About Erin Shea

Stop trying to make everyone happy.
You're not pizza.

I partner with companies large and small to help solve their business problems. Communications strategy is one lever pulled among many though it's often left to the wayside, thanks to budget constraints, time and resources. Or, folks use tactics they see implemented elsewhere, thinking the latest widget will work for them. When that happens, you can end up spending more money and time you don't have trying to course-correct on tactics that aren't delivering.

My approach:

(But if you are, I can help there, too.)

We kick off getting to the heart of your business. Your industry. Your competitive space. Your goals. Who you want to reach. Knowing what keeps you up at night serves as the foundation for our work together. And if what's required doesn't fall within my suite of services, I'll connect you with those who can, free of charge.

I am your "audience advocate," which means my job is to bring to the table the information you need to better understand who you're trying to talk to, what they care about, what influences them and where, in order to stand out and build loyalty and affinity. If you're looking for temporary or operational help, we'll develop a plan and a timeline for getting the job done.

I work to create an approach customized for you, with touch points for collaboration along the way. For temporary or operational help, we'll create tangible ways-of-working that can be carried out even after our contract is up.

my suite of services >

your strategist

Erin Shea

I began my career as a newspaper reporter and editor at publications such as the Peoria Journal-Star and the Chicago Sun-Times before moving into the digital space in the early 2000s.

Considered a pioneer in the field - I'm truly one of the "OG" online content creators, having been featured in the New York Times, Good Morning America, the Wall Street Journal and more - I applied my digital and media expertise working at Harpo for the The Oprah Winfrey Show and Oprah.com, helping to launch the social and digital footprint for the iconic show and its brands.

After leaving Harpo, I shifted into agency life, working at Edelman and Weber Shandwick, on behalf of brands such as Conagra, Quaker, PayPal, ALDI, Mars, The National Pork Board, Abbott Laboratories, Chevrolet, Sephora and Kellogg’s. As the communications strategy regional lead at Weber Shandwick, I led teams on local, national and global projects in the B2B, consumer, healthcare and corporate spaces.

As the market lead and general manager for the Chicago branch of BCW, I ran day-to-day operations and talent management, and was tasked with helping to evolve the operations of the world's third-largest public relations firm to an integrated, contemporary, multidisciplinary approach.

EJ Shea Communications allows me to independently bring the culmination of these experiences to organizations large and small, focus on the work and help you connect to your audiences with clarity.