CrossCurrent Communications

What CrossCurrent Communications does

CrossCurrent Communications is a privately held, boutique communications and public relations firm headquartered at 41 Atkinson Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Founded by Barbara MacLeod, a media-relations professional with 25 years of experience in the news business, the firm operates with a lean team of 1–10 employees and serves a deliberately small client roster of owner-managed small businesses, non-profit organizations, and socially responsible advocacy campaigns across the New England region.

The company's core service offering is a portfolio of six integrated communications capabilities: communications strategy and planning, public relations and community engagement, crisis communications and reputation management, marketing consulting, social media services, and video production. There is no software product, platform, or proprietary technology stack; all deliverables are professional services engagements built around storytelling, media placement, influencer outreach, and individualized campaign execution. The firm does not disclose use of AI, automation, or data-driven analytics tools.

CrossCurrent generates revenue on a professional services basis, billing clients either hourly or through small business packages rather than via retained enterprise contracts. Distribution is direct, with no disclosed channel partners, resellers, or marketing automation. The firm's growth model is capacity-constrained by the founder-led boutique structure rather than capital- or technology-driven, and there is no evidence of institutional investment, external funding, acquisitions, or parent-company ownership.

Name

CrossCurrent Communications

Legal name

CrossCurrent Communications

Website

https://crosscurrentcommunications.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Communications Consulting Services: Fees for communications strategy, public relations, crisis communications, video production, media training, and digital marketing services. Offered on an hourly basis or small business packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CrossCurrent Communications is a boutique communications firm providing public relations, marketing consulting, social media, video production, and crisis/reputation management services. It creates integrated, individualized strategies for a select roster of owner-managed businesses, non-profit organizations, and socially responsible campaigns. Services are delivered on an hourly basis or via small business packages.

Product overview

CrossCurrent Communications is a boutique public relations and digital marketing firm offering integrated communications services. The company provides six core service offerings: Communications Strategy & Planning (deep-dive business assessment and strategy development), Public Relations & Community Engagement (media placement and storytelling), Crisis Communications & Reputation Management, Marketing Consulting, Social Media Services, and Video Production. These services are delivered as individualized strategies for a select client roster including owner-managed businesses, non-profit organizations, and socially responsible campaigns. No software product or platform is offered—all services are professional consulting and creative production engagements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Communications Strategy & Planning Comprehensive assessment and strategy development covering marketing, PR, media relations, digital outreach, content development, video, website development, and social media. Targeted at organizations needing an integrated communications roadmap.
• Public Relations & Community Engagement Media placement, buzz building, influencer outreach, and storytelling-led community engagement informed by decades of news business experience. Targeted at nonprofits, owner-managed businesses, and advocacy campaigns seeking earned media coverage.
• Crisis Communications & Reputation Management Guidance on navigating crisis situations and protecting company or personal reputation in the age of social media. Targeted at organizations facing reputational risk or seeking proactive crisis preparedness.
• Marketing Consulting Hourly or small business package consulting to build visibility, increase customer base, and manage reputation for clients without the need or budget for a full-time marketing person. Targeted at owner-managed businesses and small nonprofits.
• Social Media Services Social media strategy, implementation, and training delivered via an individualized approach rather than cookie-cutter solutions. Targeted at organizations seeking to spread their message and build audience engagement.
• Video Production Creation of visual, interesting, and compelling videos for reaching donors, customers, community leaders, or campaign audiences through storytelling. Targeted at nonprofits, businesses, and advocacy organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 articles and broadcast stories garnered for NH Film Festival in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers29 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• PAN Communications: Boston-based B2B PR and marketing communications firm with comparable boutique-mid size and integrated service stack spanning PR, social, and content. Operates in the same New England market and competes for similar mid-market and nonprofit clients.
• Inkhouse: Boutique PR and integrated communications agency headquartered in Massachusetts. Comparable in size, regional New England footprint, and integrated service offering including media relations, content, and social.
• Matter Communications: New England-based PR and digital marketing agency with a similar mid-market and high-growth client focus and integrated PR, social, and creative services. Directly comparable in geography and service mix.
• Small Army: Boston-based creative and communications agency serving similar mid-market clients with integrated marketing, PR, and content. Comparable boutique size and New England presence.
• SHIFT Communications: Boston-area PR and marketing agency with comparable integrated services (PR, social, content, video) and similar client profile of mid-market and emerging brands.
• Walker Sands: Mid-size integrated PR and marketing agency with comparable service stack (PR, content, video, social) targeting similar mid-market B2B and nonprofit clients, though headquartered in Chicago.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Global public relations firm offering the same core services (PR, crisis communications, digital, video) as part of a much broader portfolio. Represents the dominant incumbent against which boutique firms like CrossCurrent compete on personalization and price.
• Weber Shandwick: Large global communications agency with overlapping capabilities in PR, crisis, social, and content strategy. Provides the scale and global media-buying reach that small boutiques like CrossCurrent cannot match.
• Jack Morton: Global brand experience agency with strong video production and storytelling capabilities that directly overlap with CrossCurrent's integrated PR-plus-video model, but at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Version 2.0 Communications: PR and communications firm with comparable boutique positioning serving similar nonprofit, advocacy, and socially responsible campaign clients, primarily outside New England. Comparable by client segment and service mix but not by geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CrossCurrent Communications