How to Start a PR Firm: Sharing Our Book With CBU Students
If you’re wondering how to start a PR firm, knowing how to do good PR is only part of the equation. You also have to figure out how to price your work, find clients, manage finances and keep the business running while delivering for the people who hire you.
We know because we’ve been there.
When RMG Communications Founder and CEO Rachel Dickman, MBA, APR, and fellow firm owner Liselle Regueiro DeGrave, APR, discovered they both wanted to write a book, the subject was an easy choice. With years of experience in public relations and running their own businesses, they had plenty of lessons to share.
They wanted to write the book they wished they had when they were starting out.
In 2024, they published A Practical Guide to Starting Your Own PR Firm, an easy-to-understand resource for PR professionals interested in hanging their own shingle.
What to Know Before Starting a PR Firm
Owning a firm teaches you a lot, sometimes through trial and error. Being a strong communicator matters, but so does understanding what it takes to run a business.
For professionals considering that step, a few questions are worth asking:
What services will you offer, and who needs them?
How will you price your work to cover your time and expenses?
How will you set clear expectations with clients?
How will you make time for the business side while keeping up with client work?
Rachel and Liselle wanted to help readers think through those decisions before taking the leap. Writing about PR and business was a natural next step. It gave them a way to put their experience to work for others.
Bringing Our PR Business Book to CBU
Fast forward to 2026, and they were over the moon to learn that their book is required reading for California Baptist University’s PR Business Literacy class.
This fall, Rachel and Liselle visited campus to share their insights and chat with the students. It was exciting to see a book created from their own experiences become a classroom resource for future PR professionals.
Whether those students eventually start a firm or work in-house, understanding the business side of PR can help them ask better questions, plan their work and understand the decisions behind a budget.
Thank you to Mary Ann Pearson, Ed.D., APR, for selecting the book and inviting Rachel and Liselle to spend time with her class. They had a blast on campus and appreciated the opportunity to share what they’ve learned with the next generation of PR professionals.
