Meet Courtney Osgood

Today I am featuring an amazing publicist who takes risks not only in her business but also loves adventure. I met Courtney when I attended an event in Durham, Sit back and get to know Courtney Osgood. Also if you are wondering if you missed a profile or want a sneak peek of who might be featured check out this page.

Tell me a little bit about you. 

Oh my gosh, where do I start?! Ha!  Well, I just recently moved to the Raleigh area back in May 2019 from Boston where I had spent the past 10 years. Prior to that, I was living in Western NY, where I was born and raised. I went to college there and began my career there as well. I started out in television before becoming a publicist, so I always joke that storytelling is in my DNA! The move to Boston came as I was looking to transition out of TV into a more balanced career where I had the ability to tell stories the way that I wanted to tell them! So I found a job in Boston, moved, and fast forward about a decade later and I had established both of my brands – my business, CKO PR and my blog Courtesy of Court.

Tell me about your business. 

I started CKO PR in 2017 after feeling the overwhelming desire to help small businesses reach their goals, grow and scale. I had been working with various brands over the course of my career – both big (like, multi-million-dollar companies) to small, one-man bands and I just loved to work with other entrepreneurs to bring their dreams to life, so I decided to solely focus on that. And, because I have a certain of way doing business – I just couldn’t imagine going back into another agency setting and working under anyone. Prior to starting my business, I had taken an in-house role with one of my former client’s where I was managing two global consumer brands – by myself! So, I had gotten a taste of what it was like to be on my own in a sense and I wasn’t willing to give that up.

What struggles have you faced in your business?

What struggles haven’t I faced? Too many to name for sure, but it all comes with it and It’s something that I knew would be the case when I decided to take the leap. But I also knew that it was worth it. The entrepreneurial spirit is one that gets things done. That doesn’t necessarily mean though that they do them well, which is something that I’ve learned. For instance, I’m not a numbers person. I have to be a lot more than I ever even wanted to be, but it’s just not something that I don’t necessarily enjoy – so some of behind the scenes business stuff like that was definitely a challenge in the beginning because I had to essentially teach myself some of those things! 

How have you overcome those struggles?

Honestly – I just pushed through it. You have to when you’re it! When your business is you – you’ve gotta figure it out! Do whatever it takes to get it done if you want it. And you have to want it… But also, one thing that I always tell people that I quickly realized was that I’m not the first to do this – nor will I be the last, so don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Utilize pre-existing templates, take what you’ve learned from your past and make it yours.

Who were your mentors growing up? 

Definitely my mom. From a young age, I remember being taught that the reason that she was working so hard was so that we could have a good life. She put in the time, overtime and more time, but I remember understanding that she’s doing it for all of us. And even though she worked a lot, she was always there for my brother and me and I always felt that we got reap the benefits of her hard work. We took vacations, we always had new clothes, and generally felt like we didn’t go without. So, it all kind of came full circle. She was running a global brand as the head of brand marketing in her mid-30’s. Knowing what I know now – it was a huge role with a ton of responsibility, so it all makes sense! She was the epitome of a role model; she taught me what and where hard work can get you. Today, I feel so fortunate to be able to work alongside her, as there are times that our businesses cross paths. And the fact that I had someone like her with her experience in my corner while I was developing my brand was truly priceless!  

If you were to give advice to a woman going into the field, you are in what would it be?

I’d give this advice to a woman or a man – if you love it, pursue it. If you don’t, then don’t. This business, in particular, doesn’t end up working well if you don’t like it. It’s “always-on” type of job, but at the same time, if you play your cards right – you can create a balance for yourself. So, if you love it, and you’re willing to put in the work, it’ll reward you in the most beautiful way.  

Have you found that being a woman in your field is harder or easier? Tell me about the advantages and disadvantages of being a woman. 

You know, I’m not a fan of this question and I’ll tell you why. I’m a business owner. Period. Yes, I happen to be a woman, but that really has nothing to do with it. I’ve been fortunate over the course of my career to have worked my way up with hard work and determination. There have only been a few times in my life where I’ve experienced doubt, but I think everyone – man or woman – feels like that at some point in their lives. You need to have the confidence within yourself to succeed. If you’re feeling like your gender is playing a part in the workplace, then I’d ask you to really dig deep. Is it really? Or is there some internal doubt within yourself that is searching for an excuse as to why you haven’t accomplished what you’ve set out to? I recently wrote about this exact topic on my blog and it was a post that I sat on for nearly six months without publishing because I wasn’t sure how it would be received. But after immense thought and consideration, I finally posted it because I think it’s an important conversation that we all need to have. The response that I received was overwhelming! Everyone was in total support and I was getting comments from people saying things like, “Yes! SOMEONE needed to say this!”. I knew that I wasn’t alone in how I feel about the topic, but the feedback I received just solidified it for me, and I’m so, so proud of that.

Have you ever have to overcome a hostile work environment? 

Of course! I think we all have at some point. There are varying levels of hostility, as well as varying definitions, but yes – I definitely have. In my industry specifically, it’s really hard to show ROI (return on investment) more so than some other marketing roles where you can see how much you spent and what the return on that investment was – dollar for dollar. So, for me, generally, I’m aware that I have a bit of an uphill batter with new clients, especially those that haven’t invested in PR in the past. But I’ve learned how to handle those types of situations now, taking learnings from the past so that I can make some of the numbers people (the CFOs of the world) a little more at ease about the type of value I bring.  A lot of what I learned came from one particular job where the CFO of the company didn’t believe in PR, frankly because he didn’t understand it, yet wasn’t willing to take the time to listen and learn. So, each and every day it was a battle to prove my worth and to show the value of what my work was doing to help the organization. Never again will I enter into a relationship with a CFO (or any type of leadership) that doesn’t understand the value of PR! One of the perks of owning your own business – you get to choose who you work with. ? 

What made you decide on your chosen field?

Like I said, I truly think it’s just in my DNA. And I feel so incredibly fortunate that I’ve been able to take my passion and turn it into a successful career. It’s one of the most fulfilling experiences that I’ve had in my life and I get to live it every day. Which, still to this day is wild to me. I never had a dream of owning my own business, like a lot of people do. In fact, I wanted the opposite. But once I started establishing myself in my career and forming relationships with my clients and understanding how important those connections are – I just knew that I had to do it – for me. AND for my future clients.  

Courtney Osgood is TV journalist turned award-winning publicist, Courtney Osgood founded CKO PR in 2017, after more than 10 years in the industry. Insanely driven and deeply passionate, Courtney prides herself on creating true partnerships with her clients.

Specializing in consumer experiences and lifestyle products/services, Courtney’s approach centers around storytelling, and goes well beyond simply securing the “quick hit”. Having worked with brands in the beauty, lifestyle, entertainment, hospitality, CPG and food and beverage industries over the course of her career, Courtney has a wealth of experience in all things consumer and has quickly become a go-to publicist for small businesses looking to launch and scale.

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