Stanford Grad Starts Six-Figure PR Firm After Struggling to Find Job

Ellen Yang turned her side projects into a successful marketing and publicity agency for writers.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:27pm

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A photorealistic studio still life featuring a laptop, books, and a potted plant arranged in a minimalist, high-end style, conceptually representing the abstract ideas of entrepreneurship, marketing, and publishing.A Stanford graduate's entrepreneurial pivot from job seeker to successful PR agency founder.Los Angeles Today

After graduating from Stanford University in 2025 and struggling to find a full-time job, Ellen Yang decided to start her own PR company, Punctuation PR. Despite initially living paycheck-to-paycheck and working over 12 hours a day, Yang's business grew quickly, becoming a six-figure enterprise within six months as she leveraged her marketing experience to help authors and academics reach new audiences.

Why it matters

Yang's story highlights the challenges many recent graduates face in a competitive job market, especially those without the traditional corporate pipeline. Her decision to create her own opportunity rather than settle for an unrelated role or unpaid internship demonstrates resilience and entrepreneurial spirit in the face of uncertainty.

The details

Yang spent nine months applying for jobs after graduation, but was often passed over in favor of more experienced candidates or internship roles unrelated to her marketing background. Determined not to burden her parents, she began taking on freelance projects, including helping a professor with a book campaign and assisting a journalist. Seeing the impact of her work, Yang decided to turn these side gigs into a full-fledged PR agency, Punctuation PR, just three weeks before graduation. Despite initial financial struggles, the business grew rapidly, allowing Yang to earn more than the entry-level roles she had originally applied for.

  • In 2025, Yang graduated from Stanford University.
  • For nine months after graduation, Yang applied for jobs without success.
  • Three weeks before graduation, Yang created Punctuation PR as her own business.
  • The day after graduation, Yang began working full-time on Punctuation PR from Los Angeles.
  • Within six months, Punctuation PR became a six-figure business for Yang.

The players

Ellen Yang

A 2025 Stanford University graduate who started her own PR company, Punctuation PR, after struggling to find a job.

Punctuation PR

A marketing and publicity agency for writers that Yang founded after graduating from Stanford.

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What they’re saying

“I used to believe that graduating — and similar milestones — followed a sort of ideal inertia: once success was in motion, it would naturally continue, uninterrupted.”

— Ellen Yang, Founder, Punctuation PR

What’s next

Yang hopes to continue scaling Punctuation PR from a six-figure to a seven-figure business in the coming years, though she acknowledges there are no guarantees of success.

The takeaway

Yang's story demonstrates the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit required to create one's own opportunities in a challenging job market, even for highly qualified graduates. Her experience highlights the importance of adaptability and the willingness to take risks when traditional paths to success prove elusive.