“Our success is a testament to passion and perseverance, and I still draw on my medical background, applying its discipline to public relations and marketing.
Dr. Jay Feldman, a name synonymous with innovation and strategic brilliance in the public relations world, has carved an extraordinary path from the medical field to becoming a PR powerhouse. As the co-founder of Otter PR, Dr. Feldman’s journey is a testament to his resilience, creativity, and unwavering dedication.
In this exclusive interview, he opens up about his remarkable career shift, the challenges he faced, and the strategies that propelled Otter PR to the forefront of the industry.
From his early days balancing medical school and entrepreneurial ventures to mastering time management and leveraging AI in marketing, Dr. Jay Feldman shares invaluable insights and lessons learned along the way.
Join us as we delve into the mind of a visionary who continues to redefine success in the dynamic world of public relations.
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Table of Contents
Can you share what inspired you to transition from being a medical doctor to becoming an entrepreneur and founder of Otter PR?
Dr. Jay Feldman: Let’s be completely honest here… I was never “called” to medicine like some doctors I have met. Like 9 out of 10 medical students I trained with, becoming a doctor was about creating a great life for myself and my family and making them proud.
I come from a Jewish, middle-class family, with a father who was an accountant and a homemaker mother. My uncle, a doctor, was the family idol. Inspired by him and pressured by my family, I pursued medicine despite my high school days being more about volleyball and girls.
I bombed high school and went to Florida Gulf Coast University, then graduated from the University of Florida in 2014 with a biology degree and a solid Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score. However, I was denied from every medical school I applied to that year. During that gap year, I lived with my entrepreneurial friend, Jesse Henry, and started a side hustle tutoring college students.
This transformed into my first real business. I started medical school in New York in 2015 but continued my entrepreneurial journey, launching two more businesses. One of them, a social media marketing and PR firm for doctors and health companies, took off quickly. The decision to leave my residency was tough but necessary.
I realized the business was where my true talent lay. In early 2020, partnering with Scott Bartnick, we founded Otter PR to revolutionize the PR industry by making great PR accessible to small and medium-sized businesses with month-to-month contracts and guaranteed coverage.
Today, Otter PR is the fastest-growing PR firm in the country, with over 60 employees and offices in St. Petersburg and Orlando, Florida. Our success is a testament to passion and perseverance, and I still draw on my medical background, applying its discipline and empathy to public relations and marketing.
Would you recommend others to follow in your footsteps and leave their careers to pursue business? Why or why not?
Dr. Jay Feldman: The short answer is no. Business is hard, and I have seen many more people fail than succeed. Entrepreneurs often glamorize their lifestyle, but the reality is different.
The 9-5 turns into a 24-7 grind, with many failures along the way and years of being underpaid and underappreciated. I made it in business because I was used to long, grueling hours and being underpaid as a medical worker.
When I put those same hours into my business, I created something amazing. By the time I left medicine, I had a 6-figure marketing agency and was earning more than the doctors I worked with. It was a calculated decision, not a risky one. Who should consider quitting their job to build a business? Start by testing the waters first.
Balance your current job while starting your business on the side. If I could launch multiple businesses as a medical student, you can too. Quitting a stable job without experience or proof that your business will succeed is risky. Even if you dislike your job, have another venture ready before making the leap. Here is my guide for quitting your full-time job:
- Step one: Carve out 20 hours per week to dedicate to building your business. You would be shocked at how much time you have when you dedicate your weekends, vacations, and nights to building something.
- Step two: Work on the same business non-stop for a year. If there is no traction, then business might not be for you. If you hate it, then business is definitely not for you. Every successful entrepreneur that I know is in love with the process of building. It’s impossible without it.
- Step three: Once you are comfortably making enough to live and your business is stable, you have my blessing to quit your job and go all-in! Just be ready for the massive identity shift that you are going to have to go through.
Most people complain about not having enough time in the day, but you were running a six-figure business as a medical student. What are your time management secrets?
Dr. Jay Feldman: Everyone always told me, “You can’t do both.” Although I was a good student and doctor, I had to become superhuman at time management and this is how I did it: First, you need to love building businesses. If you hate it, no amount of self-talk will help. I call this “getting after it.” I’d rather work on my business than spend time on leisure activities.
This perspective shift is crucial to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Then, we all have many hours in the day. Successful entrepreneurs use their time wisely. In business, your success is judged on what you choose to work on and for how many hours. Here are my tactics:
1. Priority lists: Identify your highest leverage tasks and prioritize them. At the end of each day, write down three things you will get done tomorrow. You can’t sleep until they are done.
2. Focus: Most people lose focus after about four hours of intense work. Sometimes, reaching for some caffeine or cognitive enhancers can give you an edge.
Your PR agency is now one of the top firms in the country according to most rankings. To what do you attribute your fast success?
Dr. Jay Feldman: I hate the term “fast success” because it creates the illusion of overnight success.
Our growth felt like a lifetime in the making, influenced by unique conditions others may not experience.
First, I was a doctor running a medical marketing company, which gave us an edge since few physicians understood both fields. Getting clients was easier for us than for others in similar spaces.
Second, during COVID, we had time to build and access great talent-seeking online work. This initial team laid our foundation, and many are still with us.
The economic conditions also helped us thrive. One controllable factor is product-market fit. Ensure your offer is unique and in high demand. Many entrepreneurs overlook this, launching without verifying market interest. Test your market before investing time and money.
My partnership with Scott Bartnick also turbocharged our growth. Businesses need balance in operations, people, money, marketing, and sales. I excel in marketing, offers, and operations, while Scott excels in people, numbers, and processes.
Our complementary skills were crucial to scaling quickly. Partnerships are tough; many fail. Lastly, focus on building a lasting, sustainable business. It’s better to grow slowly and solidly than quickly and poorly.
With your successful business partnership in building Otter PR, what is your secret to maintaining a healthy partnership?
Dr. Jay Feldman: I am married to Scott Bartnick. At least, as married as two straight men can be. But partnerships, like marriages, require constant work. Before going into business with someone, ensure they’re your soulmate.
Trust is crucial—not just in handling finances but in being equally committed. Both partners must be all-in. One reason our partnership works is that we work under the same roof. We built Otter living together and now work in adjacent offices.
This proximity has been key, though virtual partnerships can also succeed. I recommend the book Rocket Fuel, written by Gino Wickman, which explains how Visionaries and Integrators drive successful companies.
Visionaries create ideas; Integrators implement them. I’m mostly a Visionary, and Scott is an Integrator. We complement each other well. Despite our success, we often disagree on important issues like the product, team, and vision. In a partnership, you won’t always get your way, and you must trust the decisions made.
A partnership can boost your company’s growth, but remember, profits and control are shared. If one partner doesn’t pull their weight, it becomes a big problem. The best part of a good partnership is that you’re never alone when things go bad, and they will go bad. Sharing the risk with someone you trust makes it worth it.
The name Jay has become synonymous with Lead Gen. What do you attribute to your rapid rise as a thought leader in marketing, earning the title Lead Gen Jay?
Dr. Jay Feldman: I spent a decade learning marketing from experts like Dan Henry, Russell Brunson, and Neil Patel, buying their courses and soaking up knowledge.
I still take at least one new marketing course monthly. One marketing conference inspired me deeply. The marketer there generated over 50% of his leads from YouTube with just 30K subscribers.
His content wasn’t great, but it was a money machine. I realized I could share my knowledge while building my agency, so I launched my YouTube channel, “Lead Gen Jay”, in 2022. I posted one video per week for eight months before gaining traction.
Experts said consistency was key, and they were right. By the end of 2023, I surpassed 20K subscribers, and “Lead Gen Jay” became the most searched name in lead generation. The main reason for my success was sharing unique, useful content.
I taught what I did to grow my agency to $600K per month, focusing on high-demand topics like cold outreach, which led to my YouTube popularity. For those looking to follow in my footsteps:
- Don’t stop: It’s tough to make content with no audience at first, but persistence pays off.
- Study great YouTubers: Buy their courses and learn about content creation, from editing to hooks and thumbnails.
- Focus on your audience: Be a true expert and create helpful videos, not just for vanity. Keeping your audience in mind guarantees success.
Many have called you the Hormozi of Lead Generation on YouTube. With so many fake gurus out there, why should people trust you?
Dr. Jay Feldman: I called out Alex Hormozi for his marketing of Skool, encouraging everyone to start a course. This sends the wrong message since we already have a massive problem with fake gurus.
No one should buy a course from someone who hasn’t already built what they’re teaching. Despite this, Hormozi is a real guru because he’s built a massive business and truly understands what he teaches.
You can see this depth on his youtube channel: @AlexHormozi. I don’t ask anyone to trust me blindly. Do your own due diligence. I’m a business owner first and an expert second.
I spend every day building my agency and sharing only what works for us. Beware of fake gurus who flash wealth but only get rich by selling courses. Follow this rule:
Don’t buy a course for its promises; buy it because you love the creator’s free content. If they don’t offer valuable free content, you’ll be disappointed with the paid stuff.
What is the secret to getting qualified leads for agencies and B2B companies?
Dr. Jay Feldman: I’ve done entire courses on this, but here’s the short version. There are a few key ways to get leads, and you need to be tactical about which methods to use and when.
- Organic: These are the best leads because they’re free. Organic methods include SEO and organic social media. However, they take years to build. Every company should have an organic strategy, like a YouTube channel, blog, or Google My Business page, but don’t expect quick results.
- Cold Outreach: This is fast and cheap, ideal for young companies that can’t afford ads. Cold outreach can be done via social media, email, cold calling, or even door-knocking. It’s not as easy as running ads, but it’s often more profitable since sending emails and DMs is free.
- Paid Ads: Wait until you have a validated offer and customer avatar before starting paid ads. Ads are expensive and only the best online marketers can consistently run profitable campaigns. Use platforms like Meta and Google. Retargeting ads, shown to people who have already interacted with your business, are cheaper and should be implemented as soon as possible.
- Viral Marketing: This includes affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, and PR. It involves leveraging other people’s audiences to sell your product. If done successfully, your business can explode overnight. For example, I ran an affiliate campaign with a cold email tool and earned over $150,000 in 14 days. The method you choose depends on your customer and budget. Start with cold outreach and retargeting ads, then add organic marketing and paid ads as your revenue grows. For detailed strategies, check out my free content on YouTube, or join my paid coaching community for deeper insights.
What role do you think AI is going to play in marketing in 2025 and beyond? How can entrepreneurs stay ahead of the curve?
Dr. Jay Feldman: We’re in a marketing renaissance with AI changing everything. Since ChatGPT was released, I’ve seen AI improve dramatically. Early AI for writing and sales calls was terrible; now, it’s nearly as good as humans.
We use AI for sales calls, writing PR articles, and even video editing. The reality is, if you don’t adopt AI quickly, you won’t compete with companies that have.
AI lets us replace entire teams, making us more efficient. We’ve used AI-powered lead magnets to generate more leads than ever imagined.
To stay ahead, follow AI creators on YouTube and join AI marketing communities like my Insiders community. Constantly look for ways AI can enhance or replace parts of your business. As an entrepreneur, it’s critical to stay ahead of the curve.
What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who want to learn how to become a 1% marketer like you?
Dr. Jay Feldman: I’ve taken online marketing courses from Harvard and top Ivy League schools, and none taught relevant online marketing. It changes too fast for traditional education. Here’s how I did it, and it worked for me: First, learn the basics. Watch 1,000 hours of marketing content on YouTube, diving deep into offers, paid ads, SEO, cold email, and more.
Once you have a base understanding, choose a niche that resonates with you, like social media marketing or search ads. Buy courses from trusted creators and seek mentorship in that area.
Next, gain practical experience by working for an agency in your chosen field to learn as much as you can. Finally, start your own business by applying your knowledge. Learn new skills like hiring and building systems along the way.
Don’t expect overnight success. Expertise and making money take years. Think in years, not months. Do that, and you’ll be fine.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Dr. Jay Feldman for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Dr. Jay Feldman or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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