Today we’d like to introduce you to David Barkoe.
Hi David, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2013, I moved to Miami for a change of pace and scenery. Once settled in, I got a job at a local PR firm which is where I started building connections and relationships among the earliest members of the Miami startup community. After moving from NYC and its revolving media landscape, I realized no PR firm in Miami was focused on the booming startups and evolving technology that could support this growing ecosystem.
What did I do about that? Well, I went to my boss at the time and said, “Hey, we should get involved in this and find some clients to join us. I’ll lead the effort.” Of course, his response was everything you’d imagine including “no,” “forget about it,” “that’s a waste of time and money,” “stop bothering me,” and “don’t forget to close the door on your way out.”
Considering I wasn’t thrilled about my job at the time, this conversation compelled me to explore different avenues. When he said “no,” I said “yes” to myself, my dreams, and what I knew deserved the time, effort, and money. In September 2014, Carve Communications was born to be the agency of record for the Miami tech scene.
There was a hole in the growing ecosystem at the time and it didn’t make sense for founders to have to engage PR firms in San Francisco, NYC, or Austin for high-quality PR representation. Here we are, 10 years later, having represented nearly 100 Florida-based startups, not to mention many other clients based around the world. With a hardworking team of Carvers based in Florida, NYC, Chicago, and beyond, we approach PR with intentionality beyond what the industry has seen before.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? No. If it was smooth, I feel like I would be doing something wrong. I’ve made many, many mistakes, both very large and very small and everywhere in between. I’ve made friends and lost friends. COVID was a challenge and an opportunity that helped us grow and expand beyond what I could’ve ever imagined.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Carve Communications is a PR firm that lives at the intersection of innovation and everyday life. We service both B2B and B2C client partners, from startups and innovative brands to industry leaders and pioneers across SaaS, AI, CMS, toys, consumer electronics, lifestyle, and beyond.
The goal of Carve is to not just be an agency to our clients, but rather to form a true partnership and be the best possible agency for client partners and employees to work with. Carve focuses on intentional, proactive execution that is rooted in our Sustainable Model of PR that generates awareness, establishes authority, drives engagement, and fosters activation for our partners.
Although we service a range of client partners based in Miami, Carve has expanded beyond the Florida tech hub, not just in terms of people, but also in terms of client partners. We represent consumer and B2B brands nationwide and globally while remaining active within the heart of the Florida tech ecosystem.
What differentiates Carve from other agencies is our sustainable, always-on model of PR, commitment to driving meaningful results, intentional team mentality, premier focus on engaging workplace culture, and core belief in being a partner, not just an agency.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is that my team not only enjoys the work of PR but enjoys doing the work as part of the Carve team and with their fellow Carvers. Why? Because over my 25+ years in PR, I’ve worked in great situations and terrible situations. I’ve been valued and made to feel like I’m worthless.
I’ve worked for great clients and terrible clients. I’ve experienced amazing company cultures and felt stagnant in awful ones. I’ve been in every possible situation a person can be in and have dedicated myself to doing my best to make sure that no one on the Carve team has to go through any of the bad times – only the good.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carvecomms.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carvecomms/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carve-pr/mycompany/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/carvecomms
