Creative Kelsey Kloss on Launching a PR and Social Media Company to Empower Industry Thought Leaders

Hi Kelsey! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:

Absolutely! I am the CEO of Kloss Creatives, a PR and social media company that scales CEOs and companies as industry thought leaders. Kloss Creatives clients have been featured by The New York Times, HuffPost, Bustle, and beyond. Previously, I was a journalist and in-house editor for national media brands including Good Housekeeping, ELLE Decor, Reader’s Digest, Woman’s Day, Prevention, and Redbook — and have also shaped digital marketing strategy for global corporations such as Scholastic and AT&T.

So Kelsey, what excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?

I’m excited to connect with other women who are passionate about creating opportunities for their teams, clients, and customers through the work that they do. Nurturing opportunities for others is my favorite part about leading a company — and I’m excited to continue that in the Entreprenista League.

Starting a business of your own is not an easy decision. How did you find yourself running your own biz?

During the pandemic, I was working in the corporate world in NYC, but my team was partially furloughed like so many others. I used the extra time each week to start taking on my own clients, which eventually snowballed into the nationwide client network and team of 10 that we have today.

Prior to starting your own business, what was your background prior to starting your own business?

I was a journalist, in-house editor, and digital marketer for several global brands, including Reader’s Digest, Hearst Media, and Scholastic.

Did you always have a feeling you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Yes! I’m passionate about nurturing opportunities for others to grow — whether it’s my team, my clients, or even my clients’ customers who benefit from their products and/or services. This has a ripple effect that truly makes waves over time. Witnessing that growth is deeply meaningful to me.

Given your journalism background, what was your initial marketing strategy?

Our strategy has largely been based on referrals, SEO, organic social media, and earned media. It’s worked quite well!

How did you overcome concern over the “what if” scenarios?

When I first started my business, I was very nervous about “what if” scenarios — what if a client doesn’t pay me, or what if an idea doesn’t pan out the way I thought it would? However, actually going through those experiences and growing a team who I can bounce ideas around with helped immensely. I learned that you can’t always predict what’s around the corner, but there’s always a next step forward.

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

All of our clients have grown immensely since we first started working with them — and having marketing and PR support has given them agency and confidence in driving their company forward. Seeing this growth and knowing our entire Kloss Creatives team genuinely cheers them on daily is so rewarding. I’m proud of the fact that we work with truly good people, both in terms of our clients and our own team.

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

Yes — though it won’t be achieved once and then never revisited. Many of us need to step out of the mindset that more hours worked equals more money or more success. Easier said than done, I know! Although it’s true to a certain extent, at some point, your success will be determined by the decisions that you make (not by how much you burn yourself out). Plus, if you have the perspective of experiences outside of work, you’ll be able to better approach problems and solutions within your own company.

What’s a piece of advice you can share that you wish you’d known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?

There’s a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt that I love but just recently heard — and I think it’s a great one for leaders and entrepreneurs: “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” This is something I’ve learned throughout the years of building my own career and leading others (both in corporate and my own company), but I was never able to put it as succinctly as this.

Kelsey, you have lots to celebrate! What have you achieved recently that you’d like to celebrate with our community?

One of our new clients is currently being interviewed by The New York Times for a wellness feature, another client just secured a monthly baking TV segment, and we’re helping yet another client plan an incredible Swim Week event in Miami for their new skincare product line.

What’s next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

We are rapidly growing and will continue to scale business owners, CEOs, and thought leaders over the next few years — all while further establishing our own thought leadership in the social media and PR space. In particular, we are aiming to work with clients in the food, health, and wellness industries.

 Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!