Entrepreneur Series: Charlotte Gentry, Founder and CEO of Pure Communications Group

August 18, 2025

Charlotte Gentry is the CEO & founder of Pure Communications Group, a dynamic PR and events agency known for its bold creativity and human-led storytelling. With over two decades of industry experience, Charlotte has navigated global crises, redefined business models, and, most recently completed a successful sale of Pure through Bluebox. In this conversation, Charlotte reflects on her entrepreneurial journey — from starting up, scaling through uncertainty, to preparing for and executing a business exit.

 

Let’s start at the beginning, what inspired you to launch Pure Communications, and what was your vision when you started out?

I started the business having left a previous business relationship and knew that I could build an agency which was highly successful.  I wanted to create excellence in the market delivering global events.

 

You’ve built Pure into a respected and successful agency. What would you say were some of the most defining moments of that journey?

Winning Red Bull’s overseas conference after 3 months of incorporation of the business and then producing a corporate festival for 1000 people in 2015 for a management consultancy.

 

You recently completed the sale of Pure through Bluebox. What made you decide the time was right to sell?

Pure is at the top of its journey at the moment which makes it the perfect time to sell. I believe that MCI can take Pure to the next level and with a global footprint there are no limits to what we can do.

 

Why did you choose Bluebox to support the sale process, and how did you find working with us?

The experience of working with Bluebox was a really impressive one, the knowledge that they have of the process was very strong and for someone who hadn’t been through this before, they guided me all the way through the experience.

 

Many founders say selling their business is as emotional as it is strategic. What was the experience like for you personally?

It has been challenging emotionally and has taken me a while to get my head around what I have done and achieved.  However, I know that I have made the right decision to do this, and I couldn’t have achieved this without Bluebox.

 

Were there any surprises during the sales process, or anything you wish you’d known before starting it?

Yes quite a few, such as being negotiated into a ‘lock box’ scenario where any costs attributed to me for the last 6 months were deducted.  However, even if I had known the implications of this, I’m not sure that the outcome would have been any different.

 

What advice would you give to other business owners who are considering an exit in the next few years?

Realise that the process takes longer than you ever think it will and that most buyers will try to mitigate the cash output as much as they can.  The marketing sector especially is hard to sell in, and you need to take yourself out of the running of the business so that the business isn’t reliant on you to accelerate growth.

 

You’ve led Pure through major global events — how did those experiences prepare you for the decision to sell or shape how you thought about value and resilience?

Wow! What a question, having been through the financial crash of 2007 and Covid and survived both, I knew that I didn’t want to experience another recession, and that’s why I decided to sell at the top of our market value.  I was a 100% shareholder and its lonely at the top especially in the face of adversity so I knew that I didn’t want to go through it all again.

 

You’ve also launched a med-tech venture in recent years. Has selling Pure changed how you think about future ventures or how you want to build businesses going forward?

Yes possibly, but it has now given me the space to scale the med-tech business, and know that I need to prepare for sale at least 2 years out. The business I have now is very different to an events business, so its all a journey and a learning curve.

 

Looking back, what achievement with Pure are you most proud of — and what do you hope the legacy of the brand will be?

Without a doubt building what I believe to be the best team in the industry. They are amazing, they will always be my family even post sale and I care about their well being very much.

 

Quick Fire Questions

  1. What’s at the top of your bucket list? Sailing around Croatia next Summer
  2. If you could instantly acquire one new skill, what would it be? Be better at shooting and golf
  3. Where’s your favourite place you’ve ever visited? Kamalame Cay on Andros
  4. If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would it be and why? David Bowie…just because he’s a legend, led an interesting life and I’m a huge fan!
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