Meet Erin Osborne

We were lucky to catch up with Erin Osborne recently and have shared our conversation below.

Erin , so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?

Ten years into a career in public relations, in 2014 I was the PR Director at a leading marketing firm. I’d worked for different agencies ranging from boutique to multinational in scale, three of which were male-owned firms in a female dominated industry. The grind was real and I showed up for it: exceeded KPIs, managed and mentored junior staff and climbed the corporate ladder. I had the title and street cred I thought I’d wanted but with little control over work-life balance, and the trajectory of the company, I began to question the end game. Realizing risk was needed to gain independence and autonomy over my career trajectory, I decided it was time to make a change.

Thanks to excellent mentors and with the support of colleagues, clients, friends and family, I was ready to define success on my own terms. In 2015 I launched Osborne Northwest Public Relations (ON PR), a creative PR agency committed to doing good work for good clients, and most importantly with a team of good people. Now, nearly 10 years since the launch of ON PR, we’re navigating the corporate landscape in a way that delivers excellent results for our clients, provides a work-life balance for the team and ensures the desired path for not just day-to-day life, but the future. I am extremely grateful for the support system of professional mentors, family, friends and colleagues that both inspire and support this mission.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Founded by Erin Osborne in 2015, ON PR is a small by-choice public relations agency representing world-class hospitality clients. While the agency has steadily grown since inception, year over year revenue growth between 2022-2023 is 56 percent. The past year brought new clients and key hires while maintaining legacy accounts held since the agency’s inception. With clients at the forefront of topics like environmental impacts of overtourism, climate change and social justice, ON PR played a key role in education on regenerative tourism, and giving voice to indigenous, LGBTQ and female-owned community groups.

The mighty team of five masterminds PR campaigns that consistently place clients among the most coveted media brands. Recent stories include a five-page, award-winning feature story in Wine Enthusiast on the Punjab Farming Legacy in the Okanagan, a regenerative travel MSN syndicated piece sharing how our client is “reimaging tourism so that tourists help preserve and improve the islands,” an NBC broadcast segment highlighting an indigenous-owned coffee roaster opening a café on land his ancestors once inhabited, and an article in Sierra Magazine on how to “Safely Photography Grizzly Bears,” with an indigenous guide. These are just a few examples of deep storytelling that compels visitors to leave a place better than they found it.

This quality in deep storytelling sits beyond key metrics like reach, article count or impressions. Yet we track these too. Client wins this year also include features on The Today Show, USA Today, FOX Morning News, NBC Evening and many more.

While our team and client portfolio continue to expand from its headquarters in Seattle, we remain thoughtful and strategic about client engagements. We choose clients that align with our values, commitment to respect and good work.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Confidence to trust yourself. This one took a while to develop but continues to play a consistent role in both long-term and day-to-day business choices. If something seems off, whether it’s a promotion that comes without the commensurate salary increase or a business partner that just doesn’t seem like the right fit, trust your gut. Bigger is not always better and thoughtful, strategic growth is always the most sustainable.

2. Nurture relationships authentically. The throughline between friendships and colleagues is strong. Some of my most economically successful and personally fulfilling business deals have come as a result of long term relationships I truly enjoy. If you admire and trust partners and colleagues, you will succeed. Help others, make connections and introductions that support others’ path to sucess. It ALWAYS comes back around.

3. Continue learning. Networking, skill building and a strong understanding of the ever evolving media and communications industry is so important. Wisdom is something that must be earned. Life experience coupled with an openness to try new strategies and approaches is key to ongoing success.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Our growth has been methodical and strategic. We are always seeking new PR professionals and partners that align with our mission to do good work for good clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.onpublicrelations.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onpublicrelations
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onpublicrelations