Oct 29, 2019
Jennifer McGinley had a dream to be an anchor on The Today Show. She got pretty close to where she wanted to be, and even had mentors to help her on her way. But something shifted, as they always do, and she has found her calling in public relations.
Jennifer celebrated two years of self-employment with her business, JLM Strategic Communications, in mid-October, and I wanted to hear some of her pivot points in those two years to learn more about her work and her inspiration.
She has some great stories about how she got to where she is, and I loved her description of finding her value not in direct PR experience, but in all of her combined experience in a variety of roles that make her truly shine in her work.
One thing that stood out during our conversation was talking about people who under-share and over-share in their communications, particularly online. We agree that the most important part of sharing personal stories is knowing the audience you want to connect with, and being intentional about how and what personal stories to share, no matter where you share them. Which brings us to our other agreement: You can no longer separate your personal and professional lives, so it’s best to be intentional about how you want to be perceived - in every situation.
Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn, and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for great PR tips and strategies. If you want to meet her in person, she’ll be hosting a speed session at the upcoming No Longer Virtual event in Chicago on March 21, 22, 2020.
Jennifer McGinley is the CEO of JLM Strategic Communications, founded in October 2017 and based in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Her company specializes in Media Relations, Community Outreach and Reputation Management.
As a public relations professional for over 25 years, Jennifer has built a reputation based on integrity, professionalism, attention to details and consistency. Prior to founding her company, Jennifer worked in the healthcare in the Philadelphia area before moving to Baltimore where she worked at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy in public affairs, development and alumni relations.
Jennifer is passionate about non-profits, small business, education, health care, mental health, fitness, nutrition, the arts, STEM and those who are changing their community for the better. Jennifer helps high level professionals and organizations amplify their brand and increase connections, visibility and credibility through strategic public relations campaigns. Listening is Jennifer’s superpower. She always tells her clients to just #BEYOU.