Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittni “Bee” Brown.
Brittni, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story began with the worst day of my life. My mom passed away going into my senior year of high school unexpectedly and this is what shifted my entire life. I embodied her strength, community activism and working mentality.
I transitioned to college and this is when I was introduced to Public Relations and developed the mindset to obtain internships and mentors to help guide me through things that I didn’t know about the field. I then founded my agency in 2011 while in my junior year of school, while being heavily involved on campus. I began to brand myself and lay the foundation to myself as a Publicist and this opened my journey to obtaining my first client.
I worked for a Fortune 500 company, and while working and building my agency. I relocated to Downtown Detroit during the historic bankruptcy and Mayoral scandal and it was so much negative press coming out of Detroit being exposed on a national level, that I wanted to change that narrative. There was a boom of Millennial Entrepreneurs that were re-laying the foundation to the re-building of “new Detroit” and their stories were being left out. I began representing and working with a major amount of Millennials and earned the title of The Millennials’ Publicist.
My agency grew into one of the most sought out small boutique PR agencies in Detroit, MI, with me earning awards for my work and community involvement. Today, we have represented clients who have grossed over $5million combined with a firm focus on challenging their traditions in their respected spaces and fields. The founding of “Beecoming Your Brand: The University ” has been introduced under our education sector, aimed at molding and aiding in the personal brand development of emergent and established professionals.
Has it been a smooth road?
If it was easy, everyone would do it. I founded my agency in college when most of my friends wanted to attend icebreakers or parties, I had to work on press releases. This was something that was hard for me to explain and for some to understand. I had to learn that everyone wouldn’t be apart of your journey and some may get lost along the way. This was a hard party for me. When you’re in the mindset that everyone will support and understand your vision, and it doesn’t happen it may cause confusion.
This was hard for me to grip and understand the importance of balance.
I would also say that as I went into new levels of my career, and transitioned into full-time entrepreneur there is a piece of isolation that nobody warns you about as you shift to building your own brand. Human interaction, co-working, task sharing, etc. is something that may not happen in the beginning as it’s just you, building your empire.
There is also a piece of anxiety and depression I suffered from while working to build my brand and grow as a professional. This is something that affects my personal and professional.
We’d love to hear more about your agency.
The Bee Agency is a Public Relations agency that specializes in client representation, event management + branding and client coaching. We hold over 8 years of experience handcrafting and securing results-driven exposure for our clients while focusing on them becoming their brands outside of their websites and logos.
We are most proud of our client roster that possesses some of the industry leaders, who, are working to challenge the traditional and push against the norms in the place. We’ve worked with and representing brands who have grossed over $5million combined, as well introduced the “firsts” to the nation with a majority of them holding the honor of being millennials.
We focus on the proper and measurable representation for our clients, while heavily flushing out their personal brands- tapping into the human connection. We also educate and coach our clients and those who are not represented by our brand. Our educational sector, Beecoming Your Brand: The University is the first of its kind and aimed to hold a focus of laying the personal brand foundation before PR comes into play.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I feel like Detroit is in a phase of a Renaissance and there are so much growth and expansion happening that it’s amazing to watch. I want to continue to do the work ensuring that all stories are being shared on a national level in the form of Public Relations, but also within the city.
I would def. tell them Detroit is a place to start as there are so many opportunities to grow and get connected with some amazing people and brands. I learned from so many people who are from this city, that I wouldn’t trade it for the world. My brand was basically born into Detroit and the way we move and work resembles the Hustle that defines Detroit.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thebeeagency.com
- Email: pr@thebeeagency.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beebrownpr/?hl=en
Image Credit:
Jermme ( yellow jacket and a computer), Q11 Photography( Headshot in the gray background), Leosage images (me in white teaching course)
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