We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.

Jason , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

In 2008, I wasn’t happy with my job at the time, so I started to think about branching out on my own and not even starting a “PR Firm”, rather was thinking I could be a good solo practitioner helping small businesses with their PR needs. Providing a cost effective approach similar to what a big agency could provide. So in October 2008, PublicCity PR was launched with a specialty in Media and Community Relations. I didn’t want to be something to everyone, including digital marketing, social media, advertising, website creation, etc. Rather be a specialty company in work that I had already been doing for about 10 years now.

Here we are almost 18 years later and it seems like I did it right, cause now we have a small agency of 5 people, 2 employees (my wife and I) and three contractors.

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 graduated from Michigan State University in the late 80’s with a BA in Journalism and thought I’d be the next Mitch Albom or great American writer. Well, reality set in and I quickly realized why the greats were the greats. So I pivoted after picking up some freelance writing jobs here and there. I went back to school to get a degree at Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts and while I realized I didn’t have a face for TV or a voice for radio, I really took to the idea of being a producer. And with the school’s help I got an internship at WJR-AM 760. First an intern, then I got a part time job as a Newsroom Assistant, which included supporting the Paul W. Smith Show. After working at WJR and later WYUR-AM, I met the owner of another PR company, Marx Layne, Fred Marx and he took a liking to me and offered me a job at his firm, which came with a nice salary boost.

From there, I bounced around at a variety of agencies which came with more money and responsibility. Until it was time to branch out on my own in 2008.

I think what sets us apart is our ability to use a common-sense approach to PR combined with not letting money cloud my decisions. If I truly don’t believe in what the client is proposing, I will tell them that I don’t think we can attach our name to that initiative and maybe we can come up with an approach that would work for us both. Most clients appreciate the candor which keeps me motivated to keep doing what we are doing, even if someone disagrees with the philosophy.

After 18 years, I am most proud of that my I built this agency from no clients, no revenue to a small business that is now known as a leader in Media Relations. In addition, getting to work with my wife, Hope on a daily basis and allowing our two girls (Eliza and Libby) to see us as entrepreneurs in action. I don’t know if they will have the same entrepreneurial spirit as we do, but I know they have always appreciated our hustle and dedication, combined with us almost always being there when needed because we decided what was important in our family life and not a boss of the company.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think I learned from an early age, don’t be afraid to get to know someone regardless of their age, race or how influential the person was. I took the approach that no one is truly more important than another. So I believe that people know that I take the ‘golden rule’ approach, “do unto others…” Media, clients and others know that I will treat them with respect, unless they don’t do the same. I have two sayings in business that I use often, the first comes from Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing, “Nobody puts baby in the corner”. Meaning, I will gladly go in the corner and watch/learn but please don’t try and shove me in the corner, as I will come out swinging. And the other is from Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, “You’re dead to me!”. I know that sounds like a harsh comment, but seriously if we can’t work together and you are stringing me along and wasting my time, then I really want nothing to do with you.

Ultimately, I like to think I’m batting 95% favorable and 5% of people don’t want anything to do with me. I’ll gladly take those odds any day and I choose to focus on the 95% rather than the 5%.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Similar to the question above, I believe the best source is word of mouth. Someone else saying, “he did a great job for us and he will do a great job for you.” Hard work truly can pay off. I truly believe I have an Army of people out there as a referral source. I remember one time I got a call from a new client that said I was facebook friends with the person who recommended me. I looked her up and I truly didn’t know who she was, but she knew me and saw how much passion I had for my clients and referred me.

I know it sounds simple but if you are nice to people, it can come back to you tenfold. No one is perfect, nor am I. But I do my best every day to try and make a difference and help people when I can. I think people see it and appreciate it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.PublicCityPR.net
• Instagram: @PublicCityPR
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JasonBrownPCPR
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/publiccitypr
• Twitter: @publiccitypr
• Other: TikTok @PublicCityPR

Image Credits

Credit PublicCity PR