Meet Lindsay Colker | Communications Executive & Strategist, Founder of Elevate Communications

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsay Colker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsay, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started Elevate Communications because I realized after spending nearly two decades working in Corporate America, that I had everything I needed to be successful on my own and still elevate brands and personalities to new heights. I realized that there was a healthier way of life for me, which ultimately gets channeled into my clients. That by spending less time in meetings and dealing with politics and more time thinking, strategizing and doing the work, I could achieve more, for them.

Elevate has been a refreshing new way to reignite the passion I have always had for what I do, to keep learning, keep growing and keep elevating for YOU.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Elevate Communications is a full-service public relations and consulting boutique located in Los Angeles specializing in entertainment, technology, and lifestyle. With nearly two decades in the business and extensive experience in the streaming and digital landscape, we shape brand identity, formulate storytelling strategy, and advance the conversation for our diverse group of clients. Through Elevate’s deep press relationships, firm grasp on the evolving media landscape, and strong analytical skills, we help bridge the gap between brands and their target audiences utilizing the right message at the right time.

When I started Elevate, my vision was to establish a trusted haven for brands and businesses seeking a senior level communications advisor, thought partner, and executor. In my previous roles as a client, I often found it difficult to find that senior level strategist/high level thinker AND executor working for you in the DAY-TO-DAY. This is the essence of Elevate. We don’t just put the brains behind the proposal; we give it to you in our day-to-day work and are here to make our client’s lives easier. That’s what we are. That’s what we do. Experienced, strategic, results-driven, and accountable.

I’m proud of every step of my career. It would be easy to say that I’m most proud of the current point, but it would be such a disservice to not acknowledge each milestone that got me here. Truly, what I’m most proud of is taking the plunge two months after 9/11 to pursue my dreams. I could still be living in a city I wasn’t in love with at a job I didn’t like, just because it was safe. Doing the things that scared me the most is what has rewarded me the most.

Getting to this place in my life where I’m both personally and professionally fulfilled has taken guts, HARD work, and discipline. It’s not been easy, but it sure has been fulfilling! I’ve learned to find joy in the journey!

The lessons I’ve learned along the way- I like to think of them as gifts. Here’s a rundown of what I’ve learned:

Elevate Communications (2019-Present)
GIFT: Opening Elevate has taught me that I am more than capable of what I put my mind to, despite not knowing what waits for me on the other side. That embracing unfamiliar territory and “going for it” is not only good for me and my business, but good for my clients too. I’ve learned that no one is going to believe in me like I do, and that the best bet I will ever make in my lifetime is on myself. Another meaningful “aha” moment for me with Elevate has been realizing that my livelihood starts and stops with me. There’s nothing more powerful than that!

Netflix (2012-2019)
GIFT: Netflix taught me what I’m capable of and gave me the gift of working on something that was changing the entertainment consumption model. This company taught me how to build something from the ground up that had never been done before, find my voice and trust the answers that resided within me, reinvent a PR campaign, manage a LOT at one time, and learn more about the world. I was also given the opportunity to work with some of the smartest and most driven thinkers and leaders in the world, whom I learned from every single day.

Sony Pictures Television (2006-2012)
GIFT: Sony Pictures Television really taught me how to nurture talent & projects and never give up; I was shown that there’s always a way. I learned how to work on different formats, rethink how to build a global franchise, and work collaboratively across various studio operations to create content that people love. It was here also that I was able to bear witness to one of the greats in PR/Publicity and learn from her through watching and listening.

mPRm Public Relations (2004-2006)
GIFT: mPRm was the first time I spread my wings after being an assistant and working on someone’s desk. I was thrown into pitching press and was given the freedom to come up with stories and ideas for clients, and then make it happen. And make it happen I did. It was so fun to see the magazines, TV shows, and newspapers I grew up loving write about things I took to them and pitched!

Paramount Television (2002-2004)
GIFT: My former boss (and now dear friend) gave me the gift of trust. She saw something in me and gave me my start, which is EVERYTHING to me and why I am here. At Paramount, I learned how to talk to talent, press, executives, pitch entertainment news shows, and cover crews. I was given the gift of embarking on the career of my dreams.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love living in LA. It has so much to offer. I was drawn to this city because I wanted to work in entertainment, but what I’ve found is a deep sense of belonging in a place known for being transient and superficial. I have made my best friends here, I have created the best version of myself here, I launched my career here. There’s really no where else I would rather be.

When friend visit from out of town, they often want to do the Hollywood thing, so I’d set them up with a studio tour, get them tickets to a talk show or sitcom. After that’s out of their system, I encourage them to come down to the southbay (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach) and see what this beautiful beach community is like. Everyone has this preconceived notion about LA, but the southbay is the real deal. It’s not only gorgeous, but the lifestyle is just easy and the people are down to earth. I’d take them down Manhattan Beach Boulevard to some of my favorite stores including Wright’s and The Beehive, we’d talk a walk on the strand and gaze admiringly at the gorgeous homes, and then work up an appetite for a late lunch early dinner at either Manhattan Beach Post or Fishing with Dynamite or The Arthur J.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mom has always been a huge inspiration to me. She’s a self-made woman who’s taught me that attitude is everything. She’s been my biggest champion and consistently shown up for me throughout all my endeavors – big and small.

I am also very grateful for two of my mentors, Jennifer Solari and Karen Barragan, both of whom nurtured my career and taught me strength, how to find my voice, and how to navigate the the tricky world of PR and publicity. I am a better communications executive because of my experience working the two of them.

Website: https://www.elevateprco.com

Instagram: elevate_comms

Linkedin: Lindsay Colker

Facebook: elevateprco

Image Credits
Lauren Taylor (Lindsay Colker headshot)