Small Business PR

For small business owners and product founders who want to land organic PR, gift guide and podcast features, and show up in AI search—without ads or agencies. The brands getting organic media coverage now are the ones that will show up in those AI recommendations, and own AI search visibility and AEO (answer engine optimization) before it gets saturated. Shopify, Etsy, and other shopping sites are continuously being integrated with ChatGPT, and we’re making organic PR and marketing accessible to everyday small business owners, WOC and BIPOC founders, navigating this new era of AI search and SEO. Start pitching gift guide editors, TV and podcast hosts, and journalists all year round—so your products show up when customers search for what you sell. No PR experience, connections, or big budget required. Join us weekly as host Gloria Chou, the #1 small business PR coach, shares untraditional PR and A

Small Business PR is a business podcast hosted by Gloria Chou, with 252 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Gloria Chou hosts Small Business PR, a business show with 252 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Small Business PR

  How to Get Your Product Into Retail Stores with Alli Ball

  Aug 17, 202626 min

  Want to get your product into retail stores but don’t know how to find buyers, pitch them, or prove your brand is retail-ready? In this episode of Small Business PR , Gloria Chou sits down with Alli Ball, founder of Food Biz Wiz , who has helped more than 3,500 CPG brands get onto retail shelves and generate over $1 billion in revenue . Alli breaks down exactly what retail buyers are looking for—and why getting the first purchase order is only the beginning. You’ll learn: The 5 Ps retail buyers evaluate : product, pricing, placement, purchasing, and promotion How to find retail buyers without paying for outdated buyer lists How to use AI tools like Perplexity and Claude to research potential retailers and buyer contacts What to include in a retail buyer pitch (and what makes buyers ignore you) Why small brands should start with local and regional retailers before trying to land national chains The pricing mistake that can prevent your brand from scaling How to drive sales once your product actually hits retail shelves Why every buyer pitch needs a specific call to action How often to follow up—and why Alli recommends following up until you get a yes or no Whether you’re a CPG founder, product-based business, or small brand trying to get into retail stores , this episode gives you a practical roadmap for finding buyers, pitching your product, getting onto shelves, and turning that first retail placement into repeat orders. Connect with Alli Ball: Instagram: @foodbizwiz DM her “rebuttal” for her 100 Buyer No’s guide. Want your business to become the one AI recommends? In my free AI Visibility Masterclass , I'll show you how small business owners are using PR, media features, and credibility signals to increase their AI visibility, earn press without hiring a PR agency, and get discovered by customers at the exact moment they're ready to buy. Watch the free masterclass: https://www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass Join my Small Biz PR Facebook Group for weekly PR tips, media opportunities, and AI visibility strategies. DM "PITCH" on Instagram to get my free pitching guide: https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

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  Small Business PR

  Exploring Psychedelics, Personal Healing, and Entrepreneurship

  Aug 10, 202632 min

  How much of the way you run your business is shaped by patterns you learned long before becoming an entrepreneur? In this deeply personal episode, we explore the connection between personal healing, psychedelic experiences, entrepreneurship, leadership, and self-awareness . The conversation looks at how unresolved fear, scarcity, trauma, and expectations around success can influence the way entrepreneurs make decisions, build relationships, lead, and grow their businesses. You’ll learn: How personal healing can impact the way you lead and run your business Why old patterns around scarcity, fear, control, and success can follow us into entrepreneurship How psychedelic experiences can create space for self-reflection and greater awareness Why self-love, surrender, and gratitude are recurring themes in the healing journey How cultural expectations and traditional ideas of masculinity and success can shape identity The importance of nervous system regulation, breathwork, and daily practices How changing yourself can create ripple effects across your relationships, family, leadership, and business This is an honest conversation about doing the inner work behind entrepreneurship—and what can happen when personal growth changes not only how you see yourself, but how you show up in your life and business. Disclaimer: This episode shares personal experiences and reflections only. It is not medical advice or a recommendation to use psychedelics.

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  Episode #249

  How to use trends and seasonality to get featured in magazines w/Ruby McAuliffe Ford-Dunker

  Aug 3, 202622 minS2

  How do products actually get featured in magazines year-round—not just during the holidays? In this episode, Gloria sits down with Ruby McAuliffe Ford-Dunker , freelance journalist whose work has appeared in Vogue, ELLE, Marie Claire, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Brides, and more, to break down how founders can use trends, seasonality, and timely angles to land editorial coverage. Ruby shares exactly how editors and freelance writers decide what's newsworthy, where they spot emerging trends, and why you don't need a celebrity endorsement or thousands of followers to get featured. In this episode, you'll learn: How to identify trends before they're saturated When to pitch seasonal stories (and when it's already too late) The difference between long-lead and short-lead editors Where journalists actually find story ideas Whether affiliate links are required for magazine features How to approach product samples—especially for high-ticket items The right way (and right time) to follow up on your pitch Subject line tips that help your email get opened Why small businesses have just as much opportunity to be featured as big brands Whether you're launching a beauty brand, fashion label, home product, or lifestyle business, this episode will help you think like an editor and pitch stories that feel relevant all year long. Connect with Ruby: Instagram: @rubymcauliffe If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another founder who's ready to earn more press. Ready to get your products featured in magazines? In my free PR Masterclass, I'll show you how small business owners land press in outlets like Vogue, Forbes, and Real Simple —without hiring a PR agency or having a big following. Watch the free masterclass: https://www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass Join my Small Biz PR Facebook Group for weekly PR tips, media opportunities, and AI visibility strategies. DM "PITCH" on Instagram to get my free pitching guide: https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

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  Episode #248

  How products can get featured in magazines w/Yasmine Singh

  Jul 27, 202623 minS2

  Ever wonder how products actually get featured in BuzzFeed, Bustle, MSN, and other major publications? In this episode, Gloria sits down with freelance shopping writer Yasmin Singh , whose work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Bustle, Elite Daily, Scary Mommy, and more. She shares exactly how commerce editors decide which products make the cut—and the biggest mistakes small businesses make when pitching. You'll learn: • Why gift guides aren't the only (or even the best) PR opportunity • What shopping editors actually look for in product pitches • How to make your brand stand out in a crowded inbox • Whether product samples and affiliate links really matter • The surprising importance of before-and-after photos • How to pitch products without sounding generic • Why "our product is for everyone" is hurting your chances • Website mistakes that can cost you media coverage • The simple tweaks that make editors more likely to feature your brand If you sell a physical product and want to earn more media coverage without paying for ads, this episode is packed with practical advice directly from someone who chooses products for major publications every day. Want your business to become the one AI recommends? In my free AI Visibility Masterclass , I'll show you how small business owners are using PR, media features, and credibility signals to increase their AI visibility, earn press without hiring a PR agency, and get discovered by customers at the exact moment they're ready to buy. Watch the free masterclass: https://www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass Join my Small Biz PR Facebook Group for weekly PR tips, media opportunities, and AI visibility strategies. DM "PITCH" on Instagram to get my free pitching guide: https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

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  Small Business PR

  How to Get ChatGPT to Recommend Your Business

  Jul 20, 202618 min

  What if the reason you're not getting more sales isn't your website... it's that ChatGPT doesn't know you exist? Millions of people now ask ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity which products, services, and businesses they should choose. If your business isn't being recommended, you're invisible at the exact moment customers are ready to buy. In this episode, PR expert and former U.S. diplomat Gloria Chou shares the five biggest ways to increase your AI visibility—without spending thousands on SEO agencies, paid ads, or complicated software. You'll learn: Why ChatGPT recommends some businesses but not others The difference between traditional SEO and AI visibility Why PR is becoming more important than ever for getting discovered How media mentions influence AI recommendations Website changes that help AI better understand your business Free ways to check whether AI is already recommending you—or your competitors Simple steps you can take today to become more visible in AI search If you're a small business owner, Shopify brand, Etsy seller, coach, consultant, or entrepreneur, this episode will help you understand how customers are finding businesses in 2026—and what you need to do to become the one AI recommends. In my free AI Visibility Masterclass , I'll show you how small business owners are using PR, media features, and credibility signals to become the businesses AI recommends. You'll learn how to earn press without hiring a PR agency, increase your AI visibility, and get discovered by customers at the exact moment they're ready to buy. Watch the free masterclass: www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass Join the Small Biz PR Facebook Group for weekly PR tips and media opportunities. DM "PITCH" on Instagram to get my free pitching guide: https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr Connect with Gloria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

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Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

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