Natalie Trice has worked in PR for the past 26 years, representing brands including Cartoon Network, CNN, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Earthwatch, Betty Crocker, Sense, Harley Street Fertility Clinic, and many more. Today she uses her extensive global knowledge to teach others to put themselves in the spotlight with her business, PR School. Natalie is also an author, ICF-accredited career coach and the founder of DDH UK, a global network supporting thousands of people around the world dealing with hip dysplasia. When she isn’t working, you’ll find Natalie on the beach in Devon, where she lives with her family and two dogs.
Can you tell us a little about your background and the company?
My name is Natalie Trice, and I’m a coffee-drinking, magazine-reading, media-loving PR expert who’s worked in the PR business for over two and a half decades. As well as being the founder of PR School and Devon Trice PR, I’m an ICF-accredited career and life coach and the author of three books.
When the pandemic hit, I lost all my clients in hours and decided to use that time to train as an ICF-accredited coach and teach. I ran workshops and courses and gave guest lectures at UK universities, and I loved this work.
Today I work with a wide range of businesses and experts to give them the PR skills they need to be seen and heard in all the right places. I also coach PR and comms professionals so they can boost their confidence, irradicate imposter syndrome and build their skills.
There is something so satisfying about empowering others to bring a new element into their business that will help them grow and feel good about what they do and who they are.
Given that my first job after graduating was teaching English in Tokyo, it’s little surprise that I have come full circle.
How have you been able to gain funding and grow?
I have been self-employed for the past 17 years and have never had funding. I left a toxic workplace when I was pregnant with my first son and had a second-hand laptop, my CV and my contacts. I worked hard, reached out to as many people as possible and loved my work and clients, which makes doing your job and running your business an absolute joy. Today there is a lot more funding out there, and if I was starting over, I am sure I would take advantage of those opportunities.
What are the key successes?
One word, boundaries! I know this is a bit of a buzzword, but if you can put firm boundaries in place, everything else will come. From the hours you work to the non-negotiables when it comes to working for free and taking a break for lunch, you need to know what makes you perform your best and put those things in place. I pledge to only work with people I know I can really help and represent well.
I love to swim three times a week, outdoors when I can, and walking my dogs once in the day, and when I leave my desk at 5 pm, is vital to my mental well-being. This also keeps my energy high so I can do my best work, but it is coupled with meditation, manifestation, good food and lots of water and sleep!
Being paid on time, knowing what KPIs I am working towards, agreeing on meetings, and keeping to them are all important to me and allow me to plan my time and keep on top of my to-do list.
We often underestimate the power of our intuition, but it is so important to listen to this as it’s 99% right, making it a key consideration for success. If something or someone seems too good to be true, or a car crash waiting to happen, listen to your intuition as this will save time, energy and often money!
Lastly, keeping your eyes on the horizon, rather than looking at what others are doing, is vital to your success. If you get caught up with what someone else is doing, you’ll lose focus and forget what you are working towards. Yes, be inspired by other women in your industry but don’t compare and don’t let envy cloud your judgement of what success looks like to you. We all define success differently, and for me, that’s being able to have a life I love by the beach and being at home for my sons when they come from school and at weekends.
What were/are the challenges, and how have you overcome these?
I have two sons, and one was born with a complex medical issue which meant years of hospital appointments and operations for him. This was a bolt out of the blue, but I would do anything for my children, so put my career aside while we navigated what was the hardest time in our lives as our little boy was broken over and over again.
During this time, I set up DDH UK, which supports thousands of people around the world, people like me who felt lost and alone when their child (or they) were diagnosed with this life-challenging condition and wrote Cast Life, my first school. I now tell clients and students that if I can use PR to become a global, award-winning expert in hips, they can be in the press!
You do anything for your kids as a mum, and he is now a teenager, and we have an incredible bond. I realised those years might have been tough on many levels, but they showed me what a real challenge looks like so I can take a last-minute press release or cross-client in my stride.
I knew I could get my career back on track, but you only get one chance when it comes to your child’s health, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat to ensure he had the best life.
What are your plans now/for the future?
I love teaching others to be their own publicist, so building PR School is a big part of my work this year and moving forward. It’s great that I can help people learn the skills to be seen in the press, but with my coaching background, I also provide a space for them to believe they deserve to be in the media and feel good about being visible.
In addition to this, I am looking at doing more work with colleges and universities and imparting my PR experience and understanding to students. At some point, I’d love to go on and study for a master’s and then a PhD. I love to learn, and those are my big academic goals and are written down loud and proud on my vision board.
I have written three non-fiction books, but my novel challenges and excites me in equal measures. I am 40,000 words, and in between beach time with my kids and husband, as well as fitting in life in general, I really want to finish this and go out into the world.
However, as I have said, my version of success is being here for my sons; they are always my priority.
What would you like to share with others to encourage them to start their entrepreneurship journey?
After spending six hours at a virtual event this weekend with Amy Porterfield to celebrate the launch of her first book, Two Weeks Notice, I suggest everyone taps into her wisdom. She, along with Jasmine Star and Jenna Kutcher, empowered many people who tuned in live to believe they are an entrepreneur, whatever stage of their journey they are on, and to start taking action. This is something I would echo to anyone reading this and wondering, “Can I do it?” The answer is “Yes, you can, but you will never know unless you try.”
Today, can you do something to make your dreams a reality? Set up a social media account, write a blog post, open a business bank account or tell a friend what you dream of doing. Then, each day, go out and do something that takes you forward, and buy Amy’s book because it’s packed with details that will light you up and fill you with hope.
Can you share your top tips for entrepreneurial success?
Yes, you might be afraid of taking that promotion, making your side hustle your main job or walking away from a 9-5 career, but isn’t it scarier to stay doing something you hate and makes you count down the hours rather than savouring the moments we all know are so precious? Don’t listen to your fear. As Susan Jefferson says, feel the fear and do it anyway.
There are so many great tools out there today that help you to find out about opportunities, to make new connections and to start creating a new network for you, your career and your life that you can do this work before you make any significant changes or drastic moves.
Ask yourself – what brings you joy and lights you up? If you love your work, it will make things much easier and more satisfying.
Believe in yourself! If nothing else, please believe that you can do this and are worthy of living a life you love! Yes, take on advice but don’t let people put you off and don’t get caught up with ‘what if it goes wrong’ but instead feel the emotions of ‘what if it all goes so very right’.
Who are the 5 people who inspire you the most and why?
Great question: here we go!
For me, there is no denying the inspiration of Emmeline Pankhurst, a founding member of the Suffragettes. If it wasn’t for her and the other Suffragettes who put so much on the line for us, International Women’s Day might not exist, and we could be living very different lives. I never take for granted our privilege and that it’s not a given for all women, but it should be, and I can only hope this will change for those who live under regimes and are repressed.
I love Glennon Doyle for her honesty and vulnerability; if you haven’t read Untamed, do it.
Victoria Beckham might have been Posh Spice, but she has shown ambition, drive, and determination. While the media forever criticises her life and achievements, she remains dignified, stays in her own lane, and doesn’t air her dirty laundry in public.
I adore Coco Chanel; I wear Coco Mademoiselle every day and let’s remember she said, “Women have always been the strong ones of the world.”
My son for never giving up even when his surgery was horrific, and life seemed so unfair; and how today he goes out on the rugby and football field and plays like a pro!
What are your favourite inspirational /motivational quotes?
Reading the line “Every time you don’t disappoint them, you disappoint yourself” in Untamed by Glennon Doyle was a life-changing moment for me. Wow, yes!
When we say yes to something we don’t want to do so, we don’t upset, hurt or disappoint someone else; we are doing an injustice to ourselves. Saying yes to a date with someone we know is wrong. Staying in a job we hate because we don’t want to leave colleagues in the lurch. Accepting an invite to a party with women who make you feel inferior, but you don’t want to lose face.
Please stop doing this and start thinking about yourself, what you want, what makes you feel good and what lights you up! It might feel hard to start with, but as Amy Porterfield said at her event at the weekend, “What other people think of you is none of your business, but what you think of yourself is everything!”
What are your Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn social handles and website links so our readers can connect with you?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-trice/
https://www.instagram.com/natalietricepr/
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