Herd Strategies

What Herd Strategies does

Herd Strategies is a full-service marketing, PR, and brand communications firm founded in 2011 by Denise Herd and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm delivers five core service lines: brand development and positioning, communication training, community engagement, crisis communication, and media relations. It targets organizations seeking authentic communication with diverse audiences, and it differentiates through its positioning as a Black female-owned agency with W/MBE (State of Indiana, City of Indianapolis) and DBE (Indiana DOT) certifications, which provide access to supplier-diversity procurement channels. Client work is delivered directly by a small team (1-10 employees) on a project-based and/or retainer basis.

The company supplements its agency services with two distinct content and education platforms. Herd University is a workshop series for executives, managers, and communication professionals, delivered as individual sessions, multi-day intensives, or ongoing training, with a first live virtual event scheduled for June 23, 2026. The 'How They See Us' monthly podcast (40+ episodes, 1,000+ cumulative downloads) and the 'Herd It Here' monthly newsletter function as owned-media distribution channels and thought-leadership marketing. Free downloadable templates (crisis management plan, media relations guide) and a curated reading list act as lead-generation tools. The firm does not develop proprietary technology products; revenue mechanics are professional services engagements plus educational/workshop fees, with no publicly disclosed pricing.

Herd Strategies operates as a privately held, founder-controlled LLC with no outside institutional investment, no parent company, and no disclosed holding structure. Distribution is regional (Midwest, anchored in Indianapolis) with digital delivery channels enabling wider reach. Marketing is sales-led, driven by website contact forms, community involvement, referrals, and the thought-leadership content properties described above. The firm holds no patents, has no disclosed partnerships or alliances, and has conducted no acquisitions, mergers, or restructuring events beyond its 2011 founding.

Name

Herd Strategies

Legal name

Herd Strategies LLC

Website

https://herdstrategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Herd Strategies is an Indianapolis-based, Black female-owned full-service marketing, PR, and brand communications firm founded in 2011, serving organizations seeking inclusive communications through brand development, media relations, crisis communication, community engagement, and training via Herd University workshops, a podcast, and a newsletter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations and Brand Communications Services

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Events & Meetings (MICE) Agencies (MPAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Public relations agency
• Brand communications
• Crisis communication
• Media relations
• Community engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

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. Professional Communications Services: The company generates revenue through providing integrated marketing and communications services including brand development, crisis communication, media relations, community engagement, and communication training. Revenue is likely derived from project-based engagements and/or retainer agreements with clients.
2. Herd University Workshops: The company offers communication training workshops through Herd University, a comprehensive workshop series for executives, managers, and communication professionals. Workshops are available as individual sessions, multi-day intensives, or ongoing training series.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Herd Strategies is a full-service marketing, PR and brand communications agency that helps clients shape public perception through brand development, communication training, community engagement, crisis communication, and media relations. The agency pairs campaign execution with editorial content production, including a podcast, newsletter, and downloadable crisis/PR templates, and supports clients through workshops delivered under its "Herd University" program.

Product overview

Herd Strategies is a full-service public relations and communications firm offering a portfolio of services including brand development, communication training, community engagement, crisis communication, and media relations. The company operates as a single integrated offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Core services are delivered directly to clients, supplemented by educational products (Herd University workshops) and content platforms including the How They See Us podcast and Herd It Here newsletter. The company also offers free downloadable templates for media relations guidance and crisis management planning. Founded in 2011, the firm specializes in serving diverse audiences with a focus on inclusive communication strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Herd University: Strategic communication workshops designed for executives, managers, and communication professionals. A comprehensive workshop series combining decades of PR expertise with practical techniques for organizational communication effectiveness.
• How They See Us
• Herd It Here

Products and services

• Brand Development Brand strategy, creative ideation, and visual identity development for corporate and consumer clients seeking to shape public perception.
• Communication Training Training programs that prepare executives and spokespeople to communicate effectively with media, stakeholders, and the public.
• Community Engagement Programs that help clients build authentic relationships with community stakeholders and underserved audiences through targeted engagement initiatives.
• Crisis Communication Strategic counsel and execution to help clients prepare for, respond to, and recover from reputational crises.
• Media Relations Traditional, digital, and social media outreach that secures earned media coverage and shapes public narrative for clients.
• Herd University Workshop-based learning program under the Herd Strategies brand that delivers PR, communications, and media training to attendees.
• How They See Us Podcast Podcast produced by Herd Strategies that explores brand, communications, and cultural topics, supporting the firm's thought leadership.
• Herd It Here Newsletter Email newsletter published by Herd Strategies that shares PR, brand, and communications insights with subscribers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14+ years of storytelling experience with 100+ clients served and millions of impressions earned

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• 5W Public Relations: Independent, mid-size full-service PR and communications agency offering integrated media relations, crisis communications, and content marketing. Comparable to Herd Strategies in its service mix and mid-sized independent positioning, though 5W is significantly larger and operates nationally.
• rbb Communications: Mid-size independent integrated communications firm offering brand strategy, public relations, and crisis communications. Comparable to Herd Strategies in its full-service, independently-owned positioning and B2B/corporate client focus.
• M Booth: Mid-size independent communications agency offering brand strategy, media relations, and content marketing. Directly comparable to Herd Strategies as a boutique-to-mid-tier integrated communications firm with similar service lines and client types.
• Hennes Communications: Boutique public relations firm specializing in crisis communications and strategic counsel. Directly comparable to Herd Strategies as a similarly sized specialist agency with overlapping service offerings including crisis comms and media training.
• Reputation Partners: Independent communications firm specializing in public relations, crisis management, and brand strategy. Comparable to Herd Strategies as a similarly sized boutique agency with overlapping service offerings and corporate client base.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: World's largest public relations firm offering brand marketing, crisis communications, and public affairs globally. Comparable as an incumbent operating across all of Herd Strategies' service lines, but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Weber Shandwick: Global public relations firm offering integrated communications, brand marketing, crisis management, and public affairs. Comparable to Herd Strategies as an incumbent offering the same core services at much greater scale and geographic reach.
• FleishmanHillard: Global public relations and communications agency offering media relations, crisis communications, brand marketing, and content strategy. Comparable to Herd Strategies as an incumbent covering all its core service lines at significant scale.
• APCO Worldwide: Global public affairs and strategic communications firm offering crisis, brand, and stakeholder engagement. Comparable as a broader incumbent covering Herd's communications and crisis service lines with established corporate and government clients.
• FINN Partners: Large independent global public relations firm offering integrated communications across brand, crisis, media relations, and public affairs. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same service categories, with multi-office national and international coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HerdStrategies
• Facebookfacebook.com/herdstrat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/herd-strategies
• Instagraminstagram.com/herdstrategies
• Xx.com/herdstrategies

Compliance2 records

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 Herd Strategies