Over the weekend I had a chance to reflect upon my Friday. As people often ask what a day looks like in running a PR agency, thought to write about it. Tiring, exhausting and great all at the same time.

Started early with a 530 AM job, bike and light lifting – followed by 8AM midtown breakfast with the premier US NY Russian attorney, Edward Mermelstein.  Ed’s a client and friend we have worked for many years – and always enjoy hearing his take on the world.

• Had a 930 AM strategy meeting with a client, followed instantly by a client conference call with my team
• Quick internal meeting followed by returning 2 calls – 1 new business call (scheduled a meeting for next week), and returned a call to a Reporter
• The afternoon saw a 30 minute break to return emails, catch my breath, and before I turned around it was time for a internal staff meeting with 1 of my teams
• Had a new business meeting end of day – and then more returning emails, calls to Mark Birnbaum of EMM Group about an upcoming event for a client, Elie Hirschfeld about a recent media story, and the like.

Its always something different – moving fast and making it happen.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Owning a Public Relations firm, 5WPR, stress is always a factor. Public Relations is a 24/7 business and 1 never knows what comes next.

Some tips which allow me to cope:

• Take pre-planned vacations (preferably in another time zone so you get free time before office hours start – as even a vacation for an executive cant mean completely tuning out)
• Exercise – Sweat always helps…
• As I said in a recent Men’s Health article:  Have music available where you can listen to music for a few minutes to rebalance – http://news.menshealth.com/cope-with-stress/2012/01/19/

Different executives have different ways to defrag – Real Estate mogul Elie Hirschfeld has his triathlons and the gym he loves – Sports Club/LA (East Side) – Doesn’t hurt that he owns the building. Read more about Elie Hirschfeld favorite places at:  http://mia.hauteliving.com/haute-secrets/?cat=All&market=New%20York&guideid=270

As Mark Birnbaum and Eugene Remm who run a nightclub and hospitality empire recently explained in GQ they box multiple times a week. Read more at:  http://www.gq.com/style/ten-essentials/201112/emm-group#ixzz1lSAIGMBt

Of course, those who don’t live in NYC have many different options – Michael Malik, a gaming mogul has boats which allow him to defrag – and of course we can all dream of having our own island ala Richard Branson.

Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR, and author of the recently released PR book “For Immediate Release”

One of the most exciting aspects of my business is the successful and interesting people we meet or come across – Some random thoughts:

• I run a lot – and have been contemplating training for a triathalon but wonder if I will have the time – until my client Real estate mogul Elie Hirschfeld reminds me that he’s done 75-plus triathlons in my lifetime, and at the age of 61 finished his last one in under 3 hours. I am just going to call him Inspiring Elie Hirschfeld.

• Mark Birnbaum & Eugene Remm whom Forbes refers to as “The New Kings of New York Nightlife” by Forbes- They seem to be in perpetual movement with success – expanding on their already fabulous empire, they have decided in the last few weeks to open Catch Miami, and a 18,000-square-foot restaurant on the Lower East Side.

• Michael Malik who never stops working and is a pioneer in the casino development industry, including big projects in California, Michigan, and New York. He has been  involved in bringing gaming to multiple communities, and continues to seek investment and development opportunities in the entertainment and gaming industry. Mr. Michael J. Malik is another one who’s always looking for more positive action.

• Interestingly, Sumitomo Corporation  closed on a joint venture deal that gives Unicharm a significant stake in the common share of The Hartz Mountain Corporation (Hartz), parent company who makes many pet products, including Hartz flea and Hartz flea & tick.

• NY Russian Real Estate Attorney Edward Mermelstein in Time Magazine this week discussing the fascinating London lawsuit between 2 oligarchs -  Boris Berezovsky and Roman Abramovich.  “This lawsuit is a public relations nightmare for Putin and his country,” says Edward Mermelstein, an international lawyer and an authority on commercial deals in Russia and Ukraine. “The financial aspect is not as material here as is the press that is being generated. It puts all of the Russian government and its business people in a bad light.” Read more: http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2012/01/20/londons-six-billion-dollar-trial-how-boris-berezovsky-has-already-triumphed/#ixzz1kEkGlTXz

Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR, and author of the recently released PR book “For Immediate Release”.

Here are some thoughts I have at the start of this Friday, the end of a long week at this NYC based Public Relations agency:

·        NYC just isn’t the way it used to be. The city doesn’t exude the same energy. The once crowded streets are seemingly empty in comparison to just a few years ago.  Even 2 weeks post 9/11, it was more vibrant. But, this recession has taken a toll on people. I hope it will return back to its original grandeur one day, but it has a long way to go.

·        The media business continues to evolve and change. The number of reporters being fired and laid-off means traditional media is even harder for public relations professionals to secure.  Now more than ever, my staff spends more time targeting the appropriate journalists and media outlets. Regardless, my firm continues to succeed in obtaining results for our clients. We work harder and take more chances to ensure this success.

I am an avid reader and often have 3 half-finished books laying around the house.  This weekend, my plan is to finish, “Crazy and In Charge: The Autobiography of Abe Hirschfeld”, a gift from my client and friend, Elie Hirschfeld.  It is an enjoyable read that I highly recommend it to anyone in PR, promotions and marketing.

Like many other small business owners, we are more conservative in how we run 5WPR this year. As such, we don’t have the same amount of time to spend chasing RFP’s or new business leads as we used to.  We are hired for our focus, creativity and results. I was amazed to read of Sir Martin Sorrell’s comments regarding a recent “36,000 page RFP.”  http://www.marketingdirectmag.co.uk/news/944614/Sir-Martin-Sorrell-free-agency-pitches-wont-cease/

It’s simply amazing. We compete against agencies that spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to win business and we simply can’t and don’t do that.  We do amazing work, but as I have now learned, winning the business and servicing the business are 2 distinct things.

I will close with a great line that a friend, who is a lawyer and also in the service industry, told me yesterday about a prospective client he turned down.  “The worst clients are those who know the cost of everything, and the value of nothing.” We don’t want to be the lowest price Public Relations agency, and we aren’t.  PR firms price all over the board, but those of us who do great work, charge for it.

Happy Friday!

Ronn Torossian