Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Epstein.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Being born in NYC and raised in South Florida, I’ve always been surrounded by culture. My personal interactions and experiences molded me to who I am today and directly impacted my work ethic, being of the mindset that hard work and dedication in anything that I do was not an option, it was my way of life.
Growing up, I always had a love for sports, music, and entertainment. I was not only an athlete in college but I also worked in A&R for a while within the music industry. Towards the end of my college career, I realized that my love for music was more of a passion and less of my career path. I ended up working in publishing for a little while and later pivoted my focus to advertising and PR, which ultimately lead me to Atlanta.
I knew whatever industry I worked in, I had to be able to wear sneakers every day. In an effort to control my destiny, I started Premier Agency in 2008 with my previous business partner. We worked out of her kitchen in the beginning and were really focused on one thing, providing our public relations and event management services to brands housed under the lifestyle industry. In less than a month, we landed our first big deal to do a launch party in Atlanta featuring Patrón. That was really our launchpad into the market.
Since then, I’ve been fortunate to grow the agency into a well-respected shop featuring expanded services such as creative/branding, social media management, videography/photography, consulting and more. I’ve had the pleasure of working with clients that we genuinely believe in which I’m very proud of.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think any entrepreneur or business owner ever has a smooth road. There’s constantly ups and downs, however, that’s what helps not only the company grow but the business leader as well. You have to be ok dealing with obstacles and challenges and navigating your way through those, hoping you made the best decision at that time for not only yourself, but for your team as well. Most importantly, it’s about standing by whatever you decide.
Growing pains are inevitable, and time as well as trial and error helped navigate us to the boutique firm we are today. In this industry, especially in PR, you have to be able to roll with the punches.
I’m an extreme individual. It’s all or nothing with me. I never had a plan B, so failure wasn’t an option.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Premier – what should we know?
Premier is a PR and creative agency comprised of brand curators that specialize in building relationships and integrated marketing strategies for the hospitality, lifestyle and entertainment community.
Our agency is more than a workplace, it’s the hub for our collective passion to create, curate and cultivate. We believe that trust is the foundation for a successful partnership with our clients, and that trust is earned through action. Real is rare, and we work to do what’s right while also finding results through persistence.
For the past 9 plus years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with some great clients and brands such as The Bert Show, Hublot, Bert’s Big Adventure, True Story Brands, Gerber Group, Cadillac, Porsche, Anheuser-Busch, among many other lifestyle and consumer focused brands, assisting them with their PR, Marketing, Event Management and Social Media needs.
Recently, I launched a separate venture by the name of Culturation™, a podcast Powered by Premier. Culturation Podcast features raw/organic interviews with a mix of influencers, entertainers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs who are paving the way and bridging the gap between culture and innovation. Guests talk about their journey in life and work, lessons they’ve learned along the way, challenges and successes they experienced and more. This passion project stemmed from my inherent love of connecting people and showcasing the evolution of our culture, featuring those who are shaping it.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Gratitude. I never take it for granted. I know it can all go away, as quick as it comes.
There’s a Warren Buffett quote that has always resonated with me. “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
I believe in investing into those that invest into you, both from an employee and client standpoint. I’m big on loyalty, and know it’s something to be earned not just given away.
Lastly, stay humble and keep an open mind.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1954 Airport Road,
Suite 208,
Atlanta, GA 30341 - Website: www.premieragencyinc.com
- Phone: 404.792.3841
- Email: contact@premieragencyinc.com
- Instagram: premieragency
- Facebook: premieragencyinc
- Twitter: premieragcy
Image Credit:
Premier Agency
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