Launching a PR Agency with PR Pro Catharine Montgomery of the Better Together Agency – Podcast Transcript 

Lexie Smith  

Welcome to the pitching and sipping podcast, where we talk PR trends and tips over sips and meet a wide range of incredible founders, PR pros and members of the media. I’m Lexie Smith, a former workaholic VP of PR and marketing turned to time entrepreneur, founder of the PR bar Inc, business NPR coach, new mama and self proclaimed connoisseur of puns, pizza and wine. I’m a huge believer that knowledge is power and kindness never goes out of style. Think of this show as a way to uplevel your business and career over happy hour. Now let’s get to pitching and sipping. Catherine Montgomery is an experienced communications professional with an education, environment and social justice background. She founded better together after a successful career in various communications agencies and in house roles. Catherine has focused on supporting social justice efforts throughout her career, utilizing her expertise in media outreach, stakeholder engagement and community involvement to support marginalized communities. She has also led internal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at a global communications agency holds a Bachelor of Science and PR and marketing from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of Maryland’s Smith. Great last name School of Business. Okay, so for everyone watching and listening, I connected with Katherine in a group we’re both a part of called dreamers and doers. We connected for a general networking call. And I loved our conversation so much that I 1,000% bombarded her and put her on the spot and asked her to come on this show in real time. So really, she obliged. Katherine, welcome to the show. I’m so excited to host you today.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Thank you so much. I’m so glad to be here. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would love to be on your show. I couldn’t wait. So title, oh, my goodness, the title, all

 

Lexie Smith  

the things, all the things. So I suppose we always start the show in the same way. And that’s tell us where in the world is home base. And what do you like to do outside of work when you’re not saving the world for fun?

 

Catharine Montgomery  

So home base is in DC, but I do have to say that I have southern roots like you mentioned, I went to Auburn University of Alabama so lived in Alabama lived in Atlanta, but DC I love it’s my heart and I don’t want to leave so. And oh goodness outside of work. I you know, honestly, I feel like work at work all the time. But I did just get back from Nice. And it was amazing. It was fantastic. weather was perfect. April’s a great time to go because it’s before it gets really crowded with tourists. So I had an amazing time I went by myself. And I went, I stayed in the fanciest hotel and he did all the things. And it was just for me, and I absolutely loved it. So that’s what I love to do. And then

 

Lexie Smith  

and then, oh my gosh, I’m about to enter a series of travel myself. That looks very different than other seasons of travel in my life. I had the opportunity. This is a squirrel sorry everyone but to live abroad in college and I’ve done a lot of travel in my life. But I’m about to take let me count 12345 Back to Back trips with a one year old. So I’m just imagining being a low so far from my reality, right?

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Where are you going? Are you staying in the states you’re going abroad?

 

Lexie Smith  

states the upcoming five? Nashville. Why? Palm Springs, Oregon, Oregon, but then we’re crazy people and I’m going to Japan in October for college roommates wedding. And yes, we are taking our what will be then when one and a half year old.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

That’s amazing. That sounds fantastic. I love it. Japan is in my top three list of places I need to get to.

 

Lexie Smith  

I’m really excited. It was unexpected. i She was supposed to be married stateside. And she’s actually from Japan. Anyways, I digress. Somehow on the show, I always end up talking for five minutes about travel. So I feel like at some point,

 

Catharine Montgomery  

I think we’re just all like, eager to get out and explore the world that we’ve been stuck in our little worlds and it’s time to get out now.

 

Lexie Smith  

Okay, so outside of travel. One thing that we talked about a lot on our call was your agency and we’ll get there and we’re going to spend a lot of time there. But first, I’d love to hear I know it a little bit but share with everyone a bit about your background. Give us give us some of the cliffnotes versions of your career.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

And of course yes. So it’s like I knew at the very beginning that I wanted to be in PR I don’t even know that I knew exactly what PR was working was meant, but I like the uncertainty of it and the spontaneity of it and how each day you might have something planned, but you never know what’s going to come up and how you have to multitask and think about all different things and learn about all different industries. And I absolutely gravitated toward it. I knew when I went to school, went to college and undergrad, I knew I wanted to major in that. And then I as soon as I graduated, I moved to Atlanta, and I started working at Edelman, which is one of the larger PR agencies and I loved it like I would just I would work extra, just so I can be in the office and back when we have fax machines and have to fax pitches to reporters. I’m really dating myself. But yeah, I absolutely just loved it. So that’s how my career started. And then I just helped kept hopping from agency to agency kind of what we kind of do when as a practitioner with agency. So I went to Porter Novelli and then Burson Marsteller. And I was like, I wonder what life would be like, not at an agency. So I started working with the cruise line Association, which was very interesting. I did crisis communications for the cruise industry. And there are a lot of crises that happen in person history, if you can imagine with boats. I remember one time, there was a, there was a mass shooting somewhere abroad. And so there was a ship that was docked there. And so we had to consider all of the people on the boat, all the people vacationing, making sure they were okay. So you really never know what type of crisis will happen. And I got to travel all over the world. And I just really learned about an industry that I had no idea about and, and about climate ramifications to you of the cruise industry. And, you know, I still gravitated back towards the agency world. And you know, I loved the travel. I love the different industry of the cruise industry. But I really wanted to get back to the agency life. And so I started thinking about which agency I would like to go back to, and I started to think that I really want to use my skills to help other people. So I considered, you know, how can I use communications and help the world and I found a startup in Boston, where it was focused on helping unions and helping other progressive causes. And so I hacked up from DC, I moved to Boston and I started working at a startup, I think I was the 15th employee and completely different than the other agencies I worked up, but we were doing impactful work. And every day, it just, it felt good to go to work. It felt like we were actually making a difference.

 

Lexie Smith  

Okay, so Wow, all of that. How did you get from there to today? Oh, goodness, and just a bit better context. She has an agency called better together. And it has one of the most unique Inception stories that I feel like I’ve heard from an agency perspective. So Cheryl things

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Yeah, yeah, getting a bit personal, I have to say that, you know, the agency I was at before launching better together. Again, we were doing great work. But it ended up not being the place for me, there were issues I’ll say internally with, you know, racism and other actions that were taking place. And, you know, at a certain point, you’re helping other people, but you also have to help yourself. And you have to make sure you’re in an environment where you can grow and don’t feel like you’re being somewhat hypocritical, and that you’re helping other people outside of the agency. But you also need to be doing the same internally. So it was time for me to, to go and fortunately, I was in a place where I could really figure out what I wanted to do next. So I was just kind of chillin, I had moved back to DC last year, and I was on a slack channel called at least get paid. And I would definitely join if you’re, if you is free, so feel free to join. But someone had posted a recruiter actually posted that a venture capital firm was looking to expand into the US. And they only back PR agencies, which I had never even heard of didn’t know. And I was like, well, this can be really sketchy. Or it could be really cool. But you know, I’m just, you know, hanging out. So might as well try it, um, bit adventurous and so I sent them a message saying I’d love to chat. The next day. I believe I had a meeting with the recruiter. We really hit it off. It’s like we were instant best friends. It was great. The next day, she put me in contact with one of the investors. We had actually worked with some of the same people at an agency previously Porter Novelli. So it’s like we can do some of the same contact X. And you might be wondering like, okay, so you just knew all of a sudden, like what kind of agency you wanted. And you could talk to these investors just like the next day and kind of taking a step back back in 2019. I started this Google Doc, it’s called it had my initials. And it had it was called all the things. I think he just said Elba things a few minutes ago, and just the all caps. And I would just, whenever I thought of messaging for an agency, I might wonder a title or potential client, I would just put it in this random document, I didn’t know why I would need it. Or if I wouldn’t need it, it was just a place to house like all the things that I might need for an agency. So I think in my mind, I knew that I wanted to build an agency, if I ever did that was based on social impact that was based on using communications to build equity to build equality in the world, and just make the world a better place. So it’s like I was able to off the cuff. But in a planning way, tell the investor like what I was looking to do. And we hit it off as well. And then a couple of days later, I met with the other investor who lives in Germany. And there were some harder questions like, how are you going to make money? So I, you know, I was like, really no, go figure it out. And I met them in person when they were in DC for a conference and wrote a business plan presented it to them the, you know, the investor from Germany was like, Oh, this is what you call in the US Shark Tank, right. So already making me a little bit more nervous. But we were able to work it out. And you know, that was in October of last year, I left the other agency of September method in October, we kind of kept talking and laying out plans in November. And then in December, I started working with a designer on my website and branding. And I officially started working with the investors, you know, according to paperwork in on January, one of this year, and I launched January 25. And I just have to going back to last year, besides q4, I’ll say like, October, November, December, it was the worst year of my life, I was going through things I wouldn’t have even imagined it was the toughest time ever. And I didn’t really know if I would come out of it. But I love that I was open to the possibility of something different and didn’t feel like I had to have my life go in a certain direction. And I was open to, to something new, something different, something I didn’t even know was possible. You know, it wasn’t like I was holding myself back. I had no idea there was a venture capital firm that you know, only invest in PR agencies. So yeah, if I had to say to anyone, it’s just continuing being open to the possibilities of life and what could happen.

 

Lexie Smith  

And thank you for sharing that. I think from an outside perspective, you can hear oh, she just happened to find a venture firm. Oh, she just happened to launch a PR firm, Isn’t she so lucky. But to hear that, no things were all glossy. On the front end, I think is a message that we need to speak, speak up and speak about more, because it’s not all surface level stuff that we hear, right? It’s not the cliffnotes version all the time. So. So thank you for sharing that. I do think it’s really important. And now, you’re not even at your what three month mark of January.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

It’s been two and a half months. And it’s been a whirlwind. I will say that I we’re constantly but I love it. Obviously it’s my baby. It’s like, you know everything to me, I love it. I love that we’re helping people as we’re doing it. It is a lot of work. It is a lot, a lot

 

Lexie Smith  

of work. And so you’re in the infancy of launching a firm, which is such a exciting nerve wracking all the things we’ll just call this episode. All right, all the things and I want to talk and lean into that perspective a little bit more since you’re in it. what so far has been the most challenging part of launching your own agency?

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Yeah, there are lots I just say hiring and knowing one way when you can hire like financially, and then also the right person, you know, it is I’ve already had to let go of my first employee. So it was like 30 days in and what I’ve learned since then from a lot of people who have started their own companies or been in positions of hiring and firing is to hire slow fire fast. And so I’m so glad that I hold up to my inclination to fire but now I know like, Okay, I think it was in the moment in January before launch. Like I was excited. It was like, Oh, I get to hire someone. This is great. And so I think that That blindsided me or limited me on what I should have been looking for when I was hiring. So I feel like that was a real big step back. But I’ve, you know, been able to recover. But it’s also it just takes, like, nobody’s going to be as dedicated to your business as I am, you know, and so I have to know that and I have a camp to limit my, you know, expectations sometimes when people need a life. And I can’t expect them to work 24/7 Like I do. And so that’s a learning opportunity for me. And it’s also Yeah, just something I have to keep in mind day in and day out. And I’m really glad that I’m learning that right now. And I’m glad that I have also investors to kind of guide me through those situations as well.

 

Lexie Smith  

You know, that I send out a community newsletter roundup every Tuesday, chocked full of resources, free media kit, downloads, event invites, journalists, contacts, visibility opportunities, basically, if you’re not on the list, hit pause and sign up, it’s super simple. Go to the PR bar inc.com/newsworthy. That link is in the show notes. Okay, back to the show. So I have to get on a little bit of a soapbox on this topic. Because I do think that there are a lot of unnecessary and healthy conversations out there that talk about the importance of company culture, from the employee side, the thing that I don’t think is talked about enough is the employer perspective from small business. And I will say that it’s very different than me saying we should hear what Amazon’s executive team has to say. But there’s, there’s this conversation that of how the company needs to create such a great space for the employee, which I agree with 100%. But what I have learned in my own journey is how much more goes into the employer side than maybe you initially realize. And I think it’s helpful for those listening to hear some considerations. To think about one thing you just highlighted is, how do you know when you can financially afford to hire someone? And what I didn’t know, maybe everyone else knows this, but is how many extra fees There are, for example, if you set someone’s salary, you don’t just pay the salary, there’s then payroll tax, and then if they don’t live in your state, there’s those taxes. And then there’s, there’s a lot of things that that pile up. So anyways, I’ll step off my soapbox and just say and bring that up that it is it’s a big challenge. So if you are looking listeners into to launching, just be prepared that Well, I guess what piece of advice, the hire slow and fire fastest is fantastic advice. Is there anything else on that theme that comes to mind? If you could redo it over or step on your own little soapbox? For that

 

Catharine Montgomery  

topic? Yeah, I think relying on your network because I found that so important. I mean, we met each other through dreamers and doers. I think, you know, I’m a member of the upside and chief and have just met such wonderful women who, as they get to know me, they know who I might work best with and who might work. Who might be a good team member for me. So I think building your network, not necessarily so you can get new business or things like that, but just so people learn who you are, and what how you work. And so that in the future, when you need something like a new employee, they’re like, Ah, I know this person who I think would be perfect, and just kind of fits in with what you’re trying to achieve. So I think that that’s really important. And I think, also being patient, and I’m not a patient person at all. I want things right now. And so, being patient going through the steps, so, you know, okay, a writing test, okay, I’m like, let’s make sure that this isn’t just lip service, and that you really understand that it’s, this is a startup and there are two people that we’re gonna have to hustle and it’s just, you know, we’re gonna have to do all the things and there’s no, you know, I’m at this level, so I can’t schedule a meeting. This is like we all do everything from top to bottom strategy to all the tactics and so just being really upfront and honest about what to expect and going through those just basic steps of making sure that it’s the right person. It’s just so so important. I honestly ended up doing all the work myself like it was like I didn’t have an employee. So that was very unfortunate and I could have been focusing on a lot more I Have you had a true partner?

 

Lexie Smith  

Yeah, there’s a lot that goes into it. And on the other perspective, a piece of career advice I give to people in college when they’re trying to figure out where in the PR world to go, I think starting with a small agency gives you a really great crash course on all things of PR to that point, because you’re going to be doing everything. So if you show up, you can quickly learn what you like and what you don’t like. And is this the industry for you?

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Yeah, no, I completely agree. I mean, you could be pitching business, like one day, you could be writing a letter to the editor or something, you know, the next day, so you really never know. But I love that. I mean, that is true PR that is truly getting in the trenches, and figuring out how best to service your clients and making sure that you’re providing not only the best strategy, but that the tactics that you’re implementing, are truly making a difference. And truly helping them achieve their goals like that is exciting. That’s why I got into PR, because there’s so many different elements to it.

 

Lexie Smith  

And you’re clearly an entrepreneur, so you’re meant to do that part. Well, no, so better together. The other thing, I want to talk a little bit more about your agent, specifically, share with everyone who you serve and the services that you offer.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Sure, yeah. So what I think makes better together unique from other agencies is that we only work with organizations, whether for profit or nonprofit, that are out to help the world. So whether they are trying to, you know, help the LGBTQ community or dismantle stigmas around disabilities, or social justice or decriminalization of drugs, like whatever topic of is, however, they’re trying to help other people, we want to be there and use communications to communicate and reach other people and their audiences to really convey, you know, this is why you need their support this so this is why we need to change this bill or, you know, whatever, it is just kind of making the world a better place. And so we are a full service agency, so anything from videography, photography, to strategy to writing crisis communications, we can do it. So ideally, I would have been work with a lot of different campaigns, like not just political campaigns, but say, you know, organizations trying to unionize or you know, they’re trying to just do a full service full blown campaign on a certain topic, we get to help that organization from every aspect, not only the strategy part, but really the tactical elements that go into it as well.

 

Lexie Smith  

So big billion dollar question for a lot of people, how did you land your first paying client?

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Oh, that network, I have to say, building those relationships, and it took time again, I’m not patient. And I have had I have every day, so many meetings are so many people. And I don’t go into those thinking, Okay, let me sell them on this, this and this. I honestly, I tried to build relationships. And I know that just because I meet someone today, and there’s no connection there for a business prospect. Like there’s some other way that either I can help them or they can help me or, honestly, I’ve had meetings that I had in December and January, and now people are coming back like, oh, now’s the time. And honestly, like when I had those initial meetings, I wasn’t thinking like, Okay, well, I need to write this down that I need to follow up with them because I need to get business from them. It’s honestly just who can I learn from what can I learn from them? How can I use that for other potential clients I have. So I used my network, I build relationships. And I started small. I started with those clients who they just trusted me. I had one client I met her in the morning. By that evening, she has signed a contract. And it’s not the largest contract but it’s it’s good work. It’s helping communities across the country. She’s passionate about what she’s doing and which kind of gets to me too. It makes me passionate about what she’s doing. So it’s those smaller accounts that have allowed better together to grow into what it is two and a half months in. Yeah. Pretty effing amazing.

 

Lexie Smith  

Yeah, no kidding. You’re like it took a while like it’s been two and a half months.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

It is pretty remarkable how you go from you know, nothing to something and it can happen like overnight, and you just you know I remember that one of the largest accounts we have, like I was just I called the CFO. And I was like, Oh my gosh, like, did it, you know, just so excited. And now comes the hard work. You know, doing the work. But I have to say, building relationships and being and being patient, it takes time. And it takes authenticity, and to really be passionate about what you’re doing, and not just out to get the money, but out to to make change. Well, the

 

Lexie Smith  

reason we can say on the surface level, it happened overnight, but no, it didn’t for you, you’ve been cultivating relationships for so long. And that I think, is something people need to realize, in in the my coaching hat, when I put that on, everyone’s looking for quick success. When the reality is done, it might appear to happen overnight. But really, there’s been a whole career that you’ve been logging and gaining experience in a marketing relationship, so that in this moment, you could then tap it to make to accelerate the inception. So it’s a you, you’re amazing, I just want you to feel like

 

Catharine Montgomery  

I have learned so much from so many people. And I have to say not all good things. But I know what not to do. I have been in so many situations where I’m like, Yeah, don’t do that, like do not create that kind of culture at your company. Don’t do this, don’t meet with them. Like just, I’ve learned so many things along the way that have in the moment, they seemed awful. But now I’m so glad that I went through those so that I can build an agency that’s built on something I’m going to be proud of for years to come.

 

Lexie Smith  

In the topic of pricing real quick, this is one more conversation I want to have before we wrap up today, especially considering the demographic that you serve, I would assume I don’t want to assume assume makes an asset of you and me. But in my experience, what I can speak to is sometimes the people we want to help them most don’t necessarily have a budget that can support an agency, especially when you’re building a team. Now all of a sudden, you you are not just responsible for your own livelihood, you have other people counting on you. So candidly, how have you a Have you experienced this? And then be if you have? How have you navigated that?

 

Catharine Montgomery  

No, I definitely experienced it. I have said to my investors, I’ve said there’s so many black women, I support who I want to help, you know, and they’re doing such impactful work, and how can you not, you know, help. So what I’ve done is I’ve embraced that, and I have taken them on and maybe it’s not the most liked thing by you know, financially. But every bit of it helps and helps in different ways, whether it’s building those relationships, or being able to prove the work that we can do for some of those larger companies. But what I’ve also found is that the larger accounts will come they will come and it doesn’t always have, it doesn’t have to be the largest companies in the world of fortune 100 500, there are so many organizations in this world that are doing amazing work. And they have funds, they have the money. And it’s just really being able to again, build those relationships so that they find out who I am, and that they can see the work that we’re doing. So I’m able to use these accounts where we’re so passionate about doing the work and that the women and the men are doing extraordinary things, and we’re able to support them doing that. And then people will see that we’re doing that and they’ll want to jump on board. I got a call from the Better Business Bureau the other day, and I was like, Oh my gosh, what did I do? Right? Like, like closing down here, like, oh, no, we’re getting calls, like from different companies who are looking to work with you. They just want to, you know, check in and make sure that you know, you’re legit. And now it’s like, well, that is so amazing, like, Who is calling you about me, but word gets around. And I think you just have to be persistent. And again, that passion comes through and that that again, authenticity comes through and people can see it and they want to gravitate toward it. And so it’s okay to start small. And don’t limit yourself like don’t limit yourself to small know that. You deserve to do whatever is down on your path. Like whether that’s sticking with smaller accounts or going large like whatever it is like you do you but know that you deserve it, and you have to work hard to do it.

 

Lexie Smith  

And it’s so clear that your heart is in the right place. And this isn’t the motivating factor but something I’m hearing and I totally agree with it’s good business to be a good person. Yeah. Isn’t that crazy? especially when we’re talking about the long game and in the short game, just be a good frickin human people. It’s also going to be good for your business.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Yes, yes, it can be. It can be hard. I mean, it seems like what is it like Wait man eat man or some kind of world where like everybody’s against each other. But if we just support each other, I have had so many people refer me to somebody to something to you know, they take time out of their day to introduce me to others. And it’s just been so helpful. And I want to give that back. And I just truly appreciate everyone who’s come in my life and who is yet to come in my life who’s supporting me and believes in me. But yes, being a good person who knew?

 

Lexie Smith  

Ready for this? It sounds like we’re better together.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Ah, you know, it works every time.

 

Lexie Smith  

Um, okay, so one more critical critical question I have to ask you is, we didn’t really talk pitch and we talked about other important things, but what can we find you sipping? What is your favorite beverage? alcoholic or non alcoholic? Of course.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Oh, let’s see. So I love red wine. I love like dry, the drier, the better. Like just no sweet, no sweet wine, but the dry dry red wine. And then I also love polar ice sparkling water. The grapefruit flavor is, is really good. You can buy it at Costco or ice. Yeah, it’s like, it’s like a polar brand is right. Yeah, you can get it at Costco and really big containers so that you won’t want to run out and it’s always there and

 

Lexie Smith  

the tall skinny bottle.

 

Catharine Montgomery  

I think that’s just I use Oh, these are cans. Yeah, got it.

 

Lexie Smith  

goes first West Coast thing. I’ve never seen that yet. I’ve never seen that. Have you seen that? I’m curious. I Kaylee’s one of my favorites. Just kidding. It’s just me whereby been living under a rock. I didn’t know that. And then Okay. dry red wine. Do you have a variety will you prefer

 

Catharine Montgomery  

Cabernet Cabernet? If I had to place you know the wine and nice was good. But I’ve had better probably like South America. i Or actually, Portugal has good red wine too, which is interesting. Yeah,

 

Lexie Smith  

I have heard that in Portugal was where it was gonna be going this upcoming fall before I got invited to a wedding in Tokyo. Wow, poor me. Poor life. Right. Oh my god. Um, yes, all the good wine. I learned about a new sparkling beverage. Congratulations, sincerely. Literally, you are just getting started and you already are disrupting that’s such an overused buzzword, changing making waves in the industry. So it’s going to be really really exciting to see your journey. Yes. Last question. Where can people go to find more about better together agency? Yes. So

 

Catharine Montgomery  

our website is the Better Together dot agencies so you can definitely go there. Also, we’re on LinkedIn. So just look look us up there to

 

Lexie Smith  

perfect okay guys, until next time on the pigeon and sipping podcast. Cheers Hey guys, if you are enjoying the pigeon and sipping podcast, please do me a huge favor and leave a review wherever you are listening. If you want to connect with me to learn more about the PR bar Inc. You can do so on Instagram at the PR bar underscore Inc. Or you can check out my website at the PR bar inc.com Cheers