In this edition of The Founder’s Spotlight, we’re proud to introduce Priya Dua, a seasoned public relations expert and the founder of ARKIVE PR. With nearly 20 years of experience across both agency and in-house roles, Priya has worked with clients in industries ranging from energy and semiconductors to beauty and food. She brings a sincere, strategy-first approach to communications and is leading her own firm into a bold new chapter of growth and innovation.
Q: What inspired you to start ARKIVE PR, and what does the name represent?
Priya Dua: ARKIVE PR was created in response to the tired way of doing things. In many ways, creativity – something that public relations thrives on – has become stifled by the quick jump to execution without thorough consideration of all that’s possible through the changing landscape of strategy. We have to break through the box we continue to put ourselves in. “ARKIVE” is a nod to the past, “archive”, with a shift in spelling to represent what is new, the innovation of the future.
Q: Can you share a bit about your journey from Kansas to Southern California and how that shaped your entrepreneurial path?
Priya Dua: Growing up in Kansas, I felt incredibly limited in terms of what the world offered me. Of course, I was aware that there are plenty of possibilities that could move a person in nearly any direction that choose, but being where I was in the Midwest, it felt so far away. Eventually, I moved to Colorado for school, which was followed by the big move to Southern California: my boyfriend – now husband – at the time was from the area and wanted to move back. This development was incredibly exciting for me because I finally felt that I really did have options, and not just more options but the opportunity to pursue what I love! That energy ultimately paved the way for my entrepreneurial path.
Q: You have nearly 20 years of experience in PR. How has that experience influenced how you built your agency?
Priya Dua: Within those 20 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work under a variety of leadership styles, which has enabled me to determine the kind of leader I want to be and NOT want to be. It’s that knowledge that became the foundation for ARKIVE PR. It’s also been key in establishing what client relations should look like for the agency. Too often relationships become fractured in the partnership (sometimes very quickly), which I think is due to the mentality of what can be generated far into the long term, ignoring the importance of the here and now.
Q: What sets ARKIVE PR apart from other agencies, especially in such a competitive space?
Priya Dua: ARKIVE PR is truly unique in that it moves at a strategic yet breakneck speed, while encased in sincerity. This may sound like an odd recipe for success, but it works well for us – clients appreciate our thoroughness, our pace and the value we place on them, not just in moving the needle for their business but also as people. We’re in it for the long haul.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge in transitioning from working in-house and agency-side to launching your own business?
Priya Dua: I think much of it is due to a “fear of flying”. The industry knowledge I have is deep, the understanding of what a success-driven infrastructure looks like is well in place – it was taking the leap into the unknown, straying from the traditional path. I felt my entrepreneurial spirit bubble and surge once the move was made.
Q: How do your Midwestern roots influence your approach to building client relationships?
Priya Dua: Regardless of where you grow up, the environment is going to make an impact on you as a person. No place is perfect, and it’s up to you to take those positive pearls of experience into your future. In my case, the Midwest has shown me that kindness, empathy and general appreciation and respect is invaluable and should be woven into the larger framework of business – especially when it comes to client relations. Public relations is a business of humanity, supporting one another as a larger team to achieve common goals. A client win is our win. That is what the Midwest – in its quiet way – has taught me.
Q: You’ve worked across a wide range of industries, from oil and gas to beauty. How do you adapt your strategy to serve such diverse sectors?
Priya Dua: You must learn to speak many different “languages” to best understand the appropriate strategic approach. It’s also important to recognize the crossover between industries (e.g. health & wellness and food & beverage). This is best achieved through experience in target sectors, which ARKIVE PR has identified and services. Once you become more entrenched in each of these, pivoting is much more seamless and fruitful.
Q: What does a “successful PR strategy” mean to you in today’s digital media landscape?
Priya Dua: I think it’s important to take a thorough assessment of what tools are available to us as public relations professionals, as well as the vast variety of communications platforms at our fingertips. We are now able to reach people in so many different ways, which has allowed us to capture audiences that may have been harder to tap into. A successful PR strategy requires that we really examine all those media avenues available to us and hone in on what will be the most impactful for a particular client (especially B2B vs. B2C).
Q: What’s one campaign or client project that you’re especially proud of?
Priya Dua: The campaign that stands out to me was one that involved a major product launch that would catapult the client onto an international stage, in addition to an expansion in the industries of focus. With this, we were able to make fresh introductions to media that were truly excited by what was being offered, and they were open to really understanding the unique value proposition. We secured substantial coverage as well as established strong future relationships.
Q: How do you stay creatively inspired and aligned with your vision as a founder?
Priya Dua: I think observing how other campaigns, projects, etc. are approached by others can be helpful in that they can unlock creative ideas – not replicating what others have done, but by checking out other points of view. No matter where you are in your career, we are always learning, so be open to other ideas, especially of those around you. Take what you learn and the inspiration that’s unlocked and think how that best translates into your company and for your clients.
Q: What advice would you give to other women considering leaving corporate roles to start something of their own?
Priya Dua: Before making the shift, make sure you fully explore the “why” behind it. Is the interest coming from a place of frustration in your corporate situation? Perhaps it’s more about changing the specific corporate environment you are in, because if it’s really a case of dissatisfaction, you could be venturing into something that actually brings about stress and anxiety that might have been avoided. If you decide your head is in the right space, make sure you map out (to the best of your ability) what you need to have established to properly kick off the transition. The smoother the path you pave for yourself in advance of the shift, the better.
Q: What’s next for ARKIVE PR?
Priya Dua: ARKIVE PR is in a strategic growth stage with several key sectors top of mind (such as further expansion into health and wellness, energy and sustainability, and finance, and a deeper exploration of power and energy and consumer tech). Our arms are wide open to engage with companies that align with our vision and to create a mutually beneficial partnership. As we continue to scale up, our goal is also to secure an international reach, serving markets that are especially lucrative to those areas.
About ARKIVE PR
Built on a foundation of over 20 years, ARKIVE PR is an industry force marked by its breadth of experience in a multitude of sectors, across both B2B and B2C, and delivers exceptional media relations, content creation, thought leadership, corporate communications, events, and social media strategy. ARKIVE PR moves the needle for its vast variety of clients through thoughtful tailored strategies designed to reach target audiences and key decision-makers.
Website: arkivepr.com
LinkedIn: ARKIVE PR on LinkedIn
