The Rethinking Work Show Reinventing How Companies Access Talent
5 snips
Nov 5, 2025 
Lara Vandenberg, founder and CEO of Publicist, discusses her journey in creating a platform that connects companies with top-tier freelance marketing talent. She highlights the importance of agility in workforce models and how the pandemic reshaped hiring dynamics. Lara explains the shift from traditional worker classifications to flexible W-2 solutions, and the benefits of having a talent 'bench' for quick access to specialists. She also dives into the role of AI in transforming job functions and anticipates exciting new marketing roles for the future.
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From Rolodex To Product
- Lara started Publicist after seeing enterprise friction to onboard top PR and marketing talent from personal experience in brand roles.
- She wanted to productize people's Rolodexes to make premium marketing talent easier to access.
COVID Accelerated Supply And Remote Work
- Publicist launched May 7, 2020 and quickly absorbed freelancers from early COVID layoffs.
- The pandemic accelerated supply-side growth and remote work made location irrelevant.
Marketing Needs Curated Vetting
- Horizontal marketplaces failed to vet nuanced marketing and creative skills which need subjective judgment.
- Publicist focused on premium vetting because marketing outcomes are less binary than engineering or accounting.
