Down to Business
Issue #32
Helio PR
By Angie Vo
Published: June 1st, 2007 | 12:00am
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Sasha Brookner was only looking for school credit when she found her career. A history major with an emphasis in Egyptology at UCLA, she started interning her junior year at the House of Blues on Sunset Strip, BMG, and LaFace Records. “I actually despised working at record labels and dealing with entertainment-industry executives,” Brookner says. “When I discovered PR, I realized I could work with writers and editors who were creative people similar to myself, and I really enjoyed their spirits.”
MAKING THE BREAK: After graduating, Brookner began working at the Courtney Barnes Group in Hollywood with artists including TLC, Usher, and Sisqo. When looking through an industry magazine, a singer named N’Dambi caught her eye. After speaking with N’Dambi’s management, they wanted Brookner to handle the artist’s PR, which presented her with a choice. “I wouldn’t have been able to simultaneously work with her on the side while working at the Courtney Barnes Group,” Brookner says. “So I put in my letter of resignation and ordered my business cards the same week.” N’Dambi was the first of a highly selective group of clients that includes singer Ciara, comedian Katt Williams, and Outkast’s Andre Benjamin.
KEEP IT SMALL, KEEP IT REAL: Brookner started Helio PR in 2000 on her own and, six years later, the firm has maintained its boutique size. “We are very small and I prefer it that way,” Brookner says. Two part-time assistants and an Atlanta associate provide the support Brookner needs.
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