The PR Mistake Too Many Founders Are Still Making

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-29

You know, a lot of startup founders have it backwards when they think about PR. They dream of landing that one massive feature in a top-tier publication and riding the wave of instant fame straight to unicorn status. That story… it’s a nice fantasy. Honestly, it might have worked for a handful of companies fifteen years ago, back when venture money was harder to come by and a single article in the right place could actually put a startup on the map overnight. But that era is over. It’s a relic. And yet, so many founders still cling to it like a security blanket. They walk into meetings with agencies and lead with, "We want to be in the biggest publication." They treat PR like a trophy you win, a reward for being clever. It’s not. And the reality check can be a little harsh. The truth is, startups have to prove they’re real companies, not just momentary bets. Real PR isn't about splashy one-offs; it's the discipline of building trust at scale. Think about it. You can't buy that. You can't fake it. You have to earn it, consistently, over time. Chasing a single big write-up is a short-term play, and it's rarely a feasible long-term strategy. ### The Modern Media Landscape Here’s the thing—the whole media world has changed. Traditional newsrooms are smaller. The landscape has fragmented into a million niche outlets, newsletters, podcasts, and social-first channels. It's a challenge, sure. But honestly, it's also a massive opportunity if you're willing to stop playing by the old rules and start adapting. Let's start with the "why." Why does a startup even need PR? You grow early on through sales and performance marketing. That's enough… for a while. But leveling up? That demands a much bigger pool of customers, a more sophisticated list of partners—enterprise buyers, serious investors, senior hires. Your product, sales team, and ads do a ton of heavy lifting, but they can't manufacture trust. They can't build a reputation that speaks for itself. Founders usually hit this crossroads after a major milestone, like their first serious venture round. That's when reputation shifts from nice-to-have to absolutely indispensable. Your launch? It's rarely newsworthy. It happens too early, before you have the traction that proves real-world impact. PR only works once that traction exists. Until then, your energy is better spent building the substance that the coverage will later reward. ### Your Key Stakeholders Before you obsess over specific outlets, step back. Think about your short and long-term goals. Are you raising funds? Hiring key talent? Entering a new market or pursuing a license? How do you want your company to be perceived in a year or two? This clarifies not just what you do this month, but how this month's work fits into your larger vision. From there, identify your stakeholders—the people who help you reach those goals. Most startups prioritize: - Clients - Investors - Talent Depending on your industry, you might also need to think about partners, regulators, or other governmental actors. Here's a crucial point: investors and potential senior hires often dig deeper than customers. They want to know who's behind the company, why it will win, what the market's like, and what it's actually like to work there. They'll cross-check your story with third-party sources: reviews, comparison sites, and earned media—the coverage PR helps secure. As one experienced founder put it, "Earned media is uniquely powerful because the people behind those platforms are inherently trusted, whether they're deep sector experts or professional journalists." ### Crafting Your Message Stakeholders move on verifiable facts, strong numbers, and real success stories. An investor won't back a team that might not deliver. A senior candidate won't join a toxic culture. A regulator needs proof you're competent and credible. Each group wants different things. Your job is to know which points matter most to whom and deploy them at the right time, in the right place. That's messaging. Don't overcomplicate it. Some messages are for one audience, others work for everyone. And unlike some emotion-driven marketing, every single PR message has to be verifiably true. It must be backed by facts, stats, and concrete examples. Founders sometimes forget this: PR reflects reality, but it can't create a new one from scratch. It amplifies what's already there. So, build something worth amplifying first. That's the real strategic framework. It's less about a 2026 playbook and more about timeless principles of building trust and telling your true story, one authentic chapter at a time.