I didn’t anticipate saying goodbye to my company as I have known it for seven-and-a-half years. I had been flirting with the idea of making a drastic change for a while, but I couldn’t jump off the ledge into the deep, unknown waters – the waters that gave way for me to begin my company in the first place. Here I am, sipping cold coffee at a mid-century modern desk with accolades, hourglasses, and clutter surrounding me. I have to wonder, “Where did I go wrong?” The answer is that I didn’t go wrong. I am just evolving, as most healthy, self-informed humans tend to do.

What Hourglass Media Will Look Like Going Forward

I recently turned 34, and there is something about birthdays that invites moments of reflection – at least for me. I spent much of this year, and April onward in blog posts, mulling over what I want my career to look like. I’ve done a lot of work I have truly loved, with clients and partners that continue to do life-changing work in their spaces. However, you know when a change is afoot, and that change happened for me when my son was born.

Hourglass Media's New Direction and Purpose

EP4 of The Wholeheartedly Podcast revealed something I am currently struggling with: purpose and change. I just don’t want my career to look the same way it has for the last 13 years. Realizing that is scary. It’s an internal crisis of the highest order, especially for someone like me, who has it “all figured out.” It’s hard to undo what you have been doing, to knock down the beautiful structure you constructed out of blood, sweat, tears, love, vision, and so much more. I know, deep in my heart (and even in the logical parts of my mind), that I have to pivot in my career.

Seven Lessons I’ve Learned From Seven Years of Hourglass Media

While I have had my fair share of successes, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing on the road less traveled. I cannot tell you the number of times I have told my husband I want to just give up, that I am not “good” at this, that it would be easier if I just got a “real” job. At the end of the day, I know that is not part of my narrative. I am not meant to give up a company that I have worked so hard to build. At the end of the day, there will be trials and tribulations, moments of success, and everything in between. Without this company and its kaleidoscope of moments, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. In my true reflective fashion, here are seven lessons I have learned in my seven years as CEO of Hourglass Media.

Taking the First Steps To Create A Career You Love

While my career in public relations isn’t just writing, I use my written and other communication skills to build a company I love. I realize this process doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and I also know that a lot of us don’t have these aha moments at 13 years old. These five nuggets of advice will help you discover more of who you are so you can find or create a career you love.

Recalibrating your personal and professional goals for the new year

While I do not have recalibration figured out in its most cohesive form, it is the major theme of 2022. Whether you have a “Word of the Year” or not, it can be helpful to think about your work or an overall feeling you would like to achieve this year. What are some ways you can incorporate recalibration into your everyday life?

Five Communication Trends That Will Be at the Forefront in 2022

If we have learned anything in 2021, it’s that each of us has had to be flexible in our own ways. From hybrid events to the constant influx of misinformation, it has been a challenge to get past the fatigue and clutter to effectively communicate with our audiences. We are starving for in-person events but are also easily exhausted. Some of us have faced and conquered The Great Resignation, while others have stayed put to create lasting change in our own organizations. Here are five trends that we will continue to see in the new year and in the PR industry for years to come.

How the Pandemic Has Affected College Students

As I am finishing my last semester at Ohio University, I feel many emotions. A part of me is so drained and excited to be done with school, but the other part of me is sad at how much the pandemic has taken from my college experience. As I am starting to look at jobs and graduate schools, I find myself feeling unprepared. I am not alone in this feeling, as many of my peers feel the same way. I sent out an anonymous survey to many college students/recent graduates to see how they felt as well. In this blog post, I will share my peers’ and my own experiences and feelings as we are graduating and entering the workforce.

Mental Health Moments: Ways To Rediscover Into Your Identity

I will be the first to admit that acceptance is something that doesn’t come naturally to me. My entire life has been a kaleidoscope of dwelling on aspects of life I cannot change, wondering why experiences/people/places/things just can’t be different, and an entire host of other expectations. In short, I believe that most of my anxiety and depression lie in my relationship with acceptance. How can you learn to rewrite your own story and accept yourself more fully?

Additional Ethical Considerations for Your Daily PR Practice

September is Ethics Month! Here at Hourglass Media, ethics are at the core of who we are individually and as a company. While everyone brings a unique perspective and morality to the PR profession, the PRSA Code of Ethics serves as a constant and consistent blueprint for us to follow. We adhere to the PRSA Code of Ethics, which is the highest professional standard of the public relations industry.

Six Tactics I Use to Improve My Writing

Before I started working in PR, I was a self-proclaimed “good writer.” For school, I have had to write many papers of different styles. Because of this, I have learned how to crank out papers like a well-oiled machine. When I started working at Hourglass, I started to realize that my writing was okay, but I had so many areas that I could improve. Through this process of trying to improve my writing, I have found tactics that have helped my writing skills grow.

How I Found My Dual Purpose as a Mom and CEO

One year ago, my life completely changed forever. I do think my company was made for this moment. It’s the reason I created Hourglass Media: so I can live my own version of a successful life. What have I learned after a full year of being a new mom, the CEO of an always growing company, and a communicator (and human) in an ever-changing landscape? Here are three takeaways.

What I Have Learned About the World of PR

In January of 2020, I was hired as an Integrated Communications Intern at Hourglass Media. This was my first experience working in the public relations field. I have had classes that discussed PR, but I quickly learned that you can only learn so much from textbooks and lectures.

Healing Your Heart After A Pregnancy Loss

I honestly wish I didn’t have to release this book. Today marks a bittersweet moment in my professional -- and personal -- life. It’s the release date for my latest book, Healing Your Heart: A Prompted Journal for Pregnancy Loss. I wrote this book because suffering two miscarriages has changed the trajectory of my life. The eBook and print versions are now available.

Tips To Find A Quality Mentor

So, with all of that being said, should you devote time to finding a mentor? Like with all of my answers, I will say yes and no. Here are some things to keep in mind as you attempt to find a mentor or are in the midst of your own mentor-mentee relationship.

Should You Go To Grad School as a PR Pro?

This week is the second part of our New Professionals series. As someone who was once a new professional myself, I struggled to find answers to these pressing questions. I want to ensure that you don’t have to spin your wheels like I did! While I don’t have all of the answers -- or even ones that will resonate with you -- I do hope that something will spark interest, action, or understanding for you along the way. This week, we’re delving into the deep waters of grad school and if it’s for you -- or if you should keep that $20K or so in your pocket.

How To Gain Valuable PR Experience As A New Professional

If you’re a newly minted graduate or are thisclose to graduating, I fully empathize with you! It’s hard to balance the workload, expectations, and fears of the unknown. It can be a windy road. Here is an answer to one of young professionals’ most pressing questions with the hope that it can alleviate at least some of the inner turmoil: How do I get experience when I’m first starting my career? This is the first in a series of (at least) three questions. Think of this as the Dear Abby of PR questions and answers!

Bringing Light to the Unconventional Side of Mental Health

Hourglass Media’s Integrated Communications Assistant Isabella Mershon believes that too often, mental illnesses are romanticized. She wanted to share her and her peer’s stories — unfiltered. Please note: This blog post contains information and insight about mental health disorders and experiences that could be triggering for some. Please be advised.

Five Ways To Tell Your Clients' Stories

Hourglass Media constantly evolves, from what we offer to healthier, authentic, beautiful ways to communicate with our target audiences. We offer public relations, writing, resources, and other things. With more than one billion words to our name, we’re dedicated to showcasing the narratives of organizations and individuals in myriad formats.

Mental Health Moments: What We Learned During Our Mental Health Week

During the week of May 24-May 28, Hourglass Media observed its inaugural Mental Health Week. This week’s intention was to take a much-needed hiatus from client work and everyday work life #behindthehourglass. While we love what we do, we wanted to practice what we preach and make our mental health a priority during this week. Both of us wanted to give our takes on the week and what we learned about ourselves -- and our mental health -- during our Mental Health Week.