One of the hardest parts about managing a PR agency is inspiring employees to do their best all of the time, to be uber-focused and motivated.  It’s also about ensuring your mindset is in the right place.  As a father, and a kid at heart, when my child goes to school I want to be sure she’s excited and ready to do her best.  The biggest part of “winning” is being in the right mindset.  As a parent, I need to do my best to focus my child and excite her.  On the first day of school, kids are always excited, but how can one emulate that mindset so every day retains that?

I wish every day at work could be like the “first day of school.”  I work to maintain my focus by listening to music every single day as I walk into the building.  I choose different music depending on my mood and the tasks at hand.

Lately? “Mr. Carter” by Lil Wayne’ and “Put On” by Young Jeezy (a 5WPR client) – both about working hard and being focused.  And always, “I Did it My Way” – the Frank Sinatra or Jay Z version depending on the day – about learning to be comfortable with what you do and learning to live in your own skin.   And frankly, in the spirit of this post and the economy, “My 1st Song” by Jay Z, which for me is also about always being focused and treating every day like it’s the first (or last).

If you can always maintain that level of intensity, there’s no losing.  For me, music is an integral part of getting my head in the right place.  Just like the first day of school – focused.

Ronn Torossian
5W PR

These past few weeks have been tremendously busy. Case in point: I ate my breakfast at 5:30 p.m. twice in the last week. These are trying times as an entrepreneur, and they require more focus than ever before. Demands on one’s time and on every penny a PR firm charges a client for results require PR professionals to be even more attentive than usual.

As a business owner, I’ve learned — and now understand more than ever before — how easy it is to criticize. (As my closest friend constantly says, “The boss is always an asshole.”) The longer I am in business, the more apparent that is.  I have always been a person who believes one’s energy and aura influences them, which is why a few fellow under-40 entrepreneurs and I have been rotating offices for dinner once a week (Monday night till after midnight) to review business planning, concepts, ideas, and of course, due to this environment, problems. Sharing with people who understand management as entrepreneurs as well as those who strive for more and refuse to lose are people I need to be surrounded by. Business 101 tells us to always surround yourself with people whom you enjoy and respect.

Separately, as a PR professional, I’ve seen the media so consumed by the economy and the election that it has forced all PR professionals to — at the very least — do their best to adapt their pitches to an environment that has little space for anything other than the most pressing news. There are many new angles to consider and focus on, and as the media landscape continues to rapidly change, the challenge as a PR agency is to stay ahead of the curve.

Last, as my assistant noted earlier today, my blog would be so much more fun if I wrote down more details regarding my day, but secrets can’t be told. That said, here are a few highlights of a whirlwind day:

-Started the day by dining at a NYC power breakfast location with someone who is sure to be a major behind-the-scenes power player if a certain someone is elected president. (He required a face-to-face discussion rather than a conversation on the phone.)

-Rushed to a meeting on the Upper East Side with a client to discuss a revolutionary product he created.

-Met with one of the richest people in the world. (This was my second meeting in 10 days with a person on the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans.)

-Was called to my rabbi’s office for a meeting with a business contact he promised to introduce me to.

-Finally reached the office at 2:30 p.m. or so and dealt with many different issues.

But, to write more specifics than this is the difference between a philosopher and someone who owns a business. Or perhaps it’s the difference between the bush leagues and the big leagues: That distinction is apparent when working extra hours during times such as these.  It’s always fun…but it’s tiring and challenging.

PR is a great business.

Ronn Torossian

5W PR

I had a great discussion with a client (Sakiya Sandifer) today regarding the challenges of being an entrepreneur.  He described entrepreneurs as being much like ducks.  Ducks appear to be floating smoothly and easily across the water at all times, when in reality, underneath the water their legs are constantly kicking, flapping and fighting to keep moving.

As an entrepreneur, one must always appear to be gliding along.  But often, entrepreneurs are pushed and pulled in many different directions.  Being an entrepreneur is very very difficult work, all the time, no matter the perception.

Ronn Torossian

5W PR

 Just a “quick tip” I gleaned from New York real estate maven extraordinaire Barbara Corcoran, from her book Use What You’ve Got… 

When on the phone – an important call – physically stand up when talking.  It makes you more confident, assertive and instantly gives you power over the person on the other end (Assuming the other person is sitting). I started using it today.  It works and is something I instantly adopted and took a liking to. In the PR agency business, we spend a ton of time on the phone.  Why not use it more to our advantage?

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

A friend and former colleague forwards a daily thought that I thought this AM on many fronts was apt to post to my blog and a good start to the week:

“You are stronger than anything standing in your way. Because you have a purpose that cannot be denied.  Often that purpose is difficult and inconvenient to follow. Yet it is never impossible to follow. There is always a way. If the path you’re on is blocked, look for another route, because it is surely there. You can be flexible, innovative, determined and persistent. You can imagine any possibility, and then work to make that possibility real. Every moment, every circumstance, every turn of events presents you with an opportunity to act. Take those opportunities, make those actions come to life, and express the purpose that is uniquely you. Step up and embrace the responsibility for moving your life forward. Whatever may come, there is always a way.” Ralph Marston

Ronn Torossian

5W PR

What a day today was…

It started at 8 a.m. in the 5W PR conference room with a presentation to clients, new business prospects and staff by Hank Sheinkopf.  Hank is a friend and renowned political consultant, who touches major political and business leaders on a daily basis.  I really enjoyed his smart, focused and inspiring perspective on this election and the economy, filled pithy truths like, “This, and most American elections boil down to 500,000 white men in a few states.”  Another take-away I enjoyed was, “Truth in politics doesn’t matter – Victory does.”

One of my favorite parts about owning a successful public relations agency is my ability to interact with people like Hank, who are so well-connected to top segments of business, politics and the like.  To hear Hank tell war stories about political battle is simply amazing and interesting on many different fronts.  He discussed getting a call from then New Jersey Governor Mcgreevey at 8 a.m. regarding his scandal and sitting in the Governor’s mansion and (amazingly) being asked, “Do you think this will be big news?”  Simply amazing and interesting on many different fronts.

After Hank’s talk, I ran to a 10 a.m. meeting with a major client with whom we maintain a very close relationship. We talked about some fun and interesting campaigns they are working on.  Afterward, I reinforced to my staff that during tight times it’s imperative to over-communicate daily activities, pulling out our most creative (cost effective) ideas/pitches and educating clients about our service each and every day.

My noon meeting was a roundtable networking lunch of 25 hand-picked entrepreneurs, from technology to corporate concerns, nightlife conglomerates to non-profit leaders.  Just 25 individuals sitting around the table discussing business (although, of course, the conversation morphed to the economy and politics).

Then, it was back to my office for weekly round-up meetings with my direct reports.  I always want to know first, the worst thing going on in each group. (Is there an employee problem? Client surprise? Top line and bottom line.)

Really a nutty and busy day.  But times like today are always inspiring as an entrepreneur.  I believe the ability to determine one’s future exists for all people.  But successful people just have that something extra

I received an email from a Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi at the end of the day with a quote I enjoyed, and wanted to pass it along. The Chabad Rabbi of blessed memory in difficult times would continuously quote the saying, “Tracht Gut Vet Zayn Gut – Think positive and it will be positive!”

… .and it’s funny: as I read the quote, I passed by a huge Jay-Z banner which said, “Refuse to Lose.” Which for me, is essentially the same message.

To me, at times such as these, anyone who isn’t concerned about the economy lives on Mars.  It’s a tough time, and it requires extra focus.  But successful people dig down further, work harder and make it happen.  As we lead into the weekend, I will end with another quote which I have used before, by Roger Ailes (Fox News): “If you run into people who are negative and always telling you that the cat got run over, and you couldn’t get the car started, and you’ve got a cold, the suits are idiots and life isn’t fair, you know, you need to get away from those people because they will suck you under and hold you down and drown you.”

Just Do It.  Refuse to Lose.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Whenever there’s an action, there’s a reaction, and the media reacted to Black Sunday from every angle.  PRWeek summed up some of the different coverage.

Whenever a significant (or even not-so-significant) event happens, there are countless ways the media can approach the issue, and hence, many angles good PR firms can capitalize on for their clients.  We often talk about pro-active media campaigns versus reactive media campaigns.  There’s of course incredible value in pre-planned outreach, but rapid response to hot issues in the media is also essential.  Yesterday was one of those quickfire, reactive days.

The streets of NYC are oddly quiet today, and they really shouldn’t be.  The week after Labor Day is supposed to be back-to-work, nose-to-the-grind time.  The gym this morning, my favorite midtown restaurant, Starbucks, the midtown streets – all are eerily quiet.  I’m not the only who’s noticed.  Two clients also mentioned the silence that’s befallen the city, which makes me think it must be true.

My two cents?  Work hard.  Hard work can’t be replaced.  Keep focused and keep pushing.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Every day this week, I walked one block south of our offices to the tents at Bryant Park. Out on the street in front of the Fashion Week tents, lights were flashing and people were gawking. But while some were there for the fashion, I was there to people watch. As a marketer, I’m always inspired by the creative street theater and guerrilla marketing events saturating the Bryant Park sidewalk during Fashion Week. People watching allows me to see trends and make observations first hand. Reading a media report is a far cry from the palpable excitement on the street.

This morning, for instance, I encountered a few cross dressers promoting the Janice Dickinson show swarmed by photographers and a crowd of people. It’s a great example of a low cost, high impact way to capture influencers.

While I won’t reveal here the many successful stunts 5WPR executed for Fashion Week, I can say that street theater and guerrilla marketing are amazing ways for brands to capture mind share and media share at huge events, without incurring huge costs.

If you’re open to big ideas and have a entrepreneurial mindset, you can always find a way to incorporate your brand into the mecca of huge events, without having to pay the multimillion dollar price tag. Whether Fashion Week, The Superbowl or Sundance, 5W PR always finds creative ideas and angles to enter the media landscape, permeate the discussion and penetrate the tastemakers who attend. Brands need to seek creative, winning concepts… and winning sometimes means being outside rather than inside the box. Those who take the biggest risks with their brand often reap the biggest rewards. And by far the most attention.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

I came across a great quote today while doing some reading: “Marketing after all is really theater. It’s like staging a performance. The way to motivate people is to get them interested in your product, to entertain them, and to turn your product into an incredibly interesting event,” said John Sculley, former president of Pepsi and former CEO of Apple.
 
It’s a very insightful quote for many reasons. Truth be told, although very few brands allocate the sorts of budgets that Sculley had access to, marketing is theater in many ways. As we come up with pitches, guerilla marketing events, and other tactics for all kinds of companies, we realize if we can elicit laughter or positive emotions from reporters or consumers, we are more likely to get coverage — positive coverage.
 
Ronn Torossian
5WPR

Had a fascinating discussion with a tremendously successful young entrepreneur yesterday for whom I hold deep respect.  He spoke to me about the very important need to effectively manage one’s eighteen waking hours (on average I sleep 5-6 hours).  Long story short, he spoke of making me 20% more effective if I let him oversee my schedule for 60 days, and I plan to let him do so.  While I have long believed the more hours I work, the more successful we become, as responsibilities increase it’s about being more effective during the hours that we work.

Here are some keys he suggested to me, which he claimed would add hours of effectiveness per week:

 ·        Bring clothes to the gym so you don’t need to commute home  

 ·        Rather than reading the paper at home before you leave, read in the car or subway (once you are at your desk, your odds of down time is lowered)

 ·        Schedule as many meetings as possible in your own office (minimizing travel time)

 ·        Schedule open hours with staff during a set time every day (rather than coming and going all day, you can simply schedule back to back to back)

There were many deeper ones than this which I don’t want to share… but time, especially in the service business, is all we have… and maximizing one’s time is key.

Ronn Torossian

5W PR