Meet The Founder
Hi! My name is Sharla. I am a public relations and communications professional, freelance PR consultant, and the founder of Easy Consulting Studio.
I began my career in public relations and communications right out of university and a one year post-graduate industry program. I jumped in head first, taking the plunge by working as a member of a Canadian luxury retailer’s small, but mighty public relations team. This exposure to the industry gave me the experience in media and influencer relations, events and strategic planning for luxury retail, designer and mass consumer brands across the categories of fashion, beauty and lifestyle. I became an expert in branding, product placement, product seeding, editorial direction, and styling. This was the role where I established and maintained strong relationships in the worlds of fashion, entertainment and media.
It was my dream job but I decided to leave that amazing opportunity behind to work with some of the greatest leaders and brands — gaining transferable experience at public relations agencies servicing a variety of industries including CPG, fashion, hospitality, food and beverage, restaurants, health, wellness, fitness, beauty, and non-profit companies. There is no better place than an agency to truly learn how to navigate the world of public relations. You become scrappy, relentless, and motivated to secure big wins!
I was responsible for leading public relations and integrated communications strategies and program execution for consumer lifestyle brands. My creative thinking and understanding of the ever changing media landscape benefitted clients including Holt Renfrew, Nike, Glysomed, Blistex, Cactus Club Cafe, LCBO, Aldo Shoes, Shopify, Dockers, Jackson-Triggs Wines, Kim Crawford Wines, Meiomi Wines, Tom Gore, Ballet B.C., Fjällraven, and more. I secured stories for many of these brands in publications including CBC, HELLO! Canada, Huffington Post, FASHION Magazine, The Globe and Mail, The Kit, NUVO, Complex Canada, Vancouver Sun, and many more outlets across North America. Over the course of my career, I am proud to have contributed any positive impact to the profiles of these leading global brands.
I always thought that working in a traditional structured environment was my path. I appreciated the stability of having a full-time, paying job with a desk in an office, but deep down I was never truly happy. I was always thinking about side projects or how to start something that would channel my creativity, but was never sure what that would look like. It wasn’t until after a series of events where my professional journey changed, that it finally became clear that traditional jobs in public relations were not for me.
This allowed me to take a step back and recognize what I did want out of a job. The public relations industry is constantly changing, with new platforms, channels, services, and outlets to consider for our clients every week. Clients should be coached and educated on the media landscape throughout the process of working together, because new methods of coverage can be more successful than traditional ones, depending on your goals. I recognized a lack of effective public relations representation for brands that want to make a difference and a lack of diversity with the way brands chose their partners or executed campaigns. What I wanted to establish was a consulting agency as a freelancer who is a strategic partner and extension of a client’s team, without having to filter messages through the hierarchy of a team. I wanted to develop collaborative relationships built on trust and open lines of communication. I wanted to play a major role as an experienced public relations professional. More than anything, I wanted public relations to be easy for people to understand.
That is likely why you are here. If you’re interested in working with me, drop me a line at hi@easyconsultingstudio.com so that we can discuss PR opportunities and maybe embark on a partnership together?
Photo Credit: Justina Leisyte