Fund/Build/Scale Crafting influence: Early-stage PR strategies from Chikodi Chima of Moonshot
I interviewed Chikodi Chima, founder of Moonshot, a PR firm focused on early-stage startups. The discussion revolves around the art of storytelling, thought leadership, and how PR can exponentially boost brand presence and connect with media, along with prospective customers, employees and investors.
Chikodi shares insights from his journey as a former tech journalist to a PR professional, emphasizing the importance of creating compelling narratives and strategic influence for startup founders.
Key topics include understanding when to engage with PR, the role of media exposure, managing expectations about ROI, and avoiding common pitfalls in PR strategies. The conversation also touches on the significance of events and networking in enhancing brand credibility
“You can sell a problem long before you have a viable solution for it,” said Chikodi.
Runtime: 37:34
EPISODE BREAKDOWN(2:09) How Chikodi transitioned from tech journalism into launching a PR agency.
(5:48) “How do I get people's attention, and how do I keep them involved in my story?”
(8:33) “If people see themselves in the story that the founder and the company is telling, they will get on board.”
(10:28) Moonshot's onboarding process for new clients.
(13:05) “I think of myself as a triple threat because I understand marketing, content events and PR.”
(16:52) “There's a lot of ways to get ROI out of events.”
(17:14) “A question that I get from founders a lot is, ‘how much time is this going to take from me?’”
(22:23) How he connects with new clients and sets expectations.
(25:54) “You really have to have something special, you have to be committed, you have to be resilient and you have to be adaptable.”
(29:15) “There is this sociopathic kind of tendency in certain founders, and you don't instantly recognize it.”
(33:10) “If you ask me, “when should we start doing PR,” I would say ‘yesterday.’”
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– Walter.