We’re a former New York Times journalist and a nonprofit executive who met on the dance floor and turned our real-life partnership into a business. Originally intending to blog and create social media content for small service-based businesses, we quickly learned that most of our clients needed help with their messaging. That’s why we became brand voice copywriting evangelists with a well-designed process that helps you to find your voice and share it effectively.
Getting unstuck - You’ve gotten stuck writing your own content. And it’s hard to know what to write about when you’re unclear about your value, even when your friends, clients and colleagues keep telling you how amazing you are. We provide the missing outside perspective you seek, helping you break through the confusion and get clarity on what you offer.
A clear process - You’ll get a deep dive into the important elements of your messaging - from competitive analysis to value proposition - during our 3-session process. The feedback we’ve gotten from the 15+ small business owners we’ve taken through it is that you’ll emerge with new insights you can use immediately to create your messaging for websites, social media posts, elevator pitches and more.
Customized just for you - You’ll get a process that’s customized just for your needs. Unlike branding processes that solely rely on quizzes and forms, we research what you’ve already done, interview you thoroughly and ask the right questions to help you find a brand voice that’s uniquely yours. And it’s at a fraction of the cost that most agencies charge.
Laurel Carpenter
Laurel spent 20 years as a nonprofit social service executive innovating from the inside. A strategic thinker and staff champion, she consistently persuaded conservative C-Suite leaders to allocate resources towards leadership training and user-friendly, up-to-date systems. Since then, she’s developed a deep knowledge of current content marketing practices and is a fierce advocate for helping small business owners find their voice. A trained master’s level social worker, she’s known for the keen interviewing skills that help clients gain the necessary insights and find an authentic brand voice that resonates. She is our business developer, branding specialist, and LinkedIn expert.
Charles Herold
Charles spent over two decades covering video games and technology for the New York Times, About.com, Time Digital, and USA Weekend. At the New York Times, he was chosen from a pool of 10 finalists to be one of two video game reviewers, later becoming their sole game reviewer. With his sharp wit and the pen to match, he’s taken on tight deadlines and picky editors and is able to turn in a quality product under pressure. He excels in writing about complex subject matter, particularly involving technology. Charles provides the logical structure for each piece and can execute quickly, especially for long-form content like blogs, books, and website copy.
Laurel Carpenter is the President of Pearl Consulting NYC. Known for her enthusiasm, she’s the ambivert to Charles’ introvert, talking to potential clients about how we can help them with their copywriting needs and occasionally editing a piece or two.
Laurel holds an M.S. from Columbia University. Prior to founding PCNYC, she had a 25-year career as a social service executive specializing in learning & development and technology innovation. She uses her finely-tuned social service listening skills to help clients find the gems in their stories.
Charles Herold is the co-founder of Pearl Consulting NYC. He’s our introverted writer-at-large, known for his wit and dry sense of humor.
For over two decades, Charles reported on video game technology and consumer electronics for publications including The New York Times, About.com, On Magazine, and USA Weekend. Prior to that, he worked as a programmer, database engineer, and web developer for Time Warner. He holds a BA in film/video.
