In partnership with
One decision can turn chaos into a system.
Austin Holmes, a former Navy EOD specialist, grew up chasing the power of strong teams. In college, he lost that sense of belonging, so he chose the hardest path possible—special operations. That choice shaped his mindset around discipline, structure, and leadership under pressure.
Today he runs Publicity For Good, a 65-person PR agency he built with his wife Heather, applying the same systems that once kept soldiers alive.
Employ Anywhere (without risk or hassle)
Hiring internationally doesn’t need to be complicated—or expensive. As an Employer of Record, RemoFirst lets you legally employ talent in 185+ countries, managing all international HR and payroll aspects from one platform, starting at $199/month.
Skip the legal entity setup, surprise fees, and compliance risks. Our transparent pricing and local expertise make it simple to scale globally.
Whether you're hiring your first engineer in Brazil or your 30th contractor in India, we’ve got you covered.
The Navy trained Austin to repeat every action until it became impossible to fail.
“We trained until we never got it wrong,” he told me. That mindset shaped everything. Technical mastery meant survival. Clear communication meant trust. Leadership meant responsibility for the lives of others. When Austin left the service, he carried those lessons into entrepreneurship. He and his wife Heather launched Publicity For Good, a publicity and PR agency designed to help small businesses punch above their weight. The military had given him blueprints for process and structure, and he adapted them to hiring, client delivery, and culture.
The company grew quickly, proving that systems could scale.
🧠 Remarkable & Relevant 💡
(Did you know…?)
In 2025, global trust in brands rose above trust in institutions like government or media.
According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 73% of people now say they trust brands, up from 64% in 2022 outpacing trust in business, government, NGOs, or media.
Why it matters: Your brand isn’t just competing for attention—it’s battling for trust. If people trust “brands” more than traditional institutions, you can build your company as one of those trusted voices—starting today. (learn more)
Earned media is viewed as the most credible form of advertising by 92% of consumers.
A Nielsen study found that consumers trust earned media mentions, press features, and reviews more than any other advertising format.
Why it matters:When you earn a mention in a well-known outlet or get third-party validation, that trust multiplies and lasts. It’s not just noise; it’s credibility you can’t buy. (learn more)
The median newsletter open rate in Q1 2025 was a staggering 49.3%.
A benchmark report shows that half of all newsletters are opened nearly half the time and the top quartile hits above 60%.
Why it matters: If you’re not leveraging your own newsletter, you’re ignoring one of the most powerful, direct ways to reach an engaged audience and earn attention where so many are still ignored. (learn more)
Systems That Scale—Until They Don’t
Growth brought opportunity but also friction.
Within a few years, the team grew to dozens of employees. Retention improved as Austin refined hiring, focusing on culture over CVs. Client results accelerated. They could deliver in 30 days what competitors promised in six months. But while the systems worked in the business, at home the structure was breaking down. The same intensity Austin applied to the company carried into his marriage. Ego clashed with ego. Leadership at work didn’t translate into partnership at home. The military had taught him to operate under pressure.
It hadn’t taught him how to disagree with his wife while running payroll.
Watch the full podcast episode:
The Breaking Point
One morning, driving to work, Austin reached his breaking point.
Tired of the constant arguments, Austin turned to Heather and said, “I’m done.” He was ready to quit—not just the business, but the relationship that built it. That moment was the threat every founder fears: losing both company and family at once. The success they had worked for was on the verge of collapsing under the weight of immaturity, poor communication, and misplaced pride. For Austin, it was rock bottom. Then came the turning point. Their first child was born. Suddenly the game wasn’t about ego. It was about responsibility.
Austin realized the real enemy wasn’t the business or the marriage—it was himself.
Don’t let one major setback destroy everything. Win every single day!
Transformation Through Family and Leadership
The comeback started small.
Austin and Heather created “coffee talks,” a 15-minute ritual each morning to check in without an agenda. They divided roles at work and at home into “mom” and “dad” responsibilities, giving each clear ownership. They wrote down expectations instead of assuming them. Most importantly, Austin learned to lead himself before leading anyone else.
Leadership was no longer about rank or authority.
It was about maturity, accountability, and humility. As he dropped ego, the business stabilized, and the marriage deepened. The business grew stronger too. The team began holding each other accountable. Peer pressure replaced top-down enforcement. Retention rose above industry averages.
And Austin could finally enjoy what he had chased since college: being part of a winning team.
From Attention to Trust
As the agency matured, Austin saw another trap: chasing attention.
Too many businesses measure clicks and headlines while ignoring credibility. “Attention without trust is worthless,” he said. So Publicity For Good leaned into speed and credibility. A Forbes feature. A local news clip. A podcast appearance. Each became more than vanity; they were assets that built trust and converted faster.
In a crowded media landscape, omnipresence plus validation is the new moat.
Key Takeaways for Founders:
Lead yourself first. Ego will destroy your business faster than competitors. Start with one daily practice that keeps you accountable—whether it’s journaling, a morning ritual, or a clear review of yesterday’s wins and losses.
Write down the standards. Whether hiring or at home, clarity removes 80% of conflict. Create a one-page role sheet before you hire or delegate, listing exactly what the person owns and how success is measured.
Build trust, not noise. A single earned-media hit leveraged across channels beats a thousand empty clicks. Clip your best feature into ads, pin it on social, and add it to your sales deck so it works 24/7.
Win today. Stack enough daily wins, and a year from now your life will look unrecognizable. Ask yourself every morning: what one action today, if done, makes everything else easier or irrelevant?
Then do that first.
If you want to turn your brand from just another name online into a trusted authority featured in real media, check out Austin and Heather’s agency at publicityforgood.com.
That’s a wrap!
Talk soon,
Roman
Struggles? Good.
I help founders turn their story, values, and experience into a high-trust newsletter that attracts the right clients and drives consistent growth.
It’s all backed by real scars. I built and scaled a 7-figure nanotech business, sold over $10M in sales, lost it all, and rebuilt from scratch—twice.
If you’re ready to scale your business, let’s talk.
👇🏼