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As a part of the Morning Lazziness sequence highlighting empowering ladies who’re making a exceptional affect with their concepts, I had the pleasure of interviewing Petra Jelének.
Petra Jelének is a model strategist, author, and founding father of Brunch Advertising – a boutique company primarily based in Prague, centered on sustainable and values-driven manufacturers. With over a decade of expertise in storytelling, public relations, and inventive path, she brings a novel mix of strategic perception and aesthetic sensibility to her work.
Petra’s journey started at 14, when she launched a way of life weblog that later advanced right into a wider media platform. As her profession developed, she moved by roles in companies, in-house groups, and freelance consulting, earlier than realizing she wished to construct one thing that really mirrored her personal values. That led to the creation of Brunch Advertising: an company that prioritizes depth over noise, and intention over trend-chasing.
What units her aside is a curatorial mindset. She treats each venture as a composition, aligning visuals, language, and technique into one coherent narrative. She doesn’t simply assist manufacturers develop – she helps them develop fantastically, with presence and goal.
Past her company work, Petra is constructing a advertising academy for moral entrepreneurs and writing an e-book on sustainable model visibility. Her management fashion is rooted in emotional intelligence, structured creativity, and a deep perception within the energy of quiet authority.
She sees branding as cultural storytelling and believes that in a world stuffed with noise, essentially the most compelling manufacturers are those that talk with intention, not quantity.
On this interview, she dives into the challenges, wins, and knowledge she’s gained from over a decade of reworking on-line companies.
What impressed you to begin what you are promoting, and what downside had been you keen about fixing?
Brunch Advertising was by no means meant to be “simply” a enterprise. In reality, for a very long time, I didn’t even think about it an organization within the conventional sense. It grew from a private want: the will to inform significant tales in a world stuffed with noise.
I began StyleBrunch as a way of life weblog once I was 14 with out a technique, only a sturdy intuition to specific and create. Over time, as I moved from copywriting to PR and advertising roles in each companies and in-house, I spotted one thing was lacking. I didn’t wish to promote simply something. I wished to work with manufacturers that stood for one thing.
So in 2020, Brunch Advertising was born. Not as a conventional company, however as a curated house the place advertising is about connection, affect, and alignment. I wished to create a spot the place values come first. A quiet, intentional associate for manufacturers that wish to do issues otherwise.
Our mission grew to become clear: assist considerate, purpose-driven companies amplify their voice and turn out to be leaders of their house. And similar to an actual brunch (sluggish, significant, and shared with the suitable folks), our work is about depth, not velocity. It’s about constructing a group round stunning, intentional work.
How has what you are promoting advanced since its launch, and what key choices helped drive that progress?
Brunch Advertising has advanced from a solo freelance endeavor right into a multi-dimensional platform that now features a boutique company, a cultural journal, and shortly an academic academy for small enterprise house owners and creatives.
Within the early days, I stated sure to virtually the whole lot, as many entrepreneurs do. However over time, essentially the most transformative determination was to slim the main focus and construct our personal framework: working solely with manufacturers that align with our core values – sustainability, locality, and aesthetics with goal. That selection introduced readability not solely to the model however to the sorts of shoppers, campaigns, and techniques we pursued.
One other key shift got here once I leaned into curation relatively than scale. As an alternative of attempting to compete with giant companies, I centered on constructing depth, sturdy relationships, and our personal media presence, significantly by StyleBrunch, which allowed us to specific our voice with out asking for permission.
We additionally started investing in long-term content material techniques and inside processes, which created house for inventive considering and strategic progress. That shift from reactive work to intentional construction modified the whole lot.
What makes your model or providing stand out in a crowded market?
We don’t chase developments or play the amount recreation. What units us aside is our quiet energy. Brunch Advertising is constructed on the assumption that advertising could be each strategic and exquisite, measured and magnetic.
We deal with working with sustainable and native manufacturers that always really feel missed by conventional companies. As an alternative of loud techniques, we provide intentional storytelling, high-integrity technique, and a way of curated presence.
In a world stuffed with noise, we assist manufacturers converse with readability, class, and depth-like a considerate dialog over brunch, not a shout in a crowded room.
What has been your only advertising technique to date, and why do you suppose it labored so effectively?
Creating and proudly owning our personal media house has been essentially the most highly effective transfer. Particularly by StyleBrunch and thought management content material on LinkedIn. As an alternative of relying solely on consumer work to outline us, we constructed our personal voice, tone, and group.
This technique labored as a result of it allowed us to draw, not chase. We didn’t must persuade folks we’re specialists. We merely shared what we consider, how we expect, and what we stand for. The shoppers and influencers who come to us now already perceive our values, and that alignment adjustments the whole lot.
How do you keep related to your very best viewers and perceive their wants or behaviors?
I keep related by being a part of the world they stay in not simply observing it from a distance. I learn what they learn, store the place they store, observe the identical cultural conversations, and infrequently am my very best viewers: inventive, values-driven, trying to find depth over hype.
I additionally run academic content material and consulting classes, the place I hear actual questions and challenges. That direct suggestions, mixed with cultural instinct, helps me create methods that really resonate, not simply carry out.
What’s one branding transfer or marketing campaign that helped elevate what you are promoting to the following degree?
Repositioning StyleBrunch from a private way of life weblog to a curated cultural journal was a turning level. It allowed us to step right into a extra editorial, elevated voice—and it shifted how folks perceived your complete Brunch ecosystem.
All of a sudden, we weren’t only a advertising company. We had been a cultural model with a perspective. That transfer opened doorways to new collaborations, media curiosity, and stronger alignment with shoppers who valued not simply advertising, however that means.
What does success appear to be for you, not simply in numbers, however in goal or affect?
Success, for me, is about alignment. It’s when my work, my values, and the folks I collaborate with all level in the identical path.
It’s additionally private: having the liberty to design my days, construct group, and know that my work contributes to one thing extra than simply revenue. If I could make the world really feel slightly extra considerate, slightly extra intentional, I think about that success.
Are you able to share a problem or setback that finally grew to become a turning level in your model?
In 2022, I hit a breaking level. I used to be saying sure to the whole lot, working with manufacturers that didn’t replicate my values, and continuously overriding my very own boundaries. One consumer would name me in any respect hours, even throughout a Valentine’s dinner with my (now) fiancé. I took the decision.
A couple of days later, I used to be dashing from assembly to assembly when he known as once more. As I answered, I tripped crossing tram tracks in Prague and sprained my ankle. That very same week, the struggle in Ukraine broke out and I discovered myself questioning the whole lot: Why am I selling luxurious skincare from a reseller whereas folks not so distant in Europe are preventing for his or her lives?
That second modified me. I completed the consumer contract (he by no means even paid me) and determined to utterly redefine who I serve, how I work, and what I stand for. It was painful, nevertheless it gave me readability. I now solely work with manufacturers whose values I can actually symbolize. And I defend my time, my voice, and my power so I may give higher work, not simply extra of it.
What day by day habits or rituals hold you centered, inventive, and grounded as a pacesetter?
Over time, I’ve constructed a system of rituals that assist me keep grounded not simply as a founder, however as a human being.
Every morning begins with matcha, journaling, and planning. I write by hand, which slows me down and helps me tune into what issues. I additionally observe my day by day habits not from a spot of management, however from consciousness.
I stroll day-after-day, usually throughout lunch and to each assembly the place it’s doable. I additionally work in structured blocks: deep inventive work within the morning, conferences, and execution within the afternoon. I’ve additionally realized to construct in weekly and month-to-month rhythms – Sundays for planning and reflection, Mondays for content material, Fridays for evaluation and studying.
What grounds me most is magnificence. I consider within the energy of intentional aesthetics. Even one thing so simple as a clear desk, a handwritten planner, or lighting a candle earlier than writing. These small issues carry presence into my day.
And eventually, boundaries. After the 12 months of burnout, I now honor working hours, say no with out guilt, and provides myself permission to relaxation. I’ve realized that essentially the most highly effective management usually appears to be like quiet and deeply intentional.
How do you method innovation and danger in what you are promoting technique?
I see innovation as refinement. I’m not chasing the most recent developments. I’m asking: What can I simplify? What can I do with extra that means and fewer noise?
When one thing feels dangerous, I search for alignment relatively than pleasure. I don’t take leaps simply to show I can. I take steps that really feel each daring and deeply rooted. A few of my most modern strikes had been quiet: launching my very own journal, writing an e-book, and constructing a slow-content ecosystem as a substitute of counting on algorithms.
In a quick world, I consider true innovation is commonly present in slowing down and doing issues with intention. Much less efficiency, extra presence.
What recommendation would you give to somebody beginning a enterprise in in the present day’s fast-changing digital world?
Don’t attempt to be in all places. Be exact. Construct sluggish if it’s important to, however construct one thing actual. The digital world strikes quick, however your model doesn’t need to chase it. Tendencies come and goes, and in case your model stands on one thing deeper than that, uýou normally don’t want them as a result of ultimately, folks don’t keep in mind developments, they keep in mind emotions they’ve acquired in contact together with your model.
Begin by realizing what you stand for. Your values are your technique. Be intentional together with your time, your voice, and your affords. And don’t be afraid to decide on a smaller, extra aligned viewers over a big, disengaged one. That’s one thing I counsel influencers as effectively. Whereas engaged on consumer campaigns, I don’t want enormous influencers, however I want influencers who’re clear of their message and align with their viewers. Campaigns with these are all the time extra profitable than campaigns with the massive ones.
Most significantly: defend your boundaries. Your power just isn’t infinite, and constructing one thing significant requires house, not simply hustle.
The place can our viewers join with you and study extra about your work or choices?
You’ll find me at brunch.marketing, the place I share extra about our company, companies, and initiatives. For behind-the-scenes, private insights, and curated inspiration, you’ll be able to join with me on Instagram, and for skilled updates, ideas on branding, and trade reflections, be happy to succeed in out through LinkedIn.
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