Candid interviews and actionable advice from industry-leading experts and entrepreneurs.
Paul Oakley
Founder & President
Mission: Helping businesses grow by engaging those who matter most
Founded: August 2019
Nashville, TN
[AT]: How did you get your start in communications?
[PO]: Professionally, I started in PR 25 years ago in Chicago. One of our agency clients, Dow, introduced me to the B2B world and the chemical and plastic industries. I was eventually hired as Communications Manager at Dow, holding positions in Houston and Switzerland. I also worked in Brazil for 4 years as the Director of Public Affairs in Latin America.
Then I returned to Philadelphia, where 2.5 years later I was recruited as VP of Communications at Bridgestone in Nashville.
[AT]: Tell us about why you made the decision to start Tiny Mighty Co.
[PO]: What prompted me to start Tiny Mighty Co. was my international experience, big brand experience, and the realization that many of the marketing communications consultants we were hiring at my former companies didn’t have the same level of experience I have. While there are local companies serving great purposes, I decided to build my own company to deliver the insights, expertise, and skill set that the local companies, to me, weren’t as effective in doing.
It’s also been a lifelong dream to start my own company. I’ve discussed leaving the corporate world to start my own business with various close, professional colleagues over the years, and never did. But in 2019 I decided it was now or never. It ended up being the perfect alignment of stars.
[AT]: How did you take the first step - what was your process?
[PO]: My wife and I (who also has a PR background and is a great thought partner for me) talked to a financial advisor to make sure we had a plan. Then I reached out to about a dozen former colleagues who had started their own businesses. I asked them for their advice, interviewing them to understand their experiences, and to learn from them.
I began outreach to potential clients and updated my LinkedIn profile. It was on LinkedIn that our (now most valuable) client found me. He saw that I was doing my own thing, asked me if I was able to support his efforts, and of course I said yes!
[AT]: What was your approach to building your brand?
[PO]: We had a pretty methodical approach. We went through the brainstorming process for our company name, messaging, and website, and hired a consultant to help us execute our vision. Even though we sell these services, I think it’s important to have a third party’s perspective. Our consultant helped us create the visual identity, the logo, and the packaging around it.
The advice I want to offer is don't try to do everything yourself. There are experts out there in similar situations trying to build their businesses, and really appreciate being on the ground level with somebody.
There’s also a huge advantage to hiring a third party. You’re paying for expertise as opposed to trying to develop your own. In addition to creating efficiency and helping you build confidence, it’s nice to have a resource in your corner to help challenge your thinking.
[AT]: What are your top 3 tools that help you run your business more efficiently?
[PO]: 1.) Quickbooks: An accounting software is critical from day 1. We also outsource our bookkeeping, which allows me to focus my time elsewhere. With those tools, I’ve become 10x more productive and efficient.
2.) LinkedIn: From Sales Navigator, to engaging with clients, to countless outreach capabilities, LinkedIn has so many features and products that our business has reaped benefits from.
3.) Eclincher: As a startup, we love using it to schedule, post, measure, and streamline our social media accounts.
[AT]: I want to dig into your PR background a little bit. What advice would you give entrepreneurs who are trying to establish credibility and authenticity through PR?
[PO]: Before seeking media engagements to build awareness for your company or brand, you first need to define your mission, vision, purpose, and who you’re trying to sell to. Take your time to spell it out. Make sure you can answer questions about your organization when asked.
If you can take it to the next step and create messaging points by audience and address the problems you are solving, that will be invaluable. When seeking media engagements, I’d recommend working with PR specialists. Our approach at Tiny Mighty Co. is to first understand what your objectives are. Then we do as much research as possible to develop tailored creative pitches, and get them in front of the right media outlets. We’re different in that we’re very intentional about serving our clients in ways that drive action to support their business.
[AT]: One last question. How have you dealt with uncertainty or adversity over the past year?
[PO]: I’ve really focused on the things I can impact, and accepted the things that I can’t. I woke up everyday knowing sooner or later the fog is going to pass, and I wanted to still be standing if not better and stronger because of the fog. Everyday I’ve gone in with the mindset that nothing can stop Tiny Mighty from being the company I want it to be.
Focus on the task at hand, focus on the future, and be flexible.
To learn more about how Tiny Mighty Co. can support your PR efforts, you can visit their website here.
Partnering with aspiring entrepreneurs and scaling businesses to execute actionable marketing strategies that drive growth. Explore my service offerings here.
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