Beyond Trending is a boutique PR and communications agency that helps startups and VCs increase their exposure in the press through powerful storytelling. Our clients have been featured in publications like TechCrunch, Fortune, Forbes, WSJ and many others because our superpower is identifying and crafting stories we know reporters will care about. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality service and getting to know our clients inside and out while working with values of honesty and integrity.
In a nutshell, we are:
~ Trusted Partners
~ Communications Advisors
~ Growth-minded Thinkers
~ Passionate Storytellers
~ Hustlers
Liza Vilnits – Founder & CEO
Liza has been immersed in the ins and outs of the PR industry for more than a decade. She has worked with a vegan pet food brand that took off after a Shark Tank investment, an edtech startup that’s been funded by Chelsea Clinton and Serena Williams, a publicly-traded cybersecurity company, and many other powerhouse companies across a variety of sectors spanning tech, hospitality, health and wellness, automotive, retails and others. She launched Beyond Trending in 2019 to help value-aligned founders leverage PR to grow strategically and thoughtfully.
Liza sits on the board of IMPACT, a Charleston nonprofit that mentors youth through exposure and experiences, and she frequently fundraises for local and national organizations. When she’s not working to get her client featured in the press, you can usually find her at the beach with her husband and daughter, enjoying live music or daydreaming about her next international adventure.
Kayla Armstrong – PR Account Director
Kayla has been in the comms industry for just over a decade, working with some incredible cybersecurity giants and tech gurus of the world. Before going to the agency side, she worked in the startup world and supported a company with marketing and sales, and communications. As a PR Account Director, her expertise lies in account management, building ongoing relationships with the media and honing those creative skills for client and company strategy. Kayla can be found outside of work catching a Boston sports game with her son and husband, running a marathon, or traveling to Ireland and England to visit her family.
Beth Faso – PR Associate
Beth comes to us from the marketing agency world, where she managed social media and PR campaigns for the firm and clients. She also had a quick stint in the HR industry, before realizing she missed flexing her creative muscles in the comms world! Beth is our go-to research and behind-the-scenes ninja – she’s fast, precise and tactical! As a PR Associate she specializes in building media lists, drafting and pitching content, and researching and analyzing anything and everything! When she’s not working her creative juices, you can find her curled up on the couch with her son, husband and pug Max (who you may see in our Zoom calls), trying new cuisine in the Hudson Valley area, or binging her new fave TV series.
“Beyond Trending was a catalyst for helping Fiveable grow when the pandemic hit. They provided creative ideas on how to showcase our team culture, student experience and overall education thesis, all through earned media coverage. The PR approach was always thoughtful and strategic, and resulted in features in publications like Business Insider and TechCrunch, as well as recognition on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. I would recommend them wholeheartedly, especially if you’re an early-stage startup looking to get in front of investors!”
– Amanda DoAmaral, Founder & CEO, Fiveable
“We found out about Beyond Trending when we saw what good publicity one of our portfolio companies was getting. We asked the founder to introduce us to Beyond Trending PR, and we were delighted from the very first moment we started working together. Liza and her team took their time to truly understand our story and what made us unique as a business and as founders. They created a very thoughtful and multi-pronged PR plan that was executed with precision rather the typical pray-and-spray methods that other PR agencies employ. The results speak for themselves. Beyond Trending exposed us to a targeted audience numbering in the millions and got Beta Boom exposure in top outlets such as Forbes and Yahoo! Finance. If you are looking for a truly personalized, boutique PR experience that delivers, Beyond Trending is it!”
– Sergio Paluch, Founding Partner, Beta Boom
“Beyond Trending helped me publicly launch Austin’s first female, Black-owned Cannabis business, making both me and my brand stand out and build credibility. The team really understood the messages that were important to me and provided a stage for me to share them. The hard work really shined through — and paid off, as my sales have increased 135% since the re-launch! There is no other PR company I would recommend or want to work with!”
– Dr. Kirsten K. Shepard, LMT, DC, Founder & CEO, TrueStopper
“Beyond Trending was instrumental in broadening my personal voice, as well as 27V’s. Liza and her team were thoughtful and strategic about aligning my goals with their deliverables. As a client, I didn’t feel like they were just “checking the box,” they truly took the time to get to know 27V and myself, and what we stand for. And because of that, I was able to share my perspective on the investment landscape in publications like Forbes and EdSurge, getting in front of other investors as well as potential portfolio companies.”
– Atin Batra, Founder & General Partner, 27V
