Why We Need to Hype Ourselves: Lucy Werner on PR, Play, and Showing Up

How to promote without losing yourself

Lucy Werner is rewriting the rules of PR from a French village with three kids, a remote business, and a whole lot of heart.

For Lucy, publicity isn’t about celebrity or spin. It’s about connection. It’s for the everyday solopreneur who wants to be seen without selling out, and just needs a little hype from someone who knows the ropes.

With a career that spans agency life, authorship, and now a personal membership community, Lucy champions visibility that feels good. Her work is a reminder that showing up doesn’t have to be loud, just real.

Starting Small, Starting Real

You’ve said PR isn’t just press. It’s everything we do to build relationships with the public. Take us back to 2014 when you started your agency.

What made you want to do things differently?

I met so many cool entrepreneurs who didn’t have deep pockets but deserved big agency thinking to grow their businesses. I wanted to make an affordable agency for startups and entrepreneurs.

At what point did you realize traditional PR wasn’t serving the kinds of business owners you wanted to help?

As I got more senior in top London PR agencies and you oversee campaigns and budgets, a basic press office service started from £5,000 a month, and I knew people didn’t have that kind of money.

You now live in rural France and run your business remotely. How has your environment shaped your work or the way you show up in the online space?

I have zero doubts I would not be running a newsletter business if I had stayed in London. This environment has relieved financial pressures but also given me more space to daydream and think about what work I really want to do and how I want to show up.

Building in the Open

You’re not shy about sharing the behind-the-scenes of solopreneur life, from parenting to learning French.

Why was it important for you to bring your full self into your brand?

I use a catchphrase ‘show a bit of ankle’. We often think that personal brand is all about sharing every private nook and cranny, but actually just a glimpse is all we need. What differentiates me in my work is my personality and part of that is my solopreneur journey and life in France. I also believe any old AI can create cookie cutter PR advice but I am a walking and talking living example of how to apply it. It was important to me the thinking in how I do that. And for my own creative outlet to share what inspires me in the work.

There’s a difference between being visible and putting on a performance. How do you navigate that line while still promoting your work?

Haha. This is a great question. And as an amateur dramatics enthusiast (and I studied theatrics up until I was 18) I think there is an element that anyone is performing slightly online. For a lot of creatives whether your medium is art, design, product creation, writing or performing there is often a sort of stage presence. Which whilst still us is not the full picture.

I want people to show up online in a way that feel goes to them so there is always a slightly bolder, comical, performative nature in how I show up.

Redefining PR

A lot of creatives think PR is about getting into the media, but you’ve expanded that definition. How do you help people expand their definition of publicity?

If you think of PR as managing your reputation. These days, most people will search for you online, so what comes up there? Your social media channels or website might be the first place you need to start.

Can you walk us through your philosophy that PR is a marathon, not a sprint? What’s a common mistake you see creatives make when trying to “get seen” quickly?

Being consistent is one of the hardest and most un-celebrated facets of running a business. If you can consistently take steps to promote yourself it will compound over time. It’s not about waiting till you have time or a big launch.

Turning a PR Stunt into a Real Moment

Let’s talk about your PR tips dress. It’s such a brilliant example of creative storytelling. Turning PR advice into wearable art that transforms strategy into a living, breathing narrative. You had a plan to wear the dress to an event and promote your newsletter, but life doesn’t always go as expected.

What was your original vision, and how did the unexpected actually reshape the entire experience?

I love RuPaul’s Drag Race. It’s hand down the show I’ve watched and rewatched hundreds of times and I think part of me just wants to get dressed up in something amazing.

I spent a lot of time walking my dog this time last year thinking if I only go back to London once for work this year how can I maximise it, the event I was attending was my perfect audience of hundreds. I knew it was a great opportunity to really stand-out hence the costume idea came forward. Here is a draft of the two sketches I was originally thinking about. Then I spoke to a drag Queen who was one of my paid readers, Holly Stars and she connected me with the seamstress Lizzie Biscuits. The costume was made but I was too sick to attend the event. But, and I think this is a good thing when you invest in your own PR, I was not going to give up once I had spent that money.

I love that, instead of giving up on the idea, you went live and hyped up members in real time by pulling PR cards.

Why did you still choose to show up?

Firstly, I was not going to lose the money I had invested in myself. Secondly, it was a great dress and I wanted the world to see it and a glimpse into how I think about promotion. I also had brought my audience along on the story so I wanted to show the final look to them and how it worked to bring it to life. So I organised a live stream and we did a live card reading together where I gave bespoke tips to everyone.

What did that moment teach you about your audience or yourself?

Always have a Plan B. This is my rule for life to be honest.

For someone scared to try something bold: what would you say if things don’t go as planned?

Don’t think that you only have one bite of the cherry.

Looking back, was it a flop, a win, or a bit of both?

Both. It was a flop in that I won’t get that groundswell of noise and press coverage around the dress that I was hoping too. BUT, it’s not wasted, there will be other moments. It’s not finished yet, watch this space….

The Human Side of Strategy

You emphasize empowerment—not just expertise. How do you build confidence in people who feel invisible or unsure about putting themselves out there?

By walking my own talk. I’m not a really confident person but hyping myself is a muscle that I’ve practicised a lot so it is easy now.

You’re giving people real tools like templates, prompts, and live calls. But you’re also providing people with emotional support. Why is that balance of tactical and personal so important in your work?

I honestly never thought of it that way but if there is an emotional connection it is because I don’t want to just be a human version of answers ChatGPT could give to you. I want to help with the transformation part.

Future Vision

What’s your hope for the next wave of solopreneurs? Where do you see the biggest potential for underrepresented voices to break through?

We are going to see digital overwhelm, and offline events, meet-ups, and moments are going to be really impactful.

What’s one small action someone could take today to start raising their profile in an authentic way?

Start by commenting on other experts, journalists, writers, producers, creators that you would like to be seen alongside on their work.

Final Thoughts

Lucy Werner shows us that visibility doesn’t have to be loud, It just has to be real. She’s making PR feel like less of a mystery and more like a movement built on trust, community, and helping solopreneurs shine.

If Lucy’s story makes you want to hype yourself, let her know. And if you know a fellow creative who’s ready to step into the spotlight, send this their way.

What’s one part of your story you’ve been holding back from sharing? And what would it feel like to hype yourself, your way? Let us know in the comments.