Erin Cheng

Erin Cheng.

VP, Communications & Content · Vanta

Comms leader with 15 years of experience in creating and executing cross-channel internal and external corporate marketing programs, including executive thought leadership, business momentum, product and category innovation, third-party and influencer validation, and next-gen technology. Deep experience in B2B and B2C with a reputation for prioritizing cross-functional collaboration aligned with business objectives.

Guest

Erin Cheng

VP, Communications & Content

Company:

Vanta

Location:

San Francisco, California, United States

Funding:

$503M Raised

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In this episode, Erin Cheng, VP of Communications & Content at Vanta, breaks down why Vanta killed the traditional comms and content playbook, how the team orchestrated multi-channel coverage for their Series D without going exclusive, and why most founders are still approaching media relations like it's 2014.

Topics Discussed:

The Wall Street Journal moment and what it revealed about B2B comms
Why funding announcements still matter (if you do them right)
The relationship-building meetings that actually work
What kills trust with reporters (and what builds it)
Why media training is backfiring on founders
Owning your distribution when earned media isn't guaranteed
The candidate profile that doesn't exist yet

Five takeaways from this conversation.

Actionable for undefined marketers

Transparency with reporters is non-negotiable
Erin built 15 years of trust by being crystal clear about embargo terms, explaining why she won't do exclusives, and having honest conversations about editorial guidelines. She asks reporters point-blank: "What does exclusive mean to you? 10 minutes early or several hours?" Honoring those commitments—and being upfront when you can't—keeps relationships intact for the long term.
Media relations can't be an on-off switch
Hiring a PR agency for three months around a funding round doesn't work. Erin advises bringing on a consultant or contractor early to extract the narrative and build relationships over time. The founders who succeed are the ones who commit to relationship-building meetings with reporters even when there's no immediate coverage opportunity—because those lunches pay off when it's time for a big announcement.
Comms people must become business experts, not just media gatekeepers
Ten years ago, you could say "that's not my side of the house" when asked about growth marketing or paid media. Now, understanding customer priorities, business goals, and where media intersects with them is table stakes. Erin's pitch to founders isn't "trust me, this reporter matters"—it's "here's how this conversation aligns with our customer acquisition strategy and market positioning."
The bar for product launch coverage is astronomically higher than it used to be
Product-focused tech reporters have disappeared. Founders need to hear this directly: just because you spent a year building something doesn't mean anyone outside your company cares. Erin sets this expectation early and shifts focus to owned storytelling—social, video, founder voices—with media as an amplifier, not the primary goal.
Stop over-training your founders
Audiences are gravitating toward authentic founder voices on LinkedIn and podcasts like TVPN because they're tired of rehearsed, PR'd personas. If your founder is one person on social and a completely different personality on Bloomberg, that dissonance kills trust. Protect the founder's authentic voice instead of polishing it away—even if that means they stumble occasionally.

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