Professionals in public relations, entrepreneurs, and journalists often point out that the traditional PR process is flawed. In an effort to address these challenges, artificial intelligence is now being deployed through startups like Honeyjar to streamline communications.
The startup was founded by industry veterans Michelle Masek and Nadia Jamshidi. Masek previously served as senior vice president of marketing and communications at Obvious Ventures, while Jamshidi serves as chief communications officer. Both founders have spent decades working in-house and with various communications agencies.
Streamlining the Communications Workflow
While managing communications for the portfolio companies of her firm, Masek recognized the constant need for founders to secure media visibility. This experience led her to question whether senior-level expertise could be scaled using artificial intelligence to help users handle PR tasks proactively and skillfully.
Honeyjar automates routine tasks such as drafting announcements, discovering relevant journalists, and identifying speaking opportunities. However, Jamshidi noted that the platform's vision extends far beyond media coverage, aiming to integrate the entire communications workflow including strategy, judgment, and timing.
Reaching Beyond Traditional Founders
The tool is designed not just for startup founders, but for the millions of unassigned communicators who manage public messaging as part of their roles. This includes marketers, investors, authors, creators, school superintendents, and sports team leaders who need strategic communications.
The founders clarify that Honeyjar is not intended to replace PR agencies or in-house teams. Instead, it is built to enhance their efficiency, allowing individual practitioners to take on additional clients without scaling costs.
Early Adoption and Interest
When the platform launched its waitlist, it recorded 10,000 signups within the first 24 hours. Early beta testers include prominent names such as Nextdoor, Coco Robotics, Bloomberg Beta, Mission North, and Full Picture.
Addressing concerns from journalists about receiving an influx of automated pitches, Masek emphasized that human oversight remains central to the process. While the platform assists in drafting content, the user retains final control over what is published or sent.
Integrating Human Judgment
The creators emphasize that the system incorporates their professional wisdom, supported by a broader initiative called the Comms Lab to train the product on expert judgment. This involves understanding company goals, timing, and situational context to ensure pitches remain credible and relevant.
