How Storytelling and Thought Leadership resulted in $13.73M (AVE) in Media Exposure for BookSmarts Accounting
Jenny Groberg is not your typical CEO.
Her journey is about more than financial expertise—it's about perseverance, overcoming adversity, and empowering other women to find their own paths to success. But until last year, no one knew her story.
Jenny hired XL PR to increase awareness of BookSmarts Accounting, which serves business owners generating 6-8 figures and women seeking flexible work or financial literacy. Through strategic media placements, speaking engagements, and media training, XL PR helped make Jenny and BookSmarts synonymous with trustworthy financial guidance.
Client Background
Objectives
Increase Jenny’s visibility and perception as a financial expert
Drive 100+ monthly searches to the BookSmarts website
Secure 50+ targeted media placements
Timeline (Year 1):
Months 1-3: Media training, content calendar, pitching Jenny’s founder story, building a digital presence through LinkedIn and website development.
Months 4-6: Zeroing in on industry topics (P&L comparisons, tax, holiday trends) with placements in Forbes, Accounting Today, and more.
Months 7-8: Speaking and podcast opportunities (Silicon Slopes, RevRoad, SUCCESS magazine).
Months 9-10: Created new case studies that landed Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Utah Business and others.
Months 11-12: Pitched Jenny as a financial literacy expert, landing her an ongoing TV contributorship.
When we began working with Jenny, she had never been interviewed or mentioned by the media in any capacity. So we started with the basics. Our team provided media training and developed a calendar of topics. The turning point came when we uncovered her powerful story—recovering from a traumatic brain injury and building a 7-figure, all-female firm. This became the heart of our strategy. The more we leaned into that story, the more the momentum started pouring in.
Strategy
Client Endorsement
“Partnering with XL PR was one of the best decisions I have ever made, game changer! Their team immediately understood our vision and turned it into a powerful, strategic campaign that elevated our visibility and credibility. From media placements and speaking opportunities to content creation and digital ads, they handled everything with excellence and creativity. The results speak for themselves—our revenue grew by 25%, we landed over 140 media placements, and I was honored to be named 2024 CEO of the Year by Utah Business and recognized by INC. as a 2025 Female Founder. XL PR helped us tell our story in a way that truly connected, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
This campaign won the 2024 Golden Spike Utah PRSA Media Relations Award, competing against billion dollar companies and reknowned PR teams
25% increase in overall revenue
Decrease in customer acquisition costs
$13.73M in ad value equivalency through earned media exposure
140+ media placements reaching over 1.7 billion people
7,425+ direct website visits driven by media coverage
Secured recurring TV contributorships and paid speaking engagements
Named 2024 CEO of the Year by Utah Business and featured as an INC. 2024 Female Founder
Invited to speak at major events including the University of Utah Women’s Symposium, RevRoad, and Silicon Slopes
Results
XL PR provided comprehensive PR and marketing support to BookSmarts Accounting and Bookkeeping, including strategic media relations, guest speaker and TV contributor outreach, social media management, content creation such as guest articles and case studies, and digital advertising creation, design, strategy and management. These efforts were designed to elevate brand visibility, establish thought leadership, and drive measurable business growth.
