Episode #35: Celebrate #BlackGirlMagic with L'Oreal Thompson Payton
“Do you lead with values and integrity? That part of it is more important to me than who you work for. I think that there are incredible stories to tell across industries, and that at the end of the day is what’s more important to me than [whether you represent a] for-profit or non-profit.”
-L’Oreal Thompson Payton, on receiving PR pitches from the private vs. public sector
Our guest is freelance journalist and editor whose mission is to help and inspire Black women and girls. Her work is intersectional, focusing on mental health, wellness, lifestyle, career and more. We dive deep into some in-depth reporting that demonstrates all the ways in which a publicist may have a positive impact on real lives, regardless of the company they represent. We’ll even get a close look at how a publicist took time to get to know our guest’s personal interests, which has not only resulted in some great stories, but also a lasting journalist-publicist relationship.
Also, a special thank you to Tamika Morrison Okeleke (@1stladyofPR), for tweeting about our show and connecting us with our guest!
In this episode you’ll learn…
When to play a supportive (vs. central) role in a people-first story
Why trust, empathy and patience are key when building rapport with a freelance writer
How it’s the little things and those tiny details that really do matter most
Our guest is:
L’Oreal Thompson Payton, a Baltimore-bred, Chicago-based freelance writer, editor and motivational speaker dedicated to centering and celebrating #BlackGirlMagic in all she does. Her work has been featured in Bitch, Bustle, HelloGiggles, SELF, Shondaland, the Shine App and ZORA, just to name a few. She is also the mental health editor for YR media.
Love this episode? Subscribe on Apple Podcast and please leave us a review on iTunes!
Show Notes:
:00 — Jackie introduces our guest.
2:00 — Jackie intros the story that L’Oreal wants to talk about that stemmed from a PR pitch.
2:45 — L’Oreal talks about the story and how it was within her 13 years of reporting, in her top 5 of stories she loved telling.
6:25 — Jackie asks L’Oreal how she sourced the women in her story.
7:48 — Jackie asked if the AARP data in the story was from a separate pitch, or something L’Oreal sourced herself.
8:40 — Britt asks about how the illustrations came to be. L’Oreal talks about the role that the illustrations helped make the story more relatable to a diverse group of readers.
12:40 — L’Oreal talked about how the story was to release right near the beginning of COVID and how they realized that they needed to put a focus on the pandemic, considering it was becoming a very real thing right at that moment.
13:24 — Jackie asks L’Oreal what kinds of organizations, companies and people the publicists with whom she works with typically represent.
14:48 — Jackie asks if for-profit companies belong in conversations related to intersectional feminism, especially conversations that focus more specifically on BIPOC women.
16:25 — Jackie asks if she welcomes data studies from for-profit companies.
19:13 — Jackie asks if it’s helpful when a publicist offers first-person sources for a story.
21:00 — Jackie asks L’Oreal what other things she needs from publicists.
22:35 — Jackie asks L’Oreal how some publicists fall short.
25:00 — L’Oreal shares the timeline of the Zora story (spoiler: 4 months!)
26:25 — Jackie asks how L’Oreal prefers to receive follow ups.
31:50 — Jackie asks L’Oreal what good publicists have in common.
34:36 — Shoutout time! L’Oreal gives a shoutout to a publicist that she’s enjoyed working with in the past. She gives a shoutout to Sara Charles, who introduced her to BK Yoga Club (a body positive yoga studio) and 4C ONLY (first-ever natural hair company exclusively for 4c curly hair).
38:15 — L’Oreal shares parting thoughts for our listeners.
Stories We Talked About:
Connect with L’Oreal Thompson Payton
Connect with Jackie & Britt
