Turns out there's a whole cohort of us independent PR operators who've been having the same conversation. And now there's finally language for it – micro agencies.

I spoke to Nigel Bowen for Influencing alongside Elle Kress (HEY, GOOD NEWS / WorkTribes) and Graham White (Pratar) about why this distinction matters and that it's not just semantics.

Freelancers are typically paid for time. Micro agencies are paid for deliverables and outcomes.

Freelancers often take direction on what the client needs. Micro agencies define services and let clients decide if it's the right fit.

Freelancers are often employed on a casual basis. Micro agencies build long-term partnerships with retained clients.

For me, the micro-agency model works because my clients – often CEOs navigating high-stakes corporate communications and investor relations – need senior strategic counsel, not work delegated to a junior account coordinator once it’s been won. They need someone who's been in the room before, who knows when to push back on a weak story angle, who has the right connections and ear to the ground, and who can move fast when a crisis hits.

That's not a freelance gig. That's a strategic partnership.

And yes, we still have real operating costs – media portals, subscriptions, licences, monitoring tools, subcontractors for specialist work. It’s all coming from our individual pockets. We're not just "a person in front of a computer in a bedroom (though trust me I’d love to do this from the beach)."

The article covers why more PR pros are making this shift, how AI is changing the game (but not replacing humans), and what clients should actually ask when deciding between a large agency, mid-sized firm, or micro agency.

Spoiler: it's not about headcount. It's about capability, capacity, and who's actually doing the work.