Pru Corrigan – Founder of ODd Talent & ODd Network

Over the years, I have to confess that Pru and have shared quite a few ‘wine times.’ After crossing paths in the PR world when I was the client, more than 15 years later and we are the firmest of friends. This girl boss is the Aussie force in her new chosen industry. 

On this particular Thursday afternoon, we felt that 4pm was an acceptable time for a glass of Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir (another confession, we’ve done much earlier in our younger days). But today was different as she had an important summer story to share. 

One Daydream PR, her baby, which was launched in 2015 was the go-to public relations agency in Australia before COVID, dominating the lucrative skincare and cosmetics market in Australia.

“COVID was a real hit to the PR industry. I think I lost about 60 per cent of my business within two weeks. That was really tough, but I kept all the staff, even though there wasn’t a lot of work”. 

“From that time, the industry really changed, and I needed to pivot, she explains.

“I do make quick decisions which I think is a necessity being a part of this industry” 

At the end of 2022, on top of the PR business she had approximately 20 influencers on her books, so she decided to shut the PR arm of her business, and just focus on growing and developing talent. 

“We are advertising. We shouldn’t shy away from that. We are using people instead of a billboard. People can influence. We can turn around content in 24 hours. Long gone are the days where we turned around ad campaigns six months in advance. It doesn’t happen like that anymore.” 

She found a unique niche in the influencer space working alongside Generation Z and was one of the first to market with the business. 

“We have similar brands coming back to us all the time because we are reliable and we are fast and our talent have been vetted and get the results. We are a trusted agency,” she proudly says. “We also have the next generation of content creators coming through who actually grew up on social media. It’s that constant newness. So many of my talent have never actually set foot in a work office environment. The world has changed,” she highlights. 

So far this year, the number of talent that she manages has tripled, and her revenue has more than doubled. She is truly national with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth opened in December. 

For her own relaxation time, she dedicates time for her facials.

While in the skincare clinic in June, a little red rash that was on her forehead started to bleed. She was referred to a dermatologist who immediately confirmed them as slow-growing skin cancers. She had three of them cut out with 17 stitches on her face.  She also had a mole on her chest examined.  

“It seemed to be getting bigger but it is hard to know with the naked eye”. 

Within a week, that mole was cut out and pathology results confirmed low grade melanoma. Surgeons removed a 10 centimeter radius from the mole between her chest and left breast.  

“Unfortunately, like many Aussies, my health probably takes a back seat when you have 23 staff, over 100 talent, offices across Australia plus being a Mum”. 

Her daughter Billie is 12 years old. 

“I think the kids are really well educated today on skin and SPF which is fantastic and we have always been covering her head to toe. We now talk about SPF a lot and she is asking which one she should use every day which is really good,” she explains. 

Pru now goes to the dermatologist every four months for full body scans. 

“I always thought it was an older person’s thing to get, but it seems there are a lot of younger people these days with melanoma. I probably left it a little long, so if anything is going on with your skin, go and see a doctor immediately.”