))
Going into its 7th season, Pitchin’ and Sippin’ is one of the world’s top-rated PR and Media podcasts. Hosted by publicist and entrepreneur Lexie Smith of GROWTH MODE Agency and THEPRBAR inc., the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ Podcast showcases interviews with top-tier journalists, leading PR pros and Marketers, and inspiring brands and entrepreneurs on the rise. For those who need to craft pitches regularly – whether to reach an audience, land a client, earn media coverage, bylines, and beyond – lis ...
…
continue reading
In this episode, podcast producer Daniela Albertina shares key insights on effective podcast pitching and expected trends in 2025. Daniela Albertina is a seasoned podcast producer and marketing strategist with over seven years of experience helping storytellers and entrepreneurs amplify their voices and build authority in their fields. With a found…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Lexie Smith and Joni Sweet dive deep into the do's and don'ts of pitching for holiday gift guides, offering invaluable insights for publicists and brands eager to make their mark. Joni Sweet has been a writer, editor, and content strategist for over 13 years. Her work has been published by TIME, National Geographic, Forbes, Lonely …
…
continue reading
1
Understanding Pay-for-Play vs. Earned TV Shows with TV Host, Producer & PR Pro Christina Nicholson
37:23
In this episode, Lexie Smith sits down with Christina Nicholson, a TV host, producer, correspondent, and the owner of Media Maven, a public relations and content creation agency. The two dive into the complex world of pay-for-play TV segments and the evolving role of press releases in modern public relations. With her background as a TV producer, C…
…
continue reading
1
Hospitality PR and Scaling a Remote PR Agency with Whitney Lee of True Story Public Relations
36:59
In this episode of Lexie Smith sits down with Whitney Lee, APR, CPRC, a marketing and PR expert and the founder of True Story Public Relations – an award-winning creative agency helping companies in the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries get in front of the right people with the right message. Today, True Story has grown into a fully remot…
…
continue reading
In this minisode, Lexie Smith discusses five PR strategies that are actively yielding success for her agency, GROWTH MODE, and coaching clients at THEPRBAR Inc. From pitching podcasts to landing TV segments, Influencer Marketing wins, and more, tune in to learn new PR strategies you can implement today! Here’s What You’ll Learn: Discover why Pitchc…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Lexie Smith sits down with Marie Incontrera, a two-time TEDx speaker and founder of Incontrera Consulting. Marie Incontrera is the CEO and Founder of Incontrera Consulting, a digital marketing and thought leadership consulting agency; author, creative professional, and speechwriter. She works with thought leaders to leverage their …
…
continue reading
In this episode, Lexie Smith sits down with John Sampogna, the CEO and Co-founder of Wondersauce, an agency specializing in brand storytelling, paid media, e-commerce, and digital experiences. With over 15 years of experience in digital marketing and advertising, John has created and led work for a wide range of clients such as L’Oreal, Scott’s, Go…
…
continue reading
1
BDG Commerce Writer and Journalist Jessica Booth on Pitching Products and the World of Commerce
32:03
In this episode, Lexie Smith sits down with Jessica Booth, a freelance writer, former editor and a Commerce Writer for leading global media company BDG. She has written for a wide variety of outlets, including Refinery 29, Bustle, Elite Daily, Parents, Brides, What To Expect, The Knot, People, The Bump, Reviewed, The Daily Beast, Forbes, Insider, C…
…
continue reading
In this podcast episode, Lexie Smith dives into the evolving media landscape, challenging listeners to rethink the traditional media categories of paid, earned, and owned. Lexie introduces the "gray zone" – a hybrid media category that blends paid and earned media elements yet remains distinct from both. Through her insightful LinkedIn article, Lex…
…
continue reading
In this episode of Pitchin’ and Sippin’, Lexie Smith sits down with Emily L. Foley, a prominent journalist, TV personality and expert trendspotter. Emily, whose career spans beauty, fashion and lifestyle journalism, shares her insights into the ever-evolving world of trendsetting and trendspotting. A former magazine editor, her writing has appeared…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Lexie Smith talks with Peter Shankman, a 6x best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur. In the world of media he is best known for founding HARO; an online service for journalists to gather feedback from the public, and a newer service called Source of Sources. Additionally, Peter is a marketing expert for several national and …
…
continue reading
1
Journalist & Communications Pro Imani Bashir on When to Pitch a Freelancer and Creating Measurable Content Strategies
36:02
Journalist and communications pro Imani Bashir joins Lexie to talk about when to pitch a freelancer and how to create measurable content strategies. Imani Bashir is a media professional with over 13 years in the field of communications. She began her career in sports broadcasting, covering collegiate sports and in 2015 made the decision to move abr…
…
continue reading
Listen to quick updates and announcements as we wait for Season 7 to Launch this Summer! Submit pitches online at theprbarinc.com/podcasts Email topic requests to pitchinandsippin@gmail.com Sign up for THEPRBAR weekly round-up at https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Don't forget to hit subscribe wherever you watch and listen so you don't miss the fi…
…
continue reading
This week’s minisode is the final episode of Season 6 of the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ Podcast. On this wrap up episode, Lexie Smith reflects on this season of the podcast and all that she’s learned and taken away from her conversations with ‘Journalistic Royalty’. She reflects particularly on the different themes from her interviews with different jour…
…
continue reading
Danielle Belton is the current editor-in-chief of HuffPost where she led the Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom to profitability in 2021, after her first year in leadership. In her three-year tenure, she has improved overall newsroom diversity and relaunched HuffPost's legacy Voices brands, including adding a new vertical, Indigenous Voices — one of t…
…
continue reading
Maria Streshinsky is the executive editor of features at WIRED. Before joining WIRED she was the editor-in-chief of Pacific Standard, a magazine she launched in 2012. In its first year Pacific Standard was nominated for a National Magazine Award for general excellence; in 2014 the publication won the National Magazine Award for public service for a…
…
continue reading
Shana Clarke is a wine, sake, and travel writer and author. Her work has appeared in Decanter, Saveur, Fortune, NPR, Wine Enthusiast, Vinepair, Conde Nast Traveler, and Hemispheres. She was shortlisted for the Louis Roederer 2020 International Wine Writers’ Awards and ranked one of the “Top 20 U.S. Wine Writers That Wineries Can Work With” by Bever…
…
continue reading
This week’s episode holds a very special announcement for the next chapter with THEPRBAR Agency. And for Lexie. This minisode walks listeners through Lexie’s brand new rebrand for her agency, now GROWTH MODE PR & Communications agency. She talks about the inception of this rebrand, the process of how she did it, and what GROWTH MODE Agency is going…
…
continue reading
Linda Zebian is Senior Director of Communications & Community at Muck Rack, where she sets communications strategy for Muck Rack’s enterprise, both internally and externally, including messaging, issues management, media relations, social media, and employee communications, as well as partnerships and events. Linda joined Muck Rack from The New Yor…
…
continue reading
1
Decoding RFPs & Winning Client Briefs with Agency Search Consultant Rachel Huff of Victoire & Co
38:07
As an agency search consultant, Rachel Huff, President and Founder of Victoire & Co, builds brand-agency partnerships that drive long-term success. With a keen understanding of clients’ communications and business needs and a network of trusted marketing and communications agency connections, she guides companies toward their best agency fit. Prior…
…
continue reading
This week, Lexie Smith takes listeners through her process of mastering the art of crafting timely media pitches. This finely tuned methodology is built on Lexie’s foundation of 13+ years in the PR industry, leading to the founding of THEPRBAR inc. and her PR and Communications agency. Lexie walks the listener through ten elements that can make a s…
…
continue reading
1
How to Strategically Nail Your Instagram Growth & Paid Influencer Partnerships with Content Creator & NYC Lifestyle Expert Viveca Chow
33:31
Viveca Chow is a NYC Lifestyle Expert and the first Hong Kong born and raised Broadway musical performer, rewriting the international city’s history. Featured on NBC, CNN and Cheddar News, her storytelling skills seamlessly extend to her role as a Content Creator where she has effectively collaborated with and generated content for over 550 brands …
…
continue reading
1
From Pen to Profit: The PR-Sales Connection with Travel Writer and Founder Jordi Lippe-McGraw
37:47
Jordi Lippe-McGraw is a seasoned freelance journalist with an eight-year tenure writing about travel, parenting, and wellness for esteemed outlets such as Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Vogue, Brides, The New York Times, Elle, and Forbes. She is also the creator and founder of PAK Rêve, a versatile travel bag line celebrated by Conde Nast T…
…
continue reading
1
Minisode: 7 Things My Team and I are Doing This Month to Reset our PR Strategy for Success in 2024
15:06
This first minisode of 2024 breaks down 7 things that host Lexie Smith and her team at THEPRBAR Agency are doing this month to reset their PR strategy for success in 2024. From collecting media kits to updating press kits to creating editorial calendars for clients, and more, hear how Lexie and THEPRBAR team are revamping their PR strategy to ensur…
…
continue reading
Teresa Bigelow is the founder of boutique agency and career platform Spiral5. Throughout her 12+ years of experience in public relations, Teresa has worked with a wide variety of brands, from global media companies to music tech to psychedelics, helping to tell their diverse stories in the media. Her clients have been featured in the world’s leadin…
…
continue reading
Cloey Callahan is a Senior Reporter at Digiday Media's WorkLife, where she writes about evolving workplaces and workforces across different areas like technology, spaces, culture, DE&I, leadership, and talent. Before WorkLife, she was a General Assignment Reporter and Editor primarily covering local news across six counties in New York State's Huds…
…
continue reading
Rachel Chang, a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of editorial experience, has built a successful career in travel and pop culture reporting. Formerly a Senior Editor at Us Weekly, Editor-in-Chief at J-14, and Entertainment Editor at CosmoGIRL!, today Rachel is a freelance writer and editor. She regularly contributes to Condé Nast Trav…
…
continue reading
In this first minisode of season 6, Lexie Smith drops tips, strategies and hacks to try when pitching follow-ups. From free tools, to what to include in the body of the email pitch, Lexie shares how she and her team conduct thoughtful and relevant follow-ups at THEPRBAR Agency. Here’s What You’ll Learn: How a recent Pitching SOS Training she conduc…
…
continue reading
1
Landing TV Product Placements and Collaborations with PR Pro & Entrepreneur Elaine Mensah of Showroom Etc
43:58
Elaine Ayensu Mensah is a fashion and luxury founder and strategic brand advisor. She has worked with brands across industries such as Netflix, HBO, Starz, British Fashion Council, London College of Fashion, Deloitte, and US Small Business Administration, to name a few). Her company, Showroom Etc. Provides a bridge between African designers, brands…
…
continue reading
Michelle Songy is a serial tech entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Press Hook, a media relations platform that connects brands, media, publicists, and journalists. Recognized as a changemaker in the PR industry, Michelle recently earned her spot on PRWeek’s Dashboard 25, a list of the most influential people in communications technology, represent…
…
continue reading
This episode is extra special, featuring a guest trifecta from the Qwoted team, the network and platform that fosters relationships between the media, experts, and PR talent. In this episode, Lexie Smith speaks with Vannyda Thach (Media Support Manager), Maddy Kislovsky (Head of Sales), and Shelby Bridges (Success Manager). Each guest breaks down t…
…
continue reading
1
Adapting to Change: Journalist Kells McPhillips on Freelance Writing in Today's Media Landscape
35:48
Kells McPhillips is a health and wellness writer whose journalism has appeared in The New York Times, Well+Good, Fortune, Runner’s World, Outside, Yoga Journal, and others. Kells also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School in New York City. In 2022, her short fiction was shortlisted for The Masters Review Summer Short Story Award for …
…
continue reading
In the season 5 finale minisode of the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ Podcast, Lexie Smith shares how she ‘made it’ in PR and key tips on landing press. She discusses the six things that led to her success in public relations and shares valuable lessons learned along the way. Here’s What You’ll Learn: Lexie’s background in PR and her path to success The diff…
…
continue reading
Nicole Pearl is a former national magazine editor turned On Air Beauty, Fashion, and Lifestyle Expert known as The Beauty Girl. She’s written for countless magazines, such as Marie Claire, Allure, Health, In Style, Byrdie.com, and Parents, to name a few. She regularly appears on local and national TV shows sharing the latest trends, tips, and produ…
…
continue reading
1
Pitchcraft and Pitching Content Marketing Writers with Journalist and Founder Kelsey Ogletree
29:09
Kelsey Ogletree is an independent journalist covering travel, food, design, and golf. Her work has been featured in various print and digital outlets, including Midwest Living, Conde Nast Traveler, The Wall Street Journal, and Food & Wine. Alongside her husband, Derrick, she's also the co-founder of Pitchcraft, a journalist-led membership platform …
…
continue reading
This week’s minisode recaps Muck Rack’s State of PR 2023 report. Your host, Lexie Smith, offers her most notable findings from the report, including the challenges PR professionals encounter and breaks down numerous challenges the PR industry faces. She also highlights key findings related to diversity in the workplace and the workload of PR pros b…
…
continue reading
1
How to Find & Vet Quality Podcasts to Pitch with Podcast Producer & Journalist Christine O’Donnell
36:52
Christine O’Donnell is an Emmy-Nominated TV Journalist, Podcast Producer, professor, and the founder of Bright Sighted, a purpose-driven podcast consulting and production house. As seen in media outlets such as NBC, ABC, FOX, and CNN, Christine was also the very first guest on the Pitchin' and Sippin' Podcast. In this episode, Christine and Lexie e…
…
continue reading
Amanda Joy Foley is a PR strategist and consultant with 20+ years of experience. The Founder of Curate Your Soul, she sees what makes people magnetic and guides clients to unlock their personal messaging and PR strategy using Human Design & The Gene Keys. In this episode, Amanda explains human design and how publicists and entrepreneurs can utilize…
…
continue reading
This week’s minisode is an extra special episode, marking the 100th episode of the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ Podcast! Lexie Smith takes a moment to reflect on the podcast's impact on her life, clients, and business and then shares with listeners exactly how to effectively pitch and secure a guest spot on Pitchin’ and Sippin’. Here’s What You’ll Learn: H…
…
continue reading
1
How to Pitch The Hollywood Reporter & E-commerce Journalism with Editor Danielle Directo-Meston
40:09
Danielle Directo-Meston is The Hollywood Reporter's first E-commerce Editor and the founder and publisher of UncoverLA.com. Over the past 18 years, she has covered local communities, fashion, and lifestyle for the LAist, Patch, Racked, Curbed, C, and other LA-based print and online publications. Her bylines also appear in Rolling Stone, MyDomaine, …
…
continue reading
In this week’s minisode, host Lexie Smith breaks down how to nail the perfect subject line for your pitch. She emphasizes that even the most amazing pitches may go unread if the subject line fails to capture the journalist’s attention. Lexie shares expert tips on creating attention-grabbing pitch subject lines and provides effective examples. Here’…
…
continue reading
Vanessa Gordon is the CEO and Publisher of East End Taste and the Founder of the Hamptons Interactive Brunch event series. As a freelance journalist, she has contributed to publications such as Pregnancy & Newborn, Parents Magazine, Thrillist, Psychology Today, and many more. She has been featured as a travel and parenting expert in Reader's Digest…
…
continue reading
Candice D'Angelo is the founder of The Agency East, a PR Agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of female business owners on a mission to evolve the status quo, and The Selling Lab, a sales training agency where online and offline businesses alike come to level up their sales skills and build custom training. A corporate dropout with 12+ years o…
…
continue reading
In this week’s minisode, your host Lexie Smith, takes listeners behind the scenes and shares how her team at THEPRBAR Agency approaches customizing and creating pitch angles for journalists. This episode offers valuable insights for PR professionals, founders, and entrepreneurs looking to uplevel their businesses and career by landing earned placem…
…
continue reading
1
Effectively Representing Marginalized & Underrepresented Groups in PR with Caitlin Copple of Full Swing PR
30:32
Caitlin Copple (she/they) is the Founding Partner & Head of PR at Full Swing Public Relations and a strategic communications expert who helps women leaders be seen and sought after so they can reclaim their power and rewrite the human story. With more than a decade of experience, her media placements have included Fast Company, Forbes, TIME, and Th…
…
continue reading
In this minisode, host Lexie Smith walks listeners (and viewers) through the 2023 Global Comms Report: A Seminal Moment produced by PRWeek and Cision. She breaks down various segments of the report and helps listeners digest some of the results and statistics so they can best apply the information to their PR strategies going forward. Here’s what y…
…
continue reading
Amber Sabri is a Creative Consultant, and Founder & CEO of Azhar PR, a New York-based PR & Digital Marketing agency that amplifies female founders + minority-owned brands in the online space. Throughout all of her career endeavors, in industries that have been dominated by the majority, Amber’s mission is to help empower the minority + even the pla…
…
continue reading
Catharine Montgomery founded Better Together - a VC-backed full-service, Black woman-founded, and purpose-driven public relations agency - in 2022 following a successful global agency and in-house PR career. Holding a Bachelor of Science in PR and Marketing from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business…
…
continue reading
Host Lexie Smith shares four things you can do with your pitches that don't land in this minisode. From new systems to repurposing strategies and beyond, Smith believes you shouldn’t have to let your hard work go to waste when pitching. Here’s What You’ll Learn: Lexie Smith shares what to do with pitches that don't land. She offers four suggestions…
…
continue reading
In this week’s episode, we’re Pitchin’ and Sippin’ with writer and editor Melanie Rud on all things beauty, bylines, and mastheads. Prior to becoming a full-time freelance writer, Melanie held beauty editorial positions at magazines such as Shape, Good Housekeeping, and Health. Today she contributes to outlets such as Byrdie, People.com, RealSelf…
…
continue reading
