the PR Poet: my art, my voice, my community, my private practice
Today, I'm thrilled to reintroduce the PR Poet: a strategic storytelling agency blending the artistry of poetry with the business savvy nuances of public relations.
The world is changing rapidly for media professionals and small business owners everyday. That’s always been the nature of the business. While the news cycle promotes narratives about AI and the toxic misuse of media, we cannot forget that public relations is not only about catering to the whims of the internet.
It’s about using our skills to evolve in our scholarship as writers, designers, psychologists, sociologists, and business leaders to connect with human beings. We can’t forget that we have the power to make our work about good relationships and how we make people feel.
This past year I started asking myself again who I wanted to become in the next ten years. The answer was always more creative in nature and more expressive in my voice and perspective. We are often creating for connection with a deeper reflection of ourselves, and sharing our perspective is the beginning of creating that community.
It’s how brands are built. It’s how we organize for political causes. It’s how art evolves from an object into an heirloom. It’s not only in the story we tell, but in how those stories are felt.
Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian communication theorist, said "The medium is the message" in his 1964 book, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, arguing that the characteristics of a communication medium shape how we perceive and understand the world, more so than the content it carries.
Exploring this theory alongside clients everyday is my art. It’s how I continue to cultivate my voice. It’s the foundation of my growing community. It’s my reason for re-opening the PR Poet—to practice mediums and messaging extensively.
the PR Poet is inspired by Sylvia Plath for her “thrashing, hyperactive, perpetually accelerated” poetry, E.E. Cummings for his “innovative, non-conforming use of language,” Mary Oliver for her “unadorned and accessible themes.” A storytelling agency transforming ideas into compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.
If you have been connected with me for a while, you will know that in 2016 I started the PR Poet by hanging fliers around New Haven, Connecticut that said, “Every introvert needs an extrovert. Every writer needs a publicist.” I have always been the kind of person to ask myself questions, “If not now, when?” “What would I do if I knew I could not fail?”
Adventures always unfold thereafter.
I’m grateful to all the business owners who invested in me, including New York Times bestselling author David Hays, for whom I provided publicity for his book, Setting the Stage and mActivity Fitness Center and the blog interview series we launched featuring Yale-area community members.
When I moved to Chicago in 2018, I wanted to pursue another aspect of my career in the nonprofit sector where I could grow as the humanitarian that I am. It was a gut feeling that I followed, and for the next six years I developed communications strategies for organizations tackling nuanced topics related to alleviating childhood poverty, advocacy, filmmaker development programs, and educational equity. The unique communications challenges and opportunities these organizations faced developed me into a highly skilled and sensitive practitioner.
Since the soft launch of my business in April, I have had the privilege of consulting with ma pa chicago, a lifestyle brand and interior design shop, Dick & Jane Educational Snacks, a food & beverage brand, and Women Unite! a professional consultancy for nonprofits.
I know that I am entering some of the most creative years of my life through this next chapter with the PR Poet. I feel it in my gut. I’m looking forward to creating narratives that foster meaningful connections together.
Production credits:
Website design, the PR Poet, Stephanie Held-Rutzen
Videography and Photography, Aidan Sweet
Video editing, the PR Poet, Stephanie Held-Rutzen
Copywriting, the PR Poet, Stephanie Held-Rutzen