Kara Silverman

Bio:

I have been working as a publicist in both NY and DC for the past 6+ years. I have just joined the team at Next Jump, purveyors of the best rewards and loyalty programs around, as Director of Corporate Communications after working for Yodle, the leading local online advertising company for small businesses as the in-house publicist. Before that I worked for the Avon Foundation for Women and 5W Public Relations here in Manhattan. Skills in my wheelhouse include: media & external relations, crisis & reputation management, issue advocacy, writing, messaging, branding, social media management and growth, blogging, running, dog walking, and of course joke-telling.

• Title: Director of Corporate Communications, Next Jump
• Age: 28
• Location: Chelsea
• Contact: about.me, @karasilverman

You recently made the jump from being a publicist at Yodle to managing PR for Next Jump.  How has the transition in roles been?

Yodle was my first startup/tech company and I was exposed to a brand new way of thinking there. I got direct, hands on experience with really interesting communications projects like launching a blog and responding to customers who share their feedback online. My time at Yodle changed my career path; being part of a growing startup is so addicting and exhilarating. The skill set I developed at Yodle gave me the perfect foundation for taking on the challenge of running communications at Next Jump. For much of its 17 year history Next Jump has flown under the radar, but now, the company is ready to make some noise and be seen on the scene. Helping Next Jump to break out and tell their story is what I love about being a publicist.

Your Twitter profile says that you’re a runner and foodie by night.  Where are your favorite places to run here in the City and restaurants to eat at when you’re not running?

I’m definitely a morning runner, despite the twitter profile statement of being a runner/foodie at night! I love to run in Central Park, of course, but also along the East River. It is so beautiful and open. Living on the Lower East Side, I also get to do a fair amount of running in Brooklyn over the Williamsburg Bridge and that always gives me great perspective. I like to fuel up for my long runs at restaurants like Spring Street Natural (their pumpkin bread can’t be beat), Ten Bells, Cask (philly cheese steak spring rolls anyone?!), and North Dumpling.

Do you have any general advice for startups in regards to PR?  Where do you fall in the debate on whether startups should hire a PR agency or an in-house publicist?

This is a really tough question. As an in-house publicist I want all startups to hire people like me! J But in reality that isn’t the right way to go for every startup. I think what a company does is largely dependent on its growth stage. For example, the closer you are to an IPO or sale, the more important it is to be seen and heard in the press and on social media where your investors and potential share holders will read about you. To do that, you’ll likely need to hire a PR firm which specializes in maintaining the kind of relationships that will keep in the limelight.