Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout Lollied
What does Lollied do?
Lollied is an Aspen, Colorado-based strategic communications consultancy founded by Lolli Johns. Lollied advises organizations, executives and brands on strategic communications, executive positioning, public relations, media relations, brand strategy, reputation management and thought leadership.
Organizations often reach out looking for public relations. The first conversation is usually about the business. Some clients need media relations. Others need stronger positioning, clearer messaging or experienced communications counsel before any public outreach begins. Every engagement begins by understanding the business before determining how communications can create the greatest value.
Why do organizations hire Lollied?
Organizations typically reach out during periods of growth, change or increased visibility. Some are entering new markets. Others are preparing for significant announcements, strengthening executive visibility, navigating reputational challenges or recognizing that their communications no longer reflect the business they have become.
Every situation is different, but every engagement begins by understanding the organization's objectives before recommending a communications strategy.
Who is Lolli Johns?
Lolli Johns is the founder of Lollied and a strategic communications advisor with more than fifteen years of experience across agency, in-house and independent consulting roles. Her work includes luxury hospitality, travel and tourism, destination marketing, architecture and design, cultural organizations, professional services and technology.
Throughout her career, Lolli has advised executives, founders and leadership teams on communications strategy, executive positioning, reputation management, media relations and business communications. Experience across communications, marketing and business development provides perspective that extends beyond traditional public relations. Clients work directly with Lolli throughout every engagement.
What industries does Lollied work in?
Lollied works across a range of industries, with particular experience in luxury hospitality, hotels and resorts, travel and tourism, destination marketing, architecture and design, cultural organizations, professional services and select technology companies.
Experience across multiple sectors provides perspective that helps identify opportunities, strengthen positioning and align communications with broader business objectives.
Can Lollied serve as a fractional communications leader or advisor?
Yes. Some organizations engage Lollied as an external strategic communications advisor or fractional communications resource, providing senior-level counsel without expanding an internal team.
In these engagements, Lollied may advise leadership teams on communications strategy, executive positioning, reputation management, messaging, thought leadership, stakeholder communications and long-term communications planning. The role varies based on the organization's needs but is often focused on helping leadership make informed communications decisions, evaluate opportunities and align communications with broader business objectives.
What is strategic communications?
Strategic communications aligns communications with business objectives and long-term organizational goals.
Many clients begin by asking for a press release, media coverage or messaging. Those may all become part of the work, but they are rarely the starting point. Strategic communications begins by understanding the business, what it is trying to accomplish and how communications can help build credibility, strengthen trust and support long-term business objectives. The result may include executive positioning, media relations, messaging, reputation management, thought leadership or communications planning.
Do you offer public relations services?
Yes. Public relations is one component of Lollied’s work. Services may include media relations, media strategy, story development, executive visibility, thought leadership and earned media outreach.
Organizations often reach out seeking public relations support. The first conversation is usually about the business. In some situations, media relations is the right recommendation. In others, stronger positioning, clearer messaging, executive communications or strategic planning should come first. Recommendations are developed around business objectives rather than a predetermined communications tactic.
What is the difference between public relations and strategic communications?
Public relations focuses on earning attention and credibility through independent editorial coverage. Strategic communications is broader. It considers how positioning, messaging, executive visibility, reputation and communications planning work together to strengthen reputation and build long-term trust.
Clients often ask for public relations because they want greater visibility. Sometimes public relations is the right recommendation. In other situations, communications strategy, executive positioning or clearer messaging will create greater long-term value. The first conversation is usually about the business before determining the role communications should play.
What does strategic advisory mean at Lollied?
Strategic advisory helps organizations make better communications decisions before those decisions become public.
Many communications challenges are shaped long before the first interview, announcement or media pitch. Decisions about positioning, messaging, timing and leadership visibility influence how a business is understood by employees, customers, partners, investors and the media. Lollied helps leadership teams evaluate opportunities, strengthen positioning, anticipate communications challenges and build credibility, strengthen reputation and support long-term growth.
How is Lollied different from a traditional public relations agency?
Lollied is an independent strategic communications consultancy. Every client works directly with Lolli Johns from the beginning of an engagement through execution.
Recommendations are developed around what a business needs most, not a predefined list of services. One engagement may focus on executive positioning. Another may involve reputation management, communications planning or media relations. The work is shaped by the situation rather than a standard process.
Where is Lollied based, and do you work with clients outside Aspen?
Lollied is based in Aspen, Colorado and works with clients throughout the United States and internationally. Aspen provides experience working with sophisticated audiences, destination organizations and luxury brands, but engagements span a range of industries and locations.
Most work is conducted remotely, with travel available when appropriate.
What types of organizations does Lollied work with?
Lollied works with businesses and leaders that view communications as part of how they build reputation, strengthen positioning and create opportunities over time.
Clients include luxury hospitality brands, destination marketing organizations, architecture and design firms, cultural institutions, professional services, founder-led businesses and select technology companies. Some have established communications teams seeking senior strategic counsel. Others are building a communications strategy for the first time or preparing for an important period of growth.
Do you work with founders, executives and leadership teams?
Executive visibility is often closely connected to organizational reputation and influence. Lollied works with founders, executives and leadership teams to strengthen positioning, develop thought leadership, refine messaging and communicate with greater clarity.
The work helps leaders build credibility and strengthen reputation in support of broader business goals, whether that involves media coverage, speaking opportunities, partnerships or long-term industry recognition.
What problems does Lollied help solve?
Communications challenges often begin as business challenges. Clients may be entering a new market, preparing for growth, launching a significant initiative, navigating leadership changes or experiencing increased public attention.
Others realize their messaging no longer reflects the business they have become or that they need experienced communications counsel during an important decision. Every engagement begins by understanding the underlying business challenge before deciding how communications can best support it.
When should an organization bring in a strategic communications advisor?
Clients often seek communications support when preparing for significant change, entering a new market, increasing executive visibility, announcing major news or navigating a reputational challenge.
Communications decisions begin long before the first media pitch. Bringing in strategic communications expertise early creates time to evaluate positioning, strengthen messaging and identify opportunities before decisions become public.
What types of engagements are the best fit for Lollied?
Lollied works best with businesses navigating a meaningful moment, whether that involves growth, leadership changes, increased visibility, market expansion, a significant announcement or the need for experienced strategic counsel.
Engagements may be project-based, ongoing or advisory depending on objectives and internal resources. The structure is determined by the work that will create the greatest long-term value rather than a predefined package of services.
How do engagements typically begin?
Every engagement begins with understanding the business. Initial conversations focus on objectives, audiences, competitive landscape, current communications efforts and long-term priorities.
Before making recommendations, Lollied works to understand what success looks like and the role communications should play in supporting it.
What does a first conversation with Lollied look like?
The first conversation is an opportunity to understand the business and determine whether Lollied is the right fit.
Rather than discussing individual tactics, the conversation focuses on business objectives, communications priorities, current challenges and long-term goals. If strategic communications can create meaningful value, recommendations are developed around those goals. If another approach would better serve the business, that guidance is shared as well.
Can Lollied work alongside an existing marketing or communications team?
Many clients already have talented internal teams and engage Lollied to provide additional capacity, senior strategic counsel or specialized expertise.
Lollied regularly collaborates with executives, communications departments, marketing teams and agency partners to strengthen communications strategy, support major initiatives and provide an experienced outside perspective.
Do you work with organizations that already have a public relations agency?
Yes. Many organizations already have an agency or internal communications team. Lollied is frequently engaged to provide strategic counsel, executive positioning, communications planning or senior advisory that complements existing resources. The role is to strengthen decision-making and provide an experienced outside perspective.
Can Lollied support executive visibility and thought leadership?
Executive visibility is an important component of strategic communications and a core area of Lollied's work.
Lollied helps founders, executives and industry leaders strengthen credibility and influence through strategic positioning, messaging, thought leadership, media relations and communications planning. The work strengthens long-term trust, credibility and visibility for both the individual and the business.
Can Lollied help with reputation management and crisis communications?
Reputation is built over time but can change quickly when a business faces unexpected challenges.
Lollied advises clients before, during and after sensitive situations, helping leaders communicate thoughtfully, make informed decisions and protect long-term credibility. Every situation is unique, but the goal remains consistent: clear strategic counsel that supports sound business decisions and responsible communications.
Do you provide media training?
Media training is tailored to executives, spokespersons and subject matter experts preparing for interviews, presentations, broadcast appearances and other public-facing opportunities.
Training focuses on message discipline, interview preparation and communicating with clarity under pressure. These skills strengthen executive communications well beyond a single media appearance.
What publications has Lollied secured coverage in?
Lollied's work has helped secure earned media coverage in regional, national and international publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Vogue, Elle, Robb Report, Departures, Town & Country, Good Morning America, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, AFAR, Food & Wine and USA Today.
Client relationships remain confidential unless clients choose to share them publicly.
Do you share client names or case studies?
Confidentiality is a core part of every engagement. Clients often share business plans, leadership discussions, communications strategies and other sensitive information not intended for public disclosure.
Lollied does not publicly share client relationships, strategies or project details without permission. When appropriate, references may be available with a client's approval.
Does every organization need public relations?
No. Public relations is one part of strategic communications, but it is not always the right place to begin.
Some clients benefit more from strengthening positioning, refining messaging, increasing executive visibility or developing a communications strategy before investing in media relations. Understanding where a business is today and where it wants to go makes it possible to recommend the approach most likely to create long-term value.
What services does Lollied provide?
Lollied advises organizations, executives and brands on strategic communications, strategic advisory, executive positioning, executive communications, thought leadership, public relations strategy, media relations, reputation management, brand strategy, messaging development, communications planning, stakeholder communications, media training and executive visibility.
Every engagement is shaped around the organization’s objectives rather than a predefined scope of work. Some engagements focus on executive positioning and thought leadership. Others involve communications planning, media relations, reputation management, leadership communications or strategic counsel during periods of growth, change or increased visibility. Recommendations are developed around what will create the greatest value for the business.
How do I get started?
Every conversation begins the same way: with the business.