Built on the belief that connection—not competition—is what moves the industry forward, The PR Net was founded to bring PR leaders together in a more meaningful way. In this conversation, August Twenty Eight sat down with The PR Net's Founder, Lisa Smith, as she reflects on the whitespace that sparked the community’s creation, the power of genuine collaboration, and how modern PR continues to evolve. From creative dexterity and relationship-building to the thoughtful use of technology, Smith shares her perspective on what defines great PR leadership today, and why slowing down to focus on human connection can ultimately drive stronger business outcomes.
You’ve built a real community in what’s traditionally a very competitive industry. What inspired you to do that?
Like a lot of businesses, it came from something I was looking for but couldn’t find, so I saw a whitespace. At the time I conceived the idea, I was looking for partners for a consulting client’s events and found no resources. When I started reaching out to brands and agencies it was really rewarding, and I wondered why there wasn’t a way for us all to connect when it could be so valuable. I was also personally looking for industry events and resources but none of it felt geared towards my peers and me, so I decided to build it.
When you gather PR leaders in one room, what do you love seeing or feeling most in those moments?
The true collegiality– people being genuinely happy to connect with their peers. So many sparks of partnership ideas come from those events, and I love that energy.
If you had to define PR in three words today, what would they be?
Creative dexterity. Know I only used two words there, but today’s PR requires its practitioners to be Jacks-of-All-Trades and masters of many, while understanding how to apply that know-how to business goals.
Has your idea of great PR changed over the years and if so, how?
Yes – and no. The nature of PR has evolved monumentally since I started my career so that has changed what success looks like in some ways. I will say however, that the fundamentals of what makes a strong professional in this field have remained fairly constant: they have to be curious about culture, great communicators and relationship builders. The output might look different these days, but great PR still equals great business outcomes.
With AI, faster news cycles, and constant content demands, do you see agencies feeling pressure to move faster, and where do you think slowing down actually leads to better results?
AI is there to make our lives easier, to streamline the mundane tasks and allow us to have more time for high-level creativity, deeper thinking, relationship building, and other high-value tasks. Slowing down to me is about investing in building relationships and taking time to look at the bird’s eye view of your organization or projects – which both lead to better results. It’s just a reallocation of time: move faster with technology, move slower with human connection and bigger picture stuff.
What do you think makes a great PR leader today?
A great PR leader today is a true business partner, not just a media expert or party planner. They understand the company’s commercial goals and can clearly connect reputation, narrative, and visibility to growth, trust, and long-term value.
What excites you most in this industry?
It’s funny, I just contributed an article to a Substack on this exact topic! There are a lot of things I’m excited about: all the tech tools we now have (and the time they give us back), intra-industry collaboration, the variety of marketing tactics we can use, and the way PR is getting a seat at the table as a strategic partner.
