Jenny He is the Founder and General Partner at Position Ventures, an early-stage venture fund that backs startups with strategic communications from day one. Previously, Jenny led comms at Square and has since helped hundreds of founders land coverage in top outlets like TechCrunch and Forbes. With deep expertise in positioning, storytelling, and PR, she’s on a mission to help startups craft differentiated narratives that drive credibility, legitimacy, and growth.
Discussed in This Episode
- What PR actually is (and isn’t) for startups
- The difference between positioning, storytelling, and PR — and how they stack together
- When PR makes sense and when to hold back on announcements
- Step-by-step process for landing coverage in top outlets like TechCrunch or Forbes
- How to build authentic relationships with reporters before you pitch
- What makes something truly newsworthy: timeliness, impact, relevance
- Tactical advice for pitching, interviews, and amplifying coverage post-launch
- How PR fits into the broader go-to-market motion
Episode Highlights
00:00 — Positioning, storytelling, and PR defined
02:23 — Jenny explains what PR really is and why startups misunderstand it
06:39 — The first step before any PR push: setting clear goals
11:37 — Example of a newsworthy founder story: building an AI radiologist from personal experience
15:17 — The three elements of newsworthiness: timeliness, impact, and relevance
17:42 — Why building warm relationships with reporters is crucial
20:36 — Preparing for the interview itself vs. outreach
22:47 — Amplifying coverage through your network post-publication
25:07 — What PR agencies cost (and why no one can guarantee coverage)
29:18 — Jenny’s #1 book recommendation on positioning
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Recommended Books
- Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries & Jack Trout — Jenny’s #1 recommendation for founders learning positioning fundamentals.
Referenced
Guest Links
The GTMnow Podcast
The GTMnow Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with the top 1% GTM executives, VCs, and founders. Conversations reveal the unshared details behind how they have grown companies, and the go-to-market strategies responsible for shaping that growth.
Visit gtmnow.com for more episodes and other interesting content.
