A year ago, three women took an entrepreneurial leap to start a PR firm that has gone from strength to strength to emerge in this year’s top 50 PR firms. The three hard-working women Sarah Rothman, Amanda Silverman and Meredith O’Sullivan all quit their high profile jobs at giant bi-coastal PR firm 42 West to tackle an ambitious new venture – and it paid off.
Standing on its star-laden client portfolio, Lede PR has grown to 51 employees with notable clients in its portfolio including the Skimm, Pharrell, Lady Gaga, Shawn Mendes, Reese Witherspoon, Rami Malek, and Jennifer Garner.
Lede PR Entrepreneurial Leap and Inception
Nothing had prepared the PR trio for the scary leap. While industry standards need entrepreneurs to secure clients before the launch, the Lede PR trio didn’t have such an option. Abiding by the industry code, they kept their plans under wraps to avoid destroying long-term relationships in their PR circles.
Following an emotional conversation with 42 West’s bosses, the Lede PR-trio had to make the daring jump without clients. News of their departure from 42 West spread fast. Celebrities they’d developed relationships started calling, and within a few days, Lede PR Company had an A-list client portfolio including Illumination Entertainment, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry and Will Smith, among others. To enable the PR firm to soar high, the trio specialized in areas they were best suited. O’Sullivan and Silverman specialized in talent while Rothman focused her efforts in corporate PR.
The partners specialize in various roles on a project-by-project basis. In the minion’s sequel, for example, O’Sullivan was in charge of the branding and pop culture, Rothman represented illumination, and Silverman was in charge of talent and client management.
Rising to The Top
Lede PR’s rise to the top has been quite interesting. The company has had notable events that have catapulted it to the top in Hollywood’s PR industry.
Firstly, Lede PR partnered with Heir agency’s talented team, which increased the partnership’s client portfolio by introducing clients ranging from foodie leaders Sweat Chick to leading fashion brands like Alpha industries. This also enabled Lede PR to increase its talent base by tapping into Christine Su’s (former Heir agency’s CEO) immense knowledge. That said, the partnership enabled Lede PR to develop a strong portfolio and increase its competitive edge.
Then, Lede PR struck a partnership with seasoned PR strategist Dvora Vener Englefield, and through the partnership, their client portfolio benefited from a star-studded roster including Shawn Mendes, John Legend and Camila Cabello. This development further enhanced Lede PR’s influence on Hollywood’s PR scene.
Lede PR has also scaled the heights of success by adopting a unique strategy: marrying social justice interests with PR and entertainment. Worth noting, the partners signed their names on a full-sized page of the New York Times in opposition to laws restricting access to abortion and reproductive care.
Lede PR recognizes the importance of its talent. Even better, the partners have designed a workplace that considers how their staff operate, which means creating an extremely balanced culture that enables the company to meet its staff’s needs.