December 7, 2025 • 26 mins
For all the business mums out there... Tired of posting daily and hoping the algorithm notices? We sat down with publicist KJ Blattenbauer to unpack a calmer, smarter path to visibility that actually brings clients.
KJ has helped overlooked experts move from “best kept secret” to media-backed authority, and she’s refreshingly honest about the mindset traps that keep capable people hiding: fear of bragging, trolls, and the myth that going viral equals growth.
We dig into how to tell your story without feeling salesy, the enduring power of third‑party credibility, and why PR still works in any market. KJ shares a preview of her new book, Pitchworthy, which pairs pep talk with practicals: finding your angle, building a targeted media list, writing useful pitches, and planning for the inevitable criticism that comes with being visible. Her take is simple and liberating: authority compounds when respected outlets vouch for you, and those features keep working long after a social post disappears.
You’ll also hear a candid look at real life behind the highlight reel. We talk time blocking, colour‑coded priorities, and the truth that no one “juggles it all.” For many of us (especially mums) there’s power in recognising transferable strengths: planning, prioritising, and delivering under pressure. Those skills belong on your professional stage. We challenge the 100 percent rule, too: apply, pitch, and ship at 60 percent, then learn in public. Action builds confidence; waiting drains it.
If you’re ready to trade noise for credibility and step into steady, sustainable visibility, this conversation will give you a clear first step and the courage to take it.
Follow KJ on Instagram @kjblattenbauer and find more info on her website: https://www.hearsaypr.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:24):
Welcome to Beyond Organised, the podcast that helps you simplify your life and amplify your purpose. I'm Mel Schenker, life coach, speaker, founder of She's Organised, but, more importantly, a wife and mum of four little kids. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, like you're constantly juggling everything but never quite catching up, this is the place for you. Here we go beyond just the tidying up and creating systems. We're talking about real life strategies that bring order to your life, but also we talk about the things beyond the organising, the things that really matter, like your parenting relationships and so much more. So grab your coffee and let's dive in.
(01:00):
Welcome back to another episodeof Beyond Organised.
I have KJ here today.
So I am going to give you aquick introduction to who this
incredibly accomplished womanis.
And then you can listen to heramazing story.
So KJ Blattenbar is apowerhouse publicist who turns
(01:23):
overlooked experts into headlinenews.
With nearly 30 years ofexperience, she's the go-to pro
when you're ready to stop beingignored and start owning the
spotlight.
Known for her bold yetapproachable style, KJ delivers
clear, actionable strategiesthat have been featured
everywhere from Forbes toarchitectural digest.
She's also the author of theDIY PR book How to Be a Media
(01:47):
Darling.
And the forthcomingPitchworthy, which is set to
come out in January.
It's a modern guide to buildinglasting visibility and
authority.
So I'm looking forward tohearing how incredible this
woman is.
So welcome to the show, KJ.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for havingme.
Oh, you're so welcome.
(02:08):
I love how we connected throughSusie.
So she was on the episodebefore this.
So everyone already knows howincredible she is.
But through connecting withher, I was like, you are
incredible too.
You need to come on the show.
So I would love to hear aboutwhat you do and what inspired
(02:30):
you to get into this industry.
KJ (02:32):
Sure, sure.
So I basically do publicrelations.
I help small business ownersand experts, like coaches,
artists, interior designers,lawyers, doctors, anyone that
wants to amplify their messageand their presence.
I basically help them sharetheir passion with the world.
I like to call myselfeveryone's favorite hype girl
(02:54):
because just like you talk aboutyour best friend and how
awesome they are, I get to dothat for small businesses and
founders and startups and coolbrands.
So every day I get to bragabout how cool my friends are
and my friends become clients.
So all of these 28 years ago, Iwent to college.
My work study job in college tohelp pay for tuition was to do
(03:17):
promotions.
I was an athlete, and then youhad to have a kind of side job
to learn responsibility.
Because as if going to schooland being an athlete wasn't
enough, it wasn't.
Mel (03:40):
I love that you've created a whole career out of talking.
KJ (03:44):
That's a good job.
Yeah, if your kids ever comehome with talks too much on
their report card, be like,well, I'm gonna be a publicist.
So there you go.
Everybody wins.
Mel (03:53):
That's uh definitely an idea for my eldest because he
just talks, talks, and thentalks some more.
So that's an idea.
So how do you help people or inwhat you do?
And I would love to also hear alittle bit more about your
book.
So I'm sure that'll lead intoit.
KJ (04:15):
I think all too often when you are a business owner or
you're working on something,whether it's service or
product-based, you're so busy inwhat you're doing, creating
what you're doing, bringing itout to the world.
You've invested your blood,your sweat, your heart, your
tears, sometimes all of yourmoney into it.
Yeah.
And then once you've birthedthis business baby, what do you
(04:37):
do with it?
So many people then getembarrassed by what they've done
and they feel like it'sbragging or boasting or, you
know, trying to be too much maincharacter energy by telling
people the amazing thing thatthey just accomplished.
And so I help them tell theirstory because literally, no
matter what you do forprofession, even if you think
(04:57):
it's boring, even if you don'tthink it's interesting, every
single one of us has an amazingstory that the media wants to
hear, that other people want tohear.
And I like to point out to myclients and others, your
listeners, if you don't shareyour gift with the world,
whether it's a product or aservice, then you aren't able to
help anyone.
Why would you want to be thebest kept secret?
I help people promote theirbrands, I help them promote
(05:21):
themselves, I help them puttheir services out there so they
can truly help people.
And I love doing it everysingle day.
Mel (05:27):
I could see how by you even doing that, you are building
people's confidence as well.
And actually going, well, hangon a second.
I'm not just getting stuck inmy own head or I'm not bragging
too much or it's a level ofconfidence that's healthy to be
able to promote yourself, butstill be humble, still be you.
(05:47):
That's really different.
KJ (05:49):
Because I think, you know, women in particular are taught,
you know, you're supposed to beseen and not heard.
Don't speak until you're spokento.
Like that's how we were raisedwhen we were little, and thank
goodness we've come a long wayin the times.
But for a lot of people, ifthey feel if they bring
attention to themselves, theyfeel like it's gonna be negative
attention.
They feel like they have toshrink, they have to hide, they
have to do whatever.
(06:09):
And I like to remind people,no, be proud of what you've
done, be proud of what youaccomplished, be proud of what
you know.
If you're passionate and careabout some something, tell every
single person that you canabout that.
Mel (06:21):
That is, no, that that's truly what that's why we started
in business our business orbooks or whatever it is we did
was to help people, right?
So you you don't want to get sofar, create everything, do
everything, and then not keepgoing all the way through.
KJ (06:39):
And there's this huge myth that, like, within uh the dawn
of social media, look, socialmedia is great, it's also a
hindrance, as we all know.
Yeah.
As good of me, like everythingelse.
But there's this belief,especially with small
businesses, that if I just postevery single day on social
media, one day the right personwill find me.
One day I'm gonna go viral.
And the truth is, even if youdo go viral, you're gonna gain
(07:00):
followers that aren't gonna beclients, they're not gonna be
buyers, they're not gonnapurchase, they're just there to
watch whatever the car wreck isthat will inevitably come when
you get too we get too small.
And you know, traditional PRhasn't changed in the decades
that it's been.
It's always been the same, andit's it hasn't shifted with the
internet or without theinternet.
Social media isn't gonna changeit, AI won't change it.
(07:21):
Having someone like me, apublicist, say that you're
great, it might not convincepeople, but having a reputable
news outlet say that you, yourproduct or service is great,
that immediately raises thegravitas of what you're doing.
It changes the game.
And it's very, very easy to do,which is why I wrote
Pitchworthy.
Because I believe you shouldn'thave to be famous or a
(07:43):
celebrity or pay tens ofthousands of dollars a month to
have your dreams promoted.
Anybody can do it.
It's very simple if you takethe time.
You just need to know thesteps.
And so pitchworthy, it's halfpep talk because we all need the
pep talk when we get thedisaster syndrome, we're all
feeling looks insecure.
So it's half pep talk, but thenit's half, hey, here's what PR
(08:05):
is, here's how you can use it,here's how you find your target
audience, how you pitch themedia, and oh, here's how you
handle the trolls because onceyou're somebody, everybody's
gonna come for you.
Mel (08:14):
Yeah, yeah.
Now that's really good becauseeven someone like myself, you
know, I'm just small fish in avery big pond at the moment.
But because I've I've had thisbusiness for a year now.
So I'm still finding my feet,and I'm still trying to wrap my
head around the social media andeverything else, and just
(08:37):
getting out there and all thethings that you're supposed to
do.
And it's it can be quiteoverwhelming in that at times
too, because ultimately I justwant to coach.
I just want to help people.
I want to, I just want itpeople to do better in life.
And I don't want to have to bethinking about how do I promote
(08:58):
myself, how do I get it outthere into more hands?
I just it's uh that is not myexpertise at all.
So we need people like you.
KJ (09:09):
Yeah, exactly.
At the end of the day, you'rebusy coaching, you have clients,
you have a family, you have alife, you need to get your eight
hours of sleep and drink your40 ounces or whatever it is of
water.
You don't want to be dancing onTikTok.
Like that's not gonna help youfind clients.
And so it's really publicrelations is it look, it's part
of the wheel, right?
You can do email, you can dosocial, you can do paid ads, you
(09:30):
can do referral systems,affiliates, influencers, you can
do so many things to draweyeballs to your business.
But I just wish people wouldlook beyond just social media,
just running ads.
Yeah, those are two of thebusiest lanes that you could be
playing in right now.
Yeah.
If you're a business owner,service, or product.
There's a million other ways todrive attention to what you're
(09:51):
doing.
Yeah, PR is one and it's free.
Mel (09:55):
Hmm.
You're getting me thinkinghere.
When you have people expressinterest in reaching out for PR
help, what do you think is themain thing that's holding them
back from having even reachedout in the first place?
KJ (10:12):
The money and the cost, they're worried about what it's
gonna cost because a lot of PRpeople do charge a lot of money.
But I think the second thing isthey're worried about what
other people are gonna think.
If they put themselves outthere, they're worried about
what people will think.
And honestly, what other peoplethink have never paid any of my
bills, so I don't worry aboutwhat other people think.
Mel (10:31):
Yeah, fair enough.
I I guess as I'm getting older,I'm caring less and less about
what other people think.
And I think that's also whyI've started the business now,
too.
Because if it was even fiveyears ago, I think I still cared
too much on people's opinionsof me that I wouldn't have
survived.
KJ (10:50):
Yeah, yeah.
20-year-old me is this is46-year-old me, and I could care
less about what anyone elsethinks about what I'm doing.
20-year-old me too, too.
Mel (11:02):
I'm approaching 40s as well, so it's just life shifts,
it changes a bit, andparticularly raising kids and
all that too.
It's like, I do not have themental capacity to deal with
what other people think of me.
KJ (11:15):
Right.
Yeah, no, but I think that'swhat holds people back, and it's
a shame because again, you'rehiding your light, you're
dimming your light, you're notsharing your gifts with the
world because you're worriedabout what Sally down the street
is gonna say.
Mel (11:28):
Yeah.
KJ (11:29):
Sally will do whatever Sally needs to do.
She's got enough time to comeon your stuff.
Sally's not doing anything ofher own.
Mel (11:35):
Yeah.
Well, it's sort of like thatwhole keeping up with the
Joneses in some ways, isn't it?
And it's just, and nowadayswith social media and
everything, we're seeingeverybody's highlight reel while
we're looking at our own behindthe scenes mess.
KJ (11:49):
And it's not a fair comparison.
Right.
And I can tell you from alifetime of helping people build
those highlight reels, nobodyhas it all together.
All of us have hot messesbehind the scenes, all of us
have done really stupid things.
Look, right now, I'm talking toyou on this podcast.
I have a book coming out.
My clients are killing it.
My website is in disarray andneeds to get dealt with.
(12:12):
So, like, we all have littlemesses and fire to put out on
the back end, but you know, it'sthat's the fun of being in
business.
Mel (12:20):
Yeah, right.
So, how do you juggle it all?
How do you juggle doing whatyou do and helping others, but
also being on top of things inyour own life?
KJ (12:31):
Well, I mean, I don't think I do.
I think it's a myth that anyonedoes.
And I think if people, youknow, I'm sure people, I'm sure
there might be people who lookat my life and be like, oh,
she's really killing it.
Um, I'm not.
I know.
Um, I think I forgot to feedthe dogs breakfast the other
day.
They're alive though, right?
But you know, I mean SarahMcLaughlin and the Humane
Society commercial was paying inthe background.
(12:52):
But I I think that there no onehas it all together.
You know, one, I think ithelps.
I love what I do.
I have created my life and Ihave picked a profession and I
have a business where I get toget up every single morning and
it sounds so corny.
I get to do whatever the hell Iwant to.
I get to work with whoever Iwant to.
I get to promote who I want to,how I want to, to the people
(13:16):
that I want to.
And I am blessed that way.
But I've worked really hard for28 years to be able to do that
in my 40s.
And I think I think what peopledon't realize is you can change
what you do at any single time.
You are not trapped in onething, you are never too old,
you can shift and pivot incareer as many your career as
(13:36):
many times as you want to andtry new things, but you gotta
find the thing that lights youup.
So long days, early hours,ridiculous deadlines, do they
suck?
Sometimes they do.
But I love what I do and I lovemy clients, and they're so
appreciative that even the hard,long days and the going back
and forth between crazydeadlines, it's not, it's
something that I enjoy.
(13:56):
And so I think helps.
But I also am ridiculouslycolor-coded on my to-do list and
try and block my time where Ican.
So there's a little bit of atype A personality.
I think I'm an anagram three,which would surprise no one that
I know of.
Mel (14:12):
The other part is I just really love what I do.
Yeah, and and that has to bekey, isn't it?
Because if I didn't love what Iwas doing, I certainly the
business would have shut down bynow.
Because this has been probablythe toughest year of my life.
But it's also the mostfulfilling.
Like I actually feel like I'vestepped into my calling, my
(14:35):
purpose.
I love what I'm doing.
I love who I'm helping.
I'm still kind of in shock andsurprise that it is helping.
But I I but you wouldn't do it.
You wouldn't put in all thathard effort, all those long
hours and sleepless nights ifyou didn't love what you were
doing.
And it's so key.
And I just find that even a lotof the mums that listen to
(15:00):
this, you know, they come acrossme because they're overwhelmed,
they're feeling stuck in life,things are a little bit
challenging.
But I want to encourage you,okay, you don't have to
necessarily start a businesslike KJ, like me.
You don't have to do all ofthat, but find the thing that
lights you up.
Like you don't just have to be,okay.
(15:20):
I see this, I say thisrespectfully, but you don't just
have to be a mom.
Like no, you don't.
There's so much more to us.
KJ (15:29):
Yeah, and you know what?
There are there is so there isso much more, right?
Like, as if being a mom isn't ahard enough job.
Yeah, it's a full-time job.
Yeah, more, right?
You have to keep someone alive.
Yeah, full-times multiplepeople.
I'm not keeping anyone alive,I'm just talking, you know, like
I got it easy compared to moms.
But what is amazing about momsis they are the most organized
(15:51):
and streamlined and efficientand like assertive human beings
on earth.
Like, if you need somethingdone or you need help, you find
a mom because they're gonna helpyou, they're gonna figure it
out, they're gonna get it done,and they're gonna have snacks.
Like they're the best and babywipes.
What's a mess?
Yeah, your hands will besticky, your belly will be full,
problem will be solved.
Mel (16:12):
Yeah, exactly.
And I think that's actuallywhen things started to pivot for
me in the corporate world wasafter I became a mum to my first
child.
And obviously, I grew a lot inthat period of time and and
everything, but I actuallystarted to realize just how
organized I really am and howthere were specific tasks that I
(16:35):
was being assigned to completeand do because I had this level
of detail, proficiency, andefficiency to get it done like
that while all these young20-year-olds were just like
still figuring out how to spellsomething, you know?
Right, right, yeah.
So there's a lot that we cancan give, but yeah, you don't
(16:59):
even have to be a mum, but justa woman that knows what she
wants.
I think even if you've just gotthis idea that you think is so
far-fetched, so out there, no,oh, I couldn't do that.
What are the risks?
You know, oh, it's soembarrassing if I fail.
Give it a go.
KJ (17:17):
You know, that is the myth.
And I think that that, I thinkthat is the one thing that
separates me from a lot ofpeople I know.
I don't have that.
Something is broken in me whereI don't have the it's gonna be
so embarrassing if I fail.
You know, I I I think youngerme might have had that.
And then somewhere in college,I lost that because my mantra is
that of like a silicone valleystartup.
(17:39):
Where if you have a teamstartup, you build it as fast as
you can to break it as fast asyou can, because then you save
money to build it the right way,right?
And the longer you're dealingwith something that doesn't
break and you're not sure ifit's the final version, like
that's costing you more money.
So if you are anyone who has aninkling and thinks you want to
try something, go try it.
If it doesn't work out, whocares?
(17:59):
Yeah, like how can we say Imean, look at how much how many
times Jennifer Lopez has changedwhat Jennifer Lopez does.
She's a singer, she's a dancer,she's an actress, she had
perfume.
I think sometimes she's you'rereal, she's just like works for
the wedding industry and she'slike trying on the dresses, so
like we know what the new seasonof the dresses is.
And I say that jokingly, but atthe same time, kind of
suspicious because she doesfashion too, right?
And no one's like, oh, look atJennifer Lopez.
Mel (18:21):
She's built her brand like around her name.
Doesn't matter what she doesnow.
KJ (18:26):
Right.
I mean, Vera Wayne didn't startmaking gowns till she was 43.
She was a figure skater, youknow.
Betsy Johnson didn't do it tilllater in life.
Look at Victoria Beckham.
She was a spice girl, and thenshe was uh just the wife and
girlfriend of a soccer player.
Now she's a fashion mobile,she's got her own awesome
Netflix special.
So I think there's a especiallyfor women, like men have
(18:46):
audacity, they're gonna dowhatever guys don't care.
I wish I had not the audacityof an average thinking male
because they they will just godo.
And I wish women would do thattoo.
Because who cares if you fail?
Mel (18:59):
Like yeah, well, I saw I saw recently um when people are
applying for jobs, how men willlook through the criteria of
what the expectations are,they'll see that they meet about
60% of it and go, yep, great,and apply for it.
And a lot of them get the jobbecause they're confident.
Whereas women, if we don't feellike we tick a hundred percent
(19:23):
of the things on that list, wewon't even try.
We just don't want to fail.
We we just think we're notgonna get the job, any of that.
And when I saw that even yearsago, it it changed the way that
I approached things.
Because I went, you know what?
If a guy can do that at 60%,all right, I can do it at 60%.
(19:46):
And I'm gonna learn the rest.
And I think a big part of it isyou might not have the skills,
you might not even have theknowledge yet to do exactly what
it is you're hoping to do.
But if you've got the rightattitude, Right.
You will be able to learn therest.
You can't teach attitude.
You can't teach that spark thatsome people have that others
(20:10):
don't.
Like you've got to have theright attitude.
KJ (20:13):
You do.
You know, I'm sure you say itto your kids all the time.
You can be anything you want tobe when you grow up.
And I wish that someone wouldkeep saying that to us as
adults.
You can do anything you want todo.
You can do anything you putyour mind to.
I have run marathons.
I do not like running.
From the second I running, Ithink of how, oh, running, this
(20:33):
is terrible.
And the first two miles arelike, this is awful.
I hate everything aboutrunning.
And then somewhere around mileseven, I'm like, forget that I'm
running and I'm just listeningto the music or talking to my
friends or doing whatever.
And you know, like mile 17, Iagain start hating running,
which is why I don't domarathons anymore.
But literally, the human bodyruns marathons.
Some people run like a hundredmile races, right?
(20:54):
Like you can do anything youput your mind to.
Some people can fast for a hugeamount of time.
I can't go five minutes withoutsnacks.
But again, if I really put ifit was really important to me, I
could put my mind to it.
Mel (21:07):
Yeah.
KJ (21:07):
Like we are so much more capable of what we believe.
And the only thing holding usback is ourselves.
Mel (21:13):
Yeah, I completely agree.
Like, well, the time goes sofast, but I'd love to hear a bit
more of this book that you'vegot coming out.
So Pitchworthy, set to come outin January.
What inspired you to actuallywrite it in the first place?
KJ (21:29):
So I wrote on my original book, How to Be a Media Darling,
in 2019.
And it was the 12 tenths ofpublic relations because I
wanted all of my girlfriends whohad like side hustles on Etsy
or were just showing arts onSaturday morning at the farmer's
market.
I wanted them to have access toPR and how to promote their
stuff.
I wanted them to know whenthey're on social media this is
how you think, talk, act like abrand.
(21:50):
Go out there, be aprofessional.
Um, I have a lot of friendsnow.
You know, a lot has changedsince 2019.
Tools have changed, internet'schanged, there's AI.
The world has kind of gotten tobe an angrier place, or we're
more bold about stepping out,you know, like trolling and
doxing and all this fun workkind of weren't around in 2019.
They're there now.
(22:10):
And so I actually was havingcoffee with one of someone I
admire, a businesswoman Iadmire.
And her whole job is creatinggiftable packages she can give.
And she said to me, KJ, I loveyour book.
I want to give it to all myentrepreneur friends, but it's
ugly.
Your book is ugly.
I can't gift it.
And you know, anyone else wouldbe like, She just called my
(22:31):
book ugly.
Like, she just call my childugly.
But I honestly, in that moment,I looked at her, I thought
about my book.
She's right.
It's not giftable.
It's not something that you'dwant to sit on your desk like a
coffee table book.
But it's also, I needed toupdate it anyway.
So if I was gonna update thebook, I thought, you know what?
I'm gonna put everything I knowin there and include the pep
(22:52):
talk I wish I had when I wasstarting a business.
And now I am so proud of my newbook.
I it is gonna help so manypeople, but I'm just I have
poured my heart and soul intoit.
And so half pep talk, half PRBible, it will teach you
everything you need to know, butalso it is blazing hot pink and
you can't miss it.
Uh and it is something to go onthe coffee table, right?
(23:15):
Yeah, because you know what?
If if you're passionate aboutbusiness, why can't a business
book sit on the coffee table?
Mel (23:22):
Yeah.
Uh look, I've I would show you,but I've got a shelf above me
with all the books, and everysingle one of them is uh, you
know, your rich dad, poor dad,and your persuasion and the
think and grow rich.
And it's all these, it's allthese business books.
Like, that's what I immersemyself in is how to grow, how to
(23:45):
get better.
I mean, people come to my houseand they think, what the heck
are you on?
Look at all these books.
Like, where's all the goodfictional like Twilight or
something?
And I'm like, no, no, no.
I want to grow.
I want to grow as a person.
That doesn't help me grow.
That's just that's how I am.
But look, with your book, wouldyou say that it's suitable for
(24:07):
people in other countriesoutside of the US?
KJ (24:09):
Oh, a thousand percent.
A thousand percent.
I I don't think that there'sanything in the book that's just
for people in the US, to bequite honest.
PR has been the same since it,you know, PT Barnum did it when
he invented the circus.
He said, You're either leadingthe parade when they talk about
you, or the parade's running youover.
And yeah nothing has changedabout PR since then.
It stood the test of time, it'smaking a resurgence again.
(24:31):
It will always be there, youknow, like medicine on Instagram
a million times.
But PR stay the same.
It's someone else's opinionthat you refer is gonna move
your business further thananything else.
Mel (24:45):
It's a smarter way of doing it, really, because just kind
of like how even with thepodcast, you put it out there,
the material stays out there.
Whereas, yeah, you putsomething on Instagram, see you
later 24 hours.
Exactly, exactly.
(25:06):
So, well, thank you for comingon.
Now, I want people to be ableto connect with you.
So if anyone listening isthinking, all right, I'm ready
to step out, I need a little bitof extra help.
I want KJ to be the one to helpme.
Where is the best place forthem to find you?
KJ (25:24):
The best place for them to find me is on my website,
hearsaypr.com, or on Instagramat KJ Blattenbauer.
Mel (25:31):
Perfect.
I'll have all the links in thedescription, making it nice and
easy for everyone.
But thank you so much forcoming on today, KJ.
KJ (25:39):
Thank you for having me.
Mel (25:40):
You're welcome.
If you like this episode, don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. And if you want to continue the conversation, you can connect with me on Instagram @shes.organised or for some free resources, head over to beyondorganised.com/ toolkit. Remember, organising is a tool to live the purposeful life of beyond it. See you next time.
Welcome to Beyond Organised, the podcast that helps you simplify your life and amplify your purpose. I'm Mel Schenker, life coach, speaker, founder of She's Organised, but, more importantly, a wife and mum of four little kids. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, like you're constantly juggling everything but never quite catching up, this is the place for you. Here we go beyond just the tidying up and creating systems. We're talking about real life strategies that bring order to your life, but also we talk about the things beyond the organising, the things that really matter, like your parenting relationships and so much more. So grab your coffee and let's dive in.
(01:00):
Welcome back to another episodeof Beyond Organised.
I have KJ here today.
So I am going to give you aquick introduction to who this
incredibly accomplished womanis.
And then you can listen to heramazing story.
So KJ Blattenbar is apowerhouse publicist who turns
(01:23):
overlooked experts into headlinenews.
With nearly 30 years ofexperience, she's the go-to pro
when you're ready to stop beingignored and start owning the
spotlight.
Known for her bold yetapproachable style, KJ delivers
clear, actionable strategiesthat have been featured
everywhere from Forbes toarchitectural digest.
She's also the author of theDIY PR book How to Be a Media
(01:47):
Darling.
And the forthcomingPitchworthy, which is set to
come out in January.
It's a modern guide to buildinglasting visibility and
authority.
So I'm looking forward tohearing how incredible this
woman is.
So welcome to the show, KJ.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for havingme.
Oh, you're so welcome.
(02:08):
I love how we connected throughSusie.
So she was on the episodebefore this.
So everyone already knows howincredible she is.
But through connecting withher, I was like, you are
incredible too.
You need to come on the show.
So I would love to hear aboutwhat you do and what inspired
(02:30):
you to get into this industry.
KJ (02:32):
Sure, sure.
So I basically do publicrelations.
I help small business ownersand experts, like coaches,
artists, interior designers,lawyers, doctors, anyone that
wants to amplify their messageand their presence.
I basically help them sharetheir passion with the world.
I like to call myselfeveryone's favorite hype girl
(02:54):
because just like you talk aboutyour best friend and how
awesome they are, I get to dothat for small businesses and
founders and startups and coolbrands.
So every day I get to bragabout how cool my friends are
and my friends become clients.
So all of these 28 years ago, Iwent to college.
My work study job in college tohelp pay for tuition was to do
(03:17):
promotions.
I was an athlete, and then youhad to have a kind of side job
to learn responsibility.
Because as if going to schooland being an athlete wasn't
enough, it wasn't.
Mel (03:40):
I love that you've created a whole career out of talking.
KJ (03:44):
That's a good job.
Yeah, if your kids ever comehome with talks too much on
their report card, be like,well, I'm gonna be a publicist.
So there you go.
Everybody wins.
Mel (03:53):
That's uh definitely an idea for my eldest because he
just talks, talks, and thentalks some more.
So that's an idea.
So how do you help people or inwhat you do?
And I would love to also hear alittle bit more about your
book.
So I'm sure that'll lead intoit.
KJ (04:15):
I think all too often when you are a business owner or
you're working on something,whether it's service or
product-based, you're so busy inwhat you're doing, creating
what you're doing, bringing itout to the world.
You've invested your blood,your sweat, your heart, your
tears, sometimes all of yourmoney into it.
Yeah.
And then once you've birthedthis business baby, what do you
(04:37):
do with it?
So many people then getembarrassed by what they've done
and they feel like it'sbragging or boasting or, you
know, trying to be too much maincharacter energy by telling
people the amazing thing thatthey just accomplished.
And so I help them tell theirstory because literally, no
matter what you do forprofession, even if you think
(04:57):
it's boring, even if you don'tthink it's interesting, every
single one of us has an amazingstory that the media wants to
hear, that other people want tohear.
And I like to point out to myclients and others, your
listeners, if you don't shareyour gift with the world,
whether it's a product or aservice, then you aren't able to
help anyone.
Why would you want to be thebest kept secret?
I help people promote theirbrands, I help them promote
(05:21):
themselves, I help them puttheir services out there so they
can truly help people.
And I love doing it everysingle day.
Mel (05:27):
I could see how by you even doing that, you are building
people's confidence as well.
And actually going, well, hangon a second.
I'm not just getting stuck inmy own head or I'm not bragging
too much or it's a level ofconfidence that's healthy to be
able to promote yourself, butstill be humble, still be you.
(05:47):
That's really different.
KJ (05:49):
Because I think, you know, women in particular are taught,
you know, you're supposed to beseen and not heard.
Don't speak until you're spokento.
Like that's how we were raisedwhen we were little, and thank
goodness we've come a long wayin the times.
But for a lot of people, ifthey feel if they bring
attention to themselves, theyfeel like it's gonna be negative
attention.
They feel like they have toshrink, they have to hide, they
have to do whatever.
(06:09):
And I like to remind people,no, be proud of what you've
done, be proud of what youaccomplished, be proud of what
you know.
If you're passionate and careabout some something, tell every
single person that you canabout that.
Mel (06:21):
That is, no, that that's truly what that's why we started
in business our business orbooks or whatever it is we did
was to help people, right?
So you you don't want to get sofar, create everything, do
everything, and then not keepgoing all the way through.
KJ (06:39):
And there's this huge myth that, like, within uh the dawn
of social media, look, socialmedia is great, it's also a
hindrance, as we all know.
Yeah.
As good of me, like everythingelse.
But there's this belief,especially with small
businesses, that if I just postevery single day on social
media, one day the right personwill find me.
One day I'm gonna go viral.
And the truth is, even if youdo go viral, you're gonna gain
(07:00):
followers that aren't gonna beclients, they're not gonna be
buyers, they're not gonnapurchase, they're just there to
watch whatever the car wreck isthat will inevitably come when
you get too we get too small.
And you know, traditional PRhasn't changed in the decades
that it's been.
It's always been the same, andit's it hasn't shifted with the
internet or without theinternet.
Social media isn't gonna changeit, AI won't change it.
(07:21):
Having someone like me, apublicist, say that you're
great, it might not convincepeople, but having a reputable
news outlet say that you, yourproduct or service is great,
that immediately raises thegravitas of what you're doing.
It changes the game.
And it's very, very easy to do,which is why I wrote
Pitchworthy.
Because I believe you shouldn'thave to be famous or a
(07:43):
celebrity or pay tens ofthousands of dollars a month to
have your dreams promoted.
Anybody can do it.
It's very simple if you takethe time.
You just need to know thesteps.
And so pitchworthy, it's halfpep talk because we all need the
pep talk when we get thedisaster syndrome, we're all
feeling looks insecure.
So it's half pep talk, but thenit's half, hey, here's what PR
(08:05):
is, here's how you can use it,here's how you find your target
audience, how you pitch themedia, and oh, here's how you
handle the trolls because onceyou're somebody, everybody's
gonna come for you.
Mel (08:14):
Yeah, yeah.
Now that's really good becauseeven someone like myself, you
know, I'm just small fish in avery big pond at the moment.
But because I've I've had thisbusiness for a year now.
So I'm still finding my feet,and I'm still trying to wrap my
head around the social media andeverything else, and just
(08:37):
getting out there and all thethings that you're supposed to
do.
And it's it can be quiteoverwhelming in that at times
too, because ultimately I justwant to coach.
I just want to help people.
I want to, I just want itpeople to do better in life.
And I don't want to have to bethinking about how do I promote
(08:58):
myself, how do I get it outthere into more hands?
I just it's uh that is not myexpertise at all.
So we need people like you.
KJ (09:09):
Yeah, exactly.
At the end of the day, you'rebusy coaching, you have clients,
you have a family, you have alife, you need to get your eight
hours of sleep and drink your40 ounces or whatever it is of
water.
You don't want to be dancing onTikTok.
Like that's not gonna help youfind clients.
And so it's really publicrelations is it look, it's part
of the wheel, right?
You can do email, you can dosocial, you can do paid ads, you
(09:30):
can do referral systems,affiliates, influencers, you can
do so many things to draweyeballs to your business.
But I just wish people wouldlook beyond just social media,
just running ads.
Yeah, those are two of thebusiest lanes that you could be
playing in right now.
Yeah.
If you're a business owner,service, or product.
There's a million other ways todrive attention to what you're
(09:51):
doing.
Yeah, PR is one and it's free.
Mel (09:55):
Hmm.
You're getting me thinkinghere.
When you have people expressinterest in reaching out for PR
help, what do you think is themain thing that's holding them
back from having even reachedout in the first place?
KJ (10:12):
The money and the cost, they're worried about what it's
gonna cost because a lot of PRpeople do charge a lot of money.
But I think the second thing isthey're worried about what
other people are gonna think.
If they put themselves outthere, they're worried about
what people will think.
And honestly, what other peoplethink have never paid any of my
bills, so I don't worry aboutwhat other people think.
Mel (10:31):
Yeah, fair enough.
I I guess as I'm getting older,I'm caring less and less about
what other people think.
And I think that's also whyI've started the business now,
too.
Because if it was even fiveyears ago, I think I still cared
too much on people's opinionsof me that I wouldn't have
survived.
KJ (10:50):
Yeah, yeah.
20-year-old me is this is46-year-old me, and I could care
less about what anyone elsethinks about what I'm doing.
20-year-old me too, too.
Mel (11:02):
I'm approaching 40s as well, so it's just life shifts,
it changes a bit, andparticularly raising kids and
all that too.
It's like, I do not have themental capacity to deal with
what other people think of me.
KJ (11:15):
Right.
Yeah, no, but I think that'swhat holds people back, and it's
a shame because again, you'rehiding your light, you're
dimming your light, you're notsharing your gifts with the
world because you're worriedabout what Sally down the street
is gonna say.
Mel (11:28):
Yeah.
KJ (11:29):
Sally will do whatever Sally needs to do.
She's got enough time to comeon your stuff.
Sally's not doing anything ofher own.
Mel (11:35):
Yeah.
Well, it's sort of like thatwhole keeping up with the
Joneses in some ways, isn't it?
And it's just, and nowadayswith social media and
everything, we're seeingeverybody's highlight reel while
we're looking at our own behindthe scenes mess.
KJ (11:49):
And it's not a fair comparison.
Right.
And I can tell you from alifetime of helping people build
those highlight reels, nobodyhas it all together.
All of us have hot messesbehind the scenes, all of us
have done really stupid things.
Look, right now, I'm talking toyou on this podcast.
I have a book coming out.
My clients are killing it.
My website is in disarray andneeds to get dealt with.
(12:12):
So, like, we all have littlemesses and fire to put out on
the back end, but you know, it'sthat's the fun of being in
business.
Mel (12:20):
Yeah, right.
So, how do you juggle it all?
How do you juggle doing whatyou do and helping others, but
also being on top of things inyour own life?
KJ (12:31):
Well, I mean, I don't think I do.
I think it's a myth that anyonedoes.
And I think if people, youknow, I'm sure people, I'm sure
there might be people who lookat my life and be like, oh,
she's really killing it.
Um, I'm not.
I know.
Um, I think I forgot to feedthe dogs breakfast the other
day.
They're alive though, right?
But you know, I mean SarahMcLaughlin and the Humane
Society commercial was paying inthe background.
(12:52):
But I I think that there no onehas it all together.
You know, one, I think ithelps.
I love what I do.
I have created my life and Ihave picked a profession and I
have a business where I get toget up every single morning and
it sounds so corny.
I get to do whatever the hell Iwant to.
I get to work with whoever Iwant to.
I get to promote who I want to,how I want to, to the people
(13:16):
that I want to.
And I am blessed that way.
But I've worked really hard for28 years to be able to do that
in my 40s.
And I think I think what peopledon't realize is you can change
what you do at any single time.
You are not trapped in onething, you are never too old,
you can shift and pivot incareer as many your career as
(13:36):
many times as you want to andtry new things, but you gotta
find the thing that lights youup.
So long days, early hours,ridiculous deadlines, do they
suck?
Sometimes they do.
But I love what I do and I lovemy clients, and they're so
appreciative that even the hard,long days and the going back
and forth between crazydeadlines, it's not, it's
something that I enjoy.
(13:56):
And so I think helps.
But I also am ridiculouslycolor-coded on my to-do list and
try and block my time where Ican.
So there's a little bit of atype A personality.
I think I'm an anagram three,which would surprise no one that
I know of.
Mel (14:12):
The other part is I just really love what I do.
Yeah, and and that has to bekey, isn't it?
Because if I didn't love what Iwas doing, I certainly the
business would have shut down bynow.
Because this has been probablythe toughest year of my life.
But it's also the mostfulfilling.
Like I actually feel like I'vestepped into my calling, my
(14:35):
purpose.
I love what I'm doing.
I love who I'm helping.
I'm still kind of in shock andsurprise that it is helping.
But I I but you wouldn't do it.
You wouldn't put in all thathard effort, all those long
hours and sleepless nights ifyou didn't love what you were
doing.
And it's so key.
And I just find that even a lotof the mums that listen to
(15:00):
this, you know, they come acrossme because they're overwhelmed,
they're feeling stuck in life,things are a little bit
challenging.
But I want to encourage you,okay, you don't have to
necessarily start a businesslike KJ, like me.
You don't have to do all ofthat, but find the thing that
lights you up.
Like you don't just have to be,okay.
(15:20):
I see this, I say thisrespectfully, but you don't just
have to be a mom.
Like no, you don't.
There's so much more to us.
KJ (15:29):
Yeah, and you know what?
There are there is so there isso much more, right?
Like, as if being a mom isn't ahard enough job.
Yeah, it's a full-time job.
Yeah, more, right?
You have to keep someone alive.
Yeah, full-times multiplepeople.
I'm not keeping anyone alive,I'm just talking, you know, like
I got it easy compared to moms.
But what is amazing about momsis they are the most organized
(15:51):
and streamlined and efficientand like assertive human beings
on earth.
Like, if you need somethingdone or you need help, you find
a mom because they're gonna helpyou, they're gonna figure it
out, they're gonna get it done,and they're gonna have snacks.
Like they're the best and babywipes.
What's a mess?
Yeah, your hands will besticky, your belly will be full,
problem will be solved.
Mel (16:12):
Yeah, exactly.
And I think that's actuallywhen things started to pivot for
me in the corporate world wasafter I became a mum to my first
child.
And obviously, I grew a lot inthat period of time and and
everything, but I actuallystarted to realize just how
organized I really am and howthere were specific tasks that I
(16:35):
was being assigned to completeand do because I had this level
of detail, proficiency, andefficiency to get it done like
that while all these young20-year-olds were just like
still figuring out how to spellsomething, you know?
Right, right, yeah.
So there's a lot that we cancan give, but yeah, you don't
(16:59):
even have to be a mum, but justa woman that knows what she
wants.
I think even if you've just gotthis idea that you think is so
far-fetched, so out there, no,oh, I couldn't do that.
What are the risks?
You know, oh, it's soembarrassing if I fail.
Give it a go.
KJ (17:17):
You know, that is the myth.
And I think that that, I thinkthat is the one thing that
separates me from a lot ofpeople I know.
I don't have that.
Something is broken in me whereI don't have the it's gonna be
so embarrassing if I fail.
You know, I I I think youngerme might have had that.
And then somewhere in college,I lost that because my mantra is
that of like a silicone valleystartup.
(17:39):
Where if you have a teamstartup, you build it as fast as
you can to break it as fast asyou can, because then you save
money to build it the right way,right?
And the longer you're dealingwith something that doesn't
break and you're not sure ifit's the final version, like
that's costing you more money.
So if you are anyone who has aninkling and thinks you want to
try something, go try it.
If it doesn't work out, whocares?
(17:59):
Yeah, like how can we say Imean, look at how much how many
times Jennifer Lopez has changedwhat Jennifer Lopez does.
She's a singer, she's a dancer,she's an actress, she had
perfume.
I think sometimes she's you'rereal, she's just like works for
the wedding industry and she'slike trying on the dresses, so
like we know what the new seasonof the dresses is.
And I say that jokingly, but atthe same time, kind of
suspicious because she doesfashion too, right?
And no one's like, oh, look atJennifer Lopez.
Mel (18:21):
She's built her brand like around her name.
Doesn't matter what she doesnow.
KJ (18:26):
Right.
I mean, Vera Wayne didn't startmaking gowns till she was 43.
She was a figure skater, youknow.
Betsy Johnson didn't do it tilllater in life.
Look at Victoria Beckham.
She was a spice girl, and thenshe was uh just the wife and
girlfriend of a soccer player.
Now she's a fashion mobile,she's got her own awesome
Netflix special.
So I think there's a especiallyfor women, like men have
(18:46):
audacity, they're gonna dowhatever guys don't care.
I wish I had not the audacityof an average thinking male
because they they will just godo.
And I wish women would do thattoo.
Because who cares if you fail?
Mel (18:59):
Like yeah, well, I saw I saw recently um when people are
applying for jobs, how men willlook through the criteria of
what the expectations are,they'll see that they meet about
60% of it and go, yep, great,and apply for it.
And a lot of them get the jobbecause they're confident.
Whereas women, if we don't feellike we tick a hundred percent
(19:23):
of the things on that list, wewon't even try.
We just don't want to fail.
We we just think we're notgonna get the job, any of that.
And when I saw that even yearsago, it it changed the way that
I approached things.
Because I went, you know what?
If a guy can do that at 60%,all right, I can do it at 60%.
(19:46):
And I'm gonna learn the rest.
And I think a big part of it isyou might not have the skills,
you might not even have theknowledge yet to do exactly what
it is you're hoping to do.
But if you've got the rightattitude, Right.
You will be able to learn therest.
You can't teach attitude.
You can't teach that spark thatsome people have that others
(20:10):
don't.
Like you've got to have theright attitude.
KJ (20:13):
You do.
You know, I'm sure you say itto your kids all the time.
You can be anything you want tobe when you grow up.
And I wish that someone wouldkeep saying that to us as
adults.
You can do anything you want todo.
You can do anything you putyour mind to.
I have run marathons.
I do not like running.
From the second I running, Ithink of how, oh, running, this
(20:33):
is terrible.
And the first two miles arelike, this is awful.
I hate everything aboutrunning.
And then somewhere around mileseven, I'm like, forget that I'm
running and I'm just listeningto the music or talking to my
friends or doing whatever.
And you know, like mile 17, Iagain start hating running,
which is why I don't domarathons anymore.
But literally, the human bodyruns marathons.
Some people run like a hundredmile races, right?
(20:54):
Like you can do anything youput your mind to.
Some people can fast for a hugeamount of time.
I can't go five minutes withoutsnacks.
But again, if I really put ifit was really important to me, I
could put my mind to it.
Mel (21:07):
Yeah.
KJ (21:07):
Like we are so much more capable of what we believe.
And the only thing holding usback is ourselves.
Mel (21:13):
Yeah, I completely agree.
Like, well, the time goes sofast, but I'd love to hear a bit
more of this book that you'vegot coming out.
So Pitchworthy, set to come outin January.
What inspired you to actuallywrite it in the first place?
KJ (21:29):
So I wrote on my original book, How to Be a Media Darling,
in 2019.
And it was the 12 tenths ofpublic relations because I
wanted all of my girlfriends whohad like side hustles on Etsy
or were just showing arts onSaturday morning at the farmer's
market.
I wanted them to have access toPR and how to promote their
stuff.
I wanted them to know whenthey're on social media this is
how you think, talk, act like abrand.
(21:50):
Go out there, be aprofessional.
Um, I have a lot of friendsnow.
You know, a lot has changedsince 2019.
Tools have changed, internet'schanged, there's AI.
The world has kind of gotten tobe an angrier place, or we're
more bold about stepping out,you know, like trolling and
doxing and all this fun workkind of weren't around in 2019.
They're there now.
(22:10):
And so I actually was havingcoffee with one of someone I
admire, a businesswoman Iadmire.
And her whole job is creatinggiftable packages she can give.
And she said to me, KJ, I loveyour book.
I want to give it to all myentrepreneur friends, but it's
ugly.
Your book is ugly.
I can't gift it.
And you know, anyone else wouldbe like, She just called my
(22:31):
book ugly.
Like, she just call my childugly.
But I honestly, in that moment,I looked at her, I thought
about my book.
She's right.
It's not giftable.
It's not something that you'dwant to sit on your desk like a
coffee table book.
But it's also, I needed toupdate it anyway.
So if I was gonna update thebook, I thought, you know what?
I'm gonna put everything I knowin there and include the pep
(22:52):
talk I wish I had when I wasstarting a business.
And now I am so proud of my newbook.
I it is gonna help so manypeople, but I'm just I have
poured my heart and soul intoit.
And so half pep talk, half PRBible, it will teach you
everything you need to know, butalso it is blazing hot pink and
you can't miss it.
Uh and it is something to go onthe coffee table, right?
(23:15):
Yeah, because you know what?
If if you're passionate aboutbusiness, why can't a business
book sit on the coffee table?
Mel (23:22):
Yeah.
Uh look, I've I would show you,but I've got a shelf above me
with all the books, and everysingle one of them is uh, you
know, your rich dad, poor dad,and your persuasion and the
think and grow rich.
And it's all these, it's allthese business books.
Like, that's what I immersemyself in is how to grow, how to
(23:45):
get better.
I mean, people come to my houseand they think, what the heck
are you on?
Look at all these books.
Like, where's all the goodfictional like Twilight or
something?
And I'm like, no, no, no.
I want to grow.
I want to grow as a person.
That doesn't help me grow.
That's just that's how I am.
But look, with your book, wouldyou say that it's suitable for
(24:07):
people in other countriesoutside of the US?
KJ (24:09):
Oh, a thousand percent.
A thousand percent.
I I don't think that there'sanything in the book that's just
for people in the US, to bequite honest.
PR has been the same since it,you know, PT Barnum did it when
he invented the circus.
He said, You're either leadingthe parade when they talk about
you, or the parade's running youover.
And yeah nothing has changedabout PR since then.
It stood the test of time, it'smaking a resurgence again.
(24:31):
It will always be there, youknow, like medicine on Instagram
a million times.
But PR stay the same.
It's someone else's opinionthat you refer is gonna move
your business further thananything else.
Mel (24:45):
It's a smarter way of doing it, really, because just kind
of like how even with thepodcast, you put it out there,
the material stays out there.
Whereas, yeah, you putsomething on Instagram, see you
later 24 hours.
Exactly, exactly.
(25:06):
So, well, thank you for comingon.
Now, I want people to be ableto connect with you.
So if anyone listening isthinking, all right, I'm ready
to step out, I need a little bitof extra help.
I want KJ to be the one to helpme.
Where is the best place forthem to find you?
KJ (25:24):
The best place for them to find me is on my website,
hearsaypr.com, or on Instagramat KJ Blattenbauer.
Mel (25:31):
Perfect.
I'll have all the links in thedescription, making it nice and
easy for everyone.
But thank you so much forcoming on today, KJ.
KJ (25:39):
Thank you for having me.
Mel (25:40):
You're welcome.
If you like this episode, don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. And if you want to continue the conversation, you can connect with me on Instagram @shes.organised or for some free resources, head over to beyondorganised.com/ toolkit. Remember, organising is a tool to live the purposeful life of beyond it. See you next time.
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