PR Expert Jillian Sanders on taking more risks and building balance into your life

Website Header Template

Describe Jillian Sanders Public Relations in a few words?

PR agency working with the top lifestyle brands & creative talent in the country.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

In January 2020, after 17 years of working in entertainment and PR in NYC, I transferred with my job to Denver. I’d been to Colorado multiple times and loved it and said for years that I was going to move out west. As the years ticked on I decided “What am I waiting for?” Then, because of the pandemic, I was furloughed and eventually let go within three months of moving here. In a new city, without a job, during a pandemic, I was at a loss for what my next move would be. So, I put together a website with all my experience as a way to market myself and emailed everyone I knew back in New York and said I was looking for work as a freelancer. Within the first month, I had three clients. The next month I had two more. The third month I had to file for an LLC and was looking to hire.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

I moved to New York City to attend acting school, but after graduating, I quickly realized that my true talent was working behind the camera. I simultaneously landed jobs as the personal assistant to Victoria’s Secret supermodel Frederique van der Wal and famed author of the Goosebumps children’s series, R.L. Stine, and it became clear that where I really found my stride was working in publicity. Hachette Book Group offered me my first full-time job as a publicist. I helped manage national campaigns for multiple cookbook authors from The Food Network, as well as Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook It’s All Good.

From Hachette, I was hired by Random House, where I managed PR for health and wellness titles under the Crown imprint. I then began my career at Hearst Magazines as Senior Manager of Public Relations, overseeing PR and events for Hearst’s top food and lifestyle magazines, including Food Network Magazine, House Beautiful, Town & Country Magazine, Metropolitan Home, Veranda, and The Pioneer Woman Magazine. From Hearst, I transitioned over to tech PR. As the Senior Director of PR and Events for Zeel, I made television appearances across the country while organizing partnership events to strengthen the B2C awareness.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I always knew I wanted to be my own boss, but I didn’t know I had what it took to run my own business. For example, I’m not a numbers person, and I thought I’d have to be a good bookkeeper to be a business owner with multiple clients. I’m learning that as long as you hire people who ARE good at the other stuff, you can focus on the things that keep clients coming back.

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

At first, it was entirely word of mouth. All of my clients originated from people who knew me or worked with me previously. Now, we’re getting client referrals, and starting to get our own press. 

We always learn the most from our mistakes, share a time with us that you made a mistake or had a challenging time in business and what you learned from it?

When we started out, I wanted us to take on as many clients as we could to secure business and make a name for the company. Now I know our limits: I know how many clients we can take on per month, and I know what types of clients we are most interested in working with. It makes a difference. 

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

Since officially launching only 7 months ago, we’ve been able to grow into a company of four, and have secured national press with The Today Show, GMA, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Parade, The Coveteur, Marie Claire, E! News, PureWow, PopSugar, as well as local press including SF Chronicle, WestWord, 5280, and more.

When hiring for your team, what is your go-to interview question? Please share any hiring tips you can share from your experience?

Hiring is everything. When I was hiring, I posted on LinkedIn and in lieu of resumes, I requested applicants send me a personal letter telling me why they wanted to work at JSPR. It’s the easiest way to narrow down the competition. How a person writes tells you so much about them. Of the hundreds (and I mean HUNDREDS) of applications I received, maybe half wrote letters, the other half ignored the letter instruction. Of the half that wrote letters, at least 70% of them were form letters that had been copy and pasted. I had about 20-30 that were decent to consider. The two women I hired, Kaity and Grace, wrote beautifully and thoughtfully  – they were the cream of the crop. When we had our first Zoom interviews, I thought “yup, this is exactly who I thought I’d be getting based on their letters!” It was a no-brainer to hire them and I could not be more happy with their work at the company. What I love, too, is that the two of them have become good friends, which I love to see. 

How has your business or industry been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

I moved to CO right before the pandemic hit, so starting from scratch when everything was shut down made it hard. When I hired Kaity and Grace, everything became easier. Having people around you is key. Community is everything.⁣ 

What’s next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

We are growing! We are taking on more clients each month and garnering more press for our clients with each passing week. I am pleased to say that more businesses in Denver are becoming familiar with us, so we hope to become more of a Colorado staple in the next few years. I think we may also expand into LA at some point – THINK BIG. 

 

What is the biggest lesson you have learned recently?

Take more risks. I moved across the country and started a new business at 39 years old. Both of these are things I always wanted to do, but as time went on, I didn’t know how or when or if they would ever happen. Then. BOOM. Pandemic hits. I move out of New York. I lose my job. I didn’t know anyone out here! I didn’t know how to start a business!  But somehow, you figure it out once you put yourself in a position where you have no choice but to make things happen. 

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

“You have what it takes.”

How have you managed to stay grounded this year?

My friends. I have an amazing network of women who keep me sane and I have definitely relied on their counsel this year. They are mostly on the East Coast, but through FaceTime, and phone calls, we stay in touch. I also rely heavily on a steady stream of podcasts, and my journaling practice.

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

Absolutely. I travel to California often to see my one of my best friends and her family to work by the ocean. That, plus living here in Colorado and being able to escape to the mountains regularly makes me feel like balance is built into my life out here. 

What’s something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?

I didn’t graduate from college. I went to a two year acting conservatory, and from there I waitressed at a NYC steakhouse before being lucky enough to land jobs as a personal assistant which I interviewed my way into. I’ve been a hustler, a people person, and a connector my whole life — not a traditional “by the book” career person in the slightest. Every opportunity that has come to me has been through someone I met organically. Through conversation. Through networking. I really am a publicist through and through. 

What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

I don’t know how helpful these are to an audience at large but for me: I need at least 8 hours of sleep the night before, at least two iced coffees each day, and to start each day with a gratitude journal in order to feel like my day is going to be productive. 

What does being an Entreprenista mean to you?

It means I’ve accomplished something great – it’s a title I wear proudly.

Share it!

Posted in
Tags

Leave a Comment





Katia Conte Honors Daughter’s Legacy with Childhood Cancer Nonprofit

Hi, Katia! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: My name is Katia Conte, and I am the President/Co-Founder of the Daniela Conte Foundation. Our nonprofit organization is a beacon of hope for families battling pediatric cancer. Founded in 2020, our mission is deeply rooted in the memory of my daughter, Daniela,…

Kristen Chimack Provides Real-World Coaching for Success

Hi, Kristen! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hi, I’m Kristen. After a 30-year stint in corporate America, culminating in a whirlwind four years leading the public relations department at a Fortune 40 organization, I decided it was time to hang up my corporate hat and chase my true passions. In…

How Dr. Sophia Yen is Transforming and Investing in Women’s Health with Pandia Health

“One in five women with menopause have considered dropping out of work, have foregone promotion. And we are just at the top of our game and to take us out at 50 is not okay. It’s about empowering women to be the best that we can possibly be.” When Dr. Sophia Yen co-founded Pandia Health,…

Amy Rees Celebrates Solidarity With Personality Plates

Hi, Amy! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hi, I’m Amy. Women are at the heart of Personality Plates because I could not have gotten through my difficult divorces and heartbreak without my friends and chosen sisters. I couldn’t have raised my daughters as the strong, independent young ladies they are…

How Julia Haart Reinvented Her Life at 42 from Restrictive Upbringing to Fashion Leader

“Ignorance, people, is good! Jump in. Enjoy it. Ask the questions. Study. Learn. Be an eternal student. That’s how you succeed.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Julia Haart, the founder of +Body by Julia Haart, a body-positive, technologically advanced shapewear brand that aims to empower women to unapologetically express themselves and…

The Most Common Mistakes When Starting a Business—and How to Avoid Them

When you’re first starting a business, there’s so much you don’t know you don’t know—like how to price your offerings, market your business, or hire people to support you. Every entrepreneur learns along the way, so why not save yourself some time and money (and potentially even business heartbreak) by learning from the candid stories…

Logan Rae on Her Journey to Founding a Digital Marketing Agency

Hi, Logan. Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: I’m Logan Rae, I’m 29 years old and Founder & CEO of Argon Agency. Who are your customers? Mid-size businesses mostly in the behavioral healthcare field. What made you take the leap to start your own business? I had done entrepreneurship once before…

Jennifer Jank on Helping Entrepreneurs Reclaim Their Time and Energy

Hi, Jennifer! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Jennifer Jank (JJ) is a productivity consultant helping business owners make more profit in less time and with better systems. Her goal is to help entrepreneurs, especially women, reclaim their time, energy, and attention away from busyness and towards joy… without sacrificing profits.…

How to Make an Impact as a Podcast Guest with Patrice Poltzer

“We’re being bombarded all day with so much content and noise. “Please, please. I need your attention here, here, here.” You really have to learn to think about who’s listening. Really ask yourself, what is the takeaway for the person listening? Why does that matter? And if you can’t think of that, then you don’t…

Andrea TheoJohn Helps Clients Grow and Market Their Brands

Hi, Andrea! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Andrea TheoJohn, MBA is a marketing and branding professional with over 15 years of global and corporate experience. She’s managed over 70 brand professionals in 17 different countries, handled the branding and communications efforts for 160M Euro M&A ventures and now brings that…

How Laurel Mintz Is Empowering Diverse Leaders in Venture Capital

“We transitioned almost everyone out of the company and really flipped the entire company around. It was one of the most painful few months of my entire career, but also one of the most impactful. And if we had not done that, we probably wouldn’t still be standing today.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we…

Valeria Lasak’s Marketing Agency Focuses on Fashion, Beauty, and Personal Brands

Hi, Valeria! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hi, I’m Valeria. Cofounder of MKT Besties and Nomad, a marketing agency focused on fashion, beauty, and personal brands, I’m also a community leader with the New Miami Girls community and host the street podcast ‘Who Is She Miami.’ This project is especially…

Leigh Burgess on Her Passion for Consulting, Coaching, and Curated Events

Hi, Leigh! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Leigh is a CEO & Founder and driven entrepreneur who is passionate about helping organizations and individuals achieve their fullest potential faster. By continuously stepping out of her comfort zone and pushing boundaries, Leigh has not only grown her own company into a…

How to Avoid Legal Challenges with Lauren Bercuson from Storylock Legal

“In the beginning, if you don’t have a team or a system or community around you, it’s very easy to feel lost. There are these amazing communities out there for amazing female founders that will really help guide and support you. So, the greatest lesson I learned pretty quickly was that you’re never alone. Or,…

The Secrets to Building a Community Led Business with Ingrid Read

“You really have to understand that, in order for you to scale, you have to learn how to do certain things and master them before you move on. If you don’t do that, then your audience is going to feel just as lost as you feel.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with…