Muddy Paw PR

Today, our featured guest business spotlight is Angela Mastrogiacomo. She is the owner of Muddy Paw PR in Boston and she also runs the music blog Infectious. Angela, we appreciate you taking the time to speak with us!

Please share your personal journey:

Thanks so much for having me! Music and helping artists grow their careers is my passion—though eating sweets and hanging with my dog is up there too.

I live in Boston, MA and hold a BA in Communications, which admittedly has not helped me in my creative endeavors as much as I thought when I was acquiring it—though I do value learning and being a student. In fact, I recently got back from a four month trek around North America, during which I studied and helped build various music communities.

We know you have had some significant PR coverage. Can you share about those?

I’ve been lucky enough to be featured as a guest blogger on several noteworthy sites such as Sonicbids and Haulix, and will be speaking at this year’s SXSW and CMW—I could not be more excited or proud of these accomplishments!

What is your present business?

I’m the owner of Muddy Paw PR and music blog Infectious Magazine.

What got you into it?

I started Infectious after becoming awestruck with a band called The Coming Weak, and after 5 years being on the receiving end of press releases, I decided to take what I loved about helping artists and expand on it, thus launching Muddy Paw PR. At Muddy Paw we help artists increase their digital footprint by securing them album reviews, interviews, guest blogs, and various other press.

Can you share any challenges or setbacks you’ve (or your clients) experienced and how you got through it? 

One of the biggest challenges I face is managing client expectations. It can be difficult to explain to artists that even though we love their music, that doesn’t mean everyone does. And that handing someone money doesn’t magically make all your problems go away or your dreams come true. Believe me, I wish that were the case! But the truth is that anything worth having takes work, and garnering press is no exception.

Can you share success stories that you’ve (or your clients) experienced? 

A success for me is seeing our clients get excited about coverage. It’s knowing that you’ve done a good job, and that you’ve made a difference in someone’s life. That you’ve made their day just a little bit better. Part of this goes back to managing expectations. If your clients are expecting Pitchfork and get a smaller, growing blog, they’re not going to be able to revel in the moment as much as if you level with them from the start, and let them know what’s realistic and what’s not. We owe that to our clients so that they not only can trust us, but so that they can appreciate those special moments.

What would you share with someone getting started in this business?

That success takes time, and it takes finesse. Something I’m still learning myself is work-life balance. I could easily spend 70+ hours/week behind my computer working, but the more I do that, the more burnt out I begin to feel. It’s incredibly important for not only your own sanity but your business’ growth, to step away from work every now and again and enjoy the life that you’re trying to create. It’s not really worth much at all if you never get to enjoy it.

What’s your best piece of entrepreneurial/business advice for our audience?

Know that the business you want to build won’t happen overnight. I’m two years into Muddy Paw and even though I’m incredibly proud of where we are and what we’ve done in 2 years, I sometimes find myself looking at companies who have been around double the time we have and wondering why I haven’t made it that far yet. The truth is, they have 2+ years on us, and it isn’t fair to compare. Maybe in another 2-3 years I will be in the same position they are now. But right now I am where I am, and all I can do is focus on growing. To compare myself to others would be not only pointless, but disrespectful to the business I’ve built so far.

What advice to you have for our readers today?

The best piece of advice I can offer, aside from networking (it really is as important as people say!) is to have a clear and concise plan for moving forward. Having a business plan and a list of goals that you’ve written down is incredibly important for continued growth. Writing them down ensures that you can continually check in on them and adjust as needed. It holds you accountable while forcing you to outline your vision in a clear and decisive way.

How can our readers connect with you?

I would love to connect with other creative entrepreneurs. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram at @Angela_Mastro and check out Muddy Paw and Infectious at:

www.MuddyPawPR.com

Photo credit: Jared Swanson

www.InfectiousMagazine.com