The question should shift from “How old is the agency?” to “How well does it know us?”

In e4m’s Corp Comm & PR ‘Too Young to Start?’ series, we look at the people building agencies early and the choices that are shaping their businesses.

PR is often judged by the visibility it creates. But for Ritika Garg, Founder & CEO, Avance PR, the more important question is what happens after the coverage goes live: Does it build credibility? Does it strengthen the business narrative? Does it help a founder be taken seriously in a crowded market? That thinking has shaped Avance PR from the outset. Having worked with 100+ brands across startups, growth-stage businesses and established enterprises, Garg has built the agency around the belief that communications cannot operate in isolation from the business. 

Throughtout her journey, she keeps Avance PR sector-agnostic, working with companies ranging from Yakult and Marriott to OM Logistics, HostBooks, DCGpac, Amara, Eagle Technologies edForce, and others.

Behind that breadth is a 12-member communications team and a business that has consistently recorded 70-80% year-on-year growth. But scale brings its own questions. How do you maintain strategic depth while taking on more clients? How do you advise a startup that needs to build credibility while also serving an established enterprise with very different communications needs? And what does sustainable growth look like when long-term client relationships matter as much as new business?

In this conversation, Ritika Garg speaks about building Avance PR, why startups need strategic counsel alongside PR, working across sectors and stages of business, building a team around integrated communications, and what it takes to grow an agency without losing sight of the value communications is expected to create.

Excerpts:

What convinced you there was room for another PR agency in an industry already crowded with established players? What opportunity did others overlook?

When I started Avance PR, the industry wasn't lacking PR agencies; it was lacking agencies that truly functioned as strategic growth partners. I saw many brands, particularly startups and growing businesses, receiving generic media outreach instead of communication strategies that were aligned with their business objectives.

The opportunity wasn't to do more PR; it was to do better PR. Clients were looking for agility, transparent communication, senior-level strategic involvement, and measurable outcomes rather than simply media execution. That gap gave me the confidence to build Avance PR with the belief that PR should work as an extension of a client's leadership team, not just as an external agency.

We have always focused on building meaningful narratives and long-term brand credibility rather than chasing coverage alone. In a competitive industry, differentiation comes from consistently understanding a client's business, adapting to its evolving needs, and delivering communications that create tangible business impact. That continues to be the opportunity we saw then, and one that remains equally relevant today.

How difficult was it to win your first few clients, and did your age or experience ever become a hurdle during client conversations? What almost made you quit?

Winning the first few clients was undoubtedly the toughest phase of my entrepreneurial journey. As a first-time founder in my mid-twenties, I wasn't just selling PR services; I was asking businesses to trust someone who didn't yet have decades of experience or a long list of case studies to showcase. Every client conversation required me to earn that trust before we could even discuss communications.

There were moments when my age became a hurdle. Some prospects assumed I lacked the experience to handle strategic communications, and I realised the only way to change that perception was through preparation, ideas and consistent execution rather than words. Over time, client trust and referrals became far stronger proof of our capabilities than any designation or years of experience could.

Like every entrepreneur, I had moments of self-doubt, especially during periods when payments were delayed, clients were difficult to close, or the pressure of building a business felt overwhelming. But every founder goes through phases where progress seems slower than expected. What kept me going was the belief that every challenge was temporary, while the vision I had for Avance PR was long-term. Looking back, those early challenges taught me resilience, patience and the importance of earning trust through consistent results.

Where do young agencies genuinely outperform established firms?

Young agencies bring a different level of agility. Decision-making is faster, teams adapt quickly, and there is far greater willingness to experiment with formats, platforms and communication strategies.

Since we are building our reputation every day, we tend to stay extremely invested in every client's growth. The leadership remains closely involved, which often leads to stronger collaboration and quicker problem-solving.

At the same time, I don't believe this is a competition between young and established firms. Large agencies bring scale and institutional experience. Young agencies bring speed, flexibility and entrepreneurial thinking. The industry benefits from both.

Does the industry give enough room for first-generation founders? What assumptions about younger agencies do you wish clients would stop making?

The ecosystem is becoming far more welcoming than it was a few years ago. Clients today are increasingly open to evaluating agencies based on capability instead of legacy, which is encouraging for first-generation entrepreneurs.

One assumption I hope changes is that the size or age of an agency automatically reflects the quality of its work. Great communications are built through insight, relationships, consistency and execution, not simply by the number of years a company has existed.

Similarly, young agencies are often expected to prove themselves repeatedly, even after delivering results. I believe the conversation should shift from "How old is the agency?" to "How well does the agency understand our business?"

Many independent agencies begin with the founder's personal reputation. What systems have you built that don't depend on you?

Founder-led businesses naturally begin with personal credibility, but they cannot scale if everything depends on one individual.

From the beginning, we've invested in building strong internal processes, structured account management systems and a culture where every team member takes ownership of client success. We have defined workflows for media relations, content development, reporting and strategic planning so that quality remains consistent across accounts.

Today, many client relationships are managed independently by our team, which reflects the confidence we've built internally. For me, the real milestone is when clients continue to experience the same quality regardless of whether I'm personally involved in every conversation.

How do you measure your agency's contribution to the industry, whether through employment generation, supporting startups, creating new specialisations, or building talent?

For me, an agency's success isn't measured only by revenue or the number of clients it serves. Its real contribution lies in the value it creates for the industry and the people around it.

At Avance PR, we've had the opportunity to work with over 100 brands across sectors, including startups, growth-stage companies and established enterprises. Beyond media visibility, our focus has been on helping businesses build credibility, shape industry narratives and communicate with purpose. For startups in particular, we've often found that they need strategic guidance as much as PR support.

Equally important is talent development. We've built a young, ambitious team and invested in creating an environment where people are encouraged to take ownership, think strategically and grow quickly. Watching team members evolve into confident communication professionals has been one of the most rewarding aspects of building the agency.

As we continue to grow, I believe our responsibility goes beyond client work. It is about creating opportunities for young professionals, supporting businesses at different stages of growth, and contributing to a stronger culture of strategic communications. If our work helps businesses grow, creates meaningful careers, and raises the standard of strategic communications, I believe we're making a meaningful contribution to the PR industry.

Looking ahead, how do you see young independent agencies becoming significant contributors to the PR economy?

The next decade of the PR industry will be driven less by size and more by specialisation, strategic thinking and measurable business impact.

Young independent agencies are well positioned to lead this shift because they are built for adaptability. They embrace technology faster, understand the communication needs of modern businesses and are comfortable working across emerging sectors.

I believe we'll see more independent firms building expertise in niche industries, founder communications, executive visibility, digital reputation and integrated brand storytelling. As businesses increasingly look for partners who understand both communication and business strategy, young agencies will play a far more significant role in shaping the future of India's PR economy.