Today we’d like to introduce you to Charissa Lauren

Hi Charissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

I started working when I was 16 and it was a classic “built my way up” story. At that time, I was working in modeling, pageants, and theater throughout various agencies in the US. I was always told “looks don’t last” so focus on the business aspect of the industry, and that I did. I started working and hustling backstage. I nailed down a few jobs and internships with The Talent Group talent agency, Barbizon Modeling & Acting, Mosser Casting, and eventually started coordinating fashion shows for the Mall at Robinson, Pittsburgh Fashion Week, and New York Fashion Week.

For the majority of my late teens and early twenties, I was coordinating red carpet events and fashion shows, meanwhile writing for multiple magazines. My love for journalism and event coordination sparked my direction towards Public Relations, a career where I could combine all of those passions. I started my first agency at 22 with a partner initially. The agency took off within the first year and by year two, I was securing national and international clientele. I have worked within Public Relations and Journalism since then and I can honestly say I love what I do whole-heartedly and there has never been a dull experience.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

No destination worth traveling is ever a smooth journey. Even a trip to Hawaii is a 17-hour, exhausting journey from where I am. Of course there have been struggles. Burn-outs, partnership divisions, branding and re-branding – that’s business. I think one particular struggle I had was being an Entrepreneur at such a young age. I was 22. While most are doing 22-year-old things, I was finalizing my LLC, writing client contracts, taking conference calls overseas and learning the time zones, pulling many all-nighters and hustling to grow something that Pittsburgh didn’t yet have. I wanted to work in fashion/lifestyle Public Relations, but that industry didn’t exist here in Pittsburgh. I didn’t want to up and move to NYC (thought I traveled there often for work), so I created the job I wanted here.

At that age, it was a lot of demand and a big dream, a huge leap of faith, and many hours of grinding. The struggle was being someone that many people admired but at that age, I had no idea what I was doing. I was figuring it all out as I went. I look back at that girl now and think “Wow, what a bad a$$.” How brave it was for me to quit the standard career in law people wanted me to pursue, and follow my passion in creating something entirely new. I love that girl. That girl was fierce. As we grow older, we create more imaginary limitations for ourselves. If we could only harness that intuitive nature and let that creativity carry us throughout our lives.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

I work in Public Relations and Journalism. I’ve always had the ability to see the good in everyone and everything around me and I’ve used my career to highlight people’s attributes and successes. I’m able to show the world the light that I see in others and I love that. Public Relations is, essentially, taking a person, brand, or business and gaining media and exposure and we do so by crafting relevant topics of conversation and media stories.

I also hold high value to the story behind every person and journalism/PR allows me to share that story. I’ve always loved the quote, “There isn’t a person you wouldn’t love if you could read their story.” It shows that we really have to value the story behind each person: their struggles, their characteristics, their talents, where they came from – it connects us on a deeper level as human beings. Public Relations is all about finding a connection to resonate a professional with their target audience – a common ground or a relatability that will show a customer why they can trust to support a professional or business.

When I was 12, I started volunteering at a nursing home. I volunteered every single summer from Monday-Thursday 7am-3PM from the ages of 12 until I was 17. During my time, I did activities with the elderly, kept them company, played bingo, took them to church, and became a friend to them during the end of their life. Most were either battling illness or nearing the end of their time. I became close friends with many and I’ve found that at the end of our lives, all we want to do is tell our stories. So, I became an ear for them and I listened to every life experience that they had to share. During my work there, I really learned to value the story behind the person and what shapes who we are. Surface-level relationships only go so far, what the world needs is meaningful connection. Connection is only done when we truly know a person. I connect professionals with their audiences and customers.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?

Being in the industry for 15 years, I’ve seen the shift from print to digital and the downfall of many major magazines and newspaper outlets. I’ve seen radio stations who rely on commercial advertisements taken over by streaming services and commercial-less Sirius XM. Even television has taken a hit. Media and the way we consume it has changed, drastically. We live in a world consumed by TikTok algorithms, endless Instagram scrolling, and Facebook ads. A lot of Public Relations professionals have pivoted to social media management and influencer campaigns as social media and influencers are primarily what people view. No one reads anymore, it’s honestly unlikely that people even click a web link to read an online article and it’s sad for us journalism girls.

I think the next big change for all of us is seeing where we fit. Do we continue to pitch stories to media outlets or create strategies for where trends are most successfully seen? I think pivoting is the best move for now but in my opinion and effort, I would really like to see print make a come back. I still personally read print magazines and I still read paperback books. I like the art of turning pages.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.famebycl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/famebycl/
• Other: https://www.charissalauren.com