Why Substack and Community Building Are Outperforming Traditional PR for Growing Brands with Ashley Orfus

About this episode

Ashley Orfus discusses the shift from traditional PR to community-driven communication for brands.

Brands don't need more visibility, they need meaning. That's the thesis behind Ashley Orfus's work as founder of ALAB Group, where she helps innovative companies replace traditional PR tactics with performance-driven communication built on education, credibility, and community. In this episode, Ashley shares why platforms like Substack and Beehive are leveling the playing field for founders without big budgets, why handwritten notes and customer phone calls are now a competitive edge, and why women founders need to stop discounting their rates before the other person even finishes breathing. Ashley founded ALAB Group at 22 years old, after leaving luxury fashion and entertainment, before entrepreneurship was the default career path it is now. For over a decade, she has been helping founders across technology, food, hospitality, and culture who are not just launching products but inventing entire categories. From audio jewelry to vertical farming to space tourism, her work starts with one question: what is your unique point of view? Ashley challenged something I think a lot of us do. We rush to hire marketing before our product and positioning are actually ready, and then wonder…

People in this episode

Host: Adrienne Garland

Guest: Ashley Orfus

Topics covered

• community building
• public relations
• women founders
• entrepreneurship
• branding
• marketing strategies

Keywords

• Substack
• community building
• women founders
• branding
• public relations
• entrepreneurship
• marketing

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ALAB Group

Products: Substack, Beehive

Places: luxury fashion, entertainment, technology, food, hospitality, culture

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