About House of Cortessa The Experience

059: The Small Town Secret to Controlling Your Professional Narrative

Ever feel like you’re working harder than everyone else, but the "wrong" people are getting the opportunities? Or perhaps you’re terrified that if you start promoting yourself, you’ll be seen as "too much."

In this episode, PR strategist KJ Bauer joins Christina to break down the "Small Town" psychology that governs how people perceive your brand. Whether you live in a literal small town or a niche professional industry, people are talking about you—the question is: are you giving them the right script? KJ reveals how to stop paying $10k/month for publicists and start using a $0 "spin" strategy to land on major podcasts and national stages.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The "Parade" Analogy: Why you are either leading the conversation or getting run over by it.

  • The $10k Myth: How to get high-level PR and third-party validation without a massive monthly retainer.

  • The 75% Open Rate: KJ’s exact framework for pitching yourself to podcasts so that hosts actually say yes.

  • Spinning in Your Favor: Practical steps to take control of your reputation and turn local or industry "gossip" into professional leverage.

  • The Kim K Effect: Why fame isn't the goal, and how to build "targeted authority" instead.

Notable Quotes:

  • "Everyone in a small town is going to talk about you... you better spin it in your favor because you're either leading that parade or the parade is running over you." — KJ Bauer

  • "Stop waiting for your work to speak for itself. It doesn't have a voice—you do."

Connect with KJ Bauer: 

Her book: http://hearsaypr.com/buy-my-book

www.hearsaypr.com

www.instagram.com/kjblattenbauer

www.instagram.com/hearsaypr

www.linkedin.com/in/kjblattenbauer

Connect with Christina Kokologiannakis: 

Be fully immersed in the concept of effortless income jumps while building community and walk away with your next income jump already started.  Join me at "The Experience" Live in Nashville. Join this small curated event and join the growing numbers of women founders who are living as Time Billionaires. Learn more about it here: www.chrisitnakokologiannakis.com/the-experience

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKokologiannakis

IG:https://www.instagram.com/christina_kokologiannakis/