On a recent Tuesday morning, my business partner and I woke up to an email from a client that read as such: “The launch story is out, it’s not nearly as big as I expected it to be, we need to talk NOW!” If you’ve worked in public relations in any capacity, odds are you’ve become accustomed to receiving communication of this nature at least several times a week. Panicked emails from clients are just one of the many reasons that publicists tend to be incredibly thick-skinned as well as experts at managing the often astronomically sized expectations of brand founders. And while that Tuesday was hardly any different from most days as the co-founder of boutique PR and marketing agency MBA Partners, the conversation that arose as a result of this particular panicking client got me thinking: Do founders have a solid understanding of the process of public relations and marketing? For example: Are they aware of the baseline level of investment in marketing and public relations that is needed to get a brand off the ground? Do they realize how long it can take to even begin to see results, and do they truly understand what goes into securing even the smallest of PR “wins”? If not, had I done a sufficient job of shedding light on what can often feel like a whole lot of smoke and mirrors? I began my career as a beauty writer and editor and then served as the public relations director at Dior Beauty for seven years before launching MBA Partners with my business partner, PR and marketing veteran Matthew Snyder—my experience has afforded me a unique perspective on what it takes to get a brand noticed and supported in the ever-evolving landscape of “earned”...