Growing up, starting a business was never a dream of mine. In fact, if you look at my Kindergarten yearbook, it would tell you that my dream was to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. Clearly, that dream never came to fruition. It was not until sophomore year of college at THE Florida State University that I realized what my calling was. That, or the fact that I realized, if I was going to be a broadcaster I would have to work for someone else for the rest of my life. Either way, my deep affinity for public relations hit my like a ton a bricks. There was something about taking an organization, a person or a situation and helping to craft the perception to the outside world from the inside. The fact that a few people in a small room could help build the perception of an entire brand seemed so alluring. Like a secret club that only a few people were in on. Over time, public relations continued to evolve into so much more than what I was taught during my time at Florida State. It is not just shaping and controlling a message. With the surge of social media, it is now about brands being a part of the conversation. Public Relations and social media beautifully mirror one another, as the message across all platforms has to be the same. With my experience and unique ability to bury myself in a heap of work, it only made sense to branch out on my own.

That overused, cliché quote, “do what you love and you will never work a day in your life,” is one of the very reasons why I started The Burnette Agency. Public relations and social media can literally change a brand. It can start a movement. It can be the spark to the change we wish to see in the world. If that doesn’t get you fired up, don’t worry, that’s what The Burnette Agency is here for!

- Founder, Arielle H. Burnette