Meet Matthew McIvor of Localite Public Relations

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew McIvor.

Matthew, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I moved to Los Angeles with my wife nine years ago with very little knowledge of public relations but absolute love for hospitality. After befriending restaurateurs, chefs, and restaurant publicists, I knew public relations was a field I wanted to explore further. It was also around the same time that social media started to play a big role, not only in the hospitality world but in society as a whole. Soon after, my grasp of social media and storytelling came quite easy and the beginning stages of my company, Localite, was taking form.

My wife and I offered our services pro bono to a couple of restaurants just to get our feet wet. We soon realized that it was something that came very natural simply because public relations is a mix of storytelling and communication, traits both of us held. Soon after, we acquired our first paying client and today are a team of ten and working with some of the best bars, restaurants, and chefs throughout California.

At the end of the day, it was my determination that led me to where I am today.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Not at all. Most entrepreneurs or business owners will mostly mention the same thing; that they thought about giving up over 100 times. The same goes for us. Starting your own business, especially with no capital, is a rollercoaster from the start.

You are thrown a curveball on a daily basis and dealing with huge swings just come with the territory. It is not for the faint of heart. I would say for us, it was a much different road than your typical startup.

Most PR firms are created from someone leaving another firm or simply having years of experience. We had none whatsoever, so each day created a new challenge but also a new learning experience.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Localite Public Relations story. Tell us more about the business.
Localite is a full-service public relations firm that works with clients in the hospitality industry. We offer everything from traditional public relations, social media, marketing, and event development. Our biggest accomplishment is simply getting to the point we are at today. Each day we are in business is a new milestone because it signifies the fact that we grew from absolutely nothing.

What sets us apart is our ability to adapt to each client we work with and understand their story. We see many firms using a cookie cutter approach which does not work whatsoever. Our true love of the hospitality industry is a direct correlation to our success.

At the end of the day, it is our true passion that helps us achieve our goals. It is much easier to be successful when you absolutely love what you do, and we wouldn’t trade it in for the world.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe all success has a bit of luck attributed to it, but for us, bad luck has certainly outweighed the good. Our growth has definitely come from hard work and dedication, but there was always bad luck thrown in along the way.

You cannot avoid it so do not try. Just accept it and learn from it.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2321 Rosecrans Blvd. Ste. 2245 El Segundo, CA 90245
• Website: www.localitela.com
• Phone: (424) 254-8391
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/localitela/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/localitela/

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