Barrier Breakers CEO Sydney Montgomery
Turning founder ambition into Forbes 30 Under 30 recognition
What we did
Founder Positioning & Narrative Development
Thought Leadership & Commentary Strategy
Media Relations
Tier-1 business and leadership press
Awards & Recognition Strategy
Forbes 30 Under 30
Speaking & Platform Development
Including TEDx
The right visibility doesn’t just raise awareness. It creates momentum. With a clear story in the right places, recognition starts to follow.
OUR WORK BY THE NUMBERS
Forbes 30 Under 30 (Social Impact)
Tier-1
Multiple tier-1 media features across business and leadership outlets
235K+
TEDx talk views
Replay
OVERVIEW
Princeton and Harvard Law graduate Sydney Montgomery founded Barrier Breakers, a non-profit dedicated to increasing access to and success in higher education for first-generation and minority students.
With thousands of student success stories behind her and a growing platform, Sydney was looking to expand the organisation’s reach, attract new supporters, and elevate her profile as a leading voice in education and social impact.
She had also set herself an ambitious personal goal: earning a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
THE CHALLENGE
Recognition was the objective, but sustained visibility was the path to getting there.
Sydney had a powerful story, deep expertise, and a mission that resonated widely. The challenge was ensuring those strengths showed up consistently in the right places and connected to larger national conversations around education, opportunity, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
The goal was to build the kind of profile that creates momentum, opens the right doors, and ultimately makes major recognition opportunities such as Forbes 30 Under 30 achievable.
In the press
OUR SOLUTION
We built a rolling storytelling approach designed to take full advantage of Sydney’s deep and unique educational and entrepreneurial expertise, connecting her personal story to national and international conversations that were timely and capturing tier-one attention.
We built momentum through deep, consistent news analysis and targeting of high-impact, high-credibility media for Sydney to speak on topics where she had clear authority.
THE RESULTS
- Secured consistent tier-one coverage across Forbes, Inc., CNBC, Fast Company, and CTV News
- Built a consistent presence across interviews, commentary, and bylines
- Delivered a focused awards strategy aligned to Forbes 30 Under 30
- Expanded visibility into speaking platforms, including a TEDx talk
OUR WORK BY THE NUMBERS
Forbes 30 Under 30 (Social Impact)
Tier-1
Multiple features across business and leadership outlets
235K+
TEDx talk views
TESTIMONIALS
“ SJS PR has been an unparalleled partner. From my first edtech startup to transforming it into a nonprofit, SJS has been more than a PR company. Their relentless effort played a pivotal role in realizing my dream of making the Forbes 30 Under 30 List and amplifying our mission. Their dedication is a blessing that I’m profoundly grateful for. ”
SYDNEY MONTGOMERY · FOUNDER & CEO, BARRIER BREAKERS · FORBES 30 UNDER 30
“ Sydney didn’t need our help being incredibly smart, well informed and articulate, she needed the right platforms to be able to amplify those qualities. Once her perspective started showing up consistently in the right places, opportunities like the Forbes 30 Under 30 recognition followed quite naturally. ”
Kate Ross, Senior Account Manager, SJS
