another. And there's just kind of like that understanding, you know, woman to woman.
[00:29:16] Yeah, there's a camaraderie for sure. There's plenty of sociologists that have made their pitches on nothing else. So absolutely.
[00:29:23] I'm wondering, do you have you certified with any of the women and minority certification firms?
[00:29:31] And not only that for you, that question to you, but do you advise any of your clients to go and get certified with? I mean, a few are the WNBA or the WB e WB and see like all of these female and minority certification processes. Do you think it's a good source of PR? A lot of the processes are very lengthy and can be expensive, but there are a lot of companies now, particularly on the West Coast where I am, that are directly hunting these these companies out in order to make an impact.
[00:30:04] So I, I, I actually really pains me to say that I'm not part of any of these organizations because it's Dom and I should be and I have started the W MBT application like five times, and it is very lengthy. And you need a lot a lot of documents that go back a long way. And it's it's just been nothing but lack of time or interns who can help me to do it. So. So no, but it is on my list. It is on my to do list, although it's been there for a long time. I have to say admit. But yes, we do actually bring up those types of organizations to our relevant clients. And it's a common question that clients are asking us because they want to see and are a why from what we're doing and from the media heads that we're getting to them. But a lot of times, by being able to share a media clip in different organizations like that, that's a really impactful way than to build up your client base and to get new Kofman new customers.
[00:31:14] Absolutely. Yeah. And it's it's a new shift. And it's it's always interesting to see. I know that a lot of the companies that I've spoken to, the founders that are involved in them, take it really seriously.
[00:31:25] It's it's one of their greeting cards. You know, it's it's right there on the landing page. It's right there on the business card. And I think it's it used to be seen as kind of a fraternity status, kind of this, like nobody cares unless you've been in it. And then and now it's actually being sought out. I've hung out with a lot of venture capitalists and angel investors, probably too many over the past year. And. But it is this especially female which are largely underrepresented. And it's a part of fulfilling that economics and that environment of female founders turning into female investors in the lifecycle continuing. And there's a lot of talk about these certifications being necessary and important so that, you know, women investors, minority investors can turn around and do and fund firms that are doing it. You know, there's not a shortage of people to invest in. I've seen in the states as much as, you know, finding the right people that represent what you want.
[00:32:19] Now, you're right. And like, I'm going to as soon as we end this, I'm going to like e-mail myself a reminder that I need to actually do this and like, it has to get done. Yeah, you're going to everybody do it.
[00:32:29] You're like, that woman gave me homework. I cannot stand her. Yeah. Fantastic. Well, I think it's interesting and I appreciate your candor on that subject. I'm wondering, everyone's dialog has changed.
[00:32:40] I know that your workload increased with the pandemic, with your clients and things of that nature, even with losing some of them, having everyone had to go back and kind of rebound their message and consider what their message even was anymore.
[00:32:52] How you personally with pace PR, how has your dialog changed, if at all, considering the pandemic? And what do you see your goals for the next one to three years being?
[00:33:07] Well, you know, I think the dialog has become it hasn't changed, but it has become more even more intentional or even more pointed where, you know, we're we're trying to to make an impact and we're trying to work with clients and put out messaging that is going to be helpful and useful. And and and even if it's a a brand or a product or something that isn't directly related to, you know, these big global issues, making sure that we that we do it even more thoughtfully and even more carefully. And and so that way, we're we're always being proud of the work that we're putting forth for our clients and leading them in the best possible direction for their reputation as possible for me in terms of how what my goals have, my goals have changed. I don't I don't know. To be honest with you, because we're still sort of in the middle of all of this. But, you know, I have had to clear both sides of the spectrum of, like, you know, wanting to get back to work so bad full time and wanting to keep growing the business and go, go, go. You know, as far as we can go. And then on the other hand, you know, I'm I'm home now with my daughter, who's almost two. And it's been really nice, you know, on some days, not all days, but on some days it's been really nice. And so I'm not sure I think I think, like, you know, for me, as as a working mom trying to find that balance is, you know, who can who can find the balance like it's impossible, you know, ta ta ta perfected. Even though I always strive to perfected. But I think now. I don't know, I think I think I'm I think that things are shifting for me a little bit. So we'll have to have to see.
[00:35:04] Yeah. Well, and therein is the gift. Right? Just even the reflection and the privilege of being well enough to reflect and things of that nature.
[00:35:13] I'm wondering. So this is my favorite part of this podcast. Series is known for it.
[00:35:17] And so you'll have to indulge some of the joy, venality of the question. I am wondering if you were, you know, walking up within a safe social distance of someone tomorrow and they said, hey, listen, Annie, I need to ask you a couple of questions. I know you through so and so. You're in the PR game. You probably know everyone in Manhattan. So they walk up to you and they say, listen, it's a young female female identified, non binary individual, anyone other than like a standard white male. And they said, listen, I am I'm getting ready to launch into my own PR firm. I've had this great, you know, buffer of almost a decade in news and media and stuff like that. And I'm just looking to hit the ground running. What are the top three pieces of advice you would give the individual knowing what you know now?
[00:36:05] Make sure you have a safety net, a financial safety net, if at all possible, lay the groundwork while you are still gainfully employed. And don't undervalue yourself. You know, I think that getting to a point where I'm really proud of and comfortable with the rates that clients pay for our services has has has taken many years. And so, you know, I think it's maybe even more true for women out there. I don't know.
[00:36:40] Yeah, I hear that a lot. And I've spoken to over 200 over the past two years. And one of the top five things I hear from women who are in much more advanced and seasoned positions as a founder such as yourself.
[00:36:54] The number one thing they say is that life got a lot easier when they charged more and were available less, you know. And that's not some weird, twisted, dynamic of psychology. I think it was that they were saying that they just underwhelmed themselves. I had a lot of stories about people saying the first year and they were like on call 24/7 with their clients. People could text them at 3:00 in the morning. They would respond, Oh, yeah.
[00:37:17] Like, sometimes I would be on my computer like literally 16 hours a day. You know, I mean, little breaks here and there. I mean, is crazy. I mean, I was blessed because I loved it and I still love it. So it didn't feel like so much work. But I do actually think there's a little bit of psychology there because you're if you're not available 24/7, that means that you're respecting yourself and that you're setting boundaries for yourself and making family or whatever else a priority. And I think once you start to carry yourself in and live with that intention, other people pick up on it. And, you know, that's when things get a little easier in some ways. All right. So I have guys.
[00:37:59] So I've got a safety net. Lay the groundwork while you still got your day job, if possible. And don't under underestimate or undervalue yourself.
[00:38:09] That's awesome. Those are fantastic. We're out of time today, Andy, but I want to say thank you. I know you're busy. I've got a little one.
[00:38:15] You've got a massive company and you're sitting in New York, which is, you know, it's it's own hot pocket of issues, as we all have. But I just want to say thank you for your candor and your story and all of your information. I appreciate it. I know my audience does as well.
[00:38:29] Thank you. Thank you for having me.
[00:38:31] Absolutely. And for everyone listening, we've been speaking with Andy Scranton. She's the founder and president of Paice PR. You can find it online at W W W Dot Pace public relations dot com.
[00:38:43] And until we speak again next time. Remember to stay in love with the world and always bet on yourself.