How My Career in Marketing & PR Makes Me a Better Coach

When people hear that I went from music, to marketing and public relations (PR), into recovery coaching, they sometimes tilt their head and say, “Those are big changes!” On the surface, they are. I used to spend my days in practice rooms and rehearsals, then writing press releases, pitching stories, managing campaigns, and crafting brand messages. Now I spend them sitting with clients, helping them navigate recovery, practice new skills, and build lives that feel worth staying for.

But here’s the truth: I didn’t leave my past career in marketing and PR behind. I carried it with me. The very skills I built and developed in marketing and PR are the same ones that make me a more effective, compassionate, and creative coach.

Communication is Everything

Marketing taught me how to communicate clearly with a wide range of audiences — doctors, patients, theatre patrons, journalists, donors, you name it. That meant learning to tailor my message so it landed, no matter who I was speaking to.

Coaching uses that same muscle. Every client processes information differently, and it’s my job to meet them where they are. Sometimes that means breaking down a recovery skill into practical, bite-sized steps. Other times, it’s about shifting the language until it clicks and feels doable in their real life.

From Brands to Bravery: The Power of Storytelling

PR is all about stories. I once worked to shape narratives for organizations, highlighting their strengths, reframing their challenges, and connecting their mission to the people who needed to hear it.

Now, I do that with individuals. Coaching is helping clients rewrite the story they tell themselves: moving from “I failed again” to “I tried, I learned, and I can keep going.” My marketing background taught me that words matter, but coaching has shown me how life-changing it can be when someone learns to tell a new story about themselves.

Listening Between the Lines

In marketing, you can’t just pay attention to what people say they want. You have to understand what really motivates them. That requires active listening, noticing the gaps, and being tuned into what’s unsaid.

The same is true in coaching. A client might say “I’m fine,” but their body language or the pattern in their choices tells another story. My ability to pick up on those nuances helps me reflect back what I’m hearing in a way that makes people feel truly seen.

Staying Grounded in the Middle of Crisis

PR isn’t always glamorous. Sometimes it means crisis communication, being in the middle of a crisis and keeping a calm, steady voice while everyone else is panicking.

That skill comes in handy in coaching too. Clients often show up in stressful moments. Maybe they’re anxious about a meal, overwhelmed by urges, facing a tough day, or in a dangerous situation that risks relapse. Being able to stay grounded, calm, and solution-focused helps them feel safe enough to take the next step forward.

Creativity That Counts

One of the best parts of working in marketing was brainstorming new campaigns, finding fresh angles, and coming up with creative solutions to challenges. That same creativity fuels my coaching.

Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. Sometimes it’s about coming up with a new grocery shopping strategy. Other times, it’s helping a client invent a ritual that makes meals more manageable. Thinking outside the box isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.

Building Connection & Trust

At the heart of marketing and PR is relationship-building. Campaigns don’t succeed without trust from media partners, from stakeholders, from audiences.

The same is true for coaching. Clients need to know that I’m consistent, trustworthy, and genuinely invested in them. My years in PR taught me how to show up with authenticity and empathy, and those same qualities are now the backbone of my coaching practice.

Closing Thoughts

Reinvention doesn’t mean starting from scratch. My career in marketing and PR shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand until I became a coach. The communication, storytelling, listening, creativity, crisis management, and relationship-building I once used to promote organizations now help me support individuals in some of the most important work of their lives.

At first glance, it might look like I left one career behind to start another. But really, I just found a way to carry those skills forward, into a role where they help people heal, grow, and reclaim their lives.