Hannah Arceri Fleurant

I attribute much of my success to strong mentorship, hands-on experience, and the relationships I’ve built throughout my career. Early on, I was fortunate to have professors, supervisors, and mentors who invested their time in me, challenged me, and gave me the confidence to trust my instincts as I found my footing in the industry.

Working in fast-paced agency environments was equally formative. Managing different clients, industries, and priorities at once taught me how to adapt quickly, communicate effectively, and become comfortable navigating unfamiliar subject matter. Some of my most valuable lessons came simply from doing the work, learning what resonated, and becoming more confident with every new challenge.

As my career has evolved, I’ve also learned that relationships are at the heart of good PR. Building genuine trust with clients allows me to better understand their voice, their goals, and the stories worth telling. Many of those relationships have grown beyond individual projects and become lasting professional connections, which I consider one of the most meaningful measures of success in my career.

Some of the best career advice I received came from my university communications professors, particularly Andre Williams, who encouraged me to trust my strengths and continue pursuing a career in PR. That guidance, paired with the hands-on experience I gained through internships during college, helped me understand what a career in the field could actually look like beyond the classroom.

Those early experiences gave me the opportunity to apply what I was learning in real-world settings, build confidence in my abilities, and ultimately confirm that PR was the right path for me. Looking back, having people who recognized my potential early on and encouraged me to keep going made a lasting impact on the direction of my career.

My biggest advice would be to get out of your own way and trust your abilities, especially when it comes to writing. If you’re pursuing a career in PR, chances are you already have a strong foundation—you just have to build the confidence to use it.

Mentorship is also incredibly important in this field. Lean on the people who are willing to give you their time and advice because they’ve gained wisdom through experiences you haven’t had yet. At the same time, pay attention to the parts of PR you genuinely enjoy. PR can mean so many different things depending on the industry, role, or person you ask, and once you find the vertical or type of work that excites you, lean into it.

Network as much as you can. Meeting people and putting yourself in situations where you’re exposed to different industries, perspectives, and levels of leadership is one of the best things you can do for your career. Get comfortable talking to executives and advocating for your ideas because, in many ways, you have to learn how to sell yourself and trust that you deserve to be in the room. If someone hired you and trusts you to do the work, remember that when you start doubting yourself.

Most importantly, trust your gut about where your career is taking you. If an industry or role no longer feels right, you don’t have to convince yourself to stay simply because it’s what you know. PR gives you the flexibility to explore completely different worlds—from food and beverage to hospitality, retail, technology, and beyond. You’re not pigeonholed by where you started. Give yourself permission to try something new, find the work that brings you joy, and keep building your career from there.

Some of the biggest challenges in PR today are agency burnout, increasingly heavy client loads, managing expectations around what PR can realistically achieve, and navigating the contractual demands that often come with client work. The industry moves quickly, and balancing strong client service with the time and creativity needed to produce meaningful work can be challenging.

At the same time, I see a tremendous amount of opportunity, particularly in specialized B2B industries like fintech and construction, where companies need communicators who can understand complex subject matter and turn it into stories that people actually want to read. Executive personal branding is another growing area, especially as platforms like LinkedIn give leaders the ability to build credibility and establish a voice beyond their company’s traditional communications channels.

I also think the way we define the value of earned media is changing. A media placement shouldn’t end when an article goes live. There is a much larger opportunity to strategically repurpose credible third-party coverage across social media, executive content, sales and marketing channels, and digital platforms to extend its lifespan. As search continues to evolve through traditional SEO and AI-powered tools and LLMs, building a strong and consistent digital footprint through credible earned media will only become more valuable.

The values that matter most to me, both personally and professionally, center around genuine human connection, mentorship, authenticity, and community. I’ve always believed that the strongest relationships are built when people feel supported, heard, and valued, and I try to bring that same mindset into the way I work with clients, colleagues, and the people in my personal life.

Mentorship is especially important to me because I’ve experienced firsthand how much of an impact someone’s guidance and encouragement can have on your confidence and career. As I’ve grown professionally, I’ve become equally passionate about creating that kind of support for others and being someone people feel comfortable turning to for advice.

Authenticity is also at the heart of how I approach storytelling. Whether I’m helping an executive find their voice or shaping a larger brand narrative, I believe the best stories come from understanding what is genuinely meaningful about a person or organization rather than trying to manufacture a message.

Ultimately, I value building a career and life that leave room for meaningful relationships, creativity, collaboration, and being present for the people and communities around me. Having flexibility in how I work has become an important part of maintaining that balance and continuing to do work that feels both fulfilling and intentional.