Today on the PRmoment Podcast we’re talking to Rich Leigh, founder Radioactive PR.
Rich founded Radioactive PR 10 years ago, so it’s another one of our birthday podcasts.
Radioactive now has 6 employees and it’s fair to say it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the business over the last few years and Rich is going to talk us through that journey on today's show.
I’d describe Rich as a portfolio PR entrepreneur.
He launched Bloggabase back in the day, as well as PR Examples which is now known as Famous Campaigns.
He also wrote a book called Myths of PR.
These days he runs Radioactive as well as hosting his own successful podcast The Starting Line where he interviews with entrepreneurs, entertainers and athletes.
Before we start don’t miss our next PR Masterclass: The Intersection of Data, Planning and Measurement. Attend this PR Masterclass to hear from experts on the latest techniques, tools and case studies about the use of data in modern communications.
The other big news in public relations is that the PRmoment Awards 2025 final entry deadline is this Friday the 17th January..
Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.
Rich welcome to the show
4 mins Rich launched Radioactive PR 10 years ago. How have those 10 years been?
5 mins Why Rich Leigh’s PR story is such an amazing one.
“My upbringing was quite a different one. Quite a violent one…there were lots of prison visits. Lots of drugs around us.”
“I always just thought, if I did the exact opposite of the things I saw happen in front of me, then I have the chance of breaking the cycle.”
7 mins Rich talks about his previous PR launches Bloggabase and PR Examples
“I can fail and fail and fail. Nothing fazes me. If you grew up like I did. Not getting a bit of coverage doesn't really matter.”
14 mins Rich talks about his long time colleague and friend: Andy Barr
“Andy was the first good man I ever met. Most of the men in my life had been in and out of prison."
“He gave me a chance. I dropped out of school and had a baby and said ‘hey, employ me.’ And he gave me a chance.”
17 mins Rich talks about the start of Radioactive.
18 mins After 6 years the business was up to 30 employees in 2021 Now it has 6 employees. Rich talks us through what happened.
20 mins Rich had to make a lot of people redundant? That's tough on them but it's also tough on the employer.
“We had to let a lot of people go. (It was) a really really rough time.”
“We were unprofitable to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Easily.”
“You feel like you’ve failed.”
27 mins Rich talks about why digital PR, so the link building element from earned media, has become such a tough market.
“At one stage it (digital PR) was 80% of our work.”
31 mins Why digital PR has done huge harm to the PR: journalist relationship.
37 mins Rich talks us through his biggest mistakes.
39 mins And his biggest successes.
“I’ve changed my life entirely.”
41 mins Rich tails us though how he's evolved into a portfolio PR entrepreneur.
“The advice was: don’t go to prison and if you get a job - keep it.”
43 mins What's next for Rich Leigh?