She studied Communications at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, earned an A+ in writing for public relations at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in the United States, and ultimately found her place at nxt. This is the story of Isa van Schaik (26).
Isa believes that people are always evolving and that standing still is not an option. For her, keeping connected is about building genuine relationships, spotting opportunities, and opening yourself up to the people around you. Thinking outside the box defines her, which goes hand in hand with trying new things and thinking just a little differently than everyone else.
Interest in marketing and public relations
During her Communications studies, Isa quickly discovered she had a talent for making connections within PR. She found it fascinating how you can reframe a problem into something that works for both an organization and society. In 2022, she headed to the United States for her studies, where she took courses like Media & Democracy and Ethics of Advocacy at the renowned S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. That was where she took her first steps in the field. She learned the theory, wrote her first press release, and gained insight into everything PR entails, from crafting a message to executing a press conference. Among a group of Americans, she was the only Dutch student, and she finished best in class with an A+. That was the moment she knew she could really do this.
Her interest in marketing began during a project for a luxury car brand at university. The assignment was to develop a communication piece that would make an expensive car appealing to young people struggling with financial issues, debt, and bad luck. At first, the message felt a bit unnatural, but by conducting research and cleverly segmenting the target audience, she found an angle that worked. It became a project she looks back on with pride, because she learned how to strike the right chord with a challenging target audience and, in doing so, convince herself.
During her internship at the NPO, she realized how important it is to tell a story. No matter how large the budget, without a good story, a message remains empty. At the NPO, she worked on corporate and internal communications, handling newsletters, internal campaigns, and press support during events such as the Glazenhuis and the Top2000. Her interest in PR grew further there.
After her internship, Isa worked for a year at a PR agency. There, she learned the basics of the profession, such as working with different clients, compiling media lists, and supporting PR processes. She also continued to develop her marketing skills, earning multiple certificates in digital marketing and SEO. During that period, she laid the foundation for her role as a PR professional.
When Isa arrived at nxt agency, she knew immediately that she was in the right place. She describes nxt as an agency with young energy, drive, and a desire to continuously improve. That curious, forward-thinking mentality is exactly what she was looking for. She especially values the freedom to provide her own input and the personal way of collaborating within the team. According to her, that makes the internal communication strong and increases the quality of the work.
What Isa finds most distinctive about nxt agency is the data-driven approach to PR. The agency excels at creating news based on data, which makes stories both credible and relevant. Instead of just reacting to what is already trending in the media, as with traditional newsjacking, nxt starts with its own research. By collecting data and developing a clever angle, the agency creates the very news that media outlets want to cover.
According to Isa, this method ensures that nxt establishes a clear thought leadership position. The agency works proactively rather than reactively, meaning clients aren't dependent on the news cycle of the day, but can instead claim topics that align with their expertise. And that is exactly what makes nxt agency unique in the PR field.
Isa translates nxt’s mission for clients by constantly looking for new ways to get organizations into the news. She does this by proactively developing ideas and stimulating thought leadership with news that she and her team create themselves. At the same time, she believes it is important to react at the right moment and to know exactly what is happening in the news. According to her, that is an essential part of good PR.
She also brings that nxt generation energy by putting her personality and creativity fully into her work. In doing so, she constantly asks herself if things could be done differently. Whether a message can be shaped in a unique way and whether an organization can stand out by thinking outside the box. “A little friction is sometimes desirable,” she says. She incorporates that way of thinking into her advice to clients.
Precisely because she dares to innovate and looks beyond the standard approach, Isa is a perfect match for nxt.
For the future, Isa wants to further develop her marketing skills. She wants to work on a strong strategy and positioning to help nxt agency reach its full potential. Within PR, she has the ambition to make her clients visible in major media, particularly on TV and radio. She wants to achieve this by staying even better informed about current events and by maintaining her open and attentive attitude toward clients. In doing so, she aims to keep growing while delivering the best results for her clients.
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