Episode #2
AI Is Deciding Which Startups Get Found. Here's How PR Helps You Win - With Annie Scranton and Rose Levy of Pace PR
Your next customer probably won't Google you. They'll ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude, and if the models can't find you, you aren't in the conversation. Melissa Widner sits down with Annie Scranton and Rose Levy of Pace PR to unpack why more startups are turning to PR, and how a good firm can support you. That support has always come down to one core thing: earning you the third-party credibility you can't manufacture yourself. What's new is where it pays off. The trade coverage, founder thought leadership, and press an agency lands are exactly the sources AI engines pull from, so the same work that builds trust is now what gets you surfaced when a buyer asks ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude for a recommendation. Key Highlights: Why a startup should consider a PR firm, and how to know when you're truly ready versus just early How a PR firm helps you rank on AI engines, and why trade publications are wildly underrated (and exactly what the LLMs pull from) Why a founder's personal brand now beats the company account, and why the humble press release is more powerful than it's been in years What it costs, and how to spot the red flags that mean an agency is about to waste your money If you're a founder who's considering PR and how to stay visible in a world where fewer people ever reach your website, you'll want to tune in to this episode.
