Dinner Guest to Dream Gig: Alisa’s Journey to AAE

How do you keep an agency packed with fresh talent? You make it easy for the new generation to join the ranks. Although Alisa’s path to Praytell isn’t exactly traditional, it’s a great reminder that small world connections can be the beginning of a big step in your career. Check it out:

Post-grad life is confusing. Plain and simple. I graduated with a degree in Public Relations in May of 2023 from Virginia Tech (go Hokies!) and my path forward felt simultaneously wide-open and extremely limited. As I browsed LinkedIn, I would see posts from my classmates accepting jobs in sales, recruiting, and other fields unrelated to what we’d majored in. 

This was a bit disheartening for me. I’d known I wanted to pursue a career in Public Relations from a young age, but I began to wonder if that was even possible. Without agency experience, I wasn’t able to secure an internship and get agency experience. Ironic, no? I debated looking into other industries just to land something.

But that summer, one of my shifts as a waitress went from a regular day to an extraordinary meeting. I was serving a table of professionals who were celebrating a new client win, one of whom was Andy Pray. I aimed to ensure they had a great dining experience (as I always did) without realizing who Andy was until he paid the bill with a company credit card that read "Praytell Agency." I immediately recognized the name from those hours of LinkedIn scrolling and introduced myself. We had a short and friendly chat but I didn’t realize until later he wasn’t simply an employee of Praytell—he’s the CEO. 

I reached out via LinkedIn (see a pattern here?) and hoped that he’d remember me. Andy replied, “Alisa, I LOVE this. What a wonderfully small world. I remember your good vibes for sure. Let’s connect!”

And so began my Praytell journey! From August until January, I stayed in touch with Andy and Brandon Cho. When an internship position opened, I was thrilled to apply for—and land—the opportunity I’d been waiting for. I was finally given the chance to showcase my talents and work ethic at Praytell. During my internship, I worked on the Sally Beauty, Clairol, Peet’s Coffee, and Consumer Cellular accounts. I quickly learned to build media lists, create pitches, and track coverage. I was integrated into teams of hardworking professionals and even better people. It wasn't long before I started securing coverage in top media outlets like People, Forbes, PureWow, and Her Campus.

The unwavering support and guidance from my teams during the internship led to my job offer as an Associate Account Executive. I couldn’t have wished for better colleagues or more inclusive company culture. Meeting Andy felt like fate, and I am excited to continue making him and the company proud by giving my best. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m not done yet!

Interested in working with us but not sure you’ll bump into a Praytellian IRL? Check out our job listings.

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