Meet Jason Brown of PublicCity

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Brown. 

Hi Jason, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Mid 2008, I was not happy with my job or career. Dealing with bad bosses, etc. and I decided instead of complaining to change the narrative, and in October 2008, I started PublicCity PR. 

When I told my wife a month or two before I launched the business, she was terrified at the idea. Told her I had no clients, no revenues going into the venture, but I thought my ‘concept’ was solid. Managing media relations for businesses at an affordable rate, given that I was, at that time, would be a solopreneur. We had a one-year-old daughter, Eliza, at the time so frankly, we were both a little nervous about the idea of me going off on my own for the first time. 

Within a week of opening the business, a former client of mine had started his own new venture because of the down economy in Michigan at the time — Smokey’s Dog House Treats. Was excited that I had my first client in the door, and he was going to pay me to do the work, albeit not a lot. I got him some great local press, and from there, the business started to grow. 

I was always a believer of the “If you build it, they will come” model and also had faith that I had built some solid community and media relationships that companies would want to work with me eventually. 

After I made it through my first year, I realized that I needed another person to support the business, and that’s when I hired Monica Cheick, who has been with me for 13 out of the 14 years now and has been a great asset in the business’s growth. 

Then about five years into the business, my wife, Hope, joined us as she was getting increased demands from the larger agency she worked for at the time. She and I met at a local PR agency about 20+ years ago now, and has more business smarts than I do. 

Recently, we added a fourth to the team. A former TV producer, Sarah Bees and have a solid group of four of us, working with brands that people have heard of locally and nationally, including: Blake’s Hard Cider, Baker College, Hollywood Casino at Greektown, and UglyChristmasSweater.com to name a few. 

We have become known as this smaller but powerful PR agency that specializes in Media and Community Relations, enjoy what we do, and use “Common Sense” as a guide to our strategies for our clients. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think overall, we’ve been very lucky/blessed to have constant work. We have had to let a few contractors go based on when COVID hit a few years ago. But I think more than struggles; it’s been keeping up with trends, both in our industry and in our clients’ industries to keep up with the evolving world we live in today. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We specialize in two areas — Media and Community Relations. We never say no to our clients if their asks go beyond those two areas. Instead, we introduce them to other specialists in the marketing/advertising/digital spaces, so they get the top experts in those areas instead of us pretending we know what we are doing, etc. 

I think what sets us apart is two things. First, our truly ‘common sense’ approach to Public Relations. If it doesn’t make sense to us, it won’t make sense to the media or our client’s customers, etc. In addition, we have a “give to get” philosophy with our clients that we do our best to instill. What are you “giving” to “get” the exposure you are asking for. If our clients buy into those two philosophies, we are very successful for them to garner significant results. 

I’m truly proud of the brand we’ve built. No one knew who PublicCity PR was when it started. Today, I believe we are one of the top media relations-focused agencies in Michigan. 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Oh, so many things. First and foremost is my family. My wife Hope, Daughters, 15-year-old Eliza and 11-year-old Libby, and our dog, Bella (most days). 

Then professionally, its having the life flexibility of deciding which clients we want to support and seeing the results we are able to achieve for them. Also, the difference that those results make and hearing from a client saying that the TV segment they had resulted in thousands of dollars in sales makes them happy but makes me elated to. 

Pricing:

• $125-$150/hourly rate
• No retainers; Hours Worked, Hours Paid Model

Contact Info:

• Website: www.PublicCityPR.net
• Instagram: @PublicCityPR
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/PublicCityPR
• Twitter: @PublicCityPR