Phil Elwood

Strategy is the chess match. It’s about planning for an endgame. It’s playing offense and defense at the same time. The one thing you can’t do is stand still. You must make a move. I help my clients make moves that get them their endgame. And this is where the chess analogy ends, because chess is quite orderly and what I come up with is usually chaos. And that’s why clients bring me in — because I will think of the things you will not. And by the time you’re done, you’ll realize we’re actually playing Risk, not chess.

Media relations is about two commodities — information and trust. The best way to get both at once: tell a reporter something you probably shouldn’t. If you’re my client, I do this for you. Media relations professionals, like me, put themselves between valuable information and the media who are hungry for it. Sometimes, this can be an incredibly unsafe place to be. The good news is, I talk to the investigative journalists, so you don’t have to.

Shit happens. Stuff breaks. And then my phone rings and I’m meeting someone for the first time on what happens to be the worst day of their life. I help clients when they receive a subpoena, become the subject of litigation, have a reason to go whistleblower, get named in a Truth Social post by you-know-who, or have legislation targeting their livelihood. I have handled all manner of high-stakes, winner-take-all, zero-sum-game matters.

Let’s be clear, I do not enjoy the suffering of others. But, I do thrive in chaos. When the hammer is about to come down and our only chance for salvation is through working with the media, that is the moment I live for.

I love a bank shot — both on a pool table and in public relations. Sure, you could shoot straight for the corner pocket, also known in my world as writing an Op-Ed demanding action for your cause. It could work, but the direct shot isn’t always available. A bank shot lets you avoid obstacles, escape from a trap, and regain control of the table. I help my clients see the bank shot. My bank shots have included starting a trade war between one of the smallest economies on earth against one of the biggest, and taking on the cause of childhood obesity to sway the outcome of a global sporting event host battle.

If you are a lawyer and you are reading this, let me start by saying you’re right. Whatever it is, you’re right. Now that we have that out of the way, let me tell you about a crazy idea I have for your client…

Believe it or not, about half of the engagements I take on come to me through lawyers. There are a lot of benefits to this, for both me and the client. We won’t get into that in more detail, however, because the lawyers wouldn’t want me to. See, lawyers? I can follow your directions. But also, let’s do something for the client that will definitely make you uncomfortable.

Corporate events, college campuses, my friends’ book clubs — I’ll talk to anyone. Since the publication of my memoir, All the Worst Humans, I’ve spoken at Georgetown University, American University, Quinnipiac University, and the University of Chicago; at literary festivals, in newsrooms, and to communications professionals at major corporations.

In addition to talks, I do media trainings to help clients navigate anything from an appearance on CNN to an appearance at a Congressional hearing. I’m happy to work with you to build a talk or training to meet your needs. You can contact me directly or go here.