Tag: best pr agencies for startups in nyc

5 PR Lessons Heard Inside MACIAS PR

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

The best journalists are always listening and learning. So are the best publicists. The framed photo above was a gift from an intern, highlighting some of the PR lessons she learned inside MACIAS PR. Some of those quotes require context. But five of them capture how our agency thinks about public relations – an approach that separates our PR firm from others.

“You Can’t Put a Today Story in Tomorrow’s Paper.”

Timing in PR matters more than many executives understand. A great story idea can become worthless if the timing is off. Newsrooms operate on deadlines that most businesses don’t experience. When I worked in TV news, we didn’t have the luxury of saying, “That’s a great story. Let’s get around to it next week.” If the story was happening today, we needed the interviews, characters, video and information today.

Print and online reporters operate on their own deadlines, but the principle is the same. News has a shelf life.

This is one reason PR can become frustrating for companies with too many approval layers. By the time legal reviews the quote, the CEO approves the language, marketing changes three words and everyone schedules another call, the reporter may already have filed the story.

You can’t control the news cycle but you can control how prepared you are to move when it creates an opening.

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How to Follow Up With Reporters Without Hurting Your PR Strategy

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

When I was an Executive Producer with NBC in New York, I was the boss. I helped determine which stories we pursued, but that didn’t mean I walked around the newsroom telling experienced journalists exactly how to report their stories. That would have been a fast way to damage the creative process—and probably my relationship with the people producing the journalism.

Good journalists are independent thinkers. They want to investigate, ask their own questions and reach their own conclusions. You can give them direction. You can point out what they’re missing, and sometimes challenge them to look deeper. But there’s a difference between guiding a journalist and telling a journalist what to do.

That distinction is just as important in public relations, especially if you’re a CEO who typically tells others what to do. Persistence is necessary in PR. Aggression is different. And when you’re dealing with journalists, your approach can be just as important as your strategy.

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How Startups Can Get Media Attention: You Don’t Have to Be the Biggest Dog

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

The little dog in this photo is Einstein. He’s my dog, and despite his size, he has never had much trouble getting attention.

There’s a lesson here for startups trying to compete for media coverage against much larger companies: You don’t have to be the biggest dog to get attention. You just need to give people a reason to notice you.

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Formula for Earned Media Coverage Revealed

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

There is a formula behind successful media coverage, and it isn’t as simple as writing a strong pitch and sending it to the right reporter.

A story can have a compelling headline and still fail because the timing is wrong. An executive can possess deep expertise but lack the evidence needed to establish authority. Proprietary data can be genuinely revealing, yet never generate coverage because no one identified the larger trend hiding inside the numbers.

Earned media is the intersection of multiple variables: story, timing, news value, credibility, audience, reporter, evidence and execution.

Understanding how those variables interact is where MACIAS PR has an advantage. Our approach wasn’t developed from a PR textbook. It was shaped inside newsrooms, refined through journalism, and tested over 17 years of securing media coverage.

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Our Sources are Everywhere – How Media Experience and Colleagues Work Together

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

“Our sources are everywhere.” Yes, it’s playful, but there is a serious approach when it comes to newsrooms.

Successful PR requires access—to journalists, information, trends, industries and the conversations shaping the news. But access alone doesn’t get a company media coverage. You also need to know what to do with it.

I founded MACIAS PR in 2009 after spending years inside newsrooms, including as an Executive Producer with NBC and CBS in New York. That experience shaped a different approach to PR and media relations. We don’t begin campaigns by asking, “What does the client want to announce?” We start by asking the question I heard every day inside the newsroom:

That distinction influences everything we do.

MACIAS PR Approaches Publicity From the Newsroom Perspective

Most companies understandably approach PR from their own perspective. They want to promote a product, announce a funding round, introduce a new executive or tell reporters about a partnership.

Journalists don’t approach stories that way. A reporter wants to know why the development matters to readers or viewers. An editor wants to know why the story deserves space. A television producer needs to understand why audiences won’t change the channel. I sat on that side of the editorial table.

As an Executive Producer, I reviewed and approved story ideas while reporters and producers competed for limited airtime. That experience taught me how quickly journalists evaluate stories—and how quickly they reject ideas that sound like marketing.

Today, MACIAS PR applies that newsroom perspective before we ever contact a reporter.

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Where Do Great PR Stories Come From? Everywhere

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

Great stories rarely begin with a press release. They can come from a conversation with a customer, an unexpected piece of internal data, a cultural shift, a competitor’s mistake, a frustrated employee, a changing regulation or even something happening thousands of miles away.

The challenge isn’t finding information. Every company is surrounded by information. The skill is recognizing which pieces contain a story.

Before founding MACIAS PR, I spent years inside newsrooms, including as an Executive Producer with NBC. One of the most important lessons I learned during that time was that journalists see the world differently. A reporter can walk into an ordinary situation and notice the one detail everyone else overlooked.

That same curiosity should drive public relations.

The best PR professionals don’t sit around waiting for companies to announce something. They constantly look at business, culture, data and the news cycle and ask: Where is the story hiding?

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MACIAS PR Named Among Best Tech and Healthcare PR Agencies

Posted on by Mark Macias

                      

MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. Journalists and marketing peers consistently rank MACIAS PR as one of the best PR healthcare and tech agencies. City & State Magazine named Mark Macias a Top Political PR Power Player in New York in 2022 and 2024.

We help founders and brands tell stories that get noticed by the media. Our strategy is based on years inside NBC & CBS newsrooms where editorial judgment, timing and credibility are the currency for success.

At MACIAS PR, we turn complex brands into compelling media narratives that secure national headlines, elevate thought leadership, and drive real business outcomes. Links to client case studies for media deliverables are below.

Prominent Clients across Industries

  • Healthcare and Wellness
    • Noom, WellRX, Meru Health, Lifesum, Columbia University Medical Center, Kilo Health, Burke Hospital
  • Consumer Tech
    • Plenty of Fish, Welt, Abby Connect
  • Bootstrapped Startups
    • MDAcne, TopPatch (Cyber Security)
  • Publicly Traded Companies
    • Mawson Infrastructure (NASDAQ), Unusual Machines (NYSE), Banle International (NYSE)
  • Finance
    • Provident Loan Society, Sag Harbor Advisors, Sansar Capital
  • Politics
    • Former UN Executive Secretary on Climate Patricia Espinosa, Rep. Norma Torres (LA)

Our media campaigns helped these brands raise tens of millions of dollars with investors, while improving their name recognition with customers. Click here to review our case studies.

All of our clients always work with an experienced media strategist – regardless of size. And as a boutique PR consulting agency, our communications process is always streamlined, while our execution is hyper-focused.

PR Awards – Earned by MACIAS PR

City & State Magazine named Mark Macias a Top Political PR Power player in New York. Marketing peers have consistently recognized MACIAS PR for Strategic PR Firm of the Year from 2017-2021. Finance Monthly named our agency the 2015-2017 Financial PR Firm of the Year.

MACIAS PR has run B2B and B2C media and branding campaigns in healthcare, tech startups, financial services, asset management, nonprofits and service sector industries.

Message Mark at the bottom of this screen (green button on the right) if you would like to schedule a call. You can also get a free PR estimate by clicking here.

Media Shake-Up Is Here — What it Means for Business and Coverage

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

The Big Picture: Fewer Reporters, Tighter Newsrooms

Comcast announced last year it would spin off MSNBC and CNBC into a new publicly traded company that goes into effect November 15th. And earlier this year, Skydance Media purchased the parent company of CBS for $8 billion, consolidating legacy brands like CBS News, The CBS Morning Show and their digital platforms.

For entrepreneurs and business owners trying to get media coverage, this matters: fewer resources, new leadership, new content priorities = new hoops to jump through.

With NBC and Paramount Skydance already beginning large-scale layoffs (2,000 jobs announced in October) and shifting editorial focus, your story better be aligned with their new watch-list of “timely, high-impact coverage” rather than the old “feature angle” playbook.

This might seem like inside-baseball corporate move, but the effects are real — and they’re hitting the media world hard.

Layoffs across NBC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, and MSNBC have reduced newsroom staff. Producers are juggling multiple stories. Reporters are covering different industries at once. And that means one thing for entrepreneurs in search of coverage:

It’s getting harder — not easier — to get your story told.

Why it Matters for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

Every founder wants their story told — whether it’s a product launch, funding round, or thought-leadership feature. But when networks have fewer people and smaller budgets, they simply can’t cover as many stories.

That’s not just theory — it’s what we’ve seen firsthand at MACIAS PR this year, and from my time inside the media. Reporters we’ve known for years have told us they’re overloaded, covering double the work with half the help. Some have even reached out to me after losing their jobs during restructuring.

This environment makes it essential for business owners to think differently about how they approach the media.

What’s Changing in the Media Landscape

Here’s what you need to know about the newsroom shift happening right now:

  • Fewer people to pitch. The teams behind shows are getting reshuffled, especially at CBS where entire newscasts are getting cut. Staffing is leaner than ever.
  • Shorter deadlines. News producers are prioritizing quick-turn, hard news stories that are easy to produce.
  • Less room for features. Soft or human-interest stories — especially those without a timely hook — are being cut first.
  • More competition. With fewer open slots, only the sharpest, most relevant pitches get airtime.
Continue reading “Media Shake-Up Is Here — What it Means for Business and Coverage” →

Case Study: Launching MDAcne into the U.S. Market

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

MACIAS PR has successfully run media campaigns for some of the largest names in digital health—including Noom, WellRx and Lifesum. But our team also has a strong record of helping early-stage startups break through their competitive markets.

One example is MDAcne, an Israeli health-tech company that approached MACIAS PR to launch its AI-powered acne treatment app in the United States.

The Challenge

MDAcne faced steep hurdles from day one:

  • No U.S. presence — The company had no employees in the United States.
  • Founders fully occupied — The father-and-son founders were busy running operations, leaving little time for PR support.
  • No spokesperson — Without a dedicated media representative, every story had to be carefully shaped and delivered through our team.
  • Complex market — The U.S. consumer health and telemedicine space was already saturated with apps and new entrants.

In short: the responsibility for messaging, positioning, and execution fell entirely on MACIAS PR.

Our Strategy

MACIAS PR developed a multi-pronged campaign that positioned MDAcne as a personalized acne solution powered by AI—a disruptive narrative that resonated with women, teens, and parents navigating skincare challenges. To strengthen credibility, we targeted a mix of consumer lifestyle outlets for downloads and B2B health trade media to attract potential partnerships with dermatologists and clinics.

Our Approach

MACIAS PR developed a campaign that:

  • Positioned MDAcne as an AI-powered solution for teens, women, and parents struggling with acne.
  • Targeted lifestyle media (to drive downloads and consumer trust).
  • Engaged B2B health trade outlets (to build credibility with dermatologists and potential partners).
  • Shaped all messaging without a local spokesperson, ensuring consistency and authority.
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What Mick Jagger’s Letter to Andy Warhol Can Teach CEOs About Managing Creativity

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer

When Mick Jagger hired Andy Warhol to design an album cover, he sent him a now-famous letter. Jagger didn’t dictate the design or micromanage the process. Instead, he gave Warhol full creative freedom.

That simple letter offers a powerful lesson for CEOs, CMOs, and entrepreneurs: if you want bold, breakthrough results from creative talent, you must give them space to create.

Most people know Andy Warhol was eccentric and unpredictable. He wasn’t “easy” to work with—but he was brilliant. He elevated his art through both vision and publicity, turning each project into a masterpiece. That freedom was the foundation of his success.

What This Means for PR Strategy

Over the years at MACIAS PR, I’ve worked with CEOs, CMOs, entrepreneurs, and marketing teams of all sizes. The companies that achieved the best media results were the ones that trusted our expertise and let our creative strategies unfold.

The opposite was also true. Clients who micromanaged, second-guessed, or assumed they knew the media landscape better than us rarely saw the same results. In PR, as in art, creativity thrives when leaders create the conditions for it—not when they restrict it.

Continue reading “What Mick Jagger’s Letter to Andy Warhol Can Teach CEOs About Managing Creativity” →