The PR Maven Podcast Nancy Marshall

In this episode of The PR Maven® Podcast, host Nancy Marshall welcome Kelsey and Derrick Ogletree, founders of Pitchcraft, a people-focused PR platform that aims to restore integrity and accountability in the media industry. Founded in 2021 and based in Florence, Alabama, Pitchcraft distinguishes itself by integrating a journalist's perspective into PR strategies, emphasizing relationship building among PR professionals, writers and editors. The platform offers membership to PR professionals, providing resources, content and community support to foster better connections and earned media placements. The founders discuss their journey from conceiving Pitchcraft during the pandemic to moving from Chicago to rural Alabama and the challenges they faced. They also highlight Pitchcraft's unique approach to PR, including focusing on lifestyle sectors, offering flexible payments and fostering a supportive community. Additionally, they share useful tips for crafting effective pitches and stress the importance of developing genuine relationships with media professionals. The episode concludes with a special offer for PR Maven podcast listeners and insights into the future of PR and media relations. 

00:00 Introduction to The PR Maven® Podcast 

02:07 Meet the Founders of Pitchcraft: Kelsey and Derrick Ogletree 

03:30 The Origins and Mission of Pitchcraft 

04:50 Pitchcraft's Unique Approach to PR and Media 

09:04 The Evolution of Pitchcraft: From Pandemic Idea to PR Platform 

12:43 The Future of PR 

15:50 Building Relationships in PR 

24:25 Crafting the Perfect Pitch: Tips and Strategies (continued at 34:15) 

29:10 What Defines Newsworthiness  

31:03 Walking The Line Between Being Helpful and Annoying With Journalists 

37:00 Closing Thoughts and How to Connect with Pitchcraft 

 

Get $200 off your first month of Pitchcraft using the code PRMAVEN.  

Free download about the top ways to build relationships with journalists.  
https://youtu.be/_TjcEBpNuIU
 

Related Episodes 

Episode 135: How To Borrow Credibility and Build Relationships, With Beth Nydick, Publicity Strategist at Beth Nydick Media 

Episode 230: How To Infuse Storytelling Into Your Brand, With Mads Hanna, Founder of Curated Compass 

Episode 130: How Small Businesses Can Earn Media Coverage, With Sabina Hitchen, Founder of Press for Success  

 
About Kelsey and Derrick  
Pitchcraft was co-founded in 2021 by husband-and-wife team Derrick and Kelsey Ogletree, who live in Florence, Alabama, with their 1-year-old son Asher. Having grown up in small towns and with strong family values, they’re passionate about bringing people together in meaningful, authentic ways. Through Pitchcraft, they aim to help restore integrity and accountability to the media industry through putting people first. 

Kelsey, CEO of Pitchcraft, is a Medill-trained independent journalist whose work has appeared in many print and digital outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, AARP The Magazine and others. Derrick, COO of Pitchcraft, is a graduate of the University of Alabama who previously spent over a decade in corporate finance. 

 

This episode is sponsored by: 

Pitchcraft - pitchcraft.media

In this podcast episode, host Nancy interviews Lisa Steele, the founder of Fresh Eggs Daily and a fifth-generation chicken keeper, about her journey from a career on Wall Street to becoming an authority on backyard chicken keeping and her recent pivot to the culinary world. Lisa shares insights into her childhood, her initial hesitance towards chickens, and how she turned her passion into a successful brand with a massive following, multiple best-selling books, and a television show. The conversation also delves into Lisa's strategic approach to personal branding, the importance of building a solid foundation beyond social media, her tips on avoiding burnout, and exploring new projects like a second cookbook and another season of her TV show. Additionally, Lisa talks about the significance of directly connecting with her audience through an email list and provides advice on building and maintaining a strong brand. 

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast: A Chat with Lisa Steele 

01:36 The Journey from Chicken Keeping to Cookbook Author 

03:31 Diving into the Culinary World: From Chickens to Cookbooks 

05:34 Personal Branding and the Power of Connection 

07:52 Navigating Business Success and the Importance of Pivoting 

08:35 Exploring Future Dreams and Expanding Horizons 

11:18 The Strategic Approach to Blogging and Social Media 

12:42 The Value of an Email List in Direct Marketing 

16:25 The Art of Avoiding Burnout and Embracing Change 

21:53 Considering the Future: Potential Sale and Brand Evolution 

26:20 Final Thoughts and How to Connect with Lisa Steele 
 
About Lisa  
Lisa Steele is a fifth-generation chicken keeper, author, and founder of Fresh Eggs Daily. With nearly a million followers worldwide, Lisa has been dubbed the queen of the coop and is known for her expertise in raising backyard chickens. She has written several top-selling books on raising backyard poultry and recently released her debut cookbook, the Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook. Lisa's career transitioned from chicken keeping to the culinary world through her passion for natural preventives and herbs, and she continues to focus on product development and brand marketing. 

This PR Maven Podcast® episode features Nancy's conversation with Kaylin (Kay) Kerina, the Maine Career Exploration program manager in Portland, Maine. Kay shares her journey from a varied career background to youth workforce development, emphasizing the importance of helping young Mainers find meaningful employment opportunities. She discusses her work in social justice, youth advocacy and community outreach, aiming to implement systemic change and support communities through a trust-based approach. The Maine Career Exploration program, part of the Department of Economic and Community Development, aims to connect 6,000 young people to work experiences in various industries, fostering passion and providing mentors. Kay also touches on her personal joy in gardening and how Maine employers and young people can get involved with the career exploration program. 

 

00:00 Welcome to the PR Maven Podcast with Kaylin (Kay) Kerina 

00:34 Kay Kerina's Journey: From Social Work to Career Exploration 

04:25 The Mission of Maine Career Exploration 

06:39 Personal Stories of Career Guidance 

09:12 Engaging Young People in Maine's Workforce 

11:30 The Importance of Passion in Career Choices 

19:35 A Gardening Detour: Kay's Personal Passions 

22:15 How Employers and Young People Can Get Involved 

25:00 Back to Business: Expanding Career Opportunities in Maine 

27:24 Tools for Productivity and Contact Information 
 

Related Episodes 

Episode 134: Why Maine is not just Vacationland, with Katie Shorey, director of engagement at Live + Work in Maine 

Episode 91: Why living and working in Maine will be valued more after COVID-19, with Edward McKersie, founder and president of ProSearch, Inc. and founder of Live and Work in Maine 

Episode 86: How your network can help during hard times, with Martin Grohman, executive director of E2Tech and host of the GrowMaine Show 

 
About Kay  
Kaylin (Kay) Kerina is the Maine Career Exploration Program Manager, with a background in social work, human services and alternative education. With over seven years of experience, Kay is dedicated to serving students with barriers to employment and advocating for youth in the community. Her work in Youth Workforce Development focuses on supporting youth to find meaningful work opportunities and implementing systemic change for the communities she supports. 

In this episode, Michelle Hood, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the American Hospital Association and former CEO of Northern Light Health, talks about her career in academic, national faith-based and rural healthcare integrated systems. In addition to talking about her career, Michelle gives career advice on risk-taking, establishing a pattern of lifelong learning and having enthusiasm for your work. Michelle and Nancy also talk about marketing and PR including the doors that can open through social media, the importance of a brand promise and measuring success.  

 

04:35 Developing Leadership Skills 

08:39 Risk-Taking Advice for Young People 

9:42 Doors That Can Open Through Social Media 

15:05 Why Politics Can Be an Obstacle to Success 

24:14 How Digital Activity, Surveys and Patient Satisfaction Can Measure Success 

26:47 The Importance of a Brand Promise. 

34:12 Helpful Resources 

36:42 Establishing a Pattern of Lifelong Learning and an Enthusiasm for the Work 

37:38 A Parting Thought About the Privilege of Living in Maine 

 

Related Episodes 

Episode 71: Top 10 PR Maven® Podcasts of 2019 

Episode 223: Building a Strong Brand Community, With Gale Auclair, Senior Development Director for the Trek Across Maine 

Episode 99: How AI is changing the world of health care, with Piali De, CEO of Senscio Systems 

 

About Michelle 

Michelle Hood is executive vice president and chief operating officer of the American Hospital Association. During the recording of this episode, Michelle was the president and CEO at Northern Light Health in Brewer, Maine. At Northern Light Health, she focused on healthcare policy and design models at the state and national levels, positioning the system to be successful in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. Michelle is the past chair of the Maine Hospital Association Board, the University of Maine System Board of Trustees, Vizient New England Board and Health Insights. Michelle received a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University and a Master of Health Care Administration from Georgia State University.  

In this episode, Annie Mahle shares some of the lessons of intention she learned from working in a tiny kitchen on her windjammer and how those lessons can spread to your life overall. Annie defines what a tiny kitchen is and how working in a tiny kitchen inspired her to write a cookbook, “The Tiny Kitchen Cookbook:  Strategies and Recipes for Creating Amazing Meals in Small Spaces,” to help others with tiny kitchens. Annie also talks about how she has built her personal brand around intention, from using all the food in the fridge, to what she brings into her home, to her morning routine. In addition to discussing the benefits of PR, Annie shares how she puts together her social media calendar. 

00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast 

01:47 Introducing Guest: Annie Mahle 

03:05 Getting Into Cooking Through Windjamming 

06:41 Cooking in Small Kitchens 

11:00 Annie’s Favorite Way To Cook 

13:29 A Personal Brand Focused on Intention 

19:59 PR Lending an Outside Perspective 

22:16 The Benefits of PR When Compared to Advertising 

25:48 Creating a Social Media Calendar 

27:35 Helpful Resources 


 

Related Episodes 

Episode 219: Growing Your Passion Into a Brand, With Cherie Scott, Founder and Owner of Mumbai to MAINE 

Episode 198: How To Combine PR and Personal Branding To Create Success for Your Business, With Amber Lambke 

Episode 212: The Difference Between PR And Advertising, And Where the Lines Are Fading 

 

About Annie   

Annie Mahle has been cooking professionally for over 30 years in her own kitchens and other people's kitchens. Annie trained at The Culinary Institute of America and owned and ran the Schooner J. & E. Riggin, a Maine Windjammer, with her husband.  In that tiny galley, she prepared three meals a day for guests all summer long. Her cooking, recipes and cookbooks have been highlighted on TODAY and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay. Her food and the Riggin have been featured in the Food Network, Family Circle, Woman’s Day, the Boston Globe and more. Her award-winning cookbook, “The Tiny Kitchen Cookbook:  Strategies and Recipes for Creating Amazing Meals in Small Spaces,” has been well received in the tiny space community, but also in larger kitchens where home cooks are looking for healthy, smart recipes for two. 

In this episode, Nancy’s mentor, Chip Carey, shares his top tips from his 40+ year career in marketing and public relations. Find out why it is important to treat your hometown paper well, how to build relationships with reporters and journalists, and the benefits of telling a visual story and making it easy for the media to share those visuals. The most impactful tip for your career: don’t be afraid of change. Stay on top of changing technologies. Don’t be afraid to change how your brand is perceived. The ability to adapt and change will help you stay in touch with your audience. Speaking of audience, make sure you know who your customer is, so you don’t waste time and money targeting the wrong people. All this and so much more as Nancy and Chip reminisce and share special stories from their work together.  

 

00:00 Introducing Guest: Chip Carey   

01:52 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast 

02:53 How a Love of Photography Led Chip to PR 

07:32 How To Build Strong Relationships With Reporters and Journalists 

14:15 A Lesson of Making a Story Visual 

16:31 Why Social Media Shouldn’t Fall Under PR 

21:34 Chip’s Time at Sugarloaf and Jackson Hole 

29:17 The Battles Between Sugarloaf and Sunday River 

39:32 The Legend of Paul Schipper  

50:27 The Importance of Events in Attracting Media Attention 

55:31 Being a Student of the Game 

 

Related Episodes  

Episode 104: How To Grow an Already Established Brand With Karl Strand 

Episode 10: Bill Green, Reporter, Anchor and Executive Producer at NEWS CENTER Maine 

Episode 164: How To Adapt to Changing Customer Preferences, With Dana Bullen   

 

About Chip  

With 46 years of experience in the ski industry, Chip Carey has held positions at many ski resorts across the country. Carey worked at Sugarloaf for 26 years, filling roles in sales, marketing and public relations. He also took on a position at The Canyons resort in Utah, where he was responsible for the NBC Today Show live coverage for 14 days of the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002. For four years, Carey worked across a network of eight resorts as senior VP of marketing for the American Skiing Company using his wide range of skills to build brands and revenues. From his experience building Sugarloaf as a skiing destination, despite the mountain’s remote location, to the launching of new brands, Carey has been involved in many aspects of ski resort operation.