Whether an entrepreneur has hired a PR firm or communications director or they are attempting to do public relations on their own, there are a few key mistakes that they make time and again, preventing them from ever getting covered and their publicist or communication director from doing the job they are paid for. Despite protests from the people who work for them, many entrepreneurs simply insist on doing things their own way, thereby getting in their own way. Here are five big mistakes they can make: 1. Attempting to treat reporters, editors and producers like staff. Many entrepreneurs expect to be able to make the same demands on the media that they do on their staff, from how many links to their website they feel should be included to trying to control the interview questions. It is important for entrepreneurs to keep in mind that the media is doing them a favor, not the other way around. Related: Are You Ready for a PR Firm?[1] Do not ask for questions in advance (know your topic), advise them on which questions they may and may not ask you or commit any of the other myriad of sins that entrepreneurs make when they confuse being controlling with controlling the message. 2. Attempting to delegate their interviews and guest pieces to junior staff. Many entrepreneurs read The 4-Hour Workweek and take it too much to heart. While being able to delegate tasks to subordinates is an important part of scaling one’s business, and Mr. Ferriss’s advice is both insightful and inspirational, delegating has no place in public relations. From small podcasts to large publications, the majority of media outlets want to hear from the head honcho. It is, for example, completely inappropriate to send anyone but the CEO to an interview meant…

Entrepreneurs and small-business advocates had hoped the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act[1], which President Obama signed into law in April 2012, would be a boon for startups needing financing. But with the Securities and Exchange Commission still hammering out the rules on equity crowdfunding--the proposed initial regulations were too costly and cumbersome for many small startups--the law hasn't exactly ignited a bonanza of new businesses. Two years later, here's our progress report. The good news: Title II of the JOBS Act went into effect in September 2013, allowing private companies to publicly advertise that they're raising capital. This general solicitation rule has greatly benefited 'treps seeking accredited investors; no longer must they keep mum in public forums about their fundraising efforts for fear of breaking securities laws. "Title II seems to be working," says Chris Tyrrell, chair of advocacy group Crowdfund Intermediary Regulatory Advocates, founded after the signing of the JOBS Act. "In the first seven months of operation, over $100 billion in private offerings used some part of Title II." That's not to say startups are buying billboards or magazine ads to publicize their fundraising efforts. But social media platforms--Twitter and LinkedIn in particular--have become breeding grounds for startups announcing their offerings, says Sara Hanks, CEO and founder of CrowdCheck[2], a due-diligence service for crowdfunding[3] and other online alternative investments. Another cause for celebration is the skyrocketing growth of rewards-based crowdfunding, which surely received a boost from all the publicity surrounding the JOBS Act, Tyrrell says. In 2013 alone, crowdfunding platforms raised $5.1 billion, according to crowdfunding site Fundable. The bad news: Startups, brokers and crowdfunding platforms remain frustrated by excessive red tape and compliance costs for small businesses that wish to raise cash from the crowd--specifically, up to $1 million a year from unaccredited investors[4]. For example,…