Let’s Talk About PR, baby | PR Workshop for Startups
Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FON) as a guest speaker. In partnership with BoarVenturers and Scale SEE Accelerator, I shared the Publicity Bureau’s PR strategies with a new generation of startup founders.
Instead of a traditional lecture, we turned the room into a PR lab for startups. I wanted to give these founders the raw "tips & tricks" that you won’t find in a textbook—the kind that actually moves the needle when you’re building from zero.
The Psychology of Choice
We started with a deep dive into the "55 Effect". Using the infamous "priming" scene from the movie Focus, I showed them that PR isn't just about getting a link in a portal, it’s about programming the subconscious. Whether it’s an investor or a journalist, your goal is to be that "familiar" name long before you ever ask for a favor.
Lessons from the Field
I shared two very different worlds to prove the same point:
The BMW Lesson: I spent years having coffee with automotive journalists where we barely mentioned "torque" or "clearance." We talked about kids, skiing, and life. Because when it was time to pitch a new model, I wasn't a PR rep, I was a trusted friend. PR is a relationship business, not a transaction.
The Wonderful "So What?" Factor: We talked about Wonderful and the challenge of launching a startup that no one has heard of. Even with a world-class background General Manager (Google, Microsoft), the media doesn't care about your ego, they care about the problem you solve. We shifted the focus from the "tech" to the "expert," and that’s when the doors started opening.
45 Minutes of "What If?"
The highlight for me wasn't the presentation itself, but the 45-minute Q&A that followed. Seeing founders stay back to ask about their specific LinkedIn strategies and media pitches reminded me why I love doing this.
In the startup world, you don't need a massive budget, you need a story and the courage to be "Number 55" in your industry.
Ready to start? I’ve packed the core strategies from this session into a free PR Playbook for Startups. Download it below and stop being an ad - start being the BIG news.