Lenny's PodcastThe ultimate guide to PR | Emilie Gerber (founder of Six Eastern)
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 5:01
Why PR advice needs to be tactical (and how to find a compelling “nugget”)
Emilie and Lenny set the tone: most PR talk is high-level, but startups need concrete steps. They tease the core challenge—turning messy internal messaging into a crisp pitch a reporter can quickly understand.
- •PR guidance is often theoretical; founders need actionable steps
- •Startups overcomplicate problem statements and trend narratives
- •Pattern-matching simple, proven pitch structures often works better
- •Preview of live pitch teardown examples later in the episode
- 5:01 – 6:57
The real value of press: credibility, recruiting, sales enablement, and other second-order effects
Emilie explains why press can matter even when it doesn’t create obvious sign-up spikes. The main upside for many B2B companies is third-party validation that helps across sales, recruiting, partnerships, and fundraising conversations.
- •Press often doesn’t drive direct growth—but boosts credibility
- •Third-party validation helps buyers trust early-stage tools
- •Sales teams can use articles/logos in outbound to increase reply rates
- •Recruiters can use coverage to strengthen outreach
- 6:57 – 12:57
When press does drive growth: B2C dynamics and the role of affiliate marketing
They contrast B2B’s indirect benefits with cases where B2C press can directly generate sign-ups. Emilie also demystifies affiliate marketing and why product-review coverage often works differently from traditional PR.
- •Some consumer products see major traffic/sign-up spikes from coverage
- •Low friction + easy-to-grasp value prop increases PR-driven conversion
- •Affiliate marketing: publications earn commission from tracked purchases
- •Many review-focused publications rely on affiliate economics
- 12:57 – 16:57
Fundraising PR: when it’s worth it and how to pitch funding rounds effectively
Lenny asks when fundraising announcements are worth the effort. Emilie argues funding stories are usually coverable if you pitch correctly—clear, direct, and aligned to the right beat—with disciplined follow-ups and exclusives.
- •Funding stories are competitive; TechCrunch covers a small subset
- •Effective pitch: explicit intent, amount raised, space, investors, exclusive
- •Avoid overbuilt narratives—be concise and pattern-match the outlet
- •Follow-up strategy: respectful, spaced out, add new context each time
- 16:57 – 25:31
Publication-by-publication playbook: what each outlet is good for (and what not to pitch)
Emilie walks through major startup-relevant publications and how to tailor your approach to each. She emphasizes that media shifts quickly, so you must continually update assumptions about beats, formats, and what editors want.
- •TechCrunch: strongest for funding; also events/podcasts as additional paths
- •Axios: deals-focused; great beats in fintech/healthcare; avoid product pitches
- •Business Insider: pitch-deck stories, entrepreneurial journeys, niche lists
- •VentureBeat: strong for AI; Fast Company: future of work/design/leadership; Forbes: awards + contributor network
- 25:31 – 27:19
Managing risk: avoiding negative or off-angle stories and what you can’t control
Lenny shares the anxiety of not knowing what a reporter will publish. Emilie explains the limits of influence—no editorial control beyond factual corrections—and the importance of prepping spokespeople to repeat the intended framing.
- •You generally can’t change angles—only correct factual inaccuracies
- •Briefing matters: rehearse and reiterate key messages consistently
- •Provide strong materials to increase odds the article matches your framing
- •Accept that reporters aren’t employees and must maintain editorial integrity
- 27:19 – 31:17
Finding aligned podcasts and awards: research process and the “lightweight opener” outreach
Emilie describes how her team builds target lists for podcasts and awards using basic search plus qualitative screening. She recommends starting outreach with a friendly, low-commitment message to increase reply rates.
- •Start with customer/vertical clarity, then search widely (Google first)
- •Qualitative screening: guest types, spokesperson fit (e.g., pitch CFO to CFO shows)
- •Check recency/quality and validate relevance via past guests
- •Outreach tactic: short LinkedIn note—“Are you open to guest ideas?”
- 31:17 – 36:30
Warm intros vs cold outreach: how to reach reporters and get replies across platforms
They tackle the myth of the PR ‘Rolodex.’ Emilie argues cold outreach can be just as effective when done thoughtfully, and she shares practical channel tactics—Twitter, DMs, email subject lines, and respectful persistence.
- •Relationships mainly help with replies, not guaranteed coverage
- •Use a multi-channel approach: email, X/Twitter replies, DMs, LinkedIn (esp. podcasts)
- •Great subject lines: explicit goal + column name + proposed source
- •Best pitches are often ~3 sentences; follow up politely and humanly
- 36:30 – 44:34
Contrarian angles that get attention—and why category creation usually fails in PR pitches
Emilie explains how controversial or contrarian perspectives can help reporters write balanced stories. She also argues strongly against ‘category creation’ language in PR outreach, preferring comparisons to known incumbents for clarity.
- •Contrarian stance helps you stand out in crowded topics (e.g., AI)
- •Example: critique of Shopify’s meeting approach became a Fast Company op-ed
- •Avoid “we created a new category” framing—doesn’t land with reporters
- •Use incumbent framing: “doing what Salesforce does, but better because…”
- 44:34 – 52:18
Pitches that worked: Ramp vs Bill.com, Column Tax’s mission-led narrative, and Gamma’s creative launch
Emilie shares concrete examples of successful pitches and why they worked: clear framing, timely broader context, and creative assets that make a story easy to tell. The common theme is giving reporters a ready-made lens that connects to what audiences care about.
- •Ramp: positioned as taking on Bill.com—incumbent narrative attracted CNBC
- •Column Tax: focused on tax filing for low-income families amid TurboTax/IRS context
- •Gamma: used a Gamma deck as the press asset—visual, concise, reporter-friendly
- •Practical tactic: share deeper assets after interest to avoid “on the record” risks
- 52:18 – 57:27
Pitching Lenny: what made the guest pitch work and how many outreaches it really takes
They dissect Emilie’s successful pitch to Lenny, showing how a couple of sharp facts can create immediate curiosity. Emilie also explains outreach volume: fewer targets for hard news (with exclusives), more volume for podcasts and softer relationship-building.
- •A few “wow” bullets beat a long narrative (e.g., organic growth, surprising scale)
- •Research doesn’t always require deep consumption—episode titles reveal patterns
- •Hard news: pitch 1–6 reporters with exclusives and staggered outreach
- •Podcasts/soft outreach: more of a numbers game; balance quantity with respect
- 57:27 – 1:09:24
Fixing weak announcements: eliminate jargon, use real metrics, and rethink press releases
Emilie reads examples of jargon-heavy copy that obscures what a company does, then offers a rewrite mindset. She argues press releases are largely outdated for startups and recommends blog posts as more flexible, shareable, and modern announcement vehicles.
- •Test clarity: read copy out loud; ensure a stranger can explain the product
- •Answer basics plainly: what it does, who it’s for, who uses it, why now
- •Avoid meaningless early-stage % growth stats; give concrete, contextual metrics
- •Press releases: expensive distribution, low readership; blog posts are more shareable and adaptable
- 1:09:24 – 1:17:43
Modern PR mix: newsletters/podcasts as core PR, and how to approach executive social presence
They discuss how newsletters and podcasts now belong in any PR strategy, not as optional extras. Emilie explains why executive-led social usually outperforms brand channels and why success requires real opinions, not just posting cadence.
- •Newsletters/podcasts are part of “traditional” PR execution now
- •Social is harder to outsource; founder/executive authenticity matters
- •Executive accounts typically outperform corporate channels for sustained attention
- •Bold, clear opinions can feed back into press by giving reporters quotable material
- 1:17:43 – 1:19:12
A tactical PR shortcut: how to get featured in Morning Brew’s coworking series
Emilie shares a specific, repeatable play: Morning Brew’s coworking series has a public submission form across multiple verticals. With thoughtful, non-promotional answers, she’s seen strong odds of landing a feature quickly.
- •Morning Brew coworking series exists across verticals (HR Brew, Emerging Tech, etc.)
- •Public submission form with ~10 questions
- •Optimize for interesting, human answers—not self-promo
- •Often better to feature a role-aligned exec rather than the CEO
- 1:19:12 – 1:22:06
Choosing a PR agency: what to ask, what to avoid, and how to judge quality quickly
Lenny asks how to pick an agency and when it’s worth it. Emilie warns against assuming big-name agencies are best for startups, suggests concrete diligence questions, and shares her view on RFPs and evaluating writing quality.
- •Big agencies can be too reactive/slow for startup PR; seek scrappy experimentation
- •Ask what month one looks like—avoid long ramp cycles with no execution
- •Request recent writing samples and inspect for clarity vs marketing-speak
- •Meet the actual day-to-day team; avoid heavy RFPs that repel top agencies
- 1:22:06 – 1:25:20
Timing and budget expectations for PR: lead time, flexibility, retainers, and project pricing
Emilie outlines typical lead times for major announcements and why flexibility beats rigid launch dates. She also shares transparent pricing ranges for agencies, retainers, and one-off story support.
- •Ideal lead time: ~6 weeks for a major announcement (assets, training, outreach)
- •Optimize timing for reporter availability over arbitrary internal dates
- •Typical agency floor: ~$10k/month; boutique retainers often ~$15k+
- •One-off support: commonly ~$10k–$20k (consultants may be lower)
- 1:25:20 – 1:33:54
Lightning round: books, media tastes, interview tactics, favorite products, and personal motto
They close with a rapid set of personal questions that reveal Emilie’s interests and operating principles. The segment adds color on how she thinks about learning, hiring, and staying adaptable.
- •Book: How to Change Your Mind (Michael Pollan) and interest in perspective shifts
- •Favorite genre: post-apocalyptic/survival; recent favorite: Yellowjackets
- •Interview question: handling a client who overestimates press-worthiness
- •Motto: “Strong opinions loosely held”; product picks: Apple Vision Pro, Perplexity
