Reputation, relationships and discipline for sustainable business

Why do some PR businesses endure while others struggle to grow? Addressing a fraymedia Foundation Building a Sustainable PR Business: Vision, Discipline and the Hard Slog Webinar on 17 March 2026, leading reputation management expert Janine Hills, CEO and Founder of Janine Hills Authentic Leadership, shared practical insights on what it takes to build for the long term, and why reputation, relationships and discipline, not just talent, are the keys to building a sustainable public relations business.

Drawing on her experience in both corporate leadership and entrepreneurship, Hills noted:

“Your reputation is your currency into your business.”

Reputation as capital

Hills shared how she launched her own company without external funding, relying instead on relationships built over years of work.

“I sent 10 emails… and nine of them came back within an hour… saying, ‘open a company, and we’ll support you.’”

Within days, she had secured multiple clients.

“We broke even in month one. No funding, no banks… That is the power of relationships.”

She stressed that too many entrepreneurs wait for funding instead of recognising the value of their existing networks.

“If we’ve got very good skills, a very good network, and we’ve built a trusted environment, you will get business.”

The hard reality of running a business

Hills warned that starting a business is often easier than sustaining one.

“You will continue doing sales and cash flow management… there is no other way around it.”

She emphasised that founders must move beyond the comfort of delivering work to take on the less visible - but critical - responsibilities of running a business. That includes pricing properly, managing contracts, maintaining client relationships, and ensuring consistent delivery.

Discipline over talent

A central theme of Hills’ talk was that technical skill alone is not enough.

“You can be the best practitioner… but if you don’t have discipline, you won’t build a sustainable business.”

She highlighted consistency, reliability and strong customer service as key differentiators in a competitive market.

“High touch, high care — that’s what clients remember.”

Hills also encouraged entrepreneurs to diversify their income streams and avoid over-reliance on a single client or revenue source.

Building with intention

Reflecting on her move from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, Hills said the decision was driven in part by a loss of personal identity.

“I realised I’d become Janine Hills from FNB… and I didn’t like that.”

Building her own business allowed her to redefine her work on her own terms — but required clarity and resilience.

“You have to know who you are… and what you stand for.”

Investing in people as a core business strategy

Hills emphasised that building a sustainable PR business is not only about clients and revenue but also about investing in people.

From recruitment to training and everyday workplace culture, she argued that strong teams are intentionally built and consistently nurtured.

“It’s about building an asset together with people, but know that your end goal is to build people, teams, and be able to hand over the reins to other people.”

She highlighted the importance of creating an environment where talent is supported with the right tools, systems and opportunities to grow — noting that this begins from the moment someone joins the organisation.

Hills also stressed that recognition and care play a critical role in retaining high-performing teams, particularly in an industry defined by long hours and constant pressure.

“People want that 30-second ray of sunshine… they work hard… and one has to acknowledge that.”

A broader shift in media power

Hosting the session, fraymedia Foundation CEO Paula Fray positioned Hills’ insights within a wider context of economic pressure and shifting media landscapes.

“When women own and lead communication and media businesses, it shifts who gets to frame narratives,” Fray said.

She noted that many communication professionals successfully launch businesses based on talent and networks, but struggle to sustain them over time.

“The question changes. It’s no longer ‘Can I do the work?’ It’s ‘Can I run this business?’”

Read more: Speaker Notes: How to Build a Strong PR and Reputation Management Company by Janine Hills