Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brittany Cheri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brittany, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump into the story of starting your own firm – what should we know?

I’ve been working for myself for over 15 years now and its been a rough road. In the beginning, I did not have any structure, plans, goals, absolutely nothing. I treated my business like a simple side hustle. I was working two different jobs at the time, plus being in school when I finally decided that I should take my work more seriously. It all started with setting goals and creating a plan. I knew I didn’t want to work for someone else the rest of my life and I needed to figure out what I needed to do to get to a self sustaining point. Once I set a plan in motion I started investing in myself, or so I thought. It was more of impulse spending to get as much equipment and software as possible. Definitely the wrong move when I looked back months later. Being a young adult with no guidance trying to “run” or start a business was the most frustrating experience. The best thing I did after about 5 years of my business being an unorganized mess, was finding a mentor. My mentor didn’t know everything but he knew how to guide me towards how to find what I truly needed, what I should invest in and what things I needed to walk away from. If I had found a mentor in the very beginning who knows where I would be today. My best advice I could give would be to find a mentor(s), invest in educating yourself on your industry, saving and budgeting and have a flexible business plan.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got my start in the pr industry in 2018, working in entertainment for artists and helping manage and curate events for talent. I did a lot of learning on the go thanks to mentors and other publicists that I encountered. I spent a lot of time taking workshops and attending conferences to grow my skills and knowledge as a publicist. Within about two years I found my rhythm in the industry, however my niche was defined until around 2021. Coupling my business, design and event skills with my new found love for public relations I’ve been able to work with some amazing clients growing their brands from the ground up or revamping for growth. My goal has always been to create, maintain, and protect the client’s reputation and present a favorable image to the public, while continuing to educate audiences based on the clients specialty. One thing that separates my agency is that I focus on the vision behind the brand, strategic growth and creative aesthetic. Setting a client up for success starts with understanding where they are and where they want to go, while teaching them proper strategies and creating a cohesive, unforgettable brand.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Not being afraid to reach out to other people in my industry or other industries that I want to work in. In order to grow you can’t be afraid of being the newbie. You have to embrace it. I’ve met more people and been invited to more spaces by simply introducing myself than just watching from the sidelines. Aside from making those introductions, being authentic and true myself and my brand is always a key to growth in my experience. People respect your realness, even though some may not agree or understand you, they respect you for being you unapologetically.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

That’s easy. Be yourself, show up and know what you are talking about. One thing that audiences can’t resist is a person that has knowledge, is willing to share and shows up in the spaces that they already frequent. You have to stay in the rooms that your ideal clients are in and be active. Not actively promoting your business in facebook groups and in the comment sections under post, but active in the conversations. Show your audience why you are an expert and show them that you are a human being.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pivotbpr.co www.brittanycheri.co
• Instagram: @cherithepublicist @pivotbpr
• Facebook: @pivotbpr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanycheri
• Twitter: @pivotwithcheri

Image Credits
IMG Credit: PivotBPR