We recently connected with Liv Dellanno and have shared our conversation below.
Liv, appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
It all started when I was 24, feeling lost and frustrated in my career while working at a prosthetic company (which I know sounds exciting out of context but I was an office administrator so the most exciting part of my day was scanning insurance cards). I spent my free time applying to marketing jobs, as that seemed to make the most sense with my past work experience. However, nothing felt right, and I found myself in a state of uncertainty and stagnantion. Then, the pandemic hit in 2020, and with more free-time on my hands, I stumbled upon a career that combined my love for writing with my knack for making friends online – PR. I began working part-time, juggling one PR client while still putting in 40 hours a week at the clinic. Almost immediately, I experienced an “A-ha” moment. This was what I was meant to do.
After about three months of diving into the world of PR, I made the decision to quit my job and embark on the journey of starting my own company. The first hurdle I faced was leaving my 9-5 job. I vividly remember drafting and re-drafting my resignation letter in my notes app, feeling so nervous about delivering the news to my boss. To my surprise, he turned out to be incredibly supportive and encouraging, a gesture that I’m still grateful for to this day.
With my job transition behind me, the real work began. While I had made some progress in setting up the administrative aspects of my business, such as my bookkeeping, I still lacked a website, logo, and even a name for my company. I had a clear vision of what I wanted my company to accomplish but was unsure about its visual identity.
I consider the first true launch of Mystik to be in April of 2023. The previous launch was more of a dress rehearsal, allowing me to learn from my experiences and refine my vision for the company. The period leading up to the April launch was incredibly exciting as I focused on creative branding that I had previously avoided. I had the opportunity to collaborate with talented professionals like my web designer Melo Creative and my favorite photographer (I may be biased as she is my partner), Unabridged Photography. Together, we brought my vision to life, creating a website and branding that truly represented Mystik. And just like that, Mystik 2.0 was born.
Looking back, the journey from idea to execution was a mix of uncertainty, determination, and exciting discoveries. I had to overcome my fears, make crucial decisions, and collaborate with talented individuals who helped shape the identity of Mystik PR. I’m incredibly proud of the growth and transformation not only that Mystik has undergone, but for myself as well as a business owner.
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.
Absolutely! The story behind how Mysitk was founded is rooted in the very common post-college 20-something experience- feeling lost, being brave, and taking a leap of faith. I graduated with a liberal arts degree in 2019 and moved to Chicago two months later. For context, I had never been to Chicago before, had no friends there, and no plan. I started temping and eventually wound up working as an office administrator at a prosthetic lab and then boom, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The initial spark that brought Mystik to where it is today was part-time PR work for artists I had connected with on the app which snowballed into opportunities to work with other agencies doing contract work. After gaining a lot of valuable experinece working with some very talented colleagues, I set out on my own to found, Mystik Public Relations LLC that launched in April of 2023- a full service affiliate PR agency. If this is your first time hearing the phrase, “affiliate PR,” don’t worry you’re not alone. Mystik specializes in working with DTC brands to merge affiliate marketing with traditional PR to create partnerships that drive sales and boost brand awareness. What sets Mystik apart as an affiliate PR agency is the combination of new-age e-commerce affiliate marketing with conventional public relations tactics not only to drive results, but also provide insightful metrics on how different media placements perform for the brand(s).
As the CEO & Founder of Mystik PR, what I’m most proud of is the successful collaborations we’ve had with other agencies. One of the reasons I love PR so much is how collaborative it is and how we see each other as assets not competition. For instance, we partnered with an agency to secure press coverage for a prominent time management and productivity coach, resulting in online features like Girlboss.com.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest lesson I’ve had to unlearn was people-pleasing- I think this is a big one, especially for women in business. Coming from a traditional 9-5 job background, I thought that being a people pleaser was a good trait to have as it was something that was constantly praised in the corporate world. Especially as a woman, I was conditioned to be agreeable and accommodating- something I thought made me a better employee. For any people-pleasers out there reading this, I’m sorry to tell you that unlearning this behavior isn’t easy. I get that you want to go above and beyond for your clients and that you’re passionate about what you do. I feel you; I really do. However, you cannot control your business (or even your life) if you consistently give in to other people’s demands out of a sense of obligation to make them happy/comfortable. One of the ways I began to unlearn my people-pleasing was not answering calls/texts from clients past 5:30 PM on weekdays and not answering on the weekends. This may seem insignificant, but it was a massive step in my journey as a young entrepreneur who felt as if she needed to be on call 24/7. It’s PR, not ER.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I love this question! The two most significant resources that have helped me as an entrepreneur are: 1. Dear Female Founder by Lu Li
and 2. The Mel Robbins Podcast
If you’re a young woman starting your small business journey, I cannot recommend “Dear Female Founder” enough. It’s a collection of letters written by successful women in business who started their own companies and the wisdom they want to share with the next generation of entrepreneurs. It was gifted to me by my partner’s grandmother, an amazing, accomplished woman in her own right who started the fashion forecasting industry, and I am so thankful for her sharing this intergenerational knowledge. We hear a lot about women who’ve built something on their own, but we seldom hear from them, which is another reason this book has such a special place in my heart.
Continuing the theme of inspiring women, I also highly recommend the Mel Robbins Podcast. Her show spans so many topics, such as the science of habits, the power of the pause, and building confidence. The Mel Robbins Podcast has helped me so much as a business owner I cannot recommend it enough.
Contact Info:
- Website: mystikpr.com
- Instagram: @mystikpr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liv-dellanno-2717a6100/
- Other: TikTok: Mystikpr
Image Credits
Unabridged Photography https://unabridgedphoto.com/