MADEXXX MADEINC
with Jasmine Browley &
Kiki
AYERS
Photo Courtesy of Kiki Ayers
By looking at her PR client roster , you would never be able to tell that a few years ago , Kiki Ayers was homeless . Founder and CEO of Ayers Publicity , she ’ s interviewed and / or worked with the likes of Jamie Foxx , Floyd Mayweather and Diddy among many others , but she truly worked her way from the bottom up .
In her interview with How I MADE It podcast she walked us through how her trials and tribulations helped pave her path to success . Here ’ s a few highlights from the conversation :
On why she decided to pivot away from entertainment journalism to PR : “ I started in entertainment journalism , earned my degree from Howard University in the field but I soon realized that the field wasn ’ t as financially viable as I would like . The job as a red carpet correspondent may appear very glamorous but the work is real and the pay is low for most . PR just made the most sense because I already had the connections from my time as a reporter , I was familiar with the public relations ’ tactics because I had so many interactions with them over the course of my career , and I was able to stay close to journalism while earning a livable wage .”
On the biggest misconceptions about entertainment PR “ People look at the parties , the access to celebrities and the cameras and think that there isn ’ t real work involved . What most don ’ t see is the amount prep work it takes to have a successful interview , to secure a placement or to plan a celebrity ’ s event . I ’ ve had months worth of work for things completely fall apart hours before its launch and guess what ? I had to pick up the pieces and keep it moving .”
On how her homelessness shaped her character “ I don ’ t come from money but I always knew that I wanted the type of life that only financial security could supply . As a result , I went to the best school I knew , interned , worked and networked just like everyone told me I should and still wound up without a home . That just taught me that life can take you in a direction that you never thought you ’ d be , but as long as you have faith that it will get better , it will .”
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