WORK FRIENDS
Chelsea Thomas
Publicist, The Lede Company
“I was the one in class getting in trouble for talking too much or socializing,” says Chelsea Thomas. Looking back, these were early signs that a career in publicity was in her future.
Cut to today, and Thomas is undeniably a powerhouse. She’s a publicist for one of the top agencies in the entertainment industry, The Lede Company, where she’s worked since it was founded in 2018. Previously, Thomas cut her teeth at another esteemed PR company, 42 West, where she began her career as an assistant to Meredith O’Sullivan. Eight years later, when O’Sullivan cofounded The Lede Company with three other industry vets—Amanda Silverman, Christine Su, and Sarah Rothman—Thomas decided to join them.
In a career leap that’s paid off, Thomas has now spent eight years in a role she happily thrives in: in the background, often dressed in black, sharing the stories of some of the biggest talents and innovators in culture across entertainment, sports, and activism. “When I look at my own client list, it’s pretty diverse,” says Thomas, whose clients include Misty Copeland, Ali Wong, and Tarana Burke. “It's truly just a reflection of my own personal interests.”
“I thrive in the background, I'll put it that way.”
ON DISCOVERING HER CAREER PATH
I'm a very proud LA native. In many ways, Hollywood and the entertainment industry were ingrained in my everyday life.
One of my best friends' fathers was an actor, and during the summer of my sophomore year of high school, I interned with his publicist. Immediately, I was helping with press clippings. I was filing and answering phones. I just fell in love with it: the idea of being behind the scenes while still being social was really interesting to me. I interned with them whenever I could—spring break, summer break, and even during college breaks. I learned so much.
ON A STRONG WORK ETHIC
I was a competitive gymnast for around 10 years when I was a kid. I’ll just say, I had really intense coaches. Between my coaches and my working mother, they instilled such a strong work ethic in me. I've always been a little bit competitive, too. The idea of being good when you can be great has always stuck with me.
You learn time management when you have gymnastics practice 80-100 hours a week on top of school, homework, and studying. When I was younger, a lot of kids didn't have that. It required a lot of sacrifices. But that prepared me to enter the workforce, too, especially as a publicist, because it comes with a lot of sacrifices, as well.
ON HER CAREER PROGRESSION
Even before I graduated, I knew I was going to be a publicist. I knew who the big players, the big companies, and the big talents were. I had a very select list of people that I wanted to work for. And Meredith O’Sullivan [formerly of 42 West and now The Lede Company] was one of those people. I was super, super fortunate to get the job as her assistant a long time ago.
ON THE LEAP TO THE LEDE COMPANY
I worked at 42 West for eight years. I started as Meredith's assistant and was promoted. I thought I'd really made it and I'd grown a ton while I was there, but when I got news that Meredith O'Sullivan, Amanda Silverman, and Sarah Rothman were leaving to start their own company, there was a lot of shock. I knew it wouldn't be the same environment without them. This was a pivotal moment for me in my career.
The day after I found out the news, I decided to quit my job at 42 West. Once I left and without knowing they’d have a position for me, I spoke with Meredith, Amanda and Sarah, and they shared what they were creating and their vision, along with their other partner, Christine. I knew I wanted to be a part of it. It wasn't a hard decision. I knew these women would continue to help foster my growth and the direction I saw myself going in.
ON NO (FOR NOW)
I always like to take “no" as a “no for right now,” not a “no for forever.” Even with clients, I apply that same logic. What's the workaround? How do you pivot? How can I just keep pounding the pavement, so to speak?
I'm my biggest naysayer, but I'm also my biggest cheerleader. It's like the devil and the angel on both sides of me. If I'm feeling down, boy, am I going to keep putting myself down more than anyone else will. But at the same time, it's having that strength to be like, "You know what? I'm going to be the phoenix. I'm going to rise above the ashes. Yes, this is hard, but this is life, and there's no way out but through.”
ON STYLE & THRIVING IN THE BACKGROUND
My everyday is jeans and a white T-shirt with sneakers or flats, and throwing on a blazer. For me, it's about being comfortable so I can present as my best self. If I'm fidgeting with a button or a zipper, or wearing a color I wouldn't normally wear, then I'm not going to be able to be the best version of myself.
Clothes, in a lot of ways, are a reflection of personality, but can also symbolize armor. I like to be understated in how I dress. I'm never over the top. I'm not a girl to wear massive embellishments or anything like that because I do—regardless of my position in a meeting or at an award show—want to be more in the background. I thrive in the background, I'll put it that way.
ON EMBRACING THE MULTI-HYPHENATES
The media landscape–and the landscape of the world in general–has changed significantly since I started, even within the last year.
For me, it's about helping create public images for clients to build on top of their existing audiences. So, for example, if I'm working with an athlete, my goal is to reach people who may not know them as an athlete and to highlight them as a multi-hyphenate, 360-degree person. That’s something that has changed significantly in the industry since I started, when actors had to be actors, musicians had to be musicians. The crossover was limited. And when there was an attempt to crossover, there was stigma around it.
In this new generation, we're really embracing the multi-hyphenate. That allows for a lot more strategy and opportunity, and, for a person in my position, to work with various types of people to uplift their messaging and profile.
ON DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES & STAYING CURIOUS
I always try to lead with integrity and transparency. I am not a yes person. This job comes with really high highs and really low lows. Being able to stay grounded while continuing to do the work is really important. I also pride myself on being a team player. When working with a specific client or on a specific project or campaign, I really like getting other people's perspectives. As a woman of color in my 30s, my perspective is vastly different than some of my colleagues. So, we come together as a group to make sure that our client strategy is viewed through many different lenses and appeals to different audiences.
In terms of just staying ahead, I consume so many different types of media. My general interests are in sports, world news, and culture. Whether I'm reading Vogue, listening to a kid's podcast out in Chicago, watching “Subway Takes,” or reading various articles, there's no limit to my interests. And that also really helps me in what I do. Staying curious and being passionate are so important. And if you have those two elements and you're a hard worker, it can only lead to positive things. We're never done learning. I think that's so important.
“I always like to take ‘no’ as a ‘no for right now.’”
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