Meet Olivia Bishop | Publicist & Digital Marketing Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Olivia Bishop and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
After working in a few agencies over the years, I was determined to work with brands that inspired me beyond just a paycheck or recognition. I wanted to take on clients I truly admired and help them grow into the large brands they dreamed of being. I was also determined to end the vicious cycle of non-stop work, competition, and misery that seemed to plague agency life. After speaking with numerous PR friends and seeing how exhausted we all were after the 2020 COVID lockdown, I was inspired to create a workspace where employees (including myself!) could thrive and produce exceptional content for their brands.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
May Marketing & Relations is a Digital Marketing Agency that specializes in performance-based marketing for Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands.

I started MMR in light of the COVID lockdown. I specialized in hospitality PR and, as a result, lost my job and watched all of my friends lose their jobs due to the hotels and restaurants shutting down. While most were freaking out, wondering what to do next, I started looking on Upwork to freelance. I was determined to make my own money instead of waiting it out and not knowing when, or worse, if another job would be available. I started noticing that the agencies and PR girls representing product-based brands were THRIVING, so I took a risk and decided to jump into the DTC world. It was shocking and different, and I had to start all over again, but I fell in love with this side of PR.

After slowly growing to a few brands that were on a national level, I joined a few PR Facebook groups and tuned into Clubhouse (when it was all the rage!) and learned about the trivial world of Affiliate marketing and how PRs now have to use it in combination with pitching digital publications. Not going to lie; this was definitely one of the hardest parts of changing industries. It’s an ever-evolving industry that constantly changes, but boy, does it keep you on your toes!

Along with re-learning PR, I started diving more into Social Media and Email Marketing. I took my knowledge from being at an agency and applied it to my current clients to provide them with a full-service experience. I now handle all marketing aspects for the majority of my clients, creating full-spec marketing campaigns that are helping them build their revenue. It’s honestly one of the most fun parts of my career that makes my job not seem so much like a job!

I can’t say it’s been easy, as every business owner knows there are ups and downs when owning your agency. I’ve for sure had my fair share of tears (both happy and sad), “I want to quit” and aha moments, but since starting in 2020, I’m proud to say that I’ve expanded to offer multiple services and built a small team. I’ve learned to not take things too seriously like this classic PR saying “It’s PR not ER” and find the balance between planning ahead and jumping on trends as they come and go. Overall, I’m so happy with the journey that life has given me to pursue my own agency and be a female entrepreneur.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
West Palm Beach seems like a faraway land from Miami, but I swear there’s so much to do up here! I love eating and drinking on the water. Some of my favorite places are your classic staples in Jupiter, U-tiki, Guanabanas, and Square Grouper restaurants, but there’s also this hole-in-the-wall place on Northlake Blvd called The Catch. It’s a hole-in-the-wall sushi place in the front, but the back deck overlooks the intercoastal, and it’s just so quaint with a cozy vibe that I love. If I’m feeling like going a little south, my family and I always go to Two George’s in Boynton Beach. If it’s during the season, and all the water restaurants are packed with tourists, we always have our go-to staples, such as Terreros Mexican food and The Brass Ring Pub (The original in North Palm!!).

As for fun things to do, My friends and I love to check out the Kravis Center and attend their live game shows. We recently saw The Price is Right, which was so much fun, and I highly recommend it! There are always great concerts at the IThink Amphitheater and street fairs with live music in Abocoa. As I stated before, I love being on the water, so you can catch me snorkeling at Phil Foster Park and fishing on Bulldog Fishing Charters (Shout out to my fiance!). On Saturdays, my daily itinerary is going to a spin class in the beautifully redone Square in downtown West Palm and then heading over to the WPB Greenmarket to get some of my favorite local items, such as Gringuita Cookies and Chikmonk Coffee.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could name so many people who have contributed to my success, but my business acquaintances, who have turned into some of my best friends over the past three years, have had an exponential role in the growth of my business. I went out of my comfort zone and went to this little co-work networking group (literally called co-work cafe) that gets together once a month, and through that, I have met some of the most amazing people who have turned into friends and clients.

So, I want to shout out to Rachel Boutin, Alyssa Wald-Williams, and Stephanie Edison, who have sent me client referrals and helped me build my business by using each other’s services, collaborating with clients, or simply giving me advice when needed!

Website: www.maymarketingrelations.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/maymarketingrelations

Image Credits
Alyssa Wald – Wald Creative