My career in technology began in an unlikely place: video games.
In the early days, I worked with game developers and publishers to help bring new titles to market and organize media coverage around launches. It was creative, fast-moving, and global. It was also an industry where there were still many rooms where there were few women. At press events, developer briefings, and industry trips, I was often one of the few women in attendance.
These early experiences taught me lessons that have shaped my career ever since.
Great technology doesn’t automatically attract attention. Visibility makes a difference.
In the gaming industry, developers sometimes spend years building something special. But successful games were often what people were talking about. Media coverage, reviews, interviews, and industry conversations created momentum. As the attention started to rise, so did the interest.
The same dynamics exist across the broader technology field.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked with hundreds of technology companies and founders. Many people were creating great products and solving real problems. But challenges kept cropping up.
Their technology was powerful, but their stories were invisible.
Public relations is often misunderstood in the startup world. Some founders think it’s something to consider after the company reaches a certain size or secures funding. In fact, PR is at the heart of the promotional element of the marketing mix.
This is one of the most powerful ways founders can build credibility, authority, and visibility in the market.
When a founder is quoted in a reputable publication or asked to comment on industry trends, something important happens. Their expertise is visible beyond their own network. Media coverage demonstrates credibility in a way that traditional marketing often cannot.
Trustworthiness is about more than just reputation. It opens the door.
Investors are paying attention to founders who are shaping the conversation within their industry. Customers trust businesses they see and hear about through trusted sources. Partners are more likely to be involved in established and visible businesses.
For women in the technology industry, this type of visibility is especially valuable.
Many female founders are building great companies, but their voices aren’t always heard in industry discussions. Strategic PR can help change this by creating opportunities for women to offer their perspectives, share their insights, and lead the conversation.
Visibility doesn’t just elevate individual founders. This helps amplify the voices that shape the technology ecosystem.
New changes have made PR even more important.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way information is discovered and shared. AI systems increasingly summarize content, uncover expert insights, and refer to trusted sources when answering questions.
This means that founders who regularly appear in trusted publications are more likely to be recognized as authorities in their field.
Therefore, public relations serves two audiences at the same time. This builds trust with people while also strengthening the signals that search engines and AI systems rely on to identify trusted expertise.
For founders who want to build authority in their industry, a few principles are worth remembering.
First, focus on insights, not promotions. Journalists respond to expertise. Founders who share their perspectives on trends, challenges, and innovations are much more likely to be quoted and invited into conversations.
Next, develop a clear story. The most persuasive founders are able to explain not just what their technology does, but why it matters.
Third, consistency is essential. Authority grows gradually. One interview or article rarely changes a company’s trajectory, but a steady profile can increase visibility over time.
Finally, founders must treat reputation as a strategic asset. Communications, marketing, and PR work best when they work together and reinforce the same narrative.
Looking back at my early days in the video game industry, the technology landscape has evolved in incredible ways.
One thing hasn’t changed:
The companies and founders that get noticed are the ones who do a good job of telling their company’s story.
For women building technology businesses, public relations is more than just a marketing tool. This is your path to credibility, influence, and leadership in an industry that will shape the future.
