Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Foster.
Hi Jennifer, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Heading off to college, I planned to pursue a career in medicine. I went on to earn my first undergraduate degree in microbiology. I worked in viral research, studying a plant virus with the potential to devastate tomato crops worldwide. My role involved extracting DNA from potentially infected plants and analyzing it for signs of infection. The work was fascinating and meaningful, but while I was centrifuging samples, my mind often wandered. I needed a creative outlet of some kind.
(During this time I was managing a retail store, too. To this day, I still find the science of retail absolutely fascinating; actual shopping, not so much.)
After earning my BA in Microbiology, I returned to school and took a public relations writing course. I loved it immediately. That single class led me to pursue an internship, and I was shocked when I was accepted at one of the most respected agencies in town. It felt intimidating at first, from the marble conference table to the highly polished, professional environment. I interned there, advocated hard to stay on, and ultimately spent the next 13 years building my career at that agency.
Over time, I discovered that I especially enjoyed working with growing clients and helping them shape their images and their businesses. I eventually resigned, and took about two months off. To this day, I’d still say that was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made.
From there, I joined a coworking space. I did not want to work from home. I wanted to give my clients a sense of security that I wasn’t going to pack up overnight and disappear. I wanted a place to hold meetings that wasn’t my kitchen. It was located above a bail bonds office, and at the beginning it was just me and my laptop above the bail bonds. I gave myself a few months, and was convinced I’d be back in search of a job in a few months’ time.
But my time in that coworking space changed everything for me. I met incredible people, and many organizations took a real chance on me. Those early clients trusted me to help them grow, and together we built something meaningful. Nine years later, Catalyst Media Factory has grown into a team of about ten people, with offices in Detroit and satellites in Sterling Heights (Velocity) and Traverse City, Michigan. What started as a leap of faith has become a company I am incredibly proud of, rooted in hard work, smart PR efforts, and long-term partnerships.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Running a business is never a smooth road, but that is true for most companies in their early stages and it’s what keeps it interesting. There is a steep learning curve when you are getting a business off the ground, and some of the most challenging lessons are the ones you do not even realize you need to learn at first.
As a startup founder for a public relations firm, you wear all the hats. There are moments when you feel like you need to be in two places at once. You are focused on keeping clients happy and delivering high quality work while also hiring, learning tax laws, managing payroll, and stepping into the roles of CFO, COO, CIO, and more. It is a constant balancing act between building the business and sustaining it.
To this day, I make a point to keep my team informed about what I am working on. As a CEO, much of the day-to-day work happens behind the scenes and is not always client-facing. From the outside, it can sometimes look like nothing is happening, when in reality there are countless moving parts required to keep the company running. I want my team to understand the full scope of what it takes to make the company function so transparency, trust, and shared ownership are part of our culture.
Like many businesses, we were hit hard when COVID first arrived. There was a moment when I genuinely thought it might single-handedly wipe our company off the map. We had to make fast decisions, adapt quickly, and lean on one another. We made it through that period, and we are still here. That experience reinforced the importance of constant and consistent communication, thoughtful planning, and building a business that can weather uncertainty.
From the beginning, we also were very intentional about scaling within our means rather than overextending ourselves. That meant it sometimes took longer to add team members to cover certain roles, but that patience paid off. Growing thoughtfully allowed us to build a stronger foundation, protect our culture, and create long-term stability, which has been well worth it in the end.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Catalyst Media Factory is a public relations and social media firm headquartered in Detroit with affiliate offices in Sterling Heights (Velocity) and Traverse City, Michigan. Our public relations company is focused on helping organizations share their news, position their leaders as experts in their respective industries, and enhance credibility through clear, strategic, and purposeful communications. We are the conduit between your business or organization and the news media as well as external audiences.
Many PR agencies position themselves as expert “storytellers.” We shy away from that term. From my perspective, it makes it sound like we’re making something up. This isn’t bedtime. We’re helping build trust among their clients and customers. It’s serious business. Sometimes clients are so close, they may have trouble understanding why what they’re doing is so important on a larger scale or how to communicate that to a more expansive audience. How do they reach that audience in order to resonate with what they have to say, with what they’re doing? We help businesses and organizations identify the news nugget and key messages, and then connect with the right members of the news media on their behalf to elevate the message.
Catalyst works with brands, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations that are growing, evolving, or navigating moments of change, and we help them build visibility, credibility, and long-term momentum.
While we’re Michigan-based, we have performed work across the country for clients in a wide array of sectors: automotive, entertainment and events, nonprofit, professional service, restaurant, retail, technology, and more. Franchisors, franchisees, festivals, chambers of commerce, and Downtown Development Authorities (DDAs) are a few types of entities that find tremendous benefits in working with a PR firm like Catalyst Media Factory.
What sets Catalyst Media Factory apart is how we combine thoughtful strategy and strong execution, along with the ability to maintain strong media relationships and quickly build relationships with new editors, reporters and producers. The ability to zero-in on an audience by leveraging social media tools is an important tool our team activates on behalf of our clients, as is the power of influencer relationships. We don’t “just do” media relations or “just do” social media. We offer a big tool box, and offer organizations the correct tools to get the job done.
In addition to public relations, media relations and social media, our team supports a variety of clients through advertising buys and ad creation; geo-fencing; graphic design services, for annual reports, catalogs, brochures, billboards, mailers and more; We have supported trade shows across the country, such as CES, auto shows, and we also handle crisis communications for existing clients. Just ask, we’ve probably done it!
We do not believe in one-size-fits-all solutions or short-term wins that do not support bigger goals. Our work starts with understanding who our clients are, what they stand for, and where they want to go. From there, we develop integrated PR and social media strategies that feel authentic and are designed to support real business objectives.
Did I mention our team members are experts at grand openings and news conferences (press conferences), too? We bring the news media and the giant scissors!
I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention our media training program. We’re really proud of the real-life experience it delivers to our clients before they actually speak to a journalist. They feel very prepared to meet the media after our media training sessions.
Brand wise, what I am most proud of is the trust we have built. That trust comes from consistency, transparency, and doing the work the right way, even when it takes longer. We have grown intentionally and within our means, which has allowed us to protect our culture, invest in our people, and deliver high quality work without burning out our team or overpromising to clients.
I also want readers to know that Catalyst Media Factory is built on curiosity and care. We ask a lot of questions, we think deeply before acting, and we never lose sight of the fact that people are behind every brand. Whether we are shaping a media strategy, managing social channels, or helping a client navigate a challenging moment, our goal is always the same, to create meaningful connections and lasting impact.
We are especially known for working closely with our clients as true partners. Many of the organizations we support are growing teams, and they rely on us not just for execution but for guidance, perspective, and clarity. We pride ourselves on being responsive, thoughtful, and deeply invested in our clients’ success. We often function as an extension of their internal team, not just an outside agency. When you succeed, we succeed!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Passion is essential to long-term success. Earlier in my career, I worked for a leader who only wanted to hire people he deemed had a “passion” for our work. At the time, I remember thinking I just needed someone who could write the press release and meet the deadline; I didn’t care if it was their passion or not.
Now I understand what he meant. When you are truly passionate about the work, about your clients, about media, social platforms, and helping organizations achieve their goals, you naturally go further. You think more creatively, you care more deeply, and you show up differently. You look for the solution. That energy is felt by clients and by colleagues and, consequently, we are a team of problem solvers.
At Catalyst Media Factory, we hire for passion. I want people to come to work genuinely excited about what they do and proud of the impact they are helping to create. I know it is unrealistic to expect excitement every single day, but passion creates momentum, resilience, and a sense of purpose. It is what turns a job into meaningful work and has been a driving force behind my success and the culture we continue to build.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.catalystmediafactory.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catalystmediafactory
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatalystMediaFactory
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/catalyst-media-factory
