Breaking PR Barriers with AI: Meet Jon Mest of Just Reach Out

In this episode of *The Business Chop*, we’re joined by Jon Mest, an innovative technologist whose journey from Wall Street to startup success is nothing short of inspiring. With a career that began in the high-stakes world of M&A in the Tech sector, Jon transitioned into a developer and data scientist role before embracing a passion for sales and customer success. Today, he’s the mastermind behind Just Reach Out, an AI-driven PR software that’s revolutionizing how businesses connect with the media.

Jon shares how his platform is democratizing public relations, giving businesses direct access to journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and site owners, without the hefty price tag of traditional PR firms. He talks about his love for sports—having traveled the world to attend events like the Olympics, Wimbledon, and even all 30 MLB stadiums—and how his unique blend of technical and people skills has fueled his success.

Chop squad our guest today uses AI to help businesses identify relevant journalists, bloggers, podcasters, site owners, etc that would be relevant contacts to help them promote a story on their business. 

Jon is an experienced technologist that has worn many hats in my career. He started as a banker on Wall Street doing M&A in the Tech sector. Then transitioned into a data science / developer role at a big data and analytics company. Quickly, he hit the road helping to sell the solutions that he was building. 

Over time, Jon also held positions in sales, go-to-market, customer success, and product. After a stint in business school and helping scale a brand new startup, he now owns and operates Just Reach Out. It is an AI-driven PR software company that helps businesses craft narratives, build media outreach lists, and earn placements in top tier publications and to be guests on podcasts.

Listeners who would like to learn more about Jon Mest or try Just Reach Out can connect with Jon through the following channels:
 
Website: https://justreachout.io
LinkedIn: jonmest
Twitter: @JonMest
jon@justreachout.io

Try Just Reach Out AI tool, visit https://justreaachout.io/free

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Transcript

[Introduction]
 Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins: Welcome to The Business Chop! Today, we have a special guest with us, Jon Mest, the founder of Just Reach Out. Jon, it's great to have you here.
 
 Jon Mest: Thank you, Audrey. It's a pleasure to be here.
 
 [Jon’s Background]
 Audrey: Let’s start by learning more about your journey. You’ve had an interesting career path that led you to create Just Reach Out. Can you tell us about that?
 
 Jon: Absolutely. My career began on Wall Street where I worked in M&A, specifically in the Tech sector. It was a high-pressure environment, but I learned a lot about how businesses operate. After a while, I wanted to shift into something more hands-on, so I transitioned into a role in data science and development at a big data analytics company. This is where I started building solutions and eventually hit the road to help sell them.
 
 Audrey: You really wore many hats along the way.
 
 Jon: Yes, I did. Over time, I moved into sales, go-to-market strategies, customer success, and product management. After some time in business school and helping to scale a new startup, I finally decided to take the plunge and create my own company, which became Just Reach Out.
 
 [Creation of Just Reach Out]
 Audrey: What inspired you to start Just Reach Out?
 
 Jon: The inspiration came from my frustration with the traditional PR industry. I realized that public relations firms were gatekeepers to getting press, and they charged exorbitant fees for services that didn’t guarantee results. I wanted to change that by creating a platform that uses AI to help businesses directly connect with relevant journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and more, without the need for a middleman.
 
 [Evolution of the PR Industry]
 Audrey: The PR industry has evolved a lot, especially with the advent of technology. How do you see this evolution, and where does Just Reach Out fit in?
 
 Jon: The PR industry has certainly evolved. Technology has democratized access to the media, which is what Just Reach Out is all about. We provide businesses with the tools to craft compelling narratives and reach out to the right contacts. The AI component helps identify the best matches for a story, which makes the outreach process much more efficient and cost-effective. I believe that as the industry continues to evolve, companies will increasingly rely on platforms like ours to manage their PR efforts.
 
 [Personal Insights]
 Audrey: That’s fascinating. On a lighter note, you’ve traveled extensively for sports events. What’s the story behind that?
 
 Jon: Yes, I’m a huge sports fan! I’ve traveled to events like the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Wimbledon in London, and even visited all 30 MLB stadiums. It’s a passion of mine, and I love combining my love for sports with my love for travel.
 
 Audrey: That’s incredible, Jon. Thank you for sharing your journey and insights with us today.
 
 Jon: Thank you for having me, Audrey. It’s been a pleasure.
 
 [Closing Remarks]
 Audrey: And that’s a wrap for today’s episode of The Business Chop. We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Jon Mest. Stay tuned for more insightful episodes!
 
 

How to Get in Touch with Jon Mest

 Listeners who would like to learn more about Jon Mest or Just Reach Out can connect with Jon through the following channels:
 
 - Website: [Just Reach Out](https://www.justreachout.io)
 - LinkedIn: [Jon Mest on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmest)
 - Twitter: [@JonMest](https://twitter.com/jonmest)
 - Email: jon@justreachout.io
 
 Whether you're interested in leveraging AI for your PR efforts or just want to connect, Jon is always open to new conversations.
 
 

Free Tool for Listeners

 During the interview, Jon Mest mentioned that Just Reach Out offers a free tool that listeners can try. This tool allows you to experience the power of AI-driven PR by helping you identify relevant journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and site owners for your business.
 
 To try the tool, visit [Just Reach Out Free Tool](https://www.justreachout.io/free) and start your journey to better media outreach today!