Building a PR Firm That Thrives Without Burning Out

In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, I sit down with Lauren Cockerell, founder and president of Kwedar & Co., a boutique public relations and communications firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. Lauren’s journey from solo consultant to leading a team of eight offers a, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to scale a high-touch service business.

We talk about what Lauren calls the “messy middle,” that critical stage between solopreneurship and sustainable growth, and how she navigated it without burning out or compromising her values. From letting go of control to learning how to hire the right people, Lauren shares the lessons she’s learned as a small business owner trying to do meaningful work in a crowded market.

You’ll learn:

• Why Lauren walked away from the corporate world and started her own PR firm while 8 months pregnant

• The early fears she had about hiring her first team member, and the mentor advice that gave her the push she needed

• How to know when you’ve become the bottleneck in your business

• What to look for (and avoid) when hiring for a small team

• The power of PR for B2B companies, especially those who think they’re “too boring” to be featured

• How storytelling can unlock growth, momentum, and visibility for legacy businesses

• Lauren’s framework for working with clients as thought partners, not vendors

• Why a “heck yes or no” policy saved her from repeated hiring mistakes

• The overlooked PR opportunity most small businesses miss