Shakeema Bouyer is the Founder and CEO of Mattie Clay Branding & Public Relations and Agency Director of her newly formed agency RedHead Creative Media Group. As a public relations professional with over 10 years of experience, she brings creative thinking, innovative strategies, collaborative relations and credible media relations outreach to her client experience. She has had the opportunity to work with clients across several industries including Beauty, Nonprofits/Cause Based and Cultural events.
Combining her love for beauty with her innovative thinking, Shakeema launched RedHead Creative Media Group in May 2021. RedHead CMG is a digital public relations agency with a focus on beauty, grooming and health & wellness brands created by persons of color. While working with clients, projects will range from 90 days to six (6) months and provide services such branding and content strategies, digital lookbook design, product launch support and general publicity.
Shakeema is also the creator and host of Business Over Brunch Podcast. The bi-weekly podcast returned in March 2021 and hosts conversations with beauty brand owners, media and contributors to the beauty industry.
Never not learning and always finding ways to perfect her craft, Shakeema has earned certifications in Writing for Social Media (U of CA, Berkeley, edX) and Fundamentals of Media Relations and Social Media (MuckRack Academy). In the first half of 2021, she will earn certifications in Women’s Entrepreneurship (B of A and eCornell, June 2021) and an International Accreditation in Public Relations issued by CPD through Women in PR Academy (June 2021).
When Shakeema is not managing her agencies, recording her podcast or immersed in her continued learnings, she is a wife, mother of a 9 year old son and an online retail store owner.
You are the the Founder and CEO of Mattie Clay Branding & Public Relations and Agency Director of your newly formed agency RedHead Creative Media Group. What is the significance of have good public relations for business?
So we are just going to jump right in (lol)Having a good PR plan is the difference between people knowing who you are and wondering who you are. A publicist will help you craft your brand story, develop your angles for pitches, facilitate meaningful collaborations and get your message to your audience through various media outlets and platforms. Public Relations helps to add credibility to a brand or business. When people see a brand mentioned on the news, in a blog or a feature they are more apt to check out that brand or business. The ultimate goal is to gain awareness for your brand through engagement with the media. There are other strategies that may be incorporated, like social media … but social media in itself is not public relations.
What inspired you to branch out with RedHead Creative Media Group?
RedHead Creative Media Group was created out of my continued love for beauty and wanting to do something different within the public relations industry. The agency focus will be solely on beauty, grooming and health & wellness brands created by persons of color. Additionally, it is project based and our clients will receive support in areas such as: brand development, product launch and pitch packs, just to name a few options. We don’t always get to see these brands in the forefront and RedHead allows me to help these brands create a strong brand and be seen as contributors to the industry. Over the last year or so diversity within the industry has become a major topic of discussion and I guess you can say RedHead is apart of a needed response.
Let our readers know the difference between digital public relations and traditional “old school” public relations?
Great question. Traditional public relations speaks to television, radio and print publications. Digital public relations is just that – digital media platforms. A publicist, like myself, that focuses primarily in the digital space will pitch more to online magazines, blogs, streaming services and web content developers for newspapers and magazines. The primary difference of the two would be the need of the client. The goal of Traditional PR is to get in front of potential customers while the goal of Digital PR is to Increase awareness in a wider audience reach and SEO.
In your experience, is one better than the other? If so, why? If not, why not?
Again, it would depend on the industry that someone is in as well as their desired end result. You could also have a good campaign with a mixture of the two. For example, I also have a background in Nonprofit PR, so it works well for those clients to have placements on Television to reach the local and regional area as well digital outlets like podcasts, blogs and digital features to increase the awareness and footprint of the organization.
You also have a podcast entitled Business Over Brunch. What is that about and how can our readers listen to it?
Business Over Brunch is a beauty podcast that relaunched in March. The podcast airs every 1st and 3rd Saturday on YouTube, Anchor, Spotify and Google Podcasts. We also host a interactive episode on each 5th Saturday with our next one being a Paint and Brunch on May 29.We are wrapping up our return season and the topic was Beauty is Big Business and we talked with beauty brand owners about their “why” for creating the brand and how they navigated through COVID.Our next season begins in July and we’ll be getting behind the brands. Our next guests will include: a graphic designer, trademark attorney and a cosmetic chemist. July-September will focus on helping new and aspiring brand owners ensure that they are utilizing the right resources to have their brand setup the right way.
You’re a Publicist, Podcaster, Brand Curator, a wife and mother. How do you balance it all? What strategies can you give our readers who are trying to balance it all?
Whew! It is definitely a balancing act. One thing that has always helped me are To Do lists. When I know that I have a list of things that need to be done I write out a list each day. There really is good feeling when you check off at least 75% of a check list each day – and an even better feeling when you can pat yourself on the back for 100% completion.As far as balancing family with business, I make sure that I schedule my office hours at times when my son or husband are also busy with school or work. Now that outside is opening back up I’ll make sure that I have at least one weekend a month dedicated just for family and when I can, I allow my 9yro to help with things like gift bag setup or preparing for an event. He used to like to help but this last year has changed so much he probably won’t want to be bothered anymore lol Lastly, I’ll say schedule time to schedule content or at least outline it. Honestly, this has also been a struggle of mine when it comes to my own content. But tools like Canva makes it alot easier to manage when you can design and schedule within the same tool.
Connect with Shakeema
Mattie Clay Branding & Public Relations
www.mattieclaybpr.com IG: www.instagram.com/mattieclaybprFB: www.instagram.com/mattieclaybpr
RedHead Creative Media Group
www.redheadcmg.com IG: www.instagram.com/redheadcmgFB: www.facebook.com/redheadcmg
