From Editor to Entrepreneur: PR consultant leverages her newsroom experience to promote businesses

DALLAS — As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, many business owners are struggling to stay connected with their stakeholders.

As the owner of Scarlett Communications LLC, Katie Scarlett Shi is leveraging her background in journalism and business consulting to help companies engage their customers and grow relationships.

“What sets me apart from many public relations professionals is my background in the news industry and business sector,” she said. “This allows me to quickly analyze management’s perspectives and effectively give voice to their needs.“

A recent media release about a furniture restorer who started sewing face masks was published on MLive, a primary news source in the state of Michigan, and was subsequently picked up by National Public Radio. Scarlett’s client experienced a significant increase in business volume due to this exposure.

“Katie Shi did a phenomenal job working with me recently to promote my business,” said Amy Wisniewski, owner of Vintage 11. “Because of one article, my inbox is blowing up with orders and messages. If you are looking to take your business to the next level, I highly recommend Scarlett Communications.” 

Shi served as a public relations consultant for several years before officially launching Scarlett Communications, a Dallas-based consulting firm that specializes in public relations and marketing for small to medium-sized entities. Scarlett Communications offers comprehensive public relations, content marketing, social media and special event services.

“Some of my customers are fairly unique, like an architect in Aspen, Colorado who designs $20 million homes,” Shi said. “While the industries or niches are different, fundamentally all businesses need to get the word out as to why they are the best at what they do.”

Shi has held marketing, communications, and technology leadership roles in Dallas and Denver. She also worked as a newspaper editor, reporter, and television producer in Michigan and Colorado. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from CU Denver and a Bachelor of Art in Journalism degree from Michigan State University. Shi currently serves as an officer on several nonprofit boards, including a local chapter of her alma mater, Michigan State University. She is also a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

“It has been exciting to work with clients and share their stories,” Shi said. “With COVID-19 changing the landscape of how people do business and how they interact with the world, a company’s message is more important now than ever before. Good PR consistently keeps the value-add and accomplishments of a company in front of their clients. That way, the company can maximize its resources and focus on doing what it does best.“