Breakthrough Builders Steward of Story: Jessica Kleiman @ Peloton
Jessica Kleiman is a PR & comms veteran, a published author, and a principal contributor to one of the greatest brand stories of the new millennium.
In her talk with Jesse, Jessica takes us on her journey from 90s media rooms to directing communications at Peloton, where she helped blend content with technology to turn living rooms around the globe into supercharged exercise studios and cherished virtual meeting places. She describes how, throughout her career, she leveraged a background in literature and love of story to bring an editor’s eye and human openness to the oft-sanitized world of PR, and how she managed to write her first book in the months after becoming a mother.
Increasingly, the stories a brand tells are an integral part of how people experience a brand—Jessica’s advice is invaluable for any builder seeking to build a passionate following with authentic and empathetic content.
(4:32) Reflections on having a mother who was an executive; the pros and cons
(8:11) What media companies were like two decades ago, versus what they’re like now
(13:59) Bringing together a passion for content with deep acumen in PR and comms at Peloton
(18:26) How Peleton led out as a category creator
(20:40) The power of community and how it can be amplified authentically
(24:29) Advice for PR pros on communicating with humanity & empathy
(32:48) How Jessica wrote a book as a working mom; advice for any aspiring author with too little time
Guest Bio
Jessica Kleiman is Senior Vice President, Global Communications at Peloton, the leading interactive fitness platform, where she oversees the brand’s public relations, corporate communications, internal communications and social media initiatives.
Before Peloton, she spent two years leading consumer communications at Instagram and over a decade at Hearst Magazines, where she managed PR efforts for 20 U.S. media brands. Jessica also led PR and IR for The Knot, Inc., the nation’s leading wedding website and media company, and helped take the company public.
Helpful Links
Peloton Founder John Foley on How I Built This (ref’d at 17:28)
Hollywood Reporter article: The Hollywoodization of Peloton
Jessica’s book: Be Your Own Best Publicist
Q&A with author Kate White (ref’d at 33:56)