The author's public relations journey began when they needed to increase their brand awareness as a life coach, leading them to pitch Arianna Huffington herself at HuffPost. Through research, outreach, and strategic planning, they secured media features, interview requests, and business growth, eventually starting their own PR agency to help other woman-owned businesses. The author explains that public relations agencies are often misunderstood and outlines what they do (media relations, research, strategy, execution) and what they don't do (guarantee media features, focus on sales). They also provide guidance on how to hire a PR agency, including researching their business model, experience in your industry, and budget.