Selling the Story: Charlee’s Path from Journalist, to PR Pro, to SDR

A Muck Rack Story

Charlee has the remarkable ability to balance mind boggling call volume, record-breaking months, and a genuine talent for building meaningful connections with prospects. Throughout her time at Muck Rack, she's built an impressive track record of success, but what truly sets her apart isn't just the numbers, it's the way she tells stories, creates engaging conversations, and makes every interaction feel authentic. 

At the center of Charlee's success is something she's been building long before she ever joined a sales team: an instinct for storytelling. Before she was booking meetings at Muck Rack, Charlee was chasing stories as a reporter.

Journalism was already familiar territory. Her dad worked as a photojournalist, though he did heed her to consider the drawbacks of the industry when she began considering the same path.

“He wasn't trying to be unsupportive, but the industry had changed just so much over the years,” Charlee explained. “Back when he was doing news they really valued the time spent to create a really great story, and giving people more than a couple hours to create a story that they were proud of. And I think a lot of that has changed over the years.”

Despite the warning, she earned a journalism degree from Indiana University and began her career in local television news during the height of the pandemic. Starting out in that environment meant learning quickly. Tight deadlines, breaking news and constant unpredictability forced her to become a sharper communicator, a better listener and a stronger storyteller.

“You’re expected to do a lot in a very short amount of time,” Charlee said. “Sometimes I had 30 to 45 minutes to edit a story in a moving vehicle, and you just had to get it done.”

Eventually, the late nights and weekend shifts pushed her toward PR, where she could continue working in journalism-adjacent space while building a more predictable routine. She joined the Wisconsin Center District and quickly became a storyteller for her team.

Ironically, Charlee first encountered Muck Rack from the other side of a sales pitch. After seeing a demo from Summer, she reached out to solidify the connection.

“I was so impressed with how Summer sold Muck Rack that I messaged her on LinkedIn and asked whether people from PR ever transitioned into roles like hers,” Charlee said. “We kept in touch, and when the timing was right, I applied.”

Now she's the one starting those conversations, where storytelling remains one of her biggest strengths as an SDR. Her background in journalism and PR allows her to connect with prospects in a way that feels genuine. Rather than treating conversations as transactions, she approaches them much like she approached interviews: with curiosity, empathy and a desire to understand the person on the other side.

“People like being able to relate to the person they’re talking to, you’re building trust at the end of the day.” Charlee said. “The storytelling and the relationship building is so interwoven.”

Of course, storytelling is only part of the equation.Charlee is also known for her upkeep of astronomical volume. Like any great reporter, she knows that results often come from putting in the reps. If she wants more  meetings, she's willing to create more opportunities by increasing enrollments, making more calls and staying consistent with outreach. 

Much of that discipline comes from the systems and numerical goalposts she's built for herself.

“Workflow is a big part of what sets me apart,” Charlee said. “For me, it’s all about accountability. I need to hold myself accountable for touching my accounts and keeping up with people.”

That accountability extends to every part of her day, helping her stay on top of accounts, follow-ups and prospecting activity without letting things fall through the cracks.

Her journalism background has helped her learn to handle the rejection SDRs face on the day-to-day as well. As a reporter, Charlee dealt with criticism, difficult conversations and the reality that not everyone wants to share their story.

“When I was doing TV, I was knocking on doors and having to ask people face-to-face, sometimes for interviews of things they didn't want to talk about,” Charlee said. “My skin is pretty thick.”

Outside of Muck Rack, Charlee is also a sculpt yoga instructor. Teaching her class has sharpened many of the same communication skills she uses in sales. Charlee sees a direct parallel between teaching and cold calling. Just as an instructor needs to keep a class engaged and moving forward, a successful cold call requires clear communication, thoughtful direction, and the ability to guide a conversation toward the right outcome.

Whether she's guiding a room through a workout or leading a prospect through a conversation, the goal is the same: create connection, keep people engaged, and tell the story that will grip whatever audience she approaches.