Jason Feifer

Editor in Chief at Entrepreneur Magazine

Editor in chief at Entrepreneur Magazine with decades of experience in media including Fast Company and Men's Health, also an author, podcast host, and startup advisor who provides deeply tactical advice on how startups can effectively get press coverage.

The Growth Architect The Growth Scientist

Dimension Profile

Strategic Vision 35%

Execution & Craft 50%

Data & Experimentation 20%

Growth & Distribution 75%

Team & Leadership 25%

User Empathy & Research 60%

Key Themes

how to get press for your startup pitching journalists effectively understanding publication missions freelance writers as better targets press as unpredictable growth tool treating press like fundraising with clear purpose

Episode Summary

Jason Feifer provides a deeply tactical guide to getting press for startups, built on the fundamental principle that journalists don't care about you — they care about serving their readers. He explains why most PR is automated noise that wastes founders' money, why freelance writers are more likely to write about your story, why you should treat press like fundraising and only pursue it when you have a clear purpose, and why press impact is wildly unpredictable ranging from more growth than all paid marketing combined to zero effect.

Leadership Principles

→ Editors and writers don't care about you — they care about their reader, and if you can be useful in serving their audience, then you can get what you want
→ Think about press the same way you think about raising money — you do it when you know what the press is for, not because you feel you deserve it
→ Most PR is a numbers game of automated mass blasts — the founder who reaches out specifically and personally stands out against that noise

Notable Quotes

"The editor, the writer, I'll just say it as plainly as possible. They don't care about you. They care about their reader or their listener or their viewer. If you can be of use to them in sharing the kinds of information they are looking to serve their audience, then you can get what you want."
— On the fundamental principle of pitching journalists

"Think about press the same way that you think about raising money. You do it when you know what the money is for, and you should do it when you know what the press is for."
— On when startups should invest time in getting press

"By the time we are done recording this podcast, I'll have anywhere from 30 to 50 pitches in my inbox. Most of that is garbage. Completely irrelevant press releases sent to me and a bazillion other people."
— On the volume of pitches journalists receive and why standing out matters

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