CEO of Starbucks Doles Out his Expert Advice

So I haven't blogged in awhile, but I want to call attention to a recent interview I read in the NYtimes "Corner Office" section.  I highly recommend checking out the interview  with CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz.  Not only do I love this interview because of my long-lasting love for starbucks (those of you who know me personally) and because I respect the brand, but because it provides insight into the thought patterns of not just a CEO, but an entrepreneur.

One of the questions and answers was particulary interesting:

Q. If you could ask somebody only two questions in the job interview, what would those questions be?


A. I think I’d ask them about their current family and their family history. Now you’ve got to be careful with some of this, but I’d want to know that.

I think Schultz's answer to the question draws a destinct parallel to public relations.  Public Relations is not only about who you know and networking, but it's also about personality.  My understanding of why Schultz asks about one's family is because you can learn a lot about a person's personality and upbringing by their family.  
 
Schultz also states, "I obviously want people who enjoy coffee. I think it would be very difficult for me to hire somebody who doesn’t drink coffee."  The same advice rings true for public relations--if you're not passionate about what you're doing or your clients..you should move on..I truly believe that passion is the core of this business.  
 
What do you think? 
 

The Coveted "Work-life balance"

I cannot believe I haven't written on this blog for so long!  That's why I've decided to blog about obtaining the elusive "work-life balance."  That is--being able to balance one's social life with work.  I must admit, I've been having some difficulty achieving this.  I'm a type-a person (i.e. perfectionist) and definitely have some "work-aholic" genes in my blood.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but i've been realizing that I haven't been giving myself time to do the things I enjoy outside of work--maintaing this blog for one!

So with that being said, i'm going to make a concerted effort to try to balance the two.

I've browsed the web for tips on how to manage the work-life as well as your own life:

-http://www.quintcareers.com/work-life_balance_tips.html

-http://www.savvysugar.com/15-Tips-Better-Work-Life-Balance-2982664

-http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/03/0326_work_life_balance/2.htm (I especially like these twitter tips!)

Sometimes we need to accept that we just can't do it all and if we just slowed down we might gain some piece of mind.

What do you guys do to manage your work and your life?

To be successful in Public Relations do you have to be a b*tch?

So i'm reading Kelly Cutrone's book "If you have to cry, go outside" (don't laugh-it's a New York TImes bestseller!) and it got me thinking about attitude.  In the book, she describes how she got into the PR business and how she has been able to maintain her success. In case you're unaware, Kelly Cutrone is the epitome of a  "power bitch." She's become renowned for her popular fashion PR firm "People's Revolution" and through her stints in reality Tv shows, in particular The Hills, The City, and Kell on Earth. 


In these shows (which I think give a fairly accurate reflection of her personality) she's a flat out b*tch.  She's not nice at all, and she certainly doesn't care about making her employees cry.  Yet, she's extremely successful.  In her book so far, she's attributed her success to not only her hard work, but her attitude that lets nothing stand in her way.  And to be this way, she's a b*itch.  Now this begs the question that to be successful in PR do women need to be b*tches.

I'd have to disagree with this, as I think that in the long run people things will pan out for you if your nice and don't burn any bridges.  While, in the short term, being a b*tch might help, in the long run reporters, clients, and employees (if you're running your own firm) will be much more receptive to helping you succeed. From personal experience, I find that reporters are much more willing to help you out if you're nice to them.

What do you think?

Note: For more info on Kelly Cutrone see interesting interview on mediabistro.

The Basics: How to Pitch a Reporter (and be successful!)

I know it's been a while since i've written.  In the past few weeks or so, I've really been focusing on being the best PR professional I can be.  That's why I've dedicated this post to the basics: pitching the media.


Pitching reporters is the basis of what public relations is-trying to get our clients positioned in the media.  We try to find a way of doing this without seeming as though we're pushing a product.  Reporters receive hundreds of pitches/story ideas every day so it's important to keep them targeted.  I've compiled a few helpful links so that reporters will be reading your pitches in no time!

See here: 
How to write a pitch letter

How to pitch a reporter call


More helpful advice


The bottom line is that reporters want to feel special.  If you send out a mass pitch, chances are the big names (i.e. AP, NYtimes) won't take a look at it.  Sometimes putting the extra half an hour into writing a targeted pitch can pay off!

Until next time, 
Aly

Do we always have to say 'yes'?

This post is inspired by Nicole Crimaldi of "Mscareergirl.com", who wrote an excellent blog post this week about women and their need to say "yes" to everything.  Her article is entitled "A Remedy for the Pleasing Disease," and it is definitely worth checking out.

I think that this is definitely a relevant issue (for women in particular) in all areas of life, especially in work and social environments.  Crimaldi describes in her post how she once RSVPd to 3 weddings happening in the same weekend all in different cities.  From personal experience, I hate saying no to things, but in the long run I end up exhausting myself and regretting saying yes to everything. So, nowadays I make my best effort to follow through, but don't dwell over something if I can't do it.

The problem with saying 'yes' to everything is that we don't end up benefitting ourselves or our clients.  For instance, in public relations if we say yes to and promise a client everything not only will the bar be set too high, but if we fail..it ends up hurting us in the long run.  Nobody is expected to do everything.  My advice  is to say yes to the things that really matter, and leave the rest to how you feel.  Yahoo.com also gives some great tips on how to say 'no'.  See here: How to say no!

Social Networking Your Way Across the World

It's been a hectic week and while a lot has happened in the news over the past few days (Steve Jobs Iphone 4 conference, the plug in the BP oil spill) i've decided not to write about them.  Instead, I want to write about the new wave of travel sites and the hospitality industry's evolution over the past year or so.

This morning, while munching on a raspberry scone and drinking my ice coffee, I perused the travel section of the New York Times and stumbled on a very interesting article, "Europe Without Hotels."  The article describes the new wave of traveling for many--social networking and using sites, such as http://www.airbnb.com/ and http://www.crashpadder.com/ (newly referred to as 'Social B & B's).  These sites enable travelers to stay at locals' apartments with the comforts of "home" and a much smaller price tag.  As the article mentions, "these sites rely on social networking and everyone is encourage to have a 'back story and a face."

Personally, I find the idea of "Social B & B's" brilliant.  Who wouldn't want to stay at a nice apartment right near the Louvre for cheap?  From experience, I remember that when I was traveling across Europe it would have been nice to stay a place a little bit more "homey" instead of moving from hostel to hotel to hostel.  I hope more industries follow lead and take to social networking to revolutionize their business models.

My question to you all is: would you stay at a Social B & B?  I know I would.

Lebron's choice to state his decision "live" on ESPN: Good or Bad Choice?

So it would be crazy for me not to write about Lebron James after his decision aired live in front of millions of people last night (I can't believe he didn't go to the Knicks!).  I have to give it to ESPN and whoever organized "the decision" special..it was a great way to maximize on the NBA's pr and the Boys and Girls club pr.  My question for you all, though, was do you think it was a good choice or a bad joice for Lebron James in particular?

Lebron has already received a ton of negative backlash from other the teams, in particular the Cavaliers.  Immediately following his decision, people in Ohio were already burning his jersey (extreme much?).  See this article on ESPN's efforts to defend Lebron and his decision after last night's program.  The article states, "Lebron has just alientated a whole state." 

I am wondering if Lebron hadn't created such a media storm over his decision, if he would have received more positive pr?  I am sure that every ohio reporter has crafted a negative piece on him today, and he's probably regretting creating an entire "ESPN special" for it.  Honestly, I think that Lebron shouldn't have made his decision so public via the media, which is why I think he has received so much criticism over his decision. 

He stated during the press conference that "I had to do what was best for me."  Well, what would have been best for him was to avoid the media and make the decision quietly.  Don't worry Lebron, the media would have picked up on it regardless!