I’m the reason my startup is successful

Make yourself Head of Communications and ask for a raise.

Ask for a raise absolutely but I wouldn't say this is exec level from what you've shared

You sound like you're really full of yourself. I'd learn a little bit of humility.

LOL it had nothing to do with the product right? You mean you did your job well? Ok, good for you. Ask for a raise or leave the company, but if you keep simmering in your hubris, you'll become bitter.

While it sounds like you did a good job growing your community and getting media coverage, I would say the product must be somehow good for it to get so much attention. So first, I wouldn't call myself the exclusive reason the startup I work at is a success if I were you, because it looks like there was some team work involved and you are totally dismissing it. Second of all, getting attention from the media will only do so much. Of course, it can bring in thousands of visitors, but if the product is shit, the pricing is not right, customer support sucks, the technology is bad, or a million other things don't work, then all you will get is a gazillion one time visitors who will never use your product, service or whatever ever ever ever again. So, again, not just you.

I completely agree that PR firms are full of crap, and I would never hire one. I think that after HR firms, they are the worse shit in the world. Yet, if I had an employee who came to me with your attitude and told me I should promote and not hire a PR firm, I wouldn't take you seriously. You should be more humble my man. You should be more respectful of your teammate's efforts. And remember, even if you objectively think you deserve a statue, you should never say it.

Finally, as a founder, I can tell you that when you come up with an idea, you spend hours and hours building a company from it, when you take a LOT of risks, and make personal sacrifices to make it happen, you don't exactly appreciate when an ex intern with an attitude tells everybody he's the reason the company succeeded. It's like, fuck you man, I worked my ass off, and put myself on the line to make this happen, for you to come and tell me I should thank you and make king of the universe... You should be grateful they haven't let you go.

I'll give you a raise if you can get us that press

So you single handedly did all that for the company. Wow they just sat in their assets while you build their business for them. Nice why don't you quit that job and start your own startup and see if you the same success. Who knows maybe you should be the ceo of your company.

Leave and go somewhere where you'll be valued.

Ask for a raise and some stock, tell them you don't give a shit about title, you just feel undervalued based on current contributions. Founders respect people with vision for the company long term, even if you weren't there at birth, you're still an early team member. If they don't want t compensate you based on your success, go ask for the same offer from a competitor and cite your success - and then hit up all of your contacts in the press to tell them about the "better" company you jumped ship for.

No, you didn't. If the product was crap, all the PR in the world wouldn't have helped. The product is what made the company successful.