PR Adjacent

What can an e-commerce founder learn from the opening of a bathhouse? Quite a lot, actually. In this solo episode of PR Adjacent , Ellie shares her experience at the soft opening of Sense of Self's new Sydney bathhouse, and why the hospitality industry's approach to launching has some valuable lessons for consumer brands. From building anticipation before launch to making every customer to...

What does it really take to grow a self-funded brand for ten years? In this episode, I’m joined by Ann Williams, founder of Yearly Co . , to talk about the thoughtful decisions, repeatable systems and long-term vision that have helped her grow the fine jewelry brand from a business she began at home into a company with a full team, a retail store and a national customer base. Ann shares the practi...

Influencer gifting has become a standard part of many brands’ marketing strategies, but sending more product does not automatically create more impact. In this episode, I’m joined by Peggy O’Brien and Willa Callahan, co-founders of Poppy Gifting, to talk about what makes a brand gift feel thoughtful, memorable and genuinely worth sharing. We get into creating a gift people genuinely want to share,...

On today's episode joined by my longtime friend and former colleague Holly Hansen, founder of The Recognition Lab , to talk about how founders can use AI more intentionally. Holly explains why we should treat AI like a new employee, including how to train it, what context to give it and why a generic answer may be the best AI health score out there. We also discuss how press coverage, customer rev...

After a year and a half of living in Australia, I’ve started thinking differently about what ambition and work-life balance can look like. In this solo episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from Australian culture about protecting down time, prioritizing movement and life outside of work, questioning the vanity metrics we associate with success, and focusing on the work only you can do. This is a...

About this  Episode What does it actually take to buy or sell a business? I’m joined by Susan Wojewoda, Chief Revenue Officer at Town and Country Living , who has worked on both sides of the acquisition process with family-owned and private equity-backed businesses. We discuss what buyers look for beyond revenue, including predictable income, customer concentration, contracts, team strength and wh...

In this episode of PR Adjacent , Ellie sits down with Julia Rubien, founder of Amie Social, to break down the basics of user-generated content (UGC) — and why it’s one of the most effective tools brands can use to drive sales today. From understanding what makes UGC different from traditional brand content to knowing how to source, brief, and repurpose it, Julia shares practical tips for beginners...

When she started her business, Julie McAllister was busy making sugar cookies for events around town — but what really lit her up were hyper-realistic, sculptural cakes. When she made the risky decision to niche down and fully own her creative lane, everything changed. That clarity led to Netflix’s Is It Cake? , the Food Network, and clients like Reese Witherspoon. On today's episode, we'r...

Today’s episode is all about what happens when you stop building for your customers—and start building with them. We’re joined by Samantha Gold, founder and CEO of Motette , the elevated bamboo clothing brand for babies and toddlers that’s quickly becoming a go-to for modern families. A former fashion exec and tech leader, Sam didn’t just launch a brand—she created a community. In this conversatio...

What does it really take to manage a brand build from start to finish—without losing your mind or your message? In this episode, I sat down with Rachelle Saevil, founder of Saevil Row, to unpack the art (and science) of creative project management. With two decades of design experience and a decade running her own agency, Rachelle shares how to bring the right people in at the right time, make sma...

Cheri Leavy and Whitney Long are the founders of The Southern C , a community that’s redefining what networking looks like for creative entrepreneurs. They have built an ecosystem where relationships come first, and their approach to fostering meaningful connections has made The Southern C Summit a must-attend event for female business owners the country. Beyond their in-person events, they’ve als...

PR and marketing are shifting faster than ever—platforms change, media landscapes evolve, and what worked last month might already be outdated. "Touching Base" is your go-to monthly check-in for the latest trends, industry moves, and strategic insights you actually need to know to take your business to the next level. Join Nicole Noble, founder of marketing consultancy Specio, and Ellie,...

Ready to take your business to the next level—without drowning in the day-to-day? Kate Rosenow, founder of Work Well with Kate, is your guide to stepping out of the weeds and into a more streamlined, profitable business. Kate is a business systems strategist who shares proven strategies to simplify operations, optimize efficiency, and scale with confidence. Having helped thousands of women busines...

Who knew a publicist and a dietitian had so much in common?! In this episode, I sit down with Cayla, a registered dietitian and founder of Nutrition Preferred to chat about breaking free from the “January reset” mindset. We dive into how small, consistent habits, realistic planning, and progress over perfection can help you stay on track all year long—whether you’re working on your health or growi...

On this episode, Emily Heslin, founder of Carriage House Creative, joins us to explore how paid media and PR align for maximum impact. From Meta and Google to TikTok and Pinterest, Emily breaks down key platforms, shares tips for leveraging earned media in ad campaigns, and offers advice on planning for Black Friday and 2025. Perfect for founders looking to elevate their strategy!

On today’s episode, I’m thrilled to have Erin Noël , a fashion stylist based out of LA  who specializes in helping female entrepreneurs and founders elevate their brand through their wardrobe. In our conversation, we discussed how the clothing and accessories we choose communicate far more than just style—they reveal who we are, what we value, and where we’re headed. Erin shared her expertise on b...

It’s no secret that women in leadership positions often face burnout, with their mental load undermining the strategic thinking needed to continue advancing. At Birdie, we know that  nothing compares to the power of a rested woman . When given the chance to recharge, women can invest in their communities, create jobs, and show up as their highest selves—free to channel their energy into leadership...

In my first-ever solo episode (!) I took a minute to share the journey behind The Birdie Agency’s exciting new rebrand. We are constantly consulting clients on their visual representation — matchmaking them with the perfect branding partners to land the positioning we carefully craft for them —  but rarely do we have time to focus on our own brand. Our new brand design honors where we started as B...

Brittany Schmid and Katy Doar are the founders of The Bunny Hive - a social club for little ones and their grown ups that is rapidly expanding across the country. Named “The Soho House for Kids” by Forbes, I took a moment to chat with them about ways to maintain brand consistency during a rapid growth period that's resulted from the announcement of their franchise program.

Jessie Gabriel is the founder of All Places – a law firm seeking to create a more equitable world by actively helping women from all backgrounds and industries grow their business without limits. They walk with women founders through every stage of development: conceiving their entrepreneurial aspirations, locking down funding, launching their businesses, and plotting exceptional growth. I had so...

Lindsay Droz and Kristi Lord are the creators of L'AVANT Collective and their first wholesale account for their plant-based cleaning brand was with Goop! Since then, they have evolved their distribution strategy to an omnichannel approach, including selling DTC, with other national retailers like the Container Store and even Amazon. On today's episode they give tips on breaking into trade...

Sophie von Oertzen is the founder of Sophie Williamson Design – organic table linens & home decor that prove sustainable living can be synonymous with vivid, joyful color. Sustainability has become such a loaded word – so many brands talk about their positive environmental impact without being able to back it up. It can also feel overwhelming as business owners to think about sustainability wh...

Our team recently had the incredible opportunity to join the Female Founder Collective in New York for a day of panels, workshops, and incredible connection with other female founders. We loved learning about how other female founders are growing their businesses across industries and took a minute to share some of our top takeaways live from the event. If you're interested in attending one of...

Today’s episode is a little bit therapy, and a lot of clarity and tools that we can use to spend our time intentionally. So much can take up space in our day — from social media distractions to endless meetings and urgent emails. And as founders it’s incredibly important to have a clear direction as to where you want to take the business and how to quite literally block out time for it. Tish Digna...

Susan Wojewoda is founder of The Concord Consulting Group and has spent the past 20 years developing brand strategies for brands in the consumer and retail space from Lacoste to Ted Baker, Keds, and everything in between. On today's episode, we talked about the difference between brand licensing and brand collaborations, the financial breakdown for these types of partnerships, and how to make...