Laid Off? Start Your Own Company
The founder of an emerging PR agency shares her story.
Spark up!
Happy Thursday. If you take away two things from this week’s edition of The Spark, let it be these:
You’ll never need to fire yourself. Go out and put the “entrepreneur” in “creative entrepreneurship.”
You can’t be shy in PR.
For no. 1, you’ll want to read our interview with Renata Muniz, who was laid off on a Thursday and incorporating her own company on Monday.
For no. 2, we’d love it if you spread the word about The Spark, aka IDEA GENERATION’s weekly newsletter for creative entrepreneurs. If you post a Spark screenshot on social media and tag @ideageneration, we will 100% repost you. We’re building this thing brick-by-brick, and telling your friends and followers is one of the best ways to help us grow. And thank you!
Okay enough about us, let’s get into it.
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In addition to our PR agency starter pack chat, this week we look at a digital artist having success building their own world, share a summer internship opportunity for designers, and recall the writing routine of one of the greatest sci-fi writers of all time (spoiler: it involved waking up at 2 am to write). Let’s go.
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📬 Have questions for us? Feedback? Want to share your work? Email us at thespark@ideageneration.com
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HOW'D YOU THINK OF THAT?!
Renata Muniz on starting her own PR agency.
Renata Muniz is the co-founder (along with fellow industry vet Joanne Hunter) of Out of Office, a media and brand strategy agency focused on launching and elevating Black and Brown talent to household name status.
We caught up with Muniz to hear how she got her start, the preparation needed to start her own company, and get some advice for those looking to get into PR.
How did you start in PR? What was your first job?
In college, I did two PR internships: one with a boutique fashion PR agency and the other at Republic Records. I very quickly realized fashion PR was not for me. I still have PTSD from carrying 10 garment bags all over NYC in 90-plus degree heat.
My first “real job” in PR was working as an assistant to two industry titans, Gabe Tesoriero and Laura Swanson at Island Def Jam. My very first week I attended the iconic GQ shoot where Rihanna famously wears only a leather jacket draped over her shoulders and got to see Frank Ocean perform at the Angel Orensanz Foundation performance space, which could only be described as an ethereal experience.
“I still have PTSD from carrying 10 garment bags all over NYC in 90-plus degree heat.”
What made you want to start Out of Office?
At record labels you’re often given very little control on what projects you work on. In a perfect world we should all be passionate about every artist, but sometimes that isn’t the case.
Starting Out of Office gave us the freedom to only work with artists that we are passionate about. Everything we touch now has the Out of Office stamp of approval. In the coming years, we want to be known as the agency that recognizes and promotes emerging and established artists to new heights.
“We want to be known as the agency that recognizes and promotes emerging and established artists to new heights.”
A lot of people dream of leaving their corporate job and going out on their own. What gave you the confidence to actually do it? What preparations were made before taking the leap?
Over the years, my co-founder Joanne and I talked about venturing out and doing our own thing but life always seemed to get in the way. We made excuses because we were comfortable with the devil we knew. And then in late February when the music industry suffered major losses wiping out whole departments and becoming a shell of what it used to be, we were hit with the very real and uncomfortable feeling of being laid off.
But if you’ve ever met me or Joanne you know that we are not “sit on your laurels” type of girls and we will rally quickly. Starting Out of Office was no different. We were laid off on Thursday afternoon and by Monday morning we were setting up our S-Corp, taking meetings with our logo and website designer, and securing clients. In the first two weeks, we already had two artists on our roster and that number has grown rapidly over the past few months.
What's the biggest challenge that comes with being independent?
Our biggest challenge has been not being able to say yes to everyone that seeks our help. We want to ensure that everyone we work with is given our full and undivided attention, so we’ve had to make some tough decisions when curating our roster to ensure that we achieve what we’ve set out to do.
“We were laid off on Thursday afternoon and by Monday morning we were setting up our S-Corp.”
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CREATOR TO KNOW
Digital Artist RHYMEZLIKEDIMEZ is building their own world.
RHYMEZLIKEDIMEZ is a digital artist known for their playful illustrations depicting musicians in surreal settings.
It started as a side project in 2015 and slowly built a following. Their tribute to Mac Miller in 2018 went viral. Other artists and labels started reaching out.
Has gone on to do official work for Lil Uzi Vert, Dua Lipa, Travis Scott, and brands like Apple and Nike.
Most recently created the visualizer for the latest NxWorries album from Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge.
So whatever that side project is you're working on, keep going. Your big break might be right around the corner.
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CHEAT CODES
The search you didn’t know you needed.
Feeling inspired by our interview with Renata? Have some interest in getting into the world of public relations?
Here’s what Renata advises for those looking to enter the field:
“Network, network, network. This can be through industry events, mentorship programs, internships, etc. Talk to your classmates about their internship programs as well, especially if you have no connections in the music/talent industry. Look at yourself as your first client, pitch and promote yourself to potential employers. You can’t be shy in PR!”
What about advice for artists thinking about their own PR?
“As an artist, actor, athlete etc. what are you trying to message to the world? Having a clear vision of what you want your story and your brand to be is key.”
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TAKE THIS JOB!
Cool job listings for creatives.
The Schedio is a creative agency that specializes in Brand Design & Strategy, Digital Marketing, and Web Design + Development.
They’re currently looking a summer intern who can:
Assist in creating visual content for various platforms including websites, social media, and marketing materials.
Develop and execute social media strategies.
Create, schedule, and publish content across various social media platforms.
The ideal candidate is:
Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Graphic Design, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
Strong passion for graphic design, social media, and content creation.
Sound like you? Apply here.
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KEEP SHOOTING
Your weekly reminder to keep going.
When she was 10 years old, Octavia E. Butler begged her mother to buy her a typewriter so she could start writing the science fiction fairy tales in her head. When she was 12 she saw a movie called Devil Girl From Mars and decided she could write a better story. When she was 13 her aunt told her "Negroes can't be writers." Butler ignored her and kept writing.
After graduating from community college, Butler took a series of low-paying temp jobs so she could wake up at 2 in the morning and write.
When she was 29 she published her first novel, and was able to support herself with her writing two years later.
Throughout her career she wrote motivational notes to herself ("Strive Always for Intensity"; "Ten Pages a Day—Keep Your Word"). She went on to win every major science fiction writing award and sold millions of copies of her books, fulfilling every career aspiration she set for herself.
She died in 2006 at age 58. In 2022 the middle school she attended in the 1950s was renamed Octavia E. Butler Magnet School.