Stop Underselling Your Story & How To Strengthen Your Visibility Online with Chanel Cathey
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts | Watch on YouTube
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts | Watch on YouTube
“I never planned to be an entrepreneur. I just couldn’t ignore the stories that weren’t being told.”
Chanel Cathey’s why is rooted in representation, clarity, and empowerment through storytelling.
At her core, Chanel is driven by a belief that every story deserves to be told—boldly and truthfully. From editing newspapers under her kitchen table as a child to advising Fortune 500 executives and rising founders, her purpose has always been about helping people see themselves clearly and be seen by others powerfully.
Chanel Cathey is the founder and CEO of CJC Insights, a strategic communications and public relations agency headquartered in New York City. Since launching the firm in 2018 with her savings and a bold mission, Chanel has built a powerhouse agency that partners with global companies, high-growth startups, mission-driven nonprofits, and private equity teams to craft narratives that resonate, build trust, and drive real impact.
Before founding her agency, Chanel was a Corporate Communications Director at Viacom and the cofounder of Eleven, an empowerment network and supper club for women that advocates for collaborative leadership and social change. She holds a B.A. in Communications & Media Studies and Political Science from Fordham University, where she has served as an adjunct professor – as well as a Master’s in Public Administration from New York University.
Her passion for equity and community extends beyond her firm. Chanel currently sits on the board of Wellness in the Schools, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring children have access to nutritious food in schools.
If you’ve ever felt like your story wasn’t “newsworthy enough,” if you’re leading something bold but struggling to be seen, or if you’re curious how the best brands align reputation, voice, and values—this episode is for you. Chanel doesn’t just teach storytelling. She embodies it.
This episode is for you if:
You’re done chasing attention and ready to build a reputation that lasts
You're building a brand and tired of blending in
You’ve asked yourself, “Is entrepreneurship really for me?” and need a real answer
You’re a founder, PR pro, or comms lead who’s been winging the narrative and know it’s time to get strategic
Your media presence doesn’t reflect your receipts, results, and mission yet
You’re curious how storytelling actually moves capital, shifts culture, and shapes power behind the scenes.
Looking for a specific gem?
00:00 Introducing Chanel
01:47 Editing newspapers at age 4
03:42 How growing up in a house of educators shaped her
04:54 Creating a goal list with her mom and grandma
05:22 Goal lists > checklists
05:56 Learning to read and phonetics changed her life trajectory (she went from not reading to reading in just one summer)
07:40 Why she switched from business to communications
08:20 Her first networking event and homemade sunflower business card
09:24 The bold ask that got her an internship at ABC News
13:41 What it was really like interning at a political news show
11:37 Discovering PR was her calling
16:05 Starting CJC Insights without a master plan
17:55 Why she was naïve about starting her business —and grateful for it
24:33 The realities of entrepreneurship that no one talks about
19:22 How she built her first client base without even realizing it
19:44 Defining her zone of genius (hint: it’s not social media)
21:54 Why most people undervalue their own stories
24:14 How she uncovers a founder’s “IT” factor
26:30 What confidence has to do with your brand strategy
27:44 I tell people and brands the same thing: Write it down.
28:48 Not everything is newsworthy. Take time to invest in messaging and strategy
29:10 When brands start to lose their way…
30:00 Reputation and trust are really hard to restore
33:52 Getting more funding into the hands of founders
40:46 How therapy helped her rebuild confidence
42:20 Why she hired a financial consultant for sanity and scale
43:35 Her advice for founders who feel overwhelmed
46:00 Final thoughts + where to connect with Chanel online
Conversation Transcript
Naomi Haile: I've heard that you've always had a connection to the media. At age four, you would literally edit newspapers with a red marker and model broadcasters on TV, and I'm so fascinated by this. So, can you tell us more about, like, who you were as a kid and what your origin story was as well?
Chanel Cathey: Sure, I know without context that probably sounds a little funny, but yeah, my origin story begins in Bridgeport, Connecticut. You know, I grew up in the same house that my parents still live in today, and the kitchen was kind of like the nucleus. And I would, you know, have a new studio underneath the kitchen table when I couldn't quite get up to the chair, and I would literally just mimic what I saw on TV and pretend that I was, like, at the time thinking I'm mixing something, but it's literally just, like, different toys and little teddy bears lined up under the table.
And my mom thought that would be, like, a phase. But then, when I got older, I, like, moved up to the chair. And then my dad was—he’s retired now—a teacher, so he would always edit papers at the table. So I would always see him with his, like, red pen going through people’s, you know, papers and marking it up. So then, when he would go to—you know, he'd go and work or do something—I’d get into his chair and grab the marker, and then start, not on his papers, but I would start editing the actual newspaper. I’m sure if I edited some of the student papers, I would get in trouble.
But that’s really, you know, I would always just get inspired by everything around me. I was very much a sponge. So my mom always, like, kept Oprah on, and just the news would always be on, and I just had such a curiosity for that. And I’m like, there has to be a process to getting that on TV. And yeah, I think that’s kind of—it was very early on, but that interest in media really, really sparked early.
Naomi Haile: Well, I'm sure like seeing your dad at that age, you know, do what he was doing, and for his for his own work, like we pick up so much visually and in our environment. And actually, the last guest that I interviewed both her parents were educators. And the connection I see between, you know, two individuals who had parents as educators is that like curiosity and that desire for learning and like seeking knowledge. And so the fact that you mentioned, you know, your parents, and, you know, keeping the TV on so you could listen to interviews and doing all of these little things, how that's played into your story.
Chanel Cathey: I think especially, you know, they were never afraid to explain things to me and to give context. And you know, the TV would be on, but they were, like, monitoring it, because, like, you know, I’m an 80s baby. So, you know, my mom used to notice—I think there was one time I, like, saw all the, like, women in New York City, and they had their, like, big shoulder pads—so I went and grabbed, like, the toilet paper, and I rolled it up and I stuck it in my, you know, in my shirt. And my mom’s like, “Where are you going?” I’m like, “I’m in New York. This is my New York life.”
And so I kind of knew I wanted, like, a life in New York City. I wanted to be in media, and my parents just—my mom’s a nurse, you know—she just encouraged that. It wasn’t like, “Oh, this is something we don’t know about,” and kind of shutting it down. They just kept feeding it and would say, like, “Oh, do you want to interview us next on your show?” And they really let me, you know, have my imagination and really let it go.
And then I remember my mom and my grandmother sat me down, and I was still probably four or five, and they were like, “Let’s do your goal list for life.” And I remember writing, like, I want to work at a major news network, I want to live in New York, I want to own my own business, I want to do this. And it was just like—who would ever think that list would, like, come true? And it’s like I was able to, like, select and do everything on that checklist. Which—I’m not a huge fan of checklists—but I am a big fan of goal lists, and I think for me, they help to kind of give me a bit of direction.
Naomi Haile: Wow. How old were you when you got to a point where you were having those types of conversations with your mom and your grandmother?
Chanel Cathey: I was, like, five. Yeah, I was really young. She might say younger than that, yeah. Like, I was really, really young. So—and, you know, my mom said, like, she really—I didn’t know how to read at one point, and this was earlier. So I would just grab books and pretend. And she was just like, we really need to get her reading.
And I remember we were, like, memorizing words at school. I was in public school at the time. My mom's like, if she comes across a word she doesn’t know, she doesn’t know it. And she signed me up for a summer program, and I learned phonetics, and I was literally reading chapter books, like, after a summer. And it was just like—I went from not reading to reading.
And you know, when people say education is really that tool—like, for me, that’s 100% true. Like, I would never have been able to just kind of dive in and all the different industries and areas I have been over the years if I didn’t, you know, really have that love of reading and just culture in general that I think was nurtured early on.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, very early in your case, and very—I think, never too young. It’s also never too, too late in a lot of cases. But the fact that you, at that age, were already primed to, like, soak in and be a sponge, and that it wasn’t forced upon you—that you really were the one to, like, initiate it, and you got feedback, like, positive reinforcement back—is incredible, and I don’t think can be understated either.
I learned that you actually didn’t know about PR until you entered college, like the public relations space. Can you talk to us a little bit about the story around how you secured your first internship, and how your understanding of public relations kind of really formed and grew from there?
Chanel Cathey: Yeah, I think we kind of talked about my origin story, and it was like, I knew I wanted to be in New York City, so I went to Fordham University, and they’re in the Bronx. They have a site in Lincoln Center, but I knew, like, I want to be here. And, like, NYU and Fordham were on my list, and I was like, this is where I want to be.
And I started out as a business major, and then I think I hit stats, and I’m like—so I enrolled in—and I was like, I’m going to do my bachelor’s in communications. I’m gonna study journalism. So that really, you know, sparked. So freshman year, I was already taking classes, like, in journalism and communications. And I remember people saying, like, you can’t, you know, you can’t make money in communications and journalism. And I got so much feedback that that was not the move—that I needed to stay in business. But I really just kind of listened to my own gut of what I love, and I’m like, if I love it, the money will come.
And I remember I went to a networking event my freshman year. There’s an organization called the Center of Communications in New York, and they were hosting these, you know, free events. You would go, and you’d have access to amazing panelists. So the former head of media relations for ABC News was there, and I had, like, a homemade business card that I made in the dorm. It had, like, a giant sunflower on it. So that shows you, like, this is—I’m aging myself a bit. I think, you know, colleges give out business cards now, but in my day they didn’t. And I was like, I need a business card, so I made my own.
And it was just—I don’t know what took me over. I just never heard about this job before, and he’s just like, everything that you see on the news, we have to make sure, like, if we’re breaking news, that other outlets cover it too. And I was just like, wow, that’s the behind-the-scenes that I knew existed but didn’t really know about.
And I kind of walked up to him, and I had already secured, you know, kind of a summer course at Georgetown that summer, and I knew I would be in DC. In my mind, I’m like, I know there’s a White House press corps. I know they have an office there. I didn’t really even research. And I’m like, Hey, I’m—I’m gonna be in DC. Can I have an internship? And, you know, he was just like, How old are you? You know, you have to be a certain age for this, because I was really young. And I’m like—I just was very persistent. And I told him about the program I was going to do, and he’s like, Just wait a minute.
And on the spot, he called the bureau chief for ABC and said, I have an intern for you, and she’s going to give you a call. So I called, and that turned into my internship at This Week. I loved it. And then that turned into an internship at Good Morning America. And many years down the road, I went back to be a publicist for a bit while I was doing my master.
So you just have to seize the moment. But, I mean, it took a lot of—even if I don’t know what I’m gonna say, I’ll, like, start walking towards someone, and I’m like, I’ll figure it out along the way. And sometimes I don’t, and it’s just like a high, and I’m doing the, you know, the awkward girl stance. But, you know, usually you can find connection with people in a hello—get a convo going.
Naomi Haile: What a great story. I can very much relate to having a thought of doing something that was outside of my comfort zone, but moving towards it anyway and figuring it out. Because I think once you’ve passed the moment of—and maybe backtrack—you’ve missed, now you’re talking yourself out of it, right?
And so I love that that was a very early story, you know, into your career, and ultimately launched everything that you’re doing today. And so, what was it? What was it like at that internship for you? And how did you—what did you learn that you loved about PR, having just learned about it, like, a few months prior to that experience, to make you say, Okay, this is something that I want to focus in on and want to, like, build my expertise in this area?
Chanel Cathey: Well, you also have to remember—aging myself a bit again—they were all unpaid at the time. So I feel like passion would drive you into an internship, because no one's paying you to do the work. And I remember, like, having a side job to afford the clothes and the transportation to get to an unpaid job. So it was just like, I didn’t have to think about, like, oh, how much were they going to pay me, and is it competitive with this offer? I was just like, this is what I want to do, and I’ll see if I can get credit. And if I can’t, it’s okay, because the experience is going to be so foundational.
And if I love the job, then great—then I find my calling. And if I don’t, then that’s super helpful too. Like, then I can stop this fascination that I’ve had for so long and get onto something else. And you know, I’ve had, honestly, the pure blessing where it just clicked, you know? And there’s so many people—and I think, you know, as they’re, like, discovering what it is they love to do—I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve always known. And I think that’s a very unique thing. But I think for that perspective to be out there is so important. Because I think so many times we have that urge and that inkling that this is something that could be long-term for us, but we don’t always chase it.
But yeah, I just was really lucky to, like, have that click moment of, like, this is exactly what I’m looking for. That doesn’t mean that it was easy—like, there was no AI putting briefing books together. It was like me. Like, clips were manual at that time. It was just like, everything was so, you know, very systems-based. But in the sense of it, to me, I could, like, lay it out, and I understood it. It’s like, oh, here’s how you find a reporter, and here’s how you build a relationship with them, and here’s how you, like, construct a press release, and here’s how you talk to—you know, I just kind of, like, listened and mimicked again.
Because you’re always around other people doing it, and you’re like, how are they handling these situations? And there is a lot of that, where you have to be a sponge once again—the same way you were at home. You have to, like, go into the workplace and kind of see what others are doing and take up the good traits that you see around, and try to build your own. You already have work ethic, but you don’t necessarily know how to do the job. So I’ve just, over the last 20 years, been, you know, curating that curiosity and continuing to learn.
And I think it was just very helpful early on that I was like—if you think about it—to be at ABC News, I interned at the United Nations, my first job was at Unilever. These are global brands with, like, really huge reputations. So I feel like having some of my earliest experiences be in that pressure cooker environment of, like, you know, we’re working on a political campaign, or it’s, you know, a presidential election cycle, or we’re rolling out a multibillion-dollar product, or whatever that is—like, the stakes are high. So I think I took it 10 times more seriously than I probably would have if it were something like, oh, this is a summer job. Like, to me, I saw it as an investment in my future.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, all great points. And was it—okay, so did you essentially create that internship opportunity, or did an opportunity exist that you were plugged into? And if it was, back and think—
Chanel Cathey: I don’t think it existed, because they were like—when I got there, you know, and shout out to Allison Bridgeman—we still chat all the time on IG and stuff. But she was my, you know, supervisor, and she’s like, “We’ll find you a desk.” And, you know, she gave me, like, an awesome—she was like, “Why don’t you hang out in this office?” I think it was David Weston—was, like, President then (aging myself a bit)—and it was, like, his office. And I was like, wow. Like, I want this office one day.
But I remember Allison was just probably one of the best people to have, like, as a mentor in that role, because, you know, she was so patient. And, you know, they probably didn’t have a whole formalized intern process for that show, because I wanted a political show, because I loved politics—and then in DC at that—so I was really able to make it my own. And she really spent a lot of time with me and saying, like, “This is how the Bureau works,” and like, “If you want to keep going, like, this is how New York works.”
And, you know, I think back on that now and have dear friends that are still at ABC, and I just think, like, you know, that’s just a great way to start—with a, you know, manager who’s patient and willing to pour into you.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, what prompted that question was to expand—if that was the case—to expand on how you kind of designed an experience based on what you were interested in and what you wanted to learn. What did you—what you wanted to learn about? Because ultimately, when you started your own company, which was back in 2018 unofficially, you state you’re—you’re creating from scratch, and you’re building. You’re taking what you’ve learned from all of these larger brands and thinking, okay, yes, there is a system around how we do this—how can I enhance it, perhaps?
And so, can you bring us back to 2018, when you officially started your company doing PR work outside of your corporate job? You thought you were only going to do it for a summer, and it ended up becoming the company that you lead today. And so, bring us back to that time.
Chanel Cathey: Yeah, you know, I always worked kind of full-time in-house, a corporate PR girl at my core, and then I would see amazing founders along the way. And, you know, nonprofits I really cared about, and I would either join an advisory board, or I would, you know—it was kind of a side hustle of helping a lot of founders along the way. And, you know, I knew I could consult in that way, or I had that capacity.
But then I remember in 2018, I, you know, I came off a long career, and I just kind of took a pause, and I’m like, what do I do? You know, I can go back into that role. And, you know, it’s very much that climb-the-corporate-ladder, or I can think about doing something different. And, you know, I remember—I kind of use this example often—but it really was the turning point for me. I just saw a lot of business magazines on a trip when I was in California, and there were no—there were no people of color, there were no women on the covers. And I was just like, there’s a lot of diversity in business, and there’s a lot of stories to tell. And I was just like, maybe I’ll spend a summer figuring out how to help some of the amazing people I know get some long-deserved recognition and traction with business press. And that—that was really, like, the initial seed.
I never had that “I’m gonna go start a business, and this is my calling.” I never thought I would be an entrepreneur. Like, I was just like, that’s not my gift. I want to be, like, a chief communications officer one day. It goes back to that, like, what I had envisioned as a child. So maybe the bold thing is just the ability to step out of, like, what I had always envisioned for myself to try something new. But the way I kind of psyched myself into that was saying, like, let’s try it, and if it doesn’t work out, I have options. I can do something else.
But I do think, you know, I’m so thankful for being so naive to how difficult it would be. You know, you know, hanging up a shingle is not an easy thing by any means. So I went into it with this, like, oh, I’ll just consult and send an invoice, that'll be that. You know, the whole back end of, like, legal, accounting—like, everything that goes into running a business—I don’t think I really fully processed that. But maybe that’s the joy. Because I think if I thought about all of that, I would have probably been too scared to do it. Because I was very, very scared of failing. Like, to me, it was just like—I had a sure thing. I had this skill set, and I knew what to do, and starting a business just seemed like there were so many opportunities for me to get something wrong.
But then I was like, you know what—everybody gets something wrong. And this is the learning opportunity for me. And what better time to do this than now? Like, you know, I’m young, and, you know, I didn’t have kids, and I was like, I have the time and bandwidth to try this. And if it doesn’t work out, I can do something else.
But I think the great thing about starting an agency is that I had such a supportive network—not only of friends and advisors—but I just had a community of clients already built in that I didn’t even know were clients. They were just people that really believed in me and my skill set and my talent, and they trusted my abilities. And they all really understood the power of communications and media strategy to transform either their business or their nonprofit.
And, you know, I didn’t know how to construct deals at the time, so it was just very much listening to them and what they needed and saying, okay, how do I build an offering and services around what I’m hearing everyone needs and what I love to do—not necessarily, like, I’m gonna run after everything that everybody needs, because that—that might not be my zone of genius.
Um, so I kind of always joke, I’m like, I’m never running, you know, a social-media-only agency. You know, like, that’s not my gift. I can, like, advise on it, but you know, that’s where you have to, like, hone in and figure out, like, what are your exact skills that you love doing every day? And that really helped me to kind of build out that first agency.
And the mission was always there all along. It’s like, you know, how do we help people tell stories? And every story is really important. You know, not everyone’s going to be a news hook, but what are those stories that are going to differentiate founders and leaders and companies?
Naomi Haile: Yeah, you’d mentioned that initial call around messaging, where you have everyone in the room—on your team and on your client’s team. I’m curious, like, because that truly is one of your gifts—like, being able to see the thread. And going through the testimonials on your website and what people have to say about the impact of the work that they did with you—that was a theme that I kept seeing come up over and over again.
And so, I’m curious if you could share here today: when you hear a founder’s story and how they serve a specific need, like, can you break down how you, in particular, uncover what their “it” factor is, and what the heart of their story is?
Chanel Cathey: Well, first, thank you for zooming in to read what folks are saying about our impact. We appreciate that. I’m, like, always happy to hear that someone’s reading our website. But you know, I think about it, and the storytelling piece—it’s really big. I, you know, love brand messaging, but I love transforming notes, like, into story arcs and relevant positioning. It is, like, I think, my calling.
I always think back to when my mom would say, like, “If you could just find a job where you can tell people, like, what they’re doing wrong all day, I think you’d do really well at that.” And then I’m like, that’s pretty much media training. Like, let’s give you a try, like—pretend you’re on TV—and then I tell you what’s wrong. And I’m like, that’s pretty much it. So, you know, always listen to those little threads when people are like, “You do this well.”
But, you know, essentially, I think the it factor for folks—and figuring out their narratives—I think sometimes there’s so much hesitation and fear about putting yourself out there. There’s a lot of anxiety around public speaking. So a lot of people are, you know, just very shy with putting themselves out there. It’s like, well, what do we say? But aren’t we always telling stories at the end of the day? Like, if you meet someone new and you’re introducing yourself, what do you tell them? Or if you’re at a work event and you’re running into someone and you need to break the ice, like, what do you say? Like, those are different moments for storytelling.
Yeah. So I always tell my clients, like, don’t waste an opportunity to kind of flex that muscle—to not only talk about yourself, but kind of, you know, bring a little bit more of you to the world. So even though we have all of these opportunities, we don’t think about it. And we often feel like our stories aren’t unique, or they aren’t memorable—but I believe firmly that they are.
So sometimes you have the story already, or you are the story in many cases. So it’s really just my job to be a guide, you know, to help shape that messaging, to help people see the power in who they already are. Like, I’m not an executive coach, I’m not there to, like, help build confidence—but I do think that confidence is instilled through this process, because people are often so enlightened behind the fact that they’re like, “You’re right, I did that,” and we can claim that, and we can own that. Or, “That’s a stat we never say, but maybe we should.”
So I think there’s so much power in just having someone to guide you through so much of what you’ve already achieved and accomplished, and figure out a way that’s on-brand for you to talk about those things—where it doesn’t feel, you know, too bombastic and too hypey. It just feels like it’s right for you.
And I think tone, and finding the right message for folks, is just a really beautiful thing when it all connects. And a lot of people see the end process, which is, like, a news hit, or they’ll see a quote in a story, or see them on stage—but a lot, a lot of times, we’re spending a lot of months behind the scenes getting that right.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, refining, reframing stories—like, it’s all about the delivery. And, like, you can give the same story to, you know, 10 different people and come out 10 different ways. And so, I’m curious—you’ve kind of alluded to it—but the biggest mistakes that you see, like, people or brands make around storytelling. What is—is there any sort of pattern that you’ve noticed?
Chanel Cathey: A lot of mistakes. Brands are always doing things right, and they’re also doing things wrong, you know? There’s a mix of both, you know. But I tell people—and I tell brands the same thing—it starts with, like, writing it down. So I kind of alluded to it in the first piece there, where it’s just like, go back and really write down, you know, what do you think you do? What do you want to be? What do you want to be known for? What are your brand strengths? Or what are your strengths? What do you want to be—you know, what are you proud of?
These are questions you can ask yourself and write them down, and right there is an excellent starting point—both to discover that it factor, but at the same time, that’s that core authenticity. And I think you need to know, like, what and who you are before you can go out and start branding yourself to the world. And I think that’s where, a lot of times, people miss the boat, you know, and they make mistakes because, you know, there’s an urgency to create buzz. So they think everything is newsworthy—and not everything is newsworthy or timely in that moment.
So I often say, when brands try too hard to get media attention, sometimes it shows. And you don’t want to be that brand. So you really want to take time to invest in messaging and strategy and that kind of narrative arc that I mentioned before. Because I think that’s another mistake—when you’re like, “We know our story, we don’t need the messaging,” or “The strategy will come when something hits.” I think that’s when you can see brands losing their way, because they’re guided by kind of what people are reacting to, and they’re not leading with what might be their strength.
So I always say all press isn’t good press. And I think that kind of comes from a lot of those mistakes I just mentioned. But our industry is changing. It’s always been an attention economy, but I think at the end of the day, you know, I care deeply about these brands. So even at a time when attention matters—as long as we’re in the news, that’s a good thing—you know, I really disagree if you’re in there or in a negative way.
So I care deeply about the brand reputation, the executive reputation, and making sure that it’s aligned with their mission and why they’re there in the first place. Because reputation and trust are really hard to restore.
Naomi Haile: Absolutely. And I love the attention to detail, and there's just a whole lot of thinking that goes on in the background that, you know, the public is not certainly privy to. But aligning yourself with the right experts that can see things from multiple angles is such an advantage.
And to your point about not being an executive coach and not necessarily, like, not directly impacting people’s confidence—I have—like, it is indirect, though. And I think when individuals, through this process, gain that clarity or that reframe—that’s, it could be subtle—that helps them see themselves or what they’ve built in a new light. There’s so much power that comes from that, and so much, like, focus and, like, grounding almost to say, “Okay, like, I can stand firmly in who we are, what our values are, and how we show up in the world.”
Which is such a gift. Such a gift.
Chanel Cathey: It is confidence in business and leadership. There’s nothing better, you know. I think starting the business—I didn’t start it from a place of confidence myself, because I was very much like, I don’t know if I’m meant to be an entrepreneur. And I was very much finding my way going along, you know. And I think my self-worth took a really big hit in the beginning, because I didn’t quite know where to measure myself, you know.
And it was just like—I can’t emphasize that enough—that to have the confidence going into whatever you do, even if you’re figuring it out along the way, because you don’t want to, you know, undersell yourself and your expertise. You don’t want to sell yourself short. And I think if you’re not confident, and if your brand isn’t confident in how it’s showing up, you know, you’re going to miss the mark in some way.
So I think confidence is so major. And I think people really—they just don’t think about it. It’s kind of like a personal attribute they don’t always associate with branding.
Naomi Haile: Hmm? I—I would love to learn more about the companies and industries that you play in, because on your website, you acknowledge that you’re industry agnostic. You also work with private equity—like PE companies, private equity companies—VC, firms, startups, nonprofits.
And then, can you bring us back to 2018, when you first started? Did you have the desire to service companies across industries, or was there a particular cause or flavor that you wanted to focus on in the beginning, beyond service offering?
Chanel Cathey: I love that flavor. Now, honestly, I just—you know, if you think about it, back to my early career, it was just like, news touches on so much. You know, ABC News, it’s like, you could have breaking news one day, you could have, you know, a deeper, in-depth profile another day. But I really love so many things, and even at Unilever, there’s so many different brands, right?
So I really love the idea of not being—you know, and pigeonholed isn’t the right word—but for someone to say, “Oh, that’s Chanel, she’s the beauty PR person.” And to me, I was just like, I don’t want to just do one industry. Like, I love working across all these different industries. So what’s—what’s the common thread that all of these different industries need?
And if you look back at the services, they all need messaging, they all need strategy, they all need media relations. And I think the media relations piece—I think people, we’re known for a lot of business press, like we’re known for a lot of, you know, kind of broadcast TV. And we kind of shape—you know, we’re not always known for, like, being the fashion PR agency. Like, that’s not our strength. But I do think if you’re an amazing tech startup, if you are a nonprofit—whether legacy and it’s been around for a while, or you’re just starting—I think a lot of our brand resonates with, you know, whether it’s a private equity company or a startup.
Because we spent so much energy in the beginning of this agency trying to get more funding into the hands of founders and really studying that. And I think that’s just kind of how our agency shaped. And even if you look at, like, a lot of our past clients and current clients, they’re in that, you know, vein of like, how can we reimagine what venture capital looks like, or the future of tech and business? So we love that. That’s our sweet spot.
Like, how do we take a brand, fund, and really help increase their ability to raise funds or increase their revenue? And how do we make sure they’re profitable or move them to profitability? And that, to me, is just a beautiful gift to be able to do. Because oftentimes, I think one of the biggest challenges being in PR—people don’t always know how to measure your impact. So a lot of times people will be like, “Oh, that was a great segment on a morning show.” And then it’s just like, but what was the result of that?
And it’s really hard to quantify the impact of, like, how many eyeballs? How is that going to drive revenue? Is it going to change people’s opinion of you? I firmly believe it will. But I think our industry has always struggled to translate that. And I think even more so when you’re a smaller, kind of boutique agency, I think for clients, they feel that seismic difference and the shift of having the messaging and the strategy and the media moment come together.
But I think as an industry, and in whole, we’re still figuring out how do we convey, like, the social media chatter and kind of all the things that come from that brand lift of, like, your media relations moment or moments.
Naomi Haile: That’s a great connection piece, because I am familiar with one of your past or existing clients that specifically supports female founders gaining access to funding because of the large gap that exists in that space. But that connection to then working with funders and VC firms—that’s, I missed that. But that’s such a great—that’s such a great through line to actually thinking about the tangible impact of your work and saying, okay, like, where can we, as an agency, as a creative agency, position ourselves so that we can make a dent in the space for a cause that you really care about.
Chanel, thank you. Yeah.
Chanel Cathey: I mean, honestly, it wasn’t an intent. It really—I just followed, like, one of my earliest—they're a current client. I’ve worked with them. IFundWomen, and they are a crowdfunding platform for women-owned businesses. And, you know, they have thousands of women entrepreneurs, founders, brick-and-mortar shops—you know, people are using that tool to raise money for their business. And they were like, well, we have to do this. There’s no other way. Maybe I can’t get a bank loan, or maybe I’m not ready, or I would not do venture funding. And it was just like, well, what is that like? What are the opportunities here? What’s open for us?
And then, you know, I worked with Luminary—was an early client—and Cate Luzio self-funded it. And I was just like, you know, wow. I’m seeing, like, the funding piece and all the different channels of, like, how that can, you know, come to be. And DigitalUndivided was an early client. And, you know, way back I was looking at, like, wow. So, you know, Latina and Black women are not—we’re getting a fraction of the percentage of venture capital funding. Like, no wonder we’re not seeing—like, I’m not seeing myself on the cover of a business magazine. Because all of these things come together, and they really create a perfect storm when you think about access and opportunity.
So for me, it was just like every single client experience and engagement we’ve had has been, you know, an amazing kind of, like, little journey. But it’s also like you’re learning along the way about the ecosystem. We love to learn. We love to, like, dive in. And if we don’t know something about something, we’re like, how do we figure it out?
And the funding piece was so core to me. And being a woman and being a Black woman running my own agency—and I started it with my savings. Like, I don’t come from money. A teacher, an RN—we just, nobody had, you know, “Here’s $100,000 to go start your thing and figure it out.” I never had that. And then I was always so shy and timid—that goes to that confidence piece—to, like, apply for a grant. I never thought my—I was like, well, would they invest in a service-based business, or are they looking for product-based businesses? So I really kind of steered away from that early on, which I do regret. I think people should 100% take opportunities like that—capital opportunities.
And I think for me, it was just like, this funding piece is really big. And then when you think about it—what are some of the amazing private equity, venture capital companies that are out there that understand, you know, this mission that I have? And I’ve been so lucky, whether it’s Illumen Capital Partners or Fairview Capital, who we’ve worked with—you know, they care about, you know, amazing results, but they also see the potential in incredible founders.
And I think it’s just been a joy for me to really be able to service and work with people that are just across so many different industries. But if you look at it, they’re all very mission-driven. And those are those first calls and conversations we have. And I said to myself, if I have to step away from my business, I want to be so proud of who we’ve represented and the work we’re doing. And I always want people to kind of step back and say, “Oh, I know why they took that client on. That makes sense,” not “She’s doing that?” you know?
And sometimes people are like, “What are you up to?” And then when it all comes together, they’re like, “I get it. You know, I get it.” So it’s really fun in that sense.
Naomi Haile: I feel like—I won’t open it up—but that piece around measuring impact of the work that you do, I think that’s another conversation. Maybe I can bring you in for a part two.
Chanel Cathey: Please. I’m around—me and my French Bulldog are hanging out.
Naomi Haile: Because I think it's a really—it’s a part of the work that I do as well that is resonating specifically in this moment. But yeah, we can turn that into another conversation. I would love to hear about the—maybe—most significant investment that you’ve made in yourself that has paid dividends. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a financial investment, but an investment in your skills, an investment in doing some kind of program that has really—you’ve seen show up time and time again as being a really great decision.
Chanel Cathey: I think it's kind of maybe one you’ve heard before, but honestly, I think there’s—maybe two. One’s therapy. I can’t underscore enough how healing finding a therapist has been for me, and, like, consistent therapy. In the beginning, I was like—I think I saw a therapist once when I was, like, 30. And then it was just, like, around COVID and starting a business just before—you know, before COVID. You're going through a pandemic. It’s super isolating. I was living in New York City, and I was like, I’m really lonely. And this journey of entrepreneurship is lonely, so it was kind of compounding. And I was like, I need somebody to work this through. And I don’t think it’s an executive coach.
And I had that moment of, like, do I invest in an executive coach or a therapist? And then I was like, some of these feelings are, like, how I’m feeling. And it goes back to that confidence piece where I was just like, how do I let my self-worth and my confidence get nicked so quickly? And that’s when I made that decision that I wanted to, like, find a therapy partner. And it transformed my whole life. Because you look at a lot of the things—it’s not just like, “Oh, this is my personal life.” Like, when you're right in your personal life, your business instantly clicks on.
And for me, it was just like, there are a lot of things that—like, oh, there’s a trend there. So when you can really step back, examine yourself, and, you know, figure out, like, how do I spend consistent time with someone investing in myself in a healthy way? That was, like, piece one.
And then the other piece was, like, my stress level is infinitely better when my mind and my finances are right. So if I’m doing therapy to work on my mind, I need a financial consultant and an advisor to look at my finances. Finances—that was always my, like, weak spot. Like, if I see, like, “Ooh, let’s go get a massage, self-care Saturday”—like, I was always, like, doing stuff. And it was just like, you know, I need to probably budget, you know? But I knew I wasn’t disciplining myself at that.
So getting a financial consultant/advisor really helped me to prioritize things. And when you have a business, that’s another thing where you just have to have everything so streamlined and understand kind of what’s coming in, what’s going out, and have a system around invoicing and getting things together. So those were the things that were causing me a lot of angst and anxiety. And once I addressed them—and I encourage other founders all the time—I’m like, what is really underneath, like, why you’re vibrating and your anxiety?
And I feel like a lot of people will say, like, “Oh, I just need to listen to a podcast,” or “I need to get an executive coach.” And I do all of those things, but at the end of the day, for me, that combo of, like, learning how to do breath work and understanding, you know, what’s feeding insecurities or anxieties and how that can bleed into my business—understanding that—and having a financial consultant that’s saying, “You should look at investing here for retirement,” and “Are you doing this?” Just staying on top of me made me so much more stable as an entrepreneur and as a person.
And, you know, I think you’re going to pay for it, but I can’t tell you—it’s just exponentially more valuable in the long term. So, you know, you will have to put some investment in that, but I just think it was the best investment I could have done.
Naomi Haile: Two very great—um, just—I have no words for how great both of those are. And as someone who is an expert in the second thing you mentioned around finances, I’ve been hearing a lot about therapy. And I think it’s definitely a conversation that’s being had more mainstream. Everyone’s talking about therapy and support in that way. And so I’m glad that you, as an entrepreneur, are also talking about that, because it impacts—it impacts everything. It impacts everything that you’re doing.
Chanel Cathey: I’m glad you’re saying, like, more people are talking about it. I mean, I just gotta be honest—it’s not something that was like, “That’s okay.” When I show up, it was like, for sure, if you’re okay, you don’t need that. That’s kind of how I was, like, brought up. And I just didn’t see therapy as, like, an option to get myself together, right?
So now I feel like—just looking at how people are talking about it—in my, you know, I’m in my late 30s, and hearing how open people are, and just seeing how easy it is with apps like BetterHelp, and I think that’s just a wonderful thing. Because it’s moving some of that stigma away from it, which—I wish I caught that earlier. Because I honestly think, especially in communities of color, there’s just a lot of stigma around going to therapy.
I think whether it’s, you know, personal therapy, if it’s, like, therapy with family or couples therapy—I’m seeing so many people really leaning into that, and I’m just like, this is a great shift, culturally, that we’re seeing.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, yeah. It’s been—it’s been happening over the last couple of years, but specifically with founders talking about it, I’ve definitely seen a growth and acceleration in that space.
This was great. Thank you, Chanel. I appreciated those two very practical and, like, relevant investments that I know—for your future and everyone around you—is such a sound, sound decision, you know. And I think for those who are listening, as well as you, you know, launch companies, as you grow the companies that you’re in—don’t forget about investing in yourself as much as you are investing in others and investing in the growth of the things that you’re building.
And so, thank you for being honest and transparent, Chanel, and sharing a little bit more about your story. What is the best place for people to connect with you online, keep informed of everything coming out of your company, any upcoming projects—where can people tap in? Amazing.
Chanel Cathey: Definitely check out our website. It’s CJCInsights.com. We’re also on Instagram—I’m on Instagram at ChanelCJC (C-H-A-N-E-L-C-J-C), and then CJCInsights has its own handle. We just started, but we’re putting a lot of content, a lot of case studies and updates there. So you can follow us at @CJCInsights on Instagram. And we’re also on LinkedIn, so, you know, definitely happy to connect with everybody there. Come find me.
Naomi Haile: I love it. Thank you, Chanel, for taking the time to be here, and thank you, everyone, for listening to another episode of The Power of Why podcast. We will catch you in the next one.
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Connect with Chanel
LinkedIn: Chanel Cathey
Website: cjcinsights.com
CJC Instagram: @cjcinsights
Board Member: Wellness in the Schools
Connect with Naomi
Website: naomihaile.com
LinkedIn: Naomi Haile
Instagram: @naomiahaile
Twitter: @naomiathaile