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Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Wilbert.
Hi Caroline, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
With a couple of post-grad years working and skiing in Apen, Colorado behind me, I set out in 1996 to put my journalism degree to good use. I landed a reporting job at a tiny paper called The Henry Herald. Our office was on the town square in McDonough, Georgia. I learned a lot working there and at a sister paper in Clayton County. From there, I went on to work at the Atlanta Business Chronicle and then The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and also freelanced for publications such as Fast Company, Fortune and The New York Times. In 2009, my then-husband, also a former journalist, decided to start his own PR firm. I went to work with him and found a new career that allowed me to do the things I had most liked as a reporter: research and writing. I had always been interested in entrepreneurship, and I enjoyed partnering with him to grow our firm. We made a lot of mistakes and learned along the way. In 2016, we divorced, and I bought him out of The Wilbert Group. I have been the president and owner ever since. We have had a lot of growth. We had nine employees in 2016 and now more than 30. We have also expanded our capabilities. While we still do traditional PR, and that remains what we are best known for, we also help our clients tell their own stories through sophisticated digital/social media programs.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest challenge was my divorce, which was especially tough since my husband was also my business partner. I had to quickly learn to run a business alone, convince employees to stay and keep delivering great results for clients. It was scary but ultimately paid off.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a public relations, social media and content firm. We help our clients tell their stories through a variety of channels – media relations, social media, awards, speaking opportunities, websites, influencer programs, video and email newsletters. We believe in telling clients’ stories consistently in the marketplace. Our programs are strategic and support our clients’ business goals, whether that be landing new customers, hiring top-tier talent, raising capital or attracting partners. Many of our clients are in commercial real estate, and we have developed a very strong reputation in that industry. We also have clients in the nonprofit, banking, natural gas, retail and legal sectors.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Companies increasingly want to tell their purpose stories – how they are giving back to their communities and/or making decisions that are good for the planet. This helps with recruiting/retaining talent, raising capital and strengthening a company brand. We have focused on growing our skills in this area, including how to generate positive press about corporate giving programs. (Hint: It is not taking a picture with a giant check.) W: Purpose, as we call it, is our practice focused on telling these stories through multiple channels. I expect demand for this work to continue growing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thewilbertgroup.com
- Instagram: @thewilbertgroup
- Facebook: @thewilbertgroup
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-wilbert-35a2179/
- Other: the wilbert group –
