In May 2020, I joined Otter PR, unaware of how that company and its employees would change my life. Throughout my time with them, I have had the pleasure of working with different clients who have shared their perspectives on life, finances, technology, and physical and mental health, among other topics. They have all taught me something, and I have spent some time particularly thinking about what I learned working with Erika Schlick.
Getting to work with Erika Schlick
When I first joined Otter PR, I was hired as a writer, coming in as the second hire to a startup that was just beginning the journey that will lead them to become the fastest growing PR firm in the US. I was only supposed to write a few articles a day highlighting our clients, answer emails, and post our successes on Instagram. I had no idea less than a year later I would become VP of Media Relations, handle a team of five writers, and communicate with publicists and journalists to guarantee our clients’ success.
In those months in which I began to grow and escalate the PR ladder, I started working with Erika Schlick. I immediately learned she was a Blogger, Health Coach, and Cookbook Author, sharing her life experiences, expertise, and knowledge through her blog, The Trail to Health. After my first introductory call with Erika, I knew I wanted to help share her story because it could help so many people on the same journey. She had so much to show the world.
So, in June 2020, we began working together, and several news outlets became interested in Erika’s story.
What I learned
When you begin working with a new client, you learn different things about their area of expertise. You interview them, read their bios, go through their social media accounts, and create the perfect pitch to show the media their story is worthy. In most cases, your newfound knowledge is based on their professional experience and the business or service they are trying to share with the world. However, as I spent the last year working with Erika, I learned more about life and what it means to be a resilient human being.
A few years ago, Erika Schlick was diagnosed with Lyme disease after endless doctor’s appointments, tests, and trial-and-error diagnoses. When doctors finally figured out what was happening with her body, she decided to take the less conventional road and opted for a more holistic treatment. By changing her lifestyle and eating habits and choosing natural treatments, she could go into remission.
I acquired a different view of life by talking to Erika and reading her story, which she shares on her blog and social media. Through our conversations, texts, and emails, she taught me it is vital to listen to your body and make the necessary changes to lead a healthy life. Although she could not control what happened to her, she was able to take control after her diagnosis and get her disease to a place where she felt healthy and comfortable. She is the living proof of resilient women who do not give up.
Although my current role at Otter PR means I do not work directly with clients, I remain working with this Health Coach, Blogger, and Cookbook Author because my experience with her has been wonderful. We continue to share her story with news outlets and podcasts who have the same goal: to help people in her situation. That is why I am so proud of what I learned working with Erika Schlick.
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