Courtney Ellett

Whose job is it anyway?

We’ve all been there. Whether in a supermarket, hotel, airline ticket desk, restaurant or on a company helpline, we as customers experience countless opportunities every day for good service. Yes, good service. There are so many ways for a company to meet expectations or even – gasp! –…

Avoid these résumé sins

PR agency owners and hiring managers get a healthy amount of résumés each month. I probably receive at least 20. Long ago, I promised myself (when I was the eager beaver sending out that résumé in hopes of a reply) that I would read each and every one…

Fighting over the Brussels Sprouts

Last Thanksgiving, which is by far my favorite meal of the year, my mom passed around Brussels sprouts to the family. Quietly alarmed by this newcomer to our holiday table, I immediately said “no” like a picky child – I just don’t like Brussels sprouts. I was then…

Beware the scare (tactics, that is)

My 13-year-old called me around 4 p.m. awhile back in absolute hysterics. She was crying so furiously that I couldn’t understand her. My heart sank, and the worst possible things were flooding my mind. After my brain started working again, I asked her to slow down (PLEASE!) and…

Marissa Mayer and Vogue – appropriate or not?

Marissa Mayer made headlines last week when announcements came about her sexy Vogue photo spread and article. Across the PR industry, experts were weighing in, and at Obsidian, opinions vary. Today and tomorrow, we’ll share two opposing viewpoints from our firm. The first comes from Courtney Ellett, owner…

Life is like a country song

A while back, I was in my car on the way home when one of my favorite country songs came on the radio. I’m not exactly sure why, but as I listened and shamelessly sang aloud, I thought: “I know everyone doesn’t appreciate this song like I do.…

Are you easy? (To do business with, that is.)

I often have chats with my parents about my line of business, among other things. And it never fails that my father, a retired executive with a Fortune 100 company, wraps up the easy-going conversation with a golden nugget of wisdom to signal that the conversation is coming…

Which comes first?

I was ironing the kids’ school clothes recently and had Casino Royale on in the background. Usually, I tune out commercials pretty well, but all of a sudden, I heard one that heartily touted a company’s two-hour service window. No, it was more than that. The entire commercial…