Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Kent.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Victoria. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m one of those few people who are doing what they went to school for. I went to Illinois State University and received a BS in Public Relations. From there, I worked at a few small agencies before landing at The Merchandise Mart, which is where I really learned PR. I had great mentors and started handling trade shows and went from a contract employee to coordinator to PR manager in four years. After that, I worked for a hospitality focused PR firm and that’s where I realized that I loved food & beverage focused public relations. I went on to become the PR Director at Rockit Ranch, where I oversaw the re-opening of The Underground and openings of Bottlefork and The Duck Inn. A highlight was securing two TODAY Show and GMA Live segments within a 12-week span with five total TODAY Show segments in 13 months.
I, then went out on my own and have been a freelance publicist for 3 1/2 years, which each year getting better and better. I have a fantastic roster of returning clients and have had some really great placements.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of the biggest struggles has been learning the business side of owning my own company. Luckily, my sister is an accountant and has been able to be a great resource. I’ve also been able to tap my friend group for advice, as many of them are also business owners.
I would advise anyone looking to start their business to dive into it and start it off the right way. Consult with an accountant and lawyer to LLC right away, set up your banking the right way, create really good contracts, etc.
We’d love to hear more about Victoria Kent PR.
I specialize in food & beverage public and influencer relations. I would say creativity is something that sets me a part. I work with clients to ideate unique specials and menu items that help create really fun PR moments for them. I make sure the idea works across all platforms from TV, print to social media.
I also offer photography and food styling as a part of my retainer. This has allowed me to move fast and to get writers what they need within deadlines. Photography is so important to food & beverage PR and really helps tell the story. My photos have been seen in the Redeye, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Forbes, Food & Wine, and more.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
The workplace right now is all about wearing multiple hats, multi-tasking and working smarter not harder as there are fewer resources and fewer people hired to do a job. I think women are excelling in that type of work as we have the ability to all of those things really well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.victoriakentpr.com
- Email: victoria@victoriakentpr.com
- Instagram: @SuperVicky55
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriakentpr/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/victoriakentpr
Image Credit:
Theodore Venable
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
