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Katrina Owens, the Founder and Brand & Publicity Consultant of Knockout Directive, is revolutionizing small business PR. After leaving her corporate job, she embarked on an entrepreneurial journey to empower small business owners. Her mission? To help them amplify their presence through personal branding and public relations. In this interview, Katrina shares her challenges, pivotal moments, and unexpected opportunities that have shaped her path in the world of small business PR.

What’s a specific event that sticks in your mind that is a big reason you decided to start your business?

While it was mostly a chain of small events and nudges, the big push came when I was working a corporate job that no longer aligned with my personal values. I felt like I was compromising my own career growth and vision to fit the mold of what others wanted, and it just felt bad. I was depressed, anxious and couldn’t even articulate what my goals actually were, because it just didn’t feel like they were up to me anymore.

It all came to a head during a particular conversation with my employer, where it was clear that the growth I desired was not an option if I stayed there. So for once I decided to put myself first and I left with no back-up plan.

It was terrifying and liberating all at once, but I immediately connected with others in my network and started picking up clients. It really is amazing how one conversation can change everything, especially in the world of small business PR.

What does your website do for you right now & what do you want it to do?

Katrina, just recently updated my website, and right now it feels like an amazing extension of my online presence. “I tried really hard to capture the essence of my personal brand – warmth, approachability, empowerment, I immediately convey that to potential clients seeking small business PR services.”

I definitely WANT it to start bringing in a couple leads per week without using paid advertising. I know there’s some work to be done on the SEO-side of things, and it’ll get there. The To-Do list really just never ends, but the new website alone was a major project for me.

If you could go back in time on your journey and do something differently, what would you do and why?

I’m not sure there’s anything I’d do drastically differently, as I think everything has unfolded in a certain way to teach me something. With that said, I do reflect on certain instances where I wish I would have maintained stronger boundaries – whether that was between clients, thoughts about work, etc. However, I think recognizing how and why those boundaries were infringed on just helps you build strength for your future experiences.

What was your most difficult moment in business, what happened, how did you move through it & what do you think of it looking back now?

A couple months into running my business full-time, I had several back-to-back conversations with potential clients that were all super uncomfortable. In each of those conversations, I felt like my worth and expertise were called into question, and it really impacted my self-esteem and left me questioning my own capabilities.

The build-up, or pile on, of these experiences really put me into a rut creatively, and I ended up getting really sick after being emotionally and physically burnt out. I have to credit the mentors I surround myself with for helping me realize that all of those clients had common qualities, which are characteristics that are not a match for me and my business.

Through the self-work, I was able to recognize that it wasn’t a ‘me-problem’, it was just misalignment. Now I’m much better at recognizing these qualities early on, and I feel confident turning down work or clients if it’s not going to be a fit personality-wise. As hard as it was to navigate those experiences, I think those are normal growing pains that just help you learn, grow and re-route for the future of your business.

Do you have an email list? If so, did you start it when you launched?

Yes I have one, but no, I didn’t think it was something my business needed early on, and well, I was wrong about that. To be honest, I just didn’t think others would be interested in hearing from me in that way but I’ve since realized how valuable it is for my business.

I try to hold myself accountable to sending a community email at least once per month, but man it is hard to keep in touch across so many mediums.

What’s the most unexpected way you’ve made money in your business?

Public speaking!

And I know, that sounds counterintuitive when I literally work in PR, but while pitching my clients for speaking engagements is part of my job, I didn’t think that would become such an integral part of my business. I was even more surprised when I realized I could get paid for it, but now I’m excited to continue making events and workshops a significant revenue stream for my business in the future.

What do you have coming up for 2024, and how can people work with you?

My goal for 2024 is to empower 100 small business owners with the power of public relations, so I’ve designed two signature services that help entrepreneurs implement their own brand and publicity efforts. I was tired of feeling like I couldn’t serve small businesses that might be operating on a smaller budget, so these signature services allow me to offer my professional PR strategies to those who can’t afford to have a publicist on retainer.

The first is my ‘Personal Brand Discovery’, which is the strategy and framework small business owners need to start building their personal brand on and offline. The goal of this service is to provide all the information and tools one needs to establish their personal brand, to eventually incorporate public relations into their marketing efforts. If clients have a strong personal brand in place (or if we complete their Personal Brand Discovery), I also have a Publicity Coaching program which teaches business owners how to pitch themselves to the media and effectively use media relations to grow their business. I LOVE these services, and the results are so meaningful and empowering, I’m excited to bring even more business owners through these programs this year.

If you could give your younger entrepreneur self one piece of sassy advice, what would it be?

Seriously, STOP worrying about what other people think about you, ESPECIALLY if they’re not paying your bills. Everyone is dealing with their own insecurities, and if owning your personal brand and amplifying your publicity makes others uncomfortable, it’s not your responsibility to dim your light and silence your celebrations for their sake.