On today’s episode of Creative Space, we have the pleasure of chatting with Kate Marlys, the powerhouse behind the celebrated Philadelphia public relations firm, Philly PR Girl. Since 2013, she’s grown her company from a successful special events blog to the full service PR firm it is today, built on a foundation of networking, relationship building, and an unmatched passion for the city of Philadelphia. Kate has been honored as a 2021 Power Player by Philadelphia Style Magazine, A Who’s Next in Communications Award by Billy Penn, and an ‘I Am Born to Make History’ Award by Influencing Action. On top of all of this, Kate also launched a second business, Photo Pop Philly in 2018 and in 2023, she celebrates 10 years of Philly PR Girl.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including the organic beginnings of Philly PR Girl and how Kate was completely self taught, having never taken a PR course in college. We also talk about overcoming imposter syndrome, the fear that everyone experiences before taking a leap of faith into entrepreneurship, and how influencers are changing the media landscape.

For more information on Kate and Philly PR Girl, visit: phillyprgirl.com.

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SHOW NOTES:

0:00—Introduction

1:30—How we first met

2:22—Twitter chats and ‘On the Stoop’ in South Philly

3:10—Kate’s early inspirations, live music, and Jimmy Buffet

5:30—On never taking a PR class and being self taught

7:00—The beginnings of Philly PR Girl

8:40—Leaving a secure job to work for herself

10:00—People see the success and not the sacrifice

11:30—Seven years of Turkey Tailgate

12:07—Caffeine reduction segue

12:45—Coming up with the Philly PR Girl name

15:00—Kate’s definition of creativity

16:15—Creativity in public relations

17:47—How to decide if a project (or client) is right for you

18:59—How Kate stays balanced running her own business

20:03—Overcoming imposter syndrome

22:00—Even the fun stuff is hard work

23:43—How influencers are changing the media landscape

28:25—The key to figuring out what’s next

29:00—Underscores in TikTok handles

29:56—Kate’s top three Philly PR Girl moments so far

32:45—Getting to work with Philly sports teams

33:16—Advice for entrepreneurs starting from scratch

34:42—How Kate is celebrating her 10-year anniversary

36:08—The importance of celebrating your successes

37:45—What’s next for Kate

BONUS:

38:30—Launching Photo Pop Philly and the magic of collaboration