The Austin-based PR and brand marketing agency is recognized for its people-first culture and commitment to building a team where great work and a great workplace go hand in hand.
AUSTIN, Texas, June 2, 2026 — Zilker Media, an award-winning public relations and brand marketing agency, today announced it has been named to Inc.’s 2026 Best Workplaces List. The recognition reflects the firm’s ongoing investment in the people who power its mission: building trusted leaders and companies in an increasingly AI-driven world.
The Inc. Best Workplaces honor is awarded following a rigorous evaluation process that includes an employee survey conducted by Quantum Workplace and an independent audit of company benefits. Zilker Media joins 507 companies recognized this year for setting the standard for workplace culture across the country.
“We have always believed that people are the most powerful strategy available, and that conviction does not stop at our client work,” said Paige Velasquez Budde, Co-founder and CEO of Zilker Media. “It shapes how we hire, how we lead, and how we show up for each other every day. Being recognized for our workplace culture is a meaningful reminder that the same trust we help our clients build externally has to start internally first.”
Founded in 2017, Zilker Media has spent nearly a decade helping executives, entrepreneurs, and mission-driven companies build the kind of credibility that compounds over time. Through earned media, thought leadership, executive brand strategy, and its AI Discoverability Ecosystem, the firm equips leaders to become visible and trusted across both traditional and AI-driven platforms. Its culture is an extension of that philosophy: credibility is built through consistency, trust is earned through authenticity, and the best work comes from people who feel supported to do it.
The recognition adds to a strong run of recent honors for Zilker Media and its leadership. Paige Velasquez Budde has been named the Austin Chamber of Commerce 2025 Austin Executive of the Year, the Austin Business Journal 2025 Best CEO, the Greater Austin Business Awards Executive Leader of the Year, and an Austin Business Journal Women in Business Award honoree. In 2026, Senior Strategist Saxonee Arreaga was named a 2026 PRNEWS Top Women in PR & Communications honoree, reflecting the team-wide talent Zilker Media has intentionally developed and retained. In 2026, the Zilker Media team is also being recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Austin Business Journal.
“This year’s Best Workplaces list goes beyond great company culture; it highlights companies making meaningful and sustained investment in their employees,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “Even in a labor market that favors employers, these companies understand that an intentional and authentic commitment to their teams drives stronger employee retention, engagement, and ultimately, a stronger business overall.”
To view the full list of Austin-area winners, visit www.inc.com/victoria-salves/austin-best-workplaces-2026/91346006.