Malia Spencer: Portland Business Journal [Podcast]

Malia Spencer: Portland Business Journal [Podcast]

Recorded Live at PreGame HQ: An Interview with
the Portland Business Journal’s Malia Spencer

Plus some new PR pet peeves from Malia, and what exactly is a startup anyway?

Malia Spencer has spent the last four years digging deep into Portland’s technology, startup, and entrepreneur culture for the Portland Business Journal. She was originally hired to cover banking technology, but quickly transitioned to reporting on venture capital, private equity, and angel investors because they’re a growing part of Portland’s burgeoning tech sector.

Early in our interview, recorded live at PreGame HQ, I asked Malia for her opinion on Portland’s place in the national tech scene. She breaks the country into three basic tiers, with areas like Boston, New York, and Silicon Valley occupying the top spots, Seattle and Austin in tier 2, and other cities like Denver and Portland in tier 3. In Malia’s view, Portland is trying to move up to tier 2 thanks to its recent growth.

I was prompted to ask Malia about how she defines a startup, because I often ask myself that same question. Could I call my own business a startup and pitch it that way for coverage? While Malia takes a rather broad view of the word in her own coverageoften profiling the abundant maker and food entrepreneurs in PDX – she defines a more traditional startup as a company with a high gross potential over the short term that’s also backed by venture capital funds.

Malia also covers other small companies that might not have a lot of investors, but that often depends on how she believes the story will land with her audience.

The readers who are looking at the business journal are “people who have grown businesses, and can read a story to learn what they can do to help their business,” Malia said. So the stories she gravitates towards are going to include those details.

So what should you do to have your company featured in the journal? Malia was kind enough to share her best PR tips, and perhaps more importantly, what PR pros and entrepreneurs should absolutely NOT do.

 

Malia’s PR Pet Peeves

Always prepared, Malia came to our live podcast interview with a list of pet peeves she’d sourced from the members of her newsroom, which PR Pros would be wise to heed.

  • Malia’s #1 pet peeve is pitchers who don’t do their homework. She says she gets so many irrelevant story ideas from people outside the Portland area that too often turn into irrelevant phone calls. Malia advises people interested in getting PBJ coverage to first read the journal so they understand what’s in it and what the reporters cover.
  • Never ask for an advance review, because no journalist with any ethics would ever send one.
  • If a reporter hasn’t responded to your pitch, don’t do more than one telephone or email follow up. Malia says that if she’s interested in a story idea, she’ll respond to a pitch immediately.
  • And finally, no more than 2 people on a conference call.

 

Malia’s PR Tips

So once you’ve avoided these pet peeves, what can PR Pros or entrepreneurs do to get coverage in the journal? Malia says, it all starts with the story.

  • First there needs to be a news hook. The journal is generally interested in new C-Suite hires that might make a big impact, or if a startup has raised a new round of funding. They also frequently cover businesses that have landed a huge sale or a contract that’s going to change what it’s doing in a big way. So before you pitch, think twice about how you’ll position your story’s news hook.
  • Malia reminded the audience that even if she decides to follow up on a pitch with her own story, the final version could look different than your original suggestion.
  • In response to an audience question, Malia said that pitches don’t have to come in the traditional press release format, and in most cases a regular email is sufficient.
  • Many times, entrepreneurs can get coverage by simply reaching out to reporters personally to let them know who they are and what they’re doing, and then inviting them to talk more about it over coffee.

Beyond feature stories, The Portland Business Journal also publishes other regular content that PR Pros and entrepreneurs should consider.

 

  • One good way to get coverage is through “The Pitch.” This feature is essentially a written investor pitch which combines a company questionnaire with a write up interview about a company’s genesis story. “The Pitch” always runs online and will run in the print edition as space allows.
  • The journal also publishes weekly lists throughout the year, such as The Fastest Growing Private Companies in Oregon or The Largest Architecture Firms in the Portland Metro Area. PBJ editors are always looking for list topic suggestions or business nominations.
  • In addition to lists, the PBJ also publishes regular awards for outstanding businesses and business executives. When this is mentioned, I remind PR folks that clients will love you forever if you get them an award.

About the guest: Malia Spencer

For nearly five years, Malia Spencer has covered the technology, startup, and entrepreneurs beat for the Portland Business Journal. Sign up for her free, twice-weekly newsletter TechFlash.

Connect and follow Malia on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

PR Talk is sponsored by monday

In such a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. monday is the collaboration tool trusted by businesses of all kinds to help cut down the clutter and streamline productivity. Learn more at monday.com and signup for a free trial. You’ll see in no time why so many teams around the world are choosing monday for their project management needs.

PR Talk listeners can use the coupon code BetterExecute for a 15% discount.

PR Talk Live with Malia Spencer [Event]

PR Talk Live with Malia Spencer [Event]

Join us on June 7th at Pregame HQ in the Pearl

Amy will interview Malia Spencer, the Portland Business Journal’s startup and technology reporter. Get your questions answered and meet Malia — sometimes all it takes is putting a face behind the blind email pitch or press release.

5:00 pm | Doors & initial Happy Hour
5:15 pm | Live Podcast Interview
6:00 pm | Q&A and First Thursday Happy Hour

More info and tickets at pregamehq.com.

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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

June 7th

Pregame HQ

926 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

PR Talk Live with Malia Spencer

At Pregame HQ in the Pearl

Register Now, Free for Pregame Members, $47 for Guests

To learn more about Pregame, listen to our PR Talk episode with Pregame Founder, Ciara Pressler.

Zach Dundas: Portland Monthly Magazine [Podcast]

Zach Dundas: Portland Monthly Magazine [Podcast]

The Man Behind the Machine that is Portland Monthly

“We don’t expect PR people to read our minds,” Zach Dundas, Editor in Chief of Portland Monthly, assures us during the course of our interview on PR Talk. From his corner office overlooking the city, we covered his role as the head of editorial for Portland’s beloved monthly magazine, how he’s written two books, and his insight for PR people.

As Editor in Chief, Zach is responsible for setting the overarching direction of the magazine and ensuring that the editorial team follows suit. Yet many of the writers on Zach’s team also hold the Editor title, empowering them to make editor-like decisions within their reporting and writing functions. This frees Zach up to ponder how Portland Monthly can morph along with the city’s ever-changing scene and priorities—a task that becomes more challenging as Portland grows. Zach is quick to add that he still likes to get his hands dirty with frequent article writing and reporting.

As we delve into the two books Zach’s written — “The Renegade Sportsman” and “The Great Detective— I uncover that Zach was in the throws of welcoming his second child to the world and had been recently promoted to Editor in Chief during the process of writing his last book. However, deadlines from his publisher and editor helped him see the project through.

“Deadlines are one of the secrets to creativity. Having to get something done is why a lot of things get done in the world,” Zach said. “What we do [at Portland Monthly] is driven by a deadline cycle. An under-rated factor in the creative industry is that there is a machine behind what people are creating.”

 

When to Pitch Portland Monthly

Speaking of deadlines, one of the hardest things to wrap my head around when doing long-lead PR is to think so far in advance. “If you want to see a story in print, it’s not out of the question to pitch something six months out,” Zach said. “But we can turn something around for the website in a day-ish.”

It’s always better to play it safe but new clients and projects don’t have these strict deadlines ingrained into their psyche like we PR people do. So if you can get in front of the team three to four months in advance of when the issue would publish, you’ll be OK.

If you’re really under the gun with a tight deadline you may be able to sneak something in after that time. Let’s take the June issue for example:

  • It confusingly hits the stands in late May (a week or so before the month starts)
  • It goes to the printer early May
  • The details within the stories are conceived and written in April
  • The drop-dead appears to be 6 weeks ahead but I’ve never been known for my computing skills. You do the math.

Keep in mind that the topical ideas for the entire year are mapped out 12 months or more ahead. See this blog post on Editorial Calendars for more insight.

 

How to Pitch Portland Monthly

Zach comforts us that Portland Monthly is always looking for stories. Pitching the right editor is part of the battle and you can’t uncover this by glancing over the masthead. You’ll need to pay attention to the magazine and web content to learn what each editor is covering. “The more closely you can tailor your pitch to each editor’s coverage focus, the better,” he says.

The most successful PR people have a “knack for telling the stories themselves and put thought into what they’re pulling together. The best pitches have elements of story and character,” Zach says.

This comment has me thinking about all the journalists we’ve interviewed on PR Talk who’ve been harping after us to shorten our pitches. “Concision is great but give us a sense of what the story is,” Zach says.

The point that PR people must customize, customize, customize has been driven home again. Not only are we tailoring our outreach efforts for each individual contact and outlet, we must also match our materials to how the medium delivers its news. A TV station that produces quick bites of news isn’t going to be able to digest a long pitch. Whereas a publication embarking on in-depth, long-form coverage might have the stamina for something meatier.

 

What to Pitch Portland Monthly 

You’ll have to pick up a copy of the magazine, peruse the digital content and sign up for a newsletter to discover this for yourself! But if you are reading this in late Spring 2018, when this episode was released, Zach advises that it’s not too early to start talking about next fall and winter.

About the guest: Zach Dundas

Zach Dundas grew up in Montana, published ‘zines, played in bands, and made his start in journalism at the Missoula Independent. After working as an editor and reporter for Portland’s Willamette Week from 1999 to 2005, he wrote for Monocle, Maxim, Good Magazine, and others. His first book, The Renegade Sportsman, was published by Riverhead Books in 2007, followed by The Great Detective in 2015. He is now editor-in-chief of Portland Monthly and a correspondent for Monocle.

Connect and follow Zach on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

PR Talk is sponsored by monday

In such a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. monday is the collaboration tool trusted by businesses of all kinds to help cut down the clutter and streamline productivity. Learn more at monday.com and signup for a free trial. You’ll see in no time why so many teams around the world are choosing monday for their project management needs.

PR Talk listeners can use the coupon code BetterExecute for a 15% discount.

Greg Retsinas: KGW Media Group [Podcast]

Greg Retsinas: KGW Media Group [Podcast]

6 Ways to Get Coverage on KGW

The Swallowing of Traditional Journalism
Passionately Outlined by KGW’s Greg Retsinas.

Greg Retsinas must have a crystal ball. While spending years in traditional newsroom settings, he was acutely aware of the merger between traditional and digital media before any of us were. Not only was he one of the earliest to jump on the digital bandwagon, it is my estimation that he’s one of the few that is actually changing the game as the head of KGW’s digital operations and newly promoted to Regional Director for parent company TEGNA.

To say that digital media is merging with traditional journalism would be foolish. Not only has it already merged, digital media is swallowing up the traditional aspects of newsrooms across the world. So much so that my understanding of the traditional aspects of some newsrooms are outdated. I have been on this kick to learn about the digital side of newsrooms and it’s funny to see that my knowledge was up to par in that aspect, however the traditional side of news was lacking. Of course Veracity gains coverage on a daily basis from “traditional” realms, but that’s not the point. Fully understanding how newsrooms operate helps us do our jobs even better enabling us to be better media partners.

In this episode, Greg helps me reshape how I am thinking about news. The “traditional” and “digital” sides aren’t split. They’ve morphed into one. However, this may only be true for KGW, which may be more cutting edge, but it is my job to find out by interviewing other TV newsrooms on this podcast.

Leaving his nest at the New York Times, Greg set out to explore the digital sphere of journalism, serving as Interactive Editor for the Press Democrat, eventually launching a digital agency inside the newspaper to help its clients with their digital needs. Fast-forward to today where Greg’s digital influence over traditional newsrooms is quickly reshaping everything.

 

Six Ways to Get Coverage on KGW:

Greg rattled off many ways PR pros can garner coverage on KGW’s broadcast, website and social media platforms. Here are a few highlights:

  • Digital Self-Service: There are many options available on KGW.com that PR pros can utilize from a self-service aspect. By submitting to the calendar or adding to the directory, you can ensure you’ve done your part and bypass the stress of getting different forms of coverage if you have to.
  • Sharing is Caring: Submit content such as videos and photos of community happenings. If the media couldn’t attend the “happening,” you can help fill in where they couldn’t be. You can do this through KGW’s YourPic section, or by sharing content through your mobile device on social media platforms and mentioning KGW in a post and direct messaging them.
  • #Hashtag: By using the #KGWnews or #KGWweather hashtag on social media platforms, the KGW team will see it and decide if they want to reshare on their social, website, or maybe even on a show. By far the number one way people let KGW know what is happening is by tagging them in social media content.
  • TV Broadcast: Space for TV is very limited. If you get something on TV, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to make it online (and you want SEO!!). It depends on the subject, but if a reporter shows up to cover your story you have a greater chance of online coverage. Whereas if a camera shows up without a reporter, you get limited content and there’s a chance breaking news may rid your coverage from airing.
  • Content Discovery Area: KGW’s Content Discovery Area, handling both digital and traditional news, is staffed by a team covering subjects and events that are highly visual, engaging, and speak to the general, yet local, audience. You can send pitches to [email protected] or [email protected].
  • The Audience is First: Lastly, KGW news is meant for a wider, yet local, audience demanding compelling and quick stories. If your pitch is centered around a niche subject and audience, they won’t be intrigued.  

As a final note, Greg’s advice is “if you want to connect with us, consume us.” If you’re not doing this, it will be difficult to get into KGW’s ecosystem.

About the guest: Greg Retsinas

Greg Retsinas is Director of Digital Media and Director of Digital Strategy for KGW Media Group. Additionally, he is Regional Director for TEGNA where he is the digital content and strategy lead for the West region, serving digital content operations in Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Boise, Denver, Sacramento, Phoenix and San Diego.

Connect and follow Greg on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

PR Talk is sponsored by monday

In such a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. monday is the collaboration tool trusted by businesses of all kinds to help cut down the clutter and streamline productivity. Learn more at monday.com and signup for a free trial. You’ll see in no time why so many teams around the world are choosing monday for their project management needs.

PR Talk listeners can use the coupon code BetterExecute for a 15% discount.

Roger Valdez: Forbes Columnist [Podcast]

Roger Valdez: Forbes Columnist [Podcast]

Seattle Housing Advocate and Forbes Writer, Roger Valdez, Explains the Difference Between Advocacy and Public Relations

Roger Valdez is the embodiment of my two work passions—public relations and real estate. As the Director of Seattle for Growth, formerly Smart Growth Seattle, Roger has been advocating for more housing options in every Seattle-area neighborhood for all kinds of incomes, from micro-housing to mansions and tenant housing to owner-occupied.

“A proliferation of product type enables consumers to make better choices. If the choices are limited, competition increases and prices increase. More is better,” Roger says.

His nonprofit has been at the center of well-known Seattle real estate debates for more than five years. That’s why he was able to snag a regular column on Forbes.com — that he does not pay for — representing the Emerald City’s housing market. Abiding by a quota of two posts per week, many of his columns are specific to Seattle-area policies and issues, but PR people will be happy to know that he sometimes references the sources we send his way on Forbes. He’ll even delve into another state’s issues so if you’re in any kind of communications role for a real estate, construction or housing entity, getting to know Roger would probably be a good idea.

This conversation traversed between heady real estate policy, inventory and pricing topics; and edgy PR tips that might leave some of us shaking in our boots. High-level thoughts on how journalists can influence the housing market and policy are intertwined with real-life examples of how he relates to the press. The conversation gets really interesting when Roger relates urban living to a social mashup forcing us to work through uncomfortable situations, like homelessness and crime, together. So you’ll surely be entertained as we near the end of the episode where Roger’s tips for getting included in his columns can be found.

 

How the Press Affects Consumer Sentiment

As I stumble over the difference between what a “median” and a “mean” price is (you’d think I’d remember this from my real estate agent days), Roger gets into how the press, especially the Seattle Times, can use shocking language to influence opinion or confirm existing biases. For example, pointing to “Average Prices” to sum up how the housing market is doing within a headline can negatively influence buyer sentiment. Roger concedes that the article is factual, but buried at the end is the explanation about what’s truly going on in the market. Headlines can strongly deter would-be homeowners because they don’t read the full article.

“Using average prices and wages to measure our so-called crisis is an abuse of averages,” Roger says. “The easiest thing the press can do is confirm people’s bias.”

Waging a Press War: Advocacy versus PR

In his role at Seattle for Growth, Roger publically brings criticism to reporters and editors. It’s not that he’s getting huffy when they’re not writing the story he wants, but it’s situations like the above that get him worked up. “When it comes to price, dig into what the dynamic is,” he says. “How can we better utilize data to talk about the market?”

Roger says that he might think differently about blatantly fighting with the press if he were representing multiple PR clients. One burnt bridge could affect all the clients. He points out that he’s an advocate in the broadest possible sense. Beyond just aiming for the story, an advocate is in it for the long haul, attempting to change the way we think, ultimately affecting policy. He recognizes the press as having huge power in this regard. So if he feels that they are misunderstanding an issue and unintentionally swaying people, he’s going to do everything in his power to correct that — whether that be complaining directly to the newspaper’s staff, commenting with a correction online or utilizing his own channels to post about it. “If a story is really bad someone will get hurt because of it,” he says.

One thing is for sure: Roger is not coy. However, it’s important to keep in mind that Roger doesn’t think his bold approach with newsrooms actually hurts his chances of future stories. “They get where I’m coming from. Hearing criticism makes them think twice.” But again, he reminds us that he wouldn’t be as aggressive if he were solely working in a PR capacity.

 

What is Good Journalism?

“Journalism is not an easy job,” Roger admits. “A good article needs to help the discussion.”

He’s quick to dole out compliments for good journalism, pointing to an article by David Kroman on Crosscut, which examined the proposed fees Seattle landlords would face when raising their rents by a certain amount. In the article, David interviews a source in Portland, where this bill has already passed, to hear how it has affected things here.

This way of digging into the story is the epitome of honorable journalism for Roger. Uncovering every angle to fully understand all aspects, combined with broadening the language so that situations aren’t overly simplified is what the Seattle real estate market needs right now and who better to play the role than its local journalists?

 

Getting in Roger’s Forbes Column

Just like quality journalism could use a discerning touch, successful PR efforts require the same amount of discipline. To possibly garner a mention in his Forbes.com column about the Seattle real estate market, Roger offers the following advice:

  • Tailor your pitch for each press audience.
  • Don’t make it confusing so he doesn’t have to do too much sleuthing.
  • If it’s a broad press release involving multiple parties, tell him which player you are representing in the story.

About the guest: Roger Valdez

Roger Valdez has been involved in public policy in the areas of education, health, and housing for the past 20 years. He is Director of Seattle For Growth, a housing and growth advocacy organization pushing for more housing supply for all levels of income in Seattle, and a columnist for Forbes.

Connect and follow Roger on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

PR Talk is sponsored by monday

In such a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. monday is the collaboration tool trusted by businesses of all kinds to help cut down the clutter and streamline productivity. Learn more at monday.com and signup for a free trial. You’ll see in no time why so many teams around the world are choosing monday for their project management needs.

PR Talk listeners can use the coupon code BetterExecute for a 15% discount.

Emily Parkhurst: Editor in Chief Puget Sound Business Journal [Podcast]

Emily Parkhurst: Editor in Chief Puget Sound Business Journal [Podcast]

Q & A with Puget Sound Business Journal Editor in Chief, Emily Parkhurst

I stopped by the Puget Sound Business Journal on a very busy day. It was production day, which meant that the Business Journal staff was immersed in laying out the publication for print, running each page by Editor in Chief, Emily Parkhurst. Even though she’d already edited each of the stories, getting them print-ready is a different story.

“The buck stops here,” she says of her role at the Puget Sound area’s venerable business publication. Not only is she responsible for editing all of the stories the paper puts out — including the digital newsletters and everything that makes it into the print edition — the entire editorial staff reports to her. As we learn more about how the paper works, we gain more insight into Emily’s role at the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Do you assign stories to reporters?

For the most part, Emily relies on her reporters to understand the fields they’ve been assigned — otherwise known as their beat. “We want them to be the experts in town. They know everyone in the space, why it matters to the greater business community and why its news,” she says. Most of the stories have been sourced by the reporters “beating down their beats.” This is partially accomplished by keeping the assigned beats to a manageable two, allowing the reporters to go into more depth.

Five full-time reporters split the following beats:

Can PR people pitch you?

Emily’s answer to this question is mixed. It seems that PR people should put their courteous research hats on, finding out what the paper covers and who’s writing about what. While she’s happy to forward your pitch to the appropriate reporter, know that Emily had a staggering 25,000 unread emails waiting for her when we met, so ideally you’ll leave her off the communications.

If you’ve done your research and are still unclear about whom to send your pitch to, Emily considers it her job to point you in the right direction. She’s also more likely to answer your email if she already has a relationship with you or your story is sensitive.

Speaking of pitches, what are your PR pet peeves?

  • Sending everyone in the newsroom the same pitch. This results in the reporter (whom you should have sent it to directly) getting the email forwarded to them “a hundred times” by the newsroom. According to Emily, this is lazy PR. I point out that it might just be plain rude.
  • Sending multiple reminders to your pitches. “If I haven’t answered you, I’m sure that I don’t want [your pitch] and it might mean you’re pitching the wrong person,” she says.
  • PR people who cannot pronounce city and county names in their coverage zone. Emily hints that she has caller ID and is less likely to pick up the phone when an unfamiliar area code “bombs” her phone.

What makes you open a PR pitch?

  • Emily says that she’ll open emails from people she knows. “The people that won’t pitch her crap,” she says in reference to a Seattle area PR person she’s worked with for a long time, Mark Peterson, who understands her paper and takes the time to pitch ideas they can use, like standing features.
  • Standing features. These sections are always included in the paper, like the Innovator of the Month section. Emily would consider it highly helpful if people sent ideas that could be used for the standing features.
  • Don’t send press releases. According to Emily, when a press release comes across her desk, “that’s when the story died.” Instead of sending a press release, consider the next tip.
  • Breaking news. Always striving to be first to go to press with a story, the Business Journal values breaking news. Emily understands that you can’t keep the other news outlets from reporting on the story, but let the Business Journals run it first. Don’t waste time with the press release, just give them a heads up under an embargo, allowing them enough time to present the most balanced, fair and thorough report while you spin your wheels with the press release for the other outlets, releasing it AFTER the Business Journal has published.
  • Important note: Of course you’ll need an expressed “yes” from the media outlet you’re offering the first crack to. You’ll also want to get approval on this strategy from your boss or client before launching. Possibly save the email approving this strategy in your legal file for a while.
  • One second. That’s all you have to grab a reporter’s attention. Send everything they might need to know within two sentences or less, this includes the subject line within the email. Make sure the location is appropriate to their coverage area and include it in the subject line or first sentence. And for goodness sake, use the reporter’s name — do not copy and paste “Dear Reporter” nor utilize a mail merge.

What geographic area does the Puget Sound entail?  

“We frequently have to define this,” Emily says, making me feel better about asking this ignorant question. Four counties make up the Puget Sound area: 

  • King County, where Seattle is located.
  • Snohomish County, where Everett is located.
  • Pierce County, where Tacoma is located.
  • Kitsap County, where Bremerton is located.

While business happenings in Seattle and Bellevue tend to capture the most coverage, Emily says that they’ll cover stories all over the area, just tell them the town your news is based out of.

If your pitch can help answer the following conundrums, you’re in good shape; “We’re interested in covering Seattle and Puget Sound companies. Why they grow, why they don’t grow.”

About the guest: Emily Parkhurst

Emily Parkhurst is the Editor in Chief of the Puget Sound Business Journal. Prior to being named editor in chief, she was first a technology reporter, then digital marketing editor and then managing editor at the publication. She is also a national award-winning journalist, including the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi award for a series on therapeutic restraint of schoolchildren.

Connect and follow Emily on social media:

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

PR Talk is sponsored by monday

In such a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. monday is the collaboration tool trusted by businesses of all kinds to help cut down the clutter and streamline productivity. Learn more at monday.com and signup for a free trial. You’ll see in no time why so many teams around the world are choosing monday for their project management needs.

PR Talk listeners can use the coupon code BetterExecute for a 15% discount.