While most entrepreneurs are getting fleeced by fancy PR agencies, one former bomb disposal expert is serving up the industry’s biggest disruption since social media killed print newspapers.
Meet Austin Holmes, the guy who went from defusing explosives in Navy special ops to detonating the overpriced PR world that’s been ripping off businesses for decades.
From Jumping Out of Planes to Jumping on Opportunities
Picture this: You’re paying some slick Manhattan PR firm $25,000 a month to maybe get you mentioned in a blog nobody reads. Meanwhile, Holmes is over here delivering the same results for pocket change while his clients are booking spots on major TV networks.
The man literally used to blow things up for the military. Now he’s blowing up outdated business models with the precision of a trained operative.
“We just blew stuff up in the Navy,” Holmes tells it like it is. “Now it’s pretty much the same thing, but we’re blowing up brands.”
His company Signal Raptor operates on a simple but brutal premise: Why pay Ferrari prices for Honda performance when you can get 80% of the results for 20% of the cost?
The Numbers Don’t Lie (Unlike Your Current PR Agency)
Here’s the tea that’s got traditional agencies sweating bullets: Holmes has tracked over 25,000 media opportunities since 2020. That’s not guesswork. That’s cold, hard data that proves most PR strategies are complete garbage.
While agencies are promising you the moon and delivering space dust, Holmes figured out the actual formula. Want to know the secret sauce that’s got CNN calling back? It’s not what you think.
“The brands that are consistent and take everything get the bigger opportunities,” Holmes drops the truth bomb. “Getting your message out every chance you have leads to the major placements that really move the needle.”
Translation: Stop being a diva about where you get featured. Take the small wins, stack them up, and watch the big fish start biting.
The Wife Factor That Changes Everything
Plot twist: Holmes didn’t build this empire alone. His wife Heather is the mastermind behind Publicity for Good, the parent company that’s been quietly dominating the food and beverage PR space while everyone else was arguing about TikTok algorithms.
This power couple went from zero to multimillion-dollar agency without running a single Facebook ad. How? They actually picked up the phone and talked to people. Revolutionary concept, right?
Heather’s got that natural influencer personality that builds connections while Holmes brings the operational discipline that turns relationships into revenue. It’s like if a social butterfly married a Swiss watch.
The Community Secret That’s Making Millionaires
Here’s where it gets interesting. The Holmes duo doesn’t just run a business. They’ve created a community of entrepreneurs who are essentially living life together while building empires.
“The people we spend time with now are who we want to become,” Holmes explains. This isn’t some feel-good networking nonsense. This is strategic relationship building that pays compound dividends.
When your friends are successful entrepreneurs, your opportunities multiply faster than gossip in a Manhattan coffee shop. Referrals become automatic. Collaborations become natural. Success becomes inevitable.
The Technology Play That’s Got Everyone Talking
Signal Raptor isn’t just another software company pretending to solve problems. Holmes calls it “service and software” because he’s not trying to replace humans with robots. He’s making humans better with technology.
Think of it like having a personal assistant who never makes mistakes handling the boring stuff while you focus on building relationships and closing deals. The AI handles the routine tasks. Humans handle the magic that builds real connections.
This hybrid approach is solving the biggest problem in service businesses: How do you scale without losing quality? Holmes cracked the code.
The Phone Call Strategy That Still Works
Want to know something that’ll blow your mind? The phone still works. While everyone’s obsessing over Instagram DMs and LinkedIn messages, Holmes is telling entrepreneurs to literally pick up the phone and call TV producers.
“Find somebody’s phone number, the producer, even sometimes the talent will answer their phone,” he says. “Persistence pays off.”
It’s like dating in New York. You’re going to get rejected a lot, but eventually someone’s going to say yes. The difference is Holmes has the data to prove exactly how many calls it takes.
The TV Factor That Changes Everything
Here’s a stat that’ll make you rethink your entire marketing strategy: 87% of people will trust you more if they see your face on TV. Not Instagram. Not TikTok. Television.
While everyone’s chasing viral moments on social media, Holmes is getting his clients on actual television where trust and credibility are built. It’s the difference between being internet famous and being actually famous.
“TV is just one of those highest levels of the media game,” Holmes explains. “There’s scarcity to it. There’s only so many TV channels.”
Although with Roku adding new channels faster than New Yorkers can complain about subway delays, that’s changing too.
The Feedback Loop That’s About to Explode
Signal Raptor is about to launch to a bigger audience after 18 months of development. Holmes has been testing with his team and current subscribers, but he’s got 50 people from one organization ready to dive in.
“I’m excited about the feedback,” he admits. “This is something that we’ve been working on for 18 months.”
The man who used to handle life-or-death situations is nervous about software feedback. That’s how you know he’s serious about getting this right.
The Domain Name Drama
Even picking the name Signal Raptor was strategic. Holmes tested 20 different options with Heather’s audience. The winner? Message Brew actually beat Signal Raptor in the polls, but they stuck with Raptor because they were already calling it that internally.
Plus, as Holmes puts it: “Dinosaurs are cooler than coffee.”
Can’t argue with that logic, especially when you’re building something designed to eat the competition alive.
The Pricing Revolution That’s Got Agencies Panicking
Traditional PR agencies charge $10,000 to $50,000 monthly retainers because they can. They’ve convinced everyone that their relationships and experience justify premium pricing.
Holmes saw through this immediately. Most of what agencies provide can be systemized, automated, or taught. The 20% that requires real expertise can be delivered more efficiently with the right processes.
It’s like paying Manhattan rent for a studio apartment when you could get a penthouse in Brooklyn for half the price. Same results, better value, less pretension.
The Pack Mentality That Wins
Signal Raptor members aren’t just customers. They’re part of what Holmes calls “the pack.” It’s a community of entrepreneurs who understand that building authority requires consistent action, not perfect timing.
The compound effect is real. When entire communities focus on building authority together, individual members benefit from increased visibility, cross-referrals, and opportunities that money can’t buy.
The Military Precision That Delivers
Holmes brings operational discipline to an industry famous for vague promises and unclear deliverables. Risk mitigation? Built in. Process documentation? Standard procedure. Operational management? Core competency.
This isn’t creative agency fluff with mood boards and brand workshops. It’s business-building precision that treats authority development like a measurable, repeatable process.
The Future is Already Here
The media landscape is changing faster than New York real estate prices. Traditional gatekeepers are losing influence while niche authorities gain power. Podcasts compete with major networks. Independent creators outperform established brands.
Holmes isn’t just adapting to this trend. He’s ahead of it. Signal Raptor positions entrepreneurs to capture disproportionate value while their competition is still figuring out what happened.
Your Move, New York
Authority isn’t built in boardrooms or coffee shop meetings. It’s built through consistent action in the marketplace. The entrepreneurs who commit to this process over the next 12 months will own their markets.
The ones who don’t will be watching from the sidelines while others capture the attention and opportunities they could have claimed.
Stop waiting for the perfect moment. Start taking every opportunity that makes sense. The system is proven. The results are real. The only question is whether you’re ready to join the pack.
Ready to see what the hype is about? Check out https://signalraptor.com and discover how this Navy SEAL’s approach to PR could transform your business in the next 90 days. Fair warning: Your current agency probably won’t appreciate the comparison.
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Last modified: June 21, 2025
