We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Casola recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie, 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?

I’d love to say the idea behind starting my business, Prologue, came to me in a spark of inspiration. But it didn’t quite happen that way. I never truly envisioned myself as a business owner. I began my professional career as a journalist and everything about it felt like the perfect fit. In the late 90’s, I worked full time as a reporter in newspapers and freelanced for magazines. I worked my way through the ranks and earned a column covering music and culture. And I was multi-faceted – I could handle breaking news, I covered the education beat and thrived when it came to features focused on art, music, theater or food.

But as the news industry began to shift and the U.S. economy faltered, I found myself in a position where jobs were regularly slashed by budget cuts. In 2008, I took my first big career risk and left a company I loved to pursue PR and digital media. It was necessary to diversify my skills to stay employed.

I never intended to stop writing – and never did. But the shift into a new industry opened a door I never anticipated. Working at agencies that specialized in digital marketing and public relations allowed me to use my creativity and skills in a new way. I loved collaborating with clients – especially those in food and beverage, arts, culture and design. But I missed the autonomy that can come with being a journalist. And it was around this time that friends close to me began to ask that question. “Why don’t you start your own PR firm?”

It seemed absurd. I’d brush it off and come up with a million excuses. But as I advanced in my career, I began to carve out pieces of the work day that I truly loved. I also found myself at odds with decisions that were out of my own control. I could see better ways forward and ultimately began trusting those friends and colleagues who believed in my entrepreneurial side – when I couldn’t see it myself.

I carved out the idea for Prologue by combining the services I felt most passionate about – writing, media relations, event promotion, strategizing how to start or grow a business. I combined the skills I attained in journalism school, working in newsrooms and later in digital agencies to focus on what I believed could truly benefit other business owners. That ranges from developing a brand language for how you convey your message to helping get that message out to the right people, the most beneficial media placements and by creating partnerships.

Starting my own business in 2016 meant resigning from a job with absolutely no safety net. I was under a non-compete that meant I had to cut ties completely before seeking my own clients. This kind of move is not for the faint of heart. Just making the decision to leave when I loved the work so much was painful. And while it’s something many people might think about – taking the step to actually do it feels like falling off a cliff (I imagine). So, yes many days that followed were punctuated by fear and panic, but I had no doubt that if I worked hard, I had the skills to back up this new venture.

And that was the key. A colleague gave me the best advice at the exact moment I needed it. He told me not to overthink it. Just put together your plan and keep moving forward. There can’t be any room in your mind for doubt. That has proven true time and again.

I was told it would be years before I could make enough money to support myself. I anticipated it would be really difficult financially. I had a little bit of savings, but not enough to make it very long and no other sources of income. I cut way back on any possible expense and I gave myself little goals. I remember thinking that once I get *this* many clients, I can afford a $10 monthly gym membership. It took three months to get there. And within 6 months, I was back up to my previous salary.

It was not easy. I worked 15 hour days and every weekend for the first two years. I struggled to keep up with friends and family because I worked so much. And this was coming from an already well-established workaholic!

The burn-out level of work wasn’t sustainable – not for myself and not when I worked for others. I knew it. I had to teach myself to pull back on work, spend more time taking care of myself and not fixate on the business and client needs 24 hours a day.

I took recommendations from those closest to me and was lucky enough to find financial, accounting and bookkeeping professionals I trust to make sure everything I did was in line and to answer my never-ending questions. I brought in writers and PR pros to assist with projects and events. While scaling up has not been my focus, I know it’s an option if ever I choose to take that route.

For Prologue, I didn’t have the luxury of a lot of planning before I launched. But I did have a strong network that helped me build the business.

Stephanie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I always say Prologue grew out of my experience in a newsroom. As a reporter, I’d often say “Everyone has a story.” I meant it. This reminded me to seek out all sides of an issue, all viewpoints. It reminded me to be a good listener and look at the bigger picture. Everyone has a story serves as our company motto.

At Prologue, we offer writing and public relations services with an insider’s perspective of the media and digital industries to provide business owners with the professional advice and attention they seek. Services include: public relations, media relations, branding, event promotion, consulting, developing and editing content, and advising on digital media. We customize strategic plans based on a client’s own needs and collaborate with them. We see success in a teamwork strategy.

Our clients are the experts in their own business and we’re here to help establish and advance the brand behind-the-scenes. We help prepare and support our clients while they stand at the forefront of media opportunities and beneficial partnerships that help them reach their goals.

Clients count on Prologue to help them establish or grow their businesses. We proudly believe in the following principles:

Honest – We tell the truth. We are experienced advisors and business partners you can count on.

Enterprising – We’ll make things happen. We will uncover your goals and measure success as we partner to achieve them.

Inventive – Count on us to complete projects on time, efficiently, with creativity and accuracy at the forefront. We’ll work with you to protect and promote your brand using a custom approach.

On Deadline – We’ll respect your timelines and meet or exceed expectations to ensure results.

Prologue primarily works with longer term retainer clients but occasionally takes on short term projects. Our clients tend to fall into the art, food and hospitality, design and culture realm.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Prologue was built out of sheer resilience. I learned to hone in on areas we would specialize in – because it would allow us to truly identify with those industries. But early on, we took a wide array of projects to help get started. The common thread – client collaboration.

If we join forces with a client who is a solid and trustworthy partner, that’s when I know the services we provide will be a major benefit. Public relations, media relations and digital marketing have goals that won’t manifest without collaboration. There’s so much we can bring to the table.

However, a client who is not responsive, not available to talk with media or not open to new ideas is not a good fit for Prologue. There is time and energy involved in this partnership. Without that, there’s really no way to help a client reach a goal.

It took resilience and experience to be able to identify the truly great partnerships we have now. We’ve built a business working with these kinds of clients and I am grateful for them.

Have you ever had to pivot?

We all had to pivot in the Spring of 2020. As a professional who works with many small business owners and promotes large scale events, I feared Prologue might not survive the constraints of a closed world during the Pandemic. I immediately had to pivot and envision what each of my clients would need to help them get through this unfathomable challenge. We moved to digital events, more newsletters and webinars – ways to get through to their audiences using technology.

We promoted ways these business owners were helping others. Creative and inspiring volunteer work was at the center of our messaging now – not sales or attendee numbers. And as very difficult as that time was, I am so proud to see my clients – all of them – coming through it all successfully.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.prologuedetroit.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prodetroit/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrologueDetroit/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieacasola/

Image Credits
Stephanie Casola, Jo Caputo, Shawn Lee Photography, Marvin Shaouni Photography