We recently connected with Liz Zarins and have shared our conversation below.

Liz, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

Although I was freelancing on the side through another agency for a bit before going out on my own (aka when I lost my full-time job), that money did not come through me actually pitching clients and winning business. I consider pitching and winning my first piece of “real” business as when I secured Darin as a client.

He was linked to a previous client I worked on when I had a full-time job, so I had already been in his aura. When I started looking for clients to pitch, it became clear to me that my work in PR was a way to be of service to the world—if I’m helping amplify the voices of people that I believe in and care for their mission. Darin was very much in alignment with my new outlook on PR—his mission is all about caring for the environment, removing the toxins from our daily lives, and being a good person overall. I knew he had a new book coming out because I already followed him on Instagram. I also happened to see him two times in person within a relatively short amount of time—I secured an interview on his podcast for a previous client, and he was promoting his product at Expo West, a large exhibitor event in the food and wellness space. I was already naturally circling him!

I reached out to him via email and pitched him to work together. I had this deep feeling we were going to work together, and I was right. He emailed me back that he was looking for PR support, and that it was perfect timing. It really did feel like the stars were aligning. How amazing that I get to support someone I actually like and believe in, someone who is doing really inspiring things with his life and career. It was also the most money I had secured as a monthly retainer at that point, so it felt scary and exciting at the same time! My business’s first real dollar.

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?

Hi new friends! I own a PR business, and as someone who has spent their whole career promoting and telling other people’s stories, the act of telling my own story actually feels a bit foreign. I’ve been in Public Relations (PR) for over 11 years now. I actually think it just “kind of happened.” I wasn’t sure what to major in, what route to take, or what my passions were at the time. But the more time I spent in the industry, it seemed like I was good at it.

Most of my experience is in the health and wellness space, with a few caveats in other areas like finance, tech, enterprise tech, and beverage. But my primary focus has always been earned media—aka getting coverage of my clients, their brands, and their stories in the media/news. Two years ago, I thought I was burnt out and couldn’t do PR anymore. The universe had a different plan for me though. I unexpectedly lost my job, and things just started moving with me—making it very apparent there was more for me in this industry. However, it was going to look different than I anticipated. I had an epiphany that I can be of service to the world with this work: I can help amplify the voices of people that are trying to make the world a better place, and that are showing up as the type of people I want to surround myself with. That’s when things really started changing for me—the universe started connecting me with people that are doing amazing things in this world, primarily in the wellness and spirituality space, which is very in alignment. All the sudden I was working with my teachers, the thought leaders I’d been following and learning from for many years. It was a real pinch-me moment.

I’m so proud of how my business has grown over the last two years, and with that, how much I have grown through this business. When I thought I was burnt out of the industry, I was really running from it because it poked all my “stuff,”—all the areas where I had healing to do personally. This business has actually been the perfect container to help me grow, and to help me heal the areas that needed more love. I believe that service is at the core of how my business operates—it’s not about wanting the money or not, it’s truly about service. Before every new business call, I say a prayer: “If I can be of service to this client, if I am the best person to help this person reach more people and tell their story, then please let me help them. Please let me be of service. Please let love guide this call and relationship.” This prayer completely changes my energy going into new business calls, and really all calls, it allows me to come from a place of service instead of chasing or needing to prove myself. What makes my business unique and special is the focus on the relationship: do we get along and are we the most aligned partners for each other? This approach is what I believe has led to my success. A functioning, aligned relationship is at the core of a good PR partnership.

Today, my business has evolved into being a true creative partner for my clients. I offer traditional media services, but I have also ventured into the podcast space. It has been a natural evolution where most of the work I do with clients today is primarily focused on securing feature interviews on podcasts.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The biggest example that comes to my mind when thinking about this question is a pivot I had to make in business, but also personally. I had written so many “stories” about why I needed to get out of PR, and why I wanted to get out of the industry. So much that I was standing in my own way, my own biggest block from earning and expansion. I had even started building out a business in a completely different industry. But when I realized I was not earning enough, and that I was moving completely against the flow of things, I had to take a good hard look at myself, my business, and where I wanted to go. This moment is when I realized I had to get out of my own way.

So often, we think we know exactly what is best for us, and that we know the path. But I now believe, if we pause and listen, we can see and receive the things that are happening ‘for’ us. There are opportunities that are silently helping guide us towards the path that we are meant for—the path that helps us reach our highest potential. And so often, that path is going to look very different than what we imagined. But it’s going to be exactly what we need to grow and evolve, which may not be the same as exactly what we *want* in the moment. When I finally gave my life over to my higher power, and began receiving where the flow of opportunities was for me, things really started to change in my business and my personal life.

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

It has been a combination of cold pitching and referrals. Maintaining good relationships and keeping current clients happy has led to a lot of referrals. But I also notice that when I take the steps to do cold outreach or network, I am rewarded—either with a referral or someone being interested through a cold pitch. I believe it’s really all about taking the aligned action towards new business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lizzarinspr.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz_zarins/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-zarins-88303362/
• Twitter: https://x.com/LizZarins