By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

Like many young people, Lauren Russett dreamed of leaving her hometown for the big city. The 2017 Baker High School graduate didn’t even bother applying to any colleges in New York state, choosing DePaul University in Chicago to major in public relations and advertising.

Now, Russett has returned to Baldwinsville, and she has brought her fledgling firm, RUSSETT PR, with her.

“It’s always been home and it’s nice to be back,” she said. “I got my city experience in Chicago and it was amazing, but I realized it was not something I wanted for the rest of my life.”

Founded in August 2019, RUSSETT PR offers social media marketing, media relations, brand consulting and other ways to help businesses connect with consumers.

“I really liked helping brands tell their story. I decided I really, really didn’t want to work for big brands,” she said. “I know a lot of local businesses who can’t afford the big, big PR companies and don’t even know what they need.”

Before the pandemic, Russett regularly jetted home from Chicago to visit her family. In December 2019, she began attending Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce events. She missed her friends and family, and she missed CNY.

“I like being able to drive a car because in Chicago I couldn’t. When I’m downtown in winter and I’m skating or going to get some Pastabilities, it feels like I’m city-city, but when I’m walking through Baldwinsville it feels like home,” Russett said.

Just as Russett was making connections in the Baldwinsville business world, COVID-19 hit.

“Everything was kind of weird so my dad came and rescued me,” she said of her move from Chicago back to Baldwinsville.

“I relaunched my business in the middle of COVID. It’s hard financially. I had to go in the concept of helping rather than making money,” she added.

Russett is continuing her DePaul studies online and is on the fast track to receive her master’s degree in 2021. She is renting office space at 12 Oswego St. in the village, home to 315 Realty Partners and the Heart, Home, & Community room.

“I think B’ville has so much potential when it comes to bringing people together,” she said.

Central New York is an “untapped market” for small businesses to branch out into social media platforms, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, Russett said. For many businesses, 2020 has marked their first forays into online commerce and connecting with their customers digitally rather than face-to-face. Russett said she wants to help businesses make the transition into digital marketing and help them expand their customer base to millennials and Generation Z.

“A lot of businesses right now don’t know the first place to start on doing a website. Sometimes website design can seem really complicated but it doesn’t have to be,” she said.

Millennials and Gen Z consumers like to interact with brands on a variety of social media platforms, Russett said.

“The way that businesses market to people it shouldn’t necessarily be a one-size-fits-all thing,” she said.

While she is still in college, Russett is already making a splash in the PR world. In April, PRWeek magazine featured Russett’s “just following up” hoodies, which feature the chirpy email phrase many PR professionals use when prodding reporters to respond to their pitches.

“I was making it for myself because I’m used to saying ‘just following up’ and I hate that I say it,” Russett said.

Russett plans to launch a podcast in early August focused on social media marketing strategies on a budget. She is also preparing to roll out a blog.

“Working with your business on social media shouldn’t be as scary as it seems. The content you’re putting out it doesn’t have to be elaborate but you have to speak to your audience. It doesn’t have to be intimidating,” she said.

To learn more, visit RUSSETTPR.com or follow @RUSSETTPR on Facebook and Instagram.