During the three months [the $15,000 per month PR firm] were working with us, their most important achievement was a piece of news that generated lots of traffic, leads and job applications, namely this TechCrunch post. It ended up being a very positive article filled with product images of Lookback. One could argue we could've achieved that post ourselves but I'm not so convinced. We had submitted news tips to multiple sites previously but to no avail.
You already have a work flexibility ethos to build upon, so it will be easier for you to make the adjustments and compromises needed. Besides, your company is still young so the changes in culture and early hires you do now will have a lasting impact.
[1] https://lookback-public.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/team-lookback-...