When Elliot Tomaeno founded ASTRSK PR in 2012, boutique PR agencies weren’t exactly known for disrupting the industry. Thirteen years and 800+ startup launches later, he’s done exactly that — and along the way, earned seven consecutive spots on Business Insider’s Top 50 PR Professionals list, landed an Adweek 30 Under 30 honor, and built a portfolio that includes household names like Groupon, Squarespace, Prime Video, and Lemonade.
On the latest episode of the Brandinc PR Podcast, host Dr. Brandi Sims sits down with Elliot for a conversation that goes well beyond the highlight reel. They dig into what agency life actually looks like after more than a decade in the game, why ASTRSK has always bet on brands willing to push boundaries, and what Elliot really thinks AI is doing to the PR industry — and to the value of earned media.
As both agency founder and LP investor in Primary Ventures, Female Founders Fund, and Mac Venture Capital, Elliot brings a dual lens to brand strategy that most PR professionals simply don’t have. In this episode, he shares how that investor perspective has sharpened the way he thinks about client work — and what PR leaders need to understand about where the industry is headed.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- What it actually takes to build a PR agency that survives 13+ years
- Why ASTRSK bets on “rebellious brands” — and how that positioning has driven growth
- Elliot’s unfiltered take on AI’s impact on earned media and the communications industry
- The difference between PR that launches a brand and PR that sustains one
- What his experience as a venture LP has taught him about brand strategy
Whether you’re running a PR agency, building a startup, or trying to figure out where the industry is headed next — this conversation is exactly what you need to hear right now.
🎧 Listen to the full episode wherever you stream podcasts, and visit brandincpr.com for show notes and resources.