Q&A: Alessandra Pollina, Founder of Pollina PR + Marketing

Last month (or approximately 7 million moons ago in quarantine time) I had the chance to connect with Alessandra Pollina, the founder of Pollina PR + Marketing.

In our Q&A below Alessandra talks about what drew her to PR, the experience of starting and evolving her own business, balancing her work with motherhood, and even some wise words for brands navigating COVID-19.

And, if you want to spend more time in Alessandra’s company, check out her podcast The Female Millennial Entrepreneur here.

Alessandra - thanks for your wise words + for sharing a little bit about your journey thus far.

Could you tell me a little bit about your career journey thus far? What were the milestones for you between high school graduation and today?

I went to Boston University’s College of Communication where I focused on Public Relations (w/ a minor in Anthropology) and graduated in 2011. While there, I did as many internships as possible, including at small agencies, large agencies, in-house at companies, etc. One of the internships ended up leading to a part-time position at the company a few years later when the account manager went on maternity leave and they needed more help. I was able to gain a huge amount of experience from this. Upon graduating, I got a job at a small non-profit, but it quickly became clear that it wasn’t going to be a great position and I knew I needed a change. I reached back out to the same agency owner where I had interned and worked part-time to see if I could work for him again, and he said he could find space for me. While working there I ended up launching my business on the side, when a few connections became clients that I was able to take on on my own. This was all just over a year after I graduated. (The huge amount of experience I had during college was fundamental in my ability to do this-- from the actual skills, connections and PR ability I had, to knowing which types of agencies/companies I did not want to work at, etc.) I started taking on more and more clients and eventually, it became my full-time thing. In 2015 I had my son, and business slowed down for a little while as I took some time to enjoy motherhood, though I never had a real ‘maternity leave’ and never stopped working. By 2018 I hired my first team member-- I had never had anyone beyond interns before. In 2019 we moved into my first private office space-- I had usually worked from home and had a couple of stints at co-working spaces over time. Also, sort of related though not really the same as my business: I founded the Female Millennial Entrepreneurs Boston networking group in 2016, and started my podcast by the same name in 2019,

What is an average day or week like for you right now?

Ha. Let’s pretend I’m filling this out pre-COVID, because right now I still have no idea what I’m doing. No, really, I’ll describe my general workday, which is pretty similar although now I’m interspersing children's educational activities into it.

I try to fit my workday into my son’s school day. For me, a huge part of starting and running my own business is about having that ability to decide my own schedule and make my own rules. I knew being a mom was really important to me and that when I had kids I would want to be there for school pickup and whatever else I wanted to do with them. The year my son started school I hired my first official help in the business because I knew that I’d rather pay someone to help take care of work while I’m not there because I’m with my child than pay someone to take care of my child when I’m not there because of work. So I usually drop him off at school at 8:40 and get into my office at 8:45 (yes, I purposely found an office literally around the corner from the school so I wouldn’t have an extra commute). I work until 3 or 4, depending on the day, and pick him up from school and take him home. I try really hard not to get back on the computer in the afternoon unless of course there is a time-sensitive media inquiry or client issue. If need be, I’ll do some more work in the evening after my son has gone to bed. My weekly work includes client meetings/calls, planning client strategy, drafting pitches for media, reaching out to and interacting with media to organize articles/coverage, and creating content for clients (we specialize in media relations, but also offer digital marketing and social media for certain clients). I usually have an event about one night a week, either for a client, for the Female Millennial Entrepreneurs group, or another mastermind or business-related dinner. 

When you meet new people and they ask a “what do you do” style question, how do you describe your work? (I ask because I think that a lot of successful women still struggle with this one.)

I work with media (writers, reporters, producers, etc) on my clients’ behalf to secure coverage in publications that help build their reputations and work toward their business goals. 

What drew you to a career in PR?

I was always most interested in communications. I liked the idea of writing and journalism, and what is now known as ‘creating content’, but didn’t know if I could make a career of it. I knew I didn’t want to do something like advertising because I didn’t like the idea of selling, especially if it wasn’t a product or service I really believed in. PR was kind of the best of both worlds to me. I could promote companies I really supported in a way that

t is super authentic and honest, helping people discover brands/companies/causes I believe they really want to know about and should know about, so they have the opportunity to buy/get involved/take part, etc if they want. 

What has surprised you most about building your own business? 

I’m surprised by how much I enjoy the business building aspect of it all. I thought I would just want to do the actual PR work, and interact with clients, but it turns out I actually get really excited by the internal business things a lot more than I expected. I love building a business and the possibilities that come with the infinite potential that exists with that. 

What are most clients looking for when they come to you for support? 

Most clients come to me because they want to see their business in print. They see their competitors in articles and want to get their business there too, in order to get in front of wider audiences, attract prospective clientele, build their clout, and sometimes just to have that ego boost! They usually recognize that having good PR on their side, and getting featured in the media, allows people to find out about them in an authentic way and will serve as an opportunity for new customers or clients to ‘discover’ them and seek them out on their own, which is a welcome change from all the direct marketing they have been trying to do where they feel like they’re constantly selling and only speaking to the same people over and over.

Are there any personal career rules you follow?

No real rules, I wouldn’t say. I try to be as fluid as possible, and not hold myself to much in terms of things having to be done a certain way. I find that things change so much in business, whether it’s the actual services and client landscape, or the goals and desires I have for the business and how it will fit into my life, that I try not to tie myself down with any specific rules or even a ‘5-year plan’ or anything like that-- I do make a lot of plans but try not to force myself into sticking with them if life changes, basically. I guess now that I’m saying this, maybe my rule is to stay nimble, stay aware of my changing needs and goals, and regularly review where I’m trying to go and the best ways for the business to change or grow in order to get me there.

The other thing I would say is that if I keep thinking about something it usually is meant to be and should be acted upon. If I find myself thinking I need more help, it’s probably the case and I should take steps to hire someone; if I am feeling really drawn toward a project, it’s something I am meant to work on and need to take the first step on, etc. It can be scary but that usually means it’s the right thing to do and will result in the most growth, so just taking the first step without overthinking it is usually the best bet. 

Are there a few pieces of advice that you give to almost everyone? 

#1 If you’re thinking about something just start doing it. Take literally the first step. You don’t have to have it all figured out-- you probably can’t have it all figured out before you start, so just figure out the first step and do that. Each step of the way will become clear as you go, and once you’ve gotten started it’s that much easier to make something happen.

#2 Successful people are the ones who never gave up. If you stick with it (assuming you are good at what you’re doing of course), you’re going to eventually become successful, but if you give up when it gets tough you have no chance. Usually, the only big difference between people who seem successful and others is that they are the ones who didn’t give up and have put in the years to make it happen.

Imposter Syndrome! Do you ever struggle with it? Or have you in the past?

Not really. I think it’s important to have a strong background in whatever you're hoping to do before you start a business or offer a service. If you do, and you stand behind your work and your abilities there’s no reason to feel like an imposter even if you’ve never run a business before. The only thing that matters is the results you’re getting for your clients. I always knew I was able to deliver, mostly because I had so much experience beforehand and knew I could get the results my clients wanted because I’d already done it. I struggled with being so young when I first started, and with attaching worth to my work because of that, because it felt sort of surreal to be paid for it, but I don’t think that’s the same thing-- I never felt like I didn’t deserve to be doing it or that I wasn’t legitimate or was a fraud, etc.

What advice might you have for other female entrepreneurs who want to build an authentic brand and create more opportunities for themselves?

Choose something you really have expertise in, and then commit to it, and commit to being the best in it. I think it’s tough when people want to start a business or want to work for themselves and that is the main reason for starting something-- when it’s more about starting a business than about the actual service or offering that’s where it gets inauthentic and can result in failure because you’re selling something you don’t really have the experience or expertise to deliver on. People are really savvy and can tell if you don’t know your stuff or if you’re doing it for the wrong reasons, and that’s where roadblocks to building your brand come up. If you’re solid on the groundwork, which I think is so important before you start to offer your service to someone else, then the rest will come naturally. 

Opportunity comes from creating what you want. If you think consciously about what you really want- what will make you happy right now, or help you take the next step in your business, or whatever, and then act on that and create the opportunities you need for getting there. Reach out to the person you’d need a connection to, or pitch yourself to the client, or start a networking group if you’re not meeting the people you want to surround yourself with. Things don’t just happen, you have to make them happen, and creating the things you wish you had in your life is really important but I think most people just don’t realize it’s possible. 

What does 2020 hold for you? Anything you’d like readers to click on or check out? 

2020 feels very up in the air at the moment! The main things I’m hoping to be able to offer people more of is great content in the form of my podcast, The Female Millennial Entrepreneur Podcast, and corresponding content on my website in a more expanded way than I have done in the past-- really highlighting more women in business, super actionable articles about business and PR specifically, and connecting people in that way. I’m still fleshing out what this will look like in terms of a helpful platform (beyond the podcast) but I know there’s more I can be doing with the great conversations and content I am already a part of. I also am brushing off my online do it yourself PR course, especially now while a lot of people are stuck at home but still trying to build businesses. I’m polishing it up again and updating some parts of it, to make sure it will be the best resource out there so that people can hit the ground running promoting their business as soon as all this is over. 

Also, I’m planning to finish a book I’ve been writing for way too long, and actually get it published before this year is out!

How is COVID-19 impacting your business and your customers? 

It’s been really weird, as I’m sure it has been for most people! In terms of my business, it’s been a huge adjustment to working from home with my son at home and also being the main caregiver/teacher for him. It’s been hard to stick to a normal work schedule, but I am thankful that I’ve been able to adapt to things like this in the past-- I used to work from home so that’s not brand new to me, and after I had my son I worked from home with him there for almost a year before getting a nanny-- though it’s a lot different with a baby than a 5-year-old! But I am able to work first thing in the morning and late at night etc without it totally throwing me off my game because I’ve been there before. But in terms of the nitty-gritty of business, it’s been a lot of unknowns, which is impacting my business just in terms of not being able to plan in the same ways I usually do. Some of my clients have had to close down, and some have had to pause their services with me indefinitely, so I have already lost business and also have some clients who haven’t paused yet, but I know will be struggling if they have to stay closed much longer so I am not sure what to expect with them in the next month or so. It’s all just as scary for my clients as for me, and I’ve even had one say she needed to cancel services, but then come back a few days later changing her mind. People are making decisions right now based on fear, but then think it through more and realize maybe it won’t all be as bad as they think, or realize that marketing their business and promoting themselves are even more important now than ever, even if the expense feels scary with less revenue coming in. On the other hand, I have another client who is busier than ever. The circumstances of the current events have resulted in them being able to help the community even more than normal, and it’s also opened up a lot of media opportunity, so I’ve been more busy than usual with them and have professionally had some great wins in terms of coverage I’ve secured them in the last few weeks. So every day is filled with such ups and downs!

In terms of all my clients though, we’re working on what is appropriate to promote and pitch right now, and what maybe isn’t. It’s tough when a lot of media coverage basically works months in advance, so we’d be pitching things for the summer right now, but it feels so inappropriate to pitch certain topics that come across as insensitive at the moment. But I don’t want to end up in July or August with all this blown over, and we’ve missed opportunities and articles are coming out that my clients would have been perfect for but they’re not in them because we didn’t pitch. I’m also spending a lot of time figuring out ways to create opportunities for my clients for this month even if they aren’t what we initially had planned-- there’s always some way to continue getting in front of their audiences in a positive way if we can just find it-- and that’s what I’m working on for them. There’s a lot of adjusting, thinking things through a lot differently than before, and figuring out how to do all this in the most sensitive way possible. 

Do you think that the PR/Branding landscape will learn any valuable lessons in crisis response from this? If so, what might we learn?

I think people are learning a lot about what consumers want to see from brands and what is standing out to people about how brands are reacting to this. People are going to remember what their favorite brands did or didn’t do in this time, and most importantly is how they communicated it because that’s really all that matters. It’s the perception of what they did or didn’t do that’s really the important part, and that comes from your communications, PR, and marketing. Some companies are going to do great in the future because of this period, and some are not. 

I think the main trend that we’re seeing more of, which was already the way a lot of companies were starting to lean before this too, is really personal and transparent communication. People really appreciate the honesty of brands that are staying communicative and very open with their marketing, and they’re going to feel a stronger personal connection to them after all this is over. I’m seeing a lot of examples of companies that are getting a little overwhelmed by a surge in business (like those that send products to your door and are suddenly very popular) but are being really honest about how hard they’re trying to stay on top of demand, and smaller businesses that are maybe struggling or even had to temporarily close down but are keeping their customers updated every step of the way so that they feel informed and like a part of the journey-- they’re all doing the right thing. I think brands are going to see the value in this type of communication going forward and it’s going to be easier to sway the decision-makers of larger and even more traditional brands to buy into this type of marketing now that we’ll have all these case studies of how well it works and how much it strengthens customer loyalty. 

On a smaller scale, I think that most small businesses are going to realize that if they saw this as a vacation, or felt hopeless and didn’t try to move forward, they’re going to have a much harder time bouncing back than those who were still mindful about their marketing and branding throughout this time. Yes, it feels weird and difficult to navigate now, but the consistency of showing up at this time, and not skipping a beat means that your business is going to be ready to go once this is over, whereas I think some will really be struggling to start back up, and I think that’s something people are only going to realize afterward, once it’s too late. 

What advice do you have for brands who are struggling with their messaging during this time? 

I think in the first few weeks everything felt hazy and like we were in a dream and like it was almost impossible to know what to do. Now that we’re moving through it a bit more, I think there’s been time to think about what you want to do, what you want to be known for when it comes to this time period, and what you want to say. Already now people are almost ready and eager to settle into some kind of new normal, even if it’s not long term. I think people are already sick of having life revolve around COVID-19, and want to see their favorite brands staying true to themselves and offering useful and helpful services. It’s important to stay mindful and be sensitive to the current situation, but I don’t think everything you put out has to be about COVID-19 or anything like that. I think it’s ok to move forward with messaging that fits your brand and encompasses what you really feel, in an honest and true way, and it doesn’t all have to be COVID-specific. Be mindful of the changes people have had to make- everyone's at home, people are in close quarters with their families, mothers are taking on a lot- and use those things in your messaging if it makes sense for your brand, but not necessarily in a blatant COVID-heavy way. People are going to be sick of feeling like their lives revolve around COVID pretty soon and are going to want an escape when it comes to your brand and what you offer them. As long as you’re not being totally insensitive I think brands shouldn’t overthink it too much, and should still speak to their customers largely in the way they’re used to hearing from you. Q&A