Business

How to Quit Quitting

I have a secret; I’m a reformed quitter.    Growing up, I was one of those kids who would quit the game once it was obvious I was going to lose. I quit taking piano lessons the minute my mom gave me permission. (After seven years of forced…

Cultural Considerations

America is a melting pot. Or is it? I’ve also heard it described as a salad bowl, because all of the unique things that make up this country still manage to retain a flavor of their own, much like nuts, cheese or fruit does on a salad. Think…

Balancing Act

I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen this headline used in news stories promoting fabulous circus shows, like Cirque du Soleil, referring to the seemingly impossible feats some of the performers are able to do – be it the balancing of an amazing number of people in a human…

Habits of Strategic Thinkers

Recently, I had a conversation with a coworker about my personal business goals and what comes next after “intern life.” As I am extremely new to the PR world, this discussion got me thinking about not only what I want for myself in the industry, but also about…

Don’t Sell Yourself Short, Literally

I recently posed the question to the Obsidian team about what exactly I can and can’t do when it comes to offering help and advice to friends, small business owners and organizations I’m involved in personally, in regards to my noncompete agreement with our firm. Like most people…

Help Us Help You

As PR people, we want to help our clients. Our job depends on it. If we do not make our clients happy, then it is simple -- we lose those clients. This is great motivation in itself for a PR rep. We think about what we can do…

Tips for Networking Introverts

During a recent staff meeting, we were told we would be attending a networking event. Thankfully, it was on a day that I had class because I avoid networking events at all costs! Small talk has never been my forte, and being around a huge group of people…

Sit up Straight!

On a recent visit to a client’s office, I walked in and was blown away by – wait for it – their chairs! Yes, I said chairs. Every single desk is equipped with a stability ball chair. I tried to hide my giddy expression when I realized that…

Brain-Boosting Breaks are An Important Part of the Workday

I’ve mentioned in past blog posts that public relations is a very “strategic thinking-intensive” career, and it can lead to brain fuzz. Taking a daily brain-boosting break during your lunch hour is nearly a requirement to maintain a clear mind. I polled the Obsidian team to see what…

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…