What Flaherty & Associates does

Flaherty & Associates is a private strategic communications and public relations consulting firm headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 1999 by Mike Flaherty. The firm provides three core service lines: Strategic Communications (planning, research, branding, audience analysis, polling), Media Relations (counsel, message development, media training, tactical execution), and Issues Management (issue advocacy, grassroots organizing, coalition-building, third-party ambassador programs). The firm's value proposition is grounded in the founder's 25-year media career, including roles as a political reporter at the Wisconsin State Journal, Dow Jones Washington correspondent, weekly newspaper publisher, and Midwest editor at a national dairy magazine.

The firm serves government agencies (Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Health Services), advocacy coalitions and nonprofits (SmokeFree Wisconsin, WEAC, CWAG, Donate Life Wisconsin), and corporate clients (We Energies). Notable outcomes include $250 million in additional annual federal VA benefits for Wisconsin veterans via the 'I Owe You' program, passage of statewide smokefree workplace legislation, a 20-percentage-point increase in public support for public education over three years, and a donor registry launch generating 15,000 registrations in its first month. The firm has served nearly 150 clients cumulatively and operates with a headcount of 1-10 employees.

The business model is classic professional services: project-based and retainer engagements with government agencies, associations, and corporations, delivered through direct senior-level relationship management. There is no proprietary technology, no software product, no disclosed pricing, and no external funding. Marketing is driven by case studies, earned media, and referral networks rather than paid channels. The firm is founder-owned with no evidence of outside investment or parent company control.

Name

Flaherty & Associates

Legal name

Flaherty & Associates

Website

https://flahertypr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Flaherty & Associates is a Madison, Wisconsin-based strategic communications and public relations consulting firm founded in 1999, serving government agencies, associations, nonprofits, and corporations with media relations, issues management, and strategic counsel built on the founder's 25-year journalism career.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategic Communications Consulting

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820), Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Affairs & Government Relations (MPAAADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN), Media Relations & Press Office Services (MPAAADAI), Corporate & Financial Communications PR (MPAAADAA)

Keywords

• Public relations consulting
• Strategic communications
• Media relations services
• Issues management
• Government public affairs

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Consulting: Professional services revenue derived from strategic counsel, issues management, media relations, and grassroots organizing engagements with government agencies, associations, and corporations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Flaherty & Associates is a public relations and strategic communications consulting firm that delivers strategic counsel, media relations, and issues management services to government agencies, associations, corporations, and nonprofits. Core offerings include research-driven strategic communications planning and branding, media outreach, media training, and press execution, plus issue advocacy, grassroots organizing, and coalition-building for policy and public affairs campaigns.

Product overview

Flaherty & Associates is a public relations and strategic communications consulting firm offering a unified portfolio of services rather than a software product platform. The core offerings include Strategic Communications (planning, research, branding), Media Relations (support, tactics, paid media), and Issues Management (advocacy, grassroots organizing, community relations). The company was founded in 1999 by Mike Flaherty and serves public and private sector clients across diverse issues including energy projects, healthcare reform, and public policy campaigns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Communications / Strategic Counsel Research-driven strategic communications consulting for corporations, associations, and government agencies, including leadership consulting, internal and external communication audits, strategic communications plan development, audience analysis, message development, public opinion research (focus groups, direct mail and web surveys, polling), organizational assessment, brand analysis and creative platforms, and awareness campaigns.
• Media Relations Media relations support and tactical execution for organizational leaders, spokespeople, and advocates, including leadership counsel, message development, media relationship and outreach assistance, media training, press conferences, press and video releases, op-ed writing, letters to the editor support, and paid media marketing such as posters, print and radio ads, outdoor ads, and sponsorships.
• Issues Management / Issue Advocacy Issue advocacy and grassroots organizing services for organizations operating in political, regulatory, and policy environments, including research, strategic alliance development, issue campaign planning, leadership development, membership recruitment, training, community relations, audience assessment, coalition-building, and third-party ambassador programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• I Owe You program resulted in $250 million additional annual federal support for Wisconsin veterans
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy group that hired Flaherty & Associates to build public understanding of coal's role in energy mix. Firm provided media relations and stakeholder education for We Energies Power the Future project, recruiting third-party ambassadors from over 50 state associations.
• Coalition for Wisconsin Aging Groups (CWAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CWAG Elder Law Center to design and implement Medicare Part D public information campaign serving nearly 2 million Wisconsin residents with integrated communications including earned media, grassroots mobilization, and community outreach.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Largest global public relations firm with broad public affairs practice; comparable to Flaherty as a higher-end competitor for government, energy, and association clients needing media relations and policy advocacy.
• FINN Partners: Large US public relations firm with strong public affairs and energy practice; comparable to Flaherty as a broader incumbent that competes for the same government, energy, and nonprofit advocacy mandates.

Direct peers

• The Buelow Group: Wisconsin-based public affairs and communications firm; comparable to Flaherty in serving associations, nonprofits, and corporations with issues management, grassroots, and media-relations services.
• HB Strategies: Wisconsin government affairs firm; comparable to Flaherty & Associates as a Madison-based shop focused on state-level advocacy, lobbying, and strategic communications for associations and corporations.
• Berk Communications: Boutique public relations and public affairs firm; comparable to Flaherty as a smaller specialized shop combining media relations, crisis communications, and strategic counsel for advocacy-oriented clients.
• Penner Public Affairs: Wisconsin lobbying and public affairs firm headed by a former state legislator; directly comparable to Flaherty in Madison political-network-led advocacy for energy, healthcare, and association clients.
• K Global: National public affairs and media relations agency that combines earned media, crisis communications, and coalition-building; comparable to Flaherty in its PR-led public affairs model for advocacy and corporate clients.
• The Vogel Group: Wisconsin-based government relations and public affairs firm; comparable to Flaherty because both are Madison-rooted shops specializing in state-level advocacy, association clients, and issue campaigns.
• CK Communications Group: Public affairs and communications firm focused on advocacy, coalition building, and earned media; comparable to Flaherty in operating a PR-led public affairs practice for issue-driven clients.
• Michael Best Strategies: Wisconsin government affairs and strategic communications arm associated with a major Midwest law firm; directly comparable to Flaherty in combining lobbying, public affairs, and communications counsel for Wisconsin-based clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 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 Flaherty & Associates