From Coke to Cracker Barrel: Tracy Tilson’s PR Playbook — And How She Created a National Holiday

Tracy Tilson

What does it take to build a PR empire, land household-name clients like Coke and Staples, and then launch a national movement? Tracy Tilson, President & Founder of Tilson PR, knows the answer — and she’s spilling all the secrets on the latest episode of The Brandinc PR Podcast!

With a client roster that reads like a VIP guest list — including Cracker Barrel, The Melting Pot, and Carrabba’s Italian Grill — Tracy has built an impressive career helping brands craft powerful, lasting stories. But that wasn’t enough for this PR powerhouse. Her entrepreneurial spark led to the creation of National Use Your Gift Card Day — an annual, nationwide event that encourages consumers to dig out those forgotten gift cards and put them to good use. The result? A feel-good campaign that’s gained traction and media buzz year after year.

🎧 Why You Need to Tune In

In this episode, Tracy dives into:

  • How she landed major brands — and kept them coming back.
  • Her strategies for crafting PR campaigns that stick (and sell).
  • The story behind National Use Your Gift Card Day — and how she turned an idea into a nationwide movement.
  • Her top advice for aspiring PR pros and entrepreneurs looking to build their own success story.

🔥 Takeaways You Can’t Miss:

  • Big-Brand PR Secrets: Learn how to approach clients — from local businesses to national giants — with confidence and creativity.
  • Entrepreneurial Inspiration: If you’ve got a bold idea, Tracy’s journey from PR maven to national campaign founder will motivate you to make it happen.
  • Media Magnet Moves: Get actionable tips on how to create campaigns that grab attention and keep it.

Tracy’s journey proves that with the right strategy, creativity, and persistence, you can build a career — and a legacy — that stands out in a crowded PR world.

👉 Ready to dive into Tracy’s story? Listen to the full episode now on The Brandinc PR Podcast — available wherever you get your podcasts!

🎙️ Listen, learn, and get inspired — because your next big idea might just become the next national movement.

New Brandinc PR Podcast Episode: Kelvin Abrams on Embracing Uncomfortable Pivots

New Brandinc PR Podcast Episode: Kelvin Abrams on Embracing Uncomfortable Pivots

Let’s get one thing straight: entrepreneurship isn’t a highlight reel — it’s a rollercoaster, and sometimes the track isn’t even finished yet. 😅

This week on the Brandinc PR Podcast, we’re sitting down with serial entrepreneur, author, and all-around resilience expert Kelvin Abrams to talk about the thing most people avoid like a bad Wi-Fi connection: embracing uncomfortable pivots.

💥 Spoiler alert: Staying stuck isn’t the flex you think it is.

Kelvin doesn’t sugarcoat it — because honestly, who has time for that? He gets real about why the smartest move in business isn’t always to push harder on a failing path — sometimes it’s about making a hard left turn when everything in you screams to stay the course. From financial setbacks to health struggles, Kelvin’s been through it all and lived to build bigger, better businesses because of it.

✨ In this episode, we dive into:

  • Why getting uncomfortable is a requirement for growth, not a consequence.
  • How to tell the difference between a tough season and a dead-end road.
  • The power of community over competition — and how to stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.
  • Why mentorship isn’t optional if you want to skip the rookie mistakes (and the broken bank accounts).

💡 One of our favorite Kelvin gems:
“If the path isn’t working, stop forcing it. Pivot. Yeah, it’s uncomfortable — but so is staying stuck.”

👉 Ready to stop playing it safe and start making moves — even the messy, awkward ones?

🎧 Listen to the full episode now: [Link to episode]

And if you love it (we know you will), share it with the fellow dream-chasers in your life. Let’s build businesses that don’t just survive — they thrive. 🚀