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

Connie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

What my parents did right—and how growing up in foster care shaped my life’s purpose

In a world where it’s easy to point out everything our parents did wrong, I’ve come to appreciate the things they did right—even if those lessons came wrapped in hardship.

I grew up in foster care, eventually settling into my second home after my biological mother, who struggled with mental illness, couldn’t care for me. While my upbringing was far from traditional, it gave me something more valuable than money, status, or even stability: it gave me purpose.

There was a framed poster in our bathroom that I read every day. It featured a little blond boy gazing out at the ocean, with this quote beneath it:

“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove… but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
— Forest E. Witcraft, teacher, scholar

That message shaped me. It taught me early on that our impact on others—especially children—is what truly matters.

Despite growing up with welfare, trauma, and uncertainty, my foster mom modeled resilience and radical generosity. She treated people with kindness even when she had little to give. That philosophy lives in me now. It’s guided my 20+ years in journalism, where I rose to become the Senior Producer of The Nine on Fox 2 Detroit. It inspires the work I do running High Five PR, where I help clients amplify their voices and purpose. And it fuels the nonprofit I recently launched—Foster The Fun—to help foster families afford extracurricular activities like sports, dance, and art lessons. These “luxuries” are actually lifelines for so many kids—offering community, mentorship, therapy, and joy.

If I hadn’t grown up poor… if I hadn’t watched my mom struggle… if I hadn’t lived through the foster care system, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. And I like who I’ve become: a mother of six (three adopted through foster care), a business owner, and a relentless advocate working to make the world better for the next generation.

That’s the legacy I’m building—one rooted in love, purpose, and being important in the life of a child.

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?

Owning My Story: How High Five PR Was Born

If there’s one thing I’ve learned on my journey, it’s this: you have to own your story—your true, authentic self—before you can truly shine. For me, that meant being honest about why I was leaving a job I loved.

In 2019, my husband and I became foster parents. Overnight, we went from a family of five to six, and then—just one week before the pandemic hit—we took in two more little ones: a baby and a toddler. A week later, the world shut down. I was suddenly producing a live TV show from my basement, while navigating remote learning for my college freshman, high school freshman, and kindergartener—plus caring for three young children without daycare or help. It was pure chaos.

When life finally settled into its new normal, our family looked completely different. The growth was unexpected, but it shaped us. Returning to a corporate job with only nine sick days felt impossible—especially when the school’s COVID quarantine policy required 14. I knew I needed to create a new path—one that honored my reality as a mom and foster parent.

In 2022, I laid the groundwork for High Five PR. My goal was simple: to help others own their stories the way I had learned to own mine. I built the agency from a place of honesty, sharing my WHY from day one. I couldn’t do it all—but I could be real about it. I let people see the purpose behind my work, and that authenticity resonated.

I’ve never had to chase down clients—all of them have come to me through word of mouth. I think it’s because I’m transparent. I share my journey, my struggles, and my passion, and it turns out that people want to support someone who keeps it real. My clients know I give 110% because I genuinely care about their stories too.

At High Five PR, we’re not just crafting narratives—we’re amplifying purpose. I help my clients own their stories, so they can stand out with confidence and build connections that matter. It’s not just PR—it’s storytelling with heart.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

How I Built My Social Media Presence—and My Best Advice for Beginners

One of the pillars of my business is social media management. I get it—it’s hard to keep up with your own accounts when you’re busy running social media for other businesses. I’ve definitely fallen behind on my own pages more than once. But over the years, I’ve learned a few key strategies that help me stay consistent and grow my audience.

First off, I use a media scheduling tool called Metricool. It’s far from perfect, but it’s the best one I’ve found for keeping my content organized. I’ve tried several different tools, and none of them are a magic solution, but Metricool connects all my accounts and tracks analytics so I can see what’s working (and what’s not) at a glance.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned about social media? You have to treat it like a video game. Social media apps reward you when you use their features consistently and correctly. That means you can’t just post and log off—you have to play the game. Watch videos to the end, like, share, and comment. Engage with other content regularly. These actions signal to the algorithm that you’re an active participant, and in return, your own content is more likely to be seen.

Another tip: Train your feed. Your business accounts should only interact with similar or vertical businesses in your niche or with your ideal client base. Why? Because the algorithm needs clear signals about your content’s relevance. If you’re using your business account to engage with random topics or unrelated content, the platform gets confused about who should see your posts. Be intentional about your engagement, and you’ll see better results.

There’s no magic formula to building a social media presence, but consistency and community engagement make all the difference. Social media isn’t just about posting content—it’s about building real relationships. Engage authentically, use the tools strategically, and most importantly, be consistent.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

When you’re running a business, it’s easy to feel like an imposter—like you don’t quite belong or aren’t “enough” compared to others in your field. I’ve been there. One experience that changed my perspective happened just this past winter when my family and I took a trip to Disney to celebrate our recent adoption. During the drive to and from Florida, I listened to two audiobooks that hit home: The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Be Seen by Jen Gottlieb.

Both books tackled something I was wrestling with—Imposter Syndrome—and they shared a similar message: Start where you are and don’t reinvent the wheel. If you’re feeling stuck, look at the path that successful people in your field have taken and work backward from there. Essentially, use the recipe of someone else’s success to create your own version. You’re not stealing, you’re just mimicking the pattern and putting your own spin on it. That’s what the people before them did.

There are plenty of PR professionals in Metro Detroit, but none of them are me. They have their experiences, and I have mine. We’re not all in competition with each other—there’s enough success to go around. My personality might be the perfect fit for one client, and not for another, and that’s okay. As Mel Robbins would say, “Let them” pick someone else. Meanwhile, “let me” keep choosing the clients who feel like the right match for High Five PR.

Jen Gottlieb’s book touched on the same idea. She’s dealt with Imposter Syndrome firsthand, and hearing her speak so openly about it was refreshing. It reminded me that comparison really is the thief of joy. Instead of worrying about how I stack up against others, I’ve learned to focus on being myself, staying curious, and continuing to grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.highfivepr.com/high-five-pr
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highfive_pr/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568389857414
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connie-smith-2451704/