On this episode of The Press Playbook, I sat down with Brittany Harran, Senior Account Director at BAM, to talk about how she helped her client, Blitzy, land a founder profile in Business Insider.
The placement was a story about Blitzy’s co-founder and CTO, Sid Pardeshi, and the decision he made to leave Nvidia and walk away from nearly $19 million in stock to build his own AI company.
We break down how the angle came together and why tailoring the pitch to the reporter made all the difference.
Below are the key moments and takeaways from the episode, or listen where you please:
Episode Overview
Guest: Brittany Harran, Senior Account Director at BAM
Client Featured: Blitzy
Key Placement: Business Insider
Episode Focus: Founder profile strategy + personalized pitching
Key Moments & Takeaways
⏱️ 00:00–01:40 — Meet Brittany and Blitzy
I introduce Brittany and her role as leader of BAM’s B2B practice. She shares background on Blitzy and the AI software they’re building for enterprise teams.
⏱️ 01:40–03:10 — The Founder Angle
Instead of pitching product news, the team focused on Sid’s background. Early Nvidia inventor with 25+ patents, and the decision to leave nearly $19 million in stock to start Blitzy.
A decorated founder was their hook.
⏱️ 03:10–04:30 — Pitching the Right Reporter
The pitch was designed specifically for Charissa Cheong at Business Insider, who writes first-person founder profiles.
The subject line reflected her style and the pitch led with strong numbers and specific details. Everything was tailored to how she writes.
⏱️ 04:30–05:30 — Why the Relationship Helped
Brittany had worked with Charissa before, which made the process smoother. When you know a reporter’s preferences and style, it’s easier to bring them something that fits.
⏱️ 05:30–06:30 — Be Ready for Fact-Checking
For first-person pieces at Business Insider, there’s a long list of fact-checking that happens. That means having documentation ready to back up awards, stock numbers, patents, and background details.
⏱️ 06:30–07:00 — Don’t Forget the Visuals
One of Brittany’s best tips: update your physical assets if you’re going after a profile piece.
Strong headshots and natural photos help bring the story to life.
Final Takeaway
This episode is a great reminder that not all great press comes from company news. Sometimes the founder is the story.
When you combine a strong personal angle with a tailored pitch and the right reporter, publications like Business Insider are absolutely within reach.
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