We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bryce North a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Bryce, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
Let’s cut to the chase. My journey into PR isn’t your run-of-the-mill, climb-the-corporate-ladder story. It started with me in angel capital. It’s raw, real, and packed with lessons learned the hard way. I dove headfirst into the world of startup funding, making my mark in the US and Canada. It wasn’t just about writing checks; it was about mastering the art of the pitch, navigating investor psychology, and structuring deals that made sense.
Coming from a small town in Canada, I knew I had to fight harder to get noticed. The big city sharks weren’t going to swim to me; I had to swim with them. So, I turned to the media – not with some fluffy PR strategy, but with a bold, in-your-face approach. I entered competitions, snatched awards, and landed myself on platforms that mattered, like TechCrunch and Dragon’s Den. It wasn’t just about being seen; it was about being remembered.
As I worked with various startup founders, I encountered a recurring obstacle: their struggle to raise funds due to lack of recognition and influence. Observing my success in the media, these founders began seeking my expertise to replicate this success for themselves. They were grappling with the same issues I once faced: brilliant ideas but stifled by anonymity.
In response, I started helping these startups not only with capital raising but also with enhancing their online personas and shifting public perception. My approach was direct and impactful: I helped these founders transform from unknowns to industry influencers. This wasn’t a subtle tweak but a strategic, aggressive rebranding, reshaping how investors and the market perceived them.
My own business evolved alongside this journey. I launched “Don’t Be a Little Pitch,” a PR firm that’s anything but ordinary. We don’t do safe. We do bold, creative, and sometimes borderline outrageous. We’re the ones you call when you want to make a statement, not just a soundbite.
My team and I, we’re not your typical PR folks. We’re storytellers with an edge, experts in crafting narratives that stick. We play on the fringes, finding angles that make our clients not just visible but unforgettable. We’re in the business of making waves, not just ripples.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m a tech entrepreneur who’s carved a niche in launching globally successful tech companies. My expertise lies in marketing and managing online product teams. My journey with tech has taught me invaluable skills: raising capital, building dynamic teams, fostering a vibrant culture, and, crucially, mastering the art of getting noticed.
My foray into this industry was sparked by working with startup founders. I noticed a gap: these visionaries needed to create a buzz and gain visibility to be taken seriously by investors. Recognizing this need led me to establish “Don’t Be a Little Pitch,” an edgy PR agency that thrives on telling compelling, attention-grabbing stories.
What do we do at “Don’t Be a Little Pitch”? We specialize in transforming the narratives of clients who struggle to stand out or lack a significant presence. Our goal is to infuse that unique edge into their public image, reshaping perceptions and amplifying their online presence. We’re not just a PR agency; we’re perception shifters.
We assist companies, CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs in securing speaking engagements, from keynote addresses to panel discussions, to bolster their credibility. Our team is adept at helping companies win awards, underlining their influence and showcasing their products. Moreover, we excel at boosting brand visibility, enhancing SEO, and building robust online reputations. When people see those high-profile media features and logos, it adds an unmatched level of credibility and desirability to the brand.
What sets us apart? Our audacity to be different. We promise what others don’t, and we deliver. Our approach is unapologetically bold, slightly outrageous, and it works. In a world cluttered with noise, our strategies make our clients stand out.
I take immense pride in our success in landing clients in coveted media outlets like Forbes, GQ, and Cosmopolitan. It’s a testament to our ability to craft and pitch stories that resonate.
What I want potential clients, followers, and fans to know is this: If you have a unique story or something distinctive about your brand, there’s always a way to stand out. It takes relentlessness, a bit of edginess, and a killer strategy. That’s the essence of “Don’t Be a Little Pitch” – where we don’t just tell stories, we make them legendary.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for us at Don’t Be a Little Pitch comes down to being authentically us. It’s all about our direct outreach efforts through email and LinkedIn, where we showcase our unique, engaging storytelling skills. We send out emails that aren’t just informative; they’re fun, gripping, and often leave people laughing. This approach is the core of our brand’s identity.
We’ve mastered the art of engagement, crafting messages that spark curiosity, interest, and a desire to learn more about what we offer. Our edginess is key here; it’s why we attract the right clientele. In a world where marketing can often feel generic and PR agencies can seem like a black box of uncertainty, we stand out by making a bold statement in the media and through our storytelling techniques that command attention.
All our new clients are drawn to us because of our distinct approach. We don’t just break the mold; we shatter it. Our strategy is to be unapologetically different, bringing a fresh perspective to how we portray our brand and our clients’ stories. This novel approach in a cluttered landscape is what makes new clients gravitate towards us, eager to see how we can transform their narrative with our unique flair.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Let me share a compelling episode from one of my previous tech ventures, which I find particularly intriguing. At a networking event, I found myself pitching to an investor. My idea, though I believed in it, was met with blunt skepticism. “Bryce, this is the worst idea I’ve ever heard in my life,” the investor declared.
However, I wasn’t deterred. In fact, within 30 days of that encounter, we had raised $1 million through pre-sales. When I mentioned this to the investor, his skepticism turned into intrigue. “Where do I invest? And how did you do that?” he asked.
The secret to this dramatic turnaround? A strategic, relentless media blitz. We hadn’t developed anything revolutionary in terms of product design or technology. Instead, I dedicated 60 days to crafting a story that resonated with both the media and potential customers. The focus was on creating a buzz, a sense of excitement and anticipation that was hard to ignore.
This approach wasn’t just about getting attention; it was about driving the narrative, controlling how we were perceived and what we aimed to achieve. When we finally launched our pre-sales, the response was overwhelming. Sales skyrocketed, instantly validating our approach.
What really fueled our initial funding round wasn’t just the product; it was the traction gained from this media-driven frenzy. We captured the interest of influential media outlets, which in turn captivated our target consumers. They were not just ready to hear our story; they were eager to be a part of it by owning our product. This experience was a testament to the power of storytelling, media engagement, and crafting a narrative that turns skepticism into investment.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dontbealittlepitch.com
- Instagram: @dontbealittlepitch
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycenorth
Image Credits
Bryce North