From Agency Life to Her Own Firm at Nearly 50: How Amiee Watts Built Watts PR Group on Two Decades of Hard-Won Experience
Amiee Watts spent nearly 20 years in senior-level positions at top PR agencies, managing major financial services clients like Federated Investors, Aegon Asset Management, and Thornburg, and overseeing more than $1.8 million annually in monthly retainers. She knew the agency world inside and out, and she also knew what she wanted to do differently.
After years of leading teams and driving results for others, as well as a challenging transition from an agency, Amiee felt ready to build something of her own. She remembered the clients who had valued her strategic insights and the impact her work had made. She realized: I can do this on my own, and I can do it better.
At 50, she had the confidence, experience, and relationships to make it happen. In 2023, she launched Watts PR Group, a boutique public relations and strategic communications firm specializing in financial and professional services. What started with one client from a local introduction has grown into a firm serving wealth managers, asset managers, fintechs, startups, and entrepreneurs across the country.
In just two years, Watts PR Group has secured placements in Barron's, CNBC, InvestmentNews, Schwab Network, Yahoo Finance, and AARP. The firm has achieved year-over-year revenue growth and is now expanding its team. Amiee has built a small but mighty group of five, including a senior PR partner who is a former financial journalist, and she's created a company culture rooted in respect, creativity, and integrity.
As a Hermes Platinum Award winner with over 20 years of experience in financial communications, Amiee knows how to turn complex financial topics into compelling narratives. But what sets her apart isn't just her track record, it's her belief in genuine relationships, her refusal to discount her worth, and her willingness to trust her instincts when building her business.
In this conversation, Amiee shares how she made the leap from agency leader to founder, how she built credibility so quickly as a boutique firm competing against the agencies she once worked for, and her advice for other women about pricing confidently, knowing when to grow, and quieting the noise when people question your path.
1. What inspired you to start your business?
I've always had an entrepreneurial side. When I was younger, I dreamed of creating my own magazine, being the photographer, the editor, and the storyteller all in one. I've always been drawn to human stories and creative writing, and I was naturally good at language and English. That passion for storytelling was the foundation for everything that came later.
Throughout my career working at PR agencies, I often had side clients and projects, with full permission, because I loved building connections and helping people tell their stories. I met one client through my hairstylist, another through a mutual friend. I've always believed in women introducing and uplifting other women, and that spirit of collaboration has fueled much of my success.
Over time, though, I realized that I needed more creative freedom. If you're entrepreneurial and driven, eventually you feel the pull to do things your own way. Working for others can start to feel limiting. After being let go from an agency, something that initially felt devastating, I realized it was actually the turning point I needed. It was time to bet on myself.
My advice to anyone who feels that same pull: don't wait for the perfect time. Just do it. If you have that voice inside telling you you're ready, trust it. If I can do it, anyone can.
2. What challenges have you overcome as a female founder?
There are so many, financial, organizational, and emotional. When you're building a business, you wear every hat. You're deciding everything from logo design to client strategy to hiring. You have to be resourceful, figure things out as you go, and learn to ask for help in areas that aren't your strengths.
For me, the biggest challenge has been learning to balance growth with quality, knowing when to say no, when to delegate, and when to hire experts to help scale the business sustainably.
3. How have you scaled or built your team?
We're a small but mighty team of five, including bright interns, associates, and a senior PR partner who is a former financial journalist. That journalistic background is invaluable.
I rely a lot on intuition when hiring, trusting my gut about people's potential and cultural fit. I've also found incredible talent through LinkedIn, which has become an essential platform for our firm, especially given our focus on financial services. Most RIAs and financial professionals spend their time on LinkedIn, so it's also where we show up, connect, and build credibility.
4. What advice would you give to other women building businesses?
Believe in yourself. You will face doubters, even people who love you may question your path because they're worried about your stability or finances. But you can't let that stop you.
Quiet the noise. Educate yourself. Follow your gut.
I started my firm once years ago, then paused due to personal circumstances, and relaunched later. I used to wonder where I'd be if I'd stuck with it the first time, but those thoughts don't serve you. The only direction that matters is forward.
Stay positive, trust yourself, and take the leap.
5. You spent nearly 20 years in senior roles at top PR agencies. What made you walk away from stability to launch Watts PR Group in 2023?
You learn a lot in agency life, about strategy, creativity, and teamwork, but also about what not to do. I reached a point where my ideas weren't being heard or valued. It's tough when your work or concepts are minimized or even taken by others. Over time, that kind of environment chips away at you.
After one difficult job transition, I remembered all the clients who had valued my work and the impact I'd made. I realized: I can do this on my own, and I can do it better.
At 50, I felt ready. I had the confidence, experience, and relationships to make it happen. I've built a firm that respects creativity, collaboration, and integrity, values that weren't always present in my earlier agency experiences.
6. How did you build credibility and client trust so quickly as a boutique firm?
It started with genuine relationships. My first client came through a local introduction, someone who trusted me and referred me to another business owner. That kind of credibility is priceless.
Beyond that, my 20+ years of experience in financial PR gave me a deep roster of respected names, Charles Schwab, Federated Hermes, Thornburg, Hodges, Hennessy Funds, and many more. Those credentials carry weight, especially in a niche industry like financial services.
Our credibility also comes from results. In just two years, Watts PR Group has secured placements in Barron's, CNBC, InvestmentNews, and Yahoo! Finance, and we've continued to grow revenue year over year.
The biggest challenge has been scaling while maintaining our personalized, high-touch approach, but by hiring smart and strategic people, we've been able to grow without losing that boutique feel.
7. What advice would you give to other women in service-based businesses, about positioning, pricing, and expansion?
First, trust that you're the expert. You've earned it. Speak from that place of authority. Clients and peers will follow your lead when they sense your confidence.
Second, price confidently. Don't discount your worth to win business. Your fee is your fee is your fee. Undervaluing yourself makes it hard to raise prices later. Know the market, know your value, and stand by it.
Finally, know when to grow. If you're stretched thin or losing joy in your work, it's time to hire. Bring in bright, motivated people and invest time in teaching them your way. Culture and mentorship are everything in service-based businesses.
You can do it. You really can.
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