HJMT COMMUNICATIONS, LLC just held it's 16th Anniversary at the Bridgeview Yacht Club Warehouse in Island Park. More than 100 of our clients, friends and family attended our Sweet 16. We held a traditional candle lighting ceremony and showed a video of the firm.
Listed below is the candle lighting ceremony:
CANDLE 1—
THIS CANDLE IS A PERSONAL CANDLE, IT’S FOR MY CHILDREN WHO GIVE ME INSPIRATION, MY HUSBAND WHO HAS SUPPORTED ME AND FOR MY FAMILY WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
CANDLE 2—
CANDLE 2 IS FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, MY HOME AND THE PLACE I STARTED HJMT COMMUNICATIONS, LLC.
CANDLE 3—
THIS IS FOR OUR CURRENT HOMES IN WESTBURY AND MANHATTAN.
CANDLE 4—
THIS CANDLE, LIT BY KRISTIE, IS FOR ALL OUR PAST, CURRENT AND FUTURE CLIENTS FOR BELIEVING IN US AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM.
CANDLE 5—
THIS CANDLE, LIT BY LISA, IS FOR ALL OF THE MEDIA FOR BEING OUR FRIENDS, AND GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS OUR CLIENTS DO…
CANDLE 6—
CANDLE 6, LIT BY LORI, GOES TO ALL THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE SPONSORED OUR EVENTS AND PUT THEIR TIME, MONEY AND EFFORTS TOWARD GOOD CAUSES.
CANDLE 7—
CANDLE 7, LIT BY ALLIE, IS FOR NEW MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY FOR HELPING US ADVANCE IN THE ONLINE WORLD THROUGH BLOGS, SOCIAL NETWORKING, PODCASTS AND ONLINE PUBLICATIONS.
CANDLE 8—
THIS CANDLE, LIT BY AARON AND KAYLA, IS FOR OUR FREELANCERS, PART-TIME WORKERS, INTERNS AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HELP US BEHIND THE SCENES GET THE MOST FOR OUR CLIENTS.
CANDLE 9—
CANDLE 9, LIT BY JILLIAN, GOES TO OUR VENDORS WHO PRODUCE QUALITY WORK FOR OUR CLIENTS AND HELP US LOOK GOOD!
CANDLE 10—
THIS CANDLE, LIT BY RICK, GOES TO BRIAN AND DEREK FOR SETTING UP OUR STEREO SYSTEM AND FOR THE HJMT IPOD FOR INSPIRING OUR CREATIVITY AND FOR KARAOKE WHICH HELPS BRING US TOGETHER ☺
CANDLE 11—
CANDLE 11, LIT BY MIKE, IS FOR RED BULL BOTH DIET AND REGULAR FOR KEEPING US AWAKE AND ALERT DURING OUR LONG HOURS.
CANDLE 12—
THIS CANDLE, LIT BY ELLEN, IS FOR FRIENDS OF THE FIRM WHO HAVE GIVEN US REFERRALS AND BEEN THERE FOR US ALONG THE WAY WHEN WE NEEDED THEM.
CANDLE 13 –
ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NO LONGER WITH US AT THE FIRM, CANDLE 13, LIT BY CHRISTINA, GOES TO ALL OUR PAST EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE IMPACTED OUR BUSINESS AND TAKEN US IN NEW DIRECTIONS.
CANDLE 14—
CANDLE 14, LIT BY HOLLY, IS FOR EACH OF OUR FAMILIES FOR DEALING WITH OUR LONG HOURS AND ALWAYS SUPPORTING US…
CANDLE 15—
THIS CANDLE IS FOR MY HJMT FAMILY – THESE ARE THE BEST FRIENDS AND BEST WORKERS ANYONE COULD EVER HAVE. I LOVE YOU GUYS!
CANDLE 16—
AND CANDLE 16 IS FOR TAKING CHANCES, GOING WITH THE GUT, HAVING FAITH, TRYING TO CREATE GOOD KARMA AND TO MANY MANY MORE SUCCESSFUL YEARS AT HJMT COMMUNICATIONS, LLC.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Unusual Places to Network...
How many of you out there find that networking works best when you are "off guard?"
Lately, whenever I'm on a plane and on vacation with my family, I bump into someone I know from business.
Last year when I was in Vegas with my sister and cousin for a "girl's getaway weekend," I met up with an advertising colleague. We hadn't seen each other in a while and we had an opportunity to catch up.
I went back to Las Vegas this past weekend for a business conference on new media. At the conference, I met a few people who will donate products and services to some of our upcoming events that we will be organizing for our non-profit clients.
Back at the bar, my colleague and I met a real estate guru from New Jersey. We told him we would keep in touch. Then, on the plane ride home, I bumped into a former client! I was standing on line to use the restroom when I noticed a tall man who looked just like my uncle. I thought, could that be? I went over to him and asked him if he was a former client of my firm. And it turned out he was. It was great to catch up for a few minutes on the four hour flight back to NY.
I find that networking works best when you are on a plane or on vacation. You're relaxed and off guard. Anyone else have a similar experience? I would love to hear about unusual places to network.....
Lately, whenever I'm on a plane and on vacation with my family, I bump into someone I know from business.
Last year when I was in Vegas with my sister and cousin for a "girl's getaway weekend," I met up with an advertising colleague. We hadn't seen each other in a while and we had an opportunity to catch up.
I went back to Las Vegas this past weekend for a business conference on new media. At the conference, I met a few people who will donate products and services to some of our upcoming events that we will be organizing for our non-profit clients.
Back at the bar, my colleague and I met a real estate guru from New Jersey. We told him we would keep in touch. Then, on the plane ride home, I bumped into a former client! I was standing on line to use the restroom when I noticed a tall man who looked just like my uncle. I thought, could that be? I went over to him and asked him if he was a former client of my firm. And it turned out he was. It was great to catch up for a few minutes on the four hour flight back to NY.
I find that networking works best when you are on a plane or on vacation. You're relaxed and off guard. Anyone else have a similar experience? I would love to hear about unusual places to network.....
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Recharging Your Batteries...
If you ask me during the typical day if I like going on vacation, I would probably say no. It's not that I don't like spending time away from the office and with my family, it's just that it breaks up the routine. And when I'm in the routine, I'm in the zone!
But, when I do go on vacation and I am doing something active, I have a new prospective on work. I don't think about it until things quite down and I check my emails. I start to think about how to grow the firm and what to do to make it happen.
It also gives me an opportunity to read one of the several books I buy throughout the year. Interestingly, my daughter always laughs at me because whenever I'm in Border's Bookstore or Barnes and Noble, I head right over to the business section. I love business books and have a collection in my office and at my home.
I'm on vacation now. I'm in Keystone, Colorado. My family and I are skiing. The conditions are great and the weather has been beautiful -- perfect sunny day with blue skies and lots of powder!
On this trip, I started reading "The Diamond Cutter -- The Buddha of Managing Your Business and Your Life." I was told to buy this book from a CEO who felt it helped him grow and develop in business. It's really very interesting. The author is a buddhist monk but he was also in business and talks about his success.
He gets into the whole Karma thing and how thoughts and actions affect your future. He talks about business problems and why they happen (as a result of actions from the past). He also discusses quite meditation to solve problems. Hmmmm.... I might try it. Who knows, maybe I'll feel recharged when I'm not on vacation!
But, when I do go on vacation and I am doing something active, I have a new prospective on work. I don't think about it until things quite down and I check my emails. I start to think about how to grow the firm and what to do to make it happen.
It also gives me an opportunity to read one of the several books I buy throughout the year. Interestingly, my daughter always laughs at me because whenever I'm in Border's Bookstore or Barnes and Noble, I head right over to the business section. I love business books and have a collection in my office and at my home.
I'm on vacation now. I'm in Keystone, Colorado. My family and I are skiing. The conditions are great and the weather has been beautiful -- perfect sunny day with blue skies and lots of powder!
On this trip, I started reading "The Diamond Cutter -- The Buddha of Managing Your Business and Your Life." I was told to buy this book from a CEO who felt it helped him grow and develop in business. It's really very interesting. The author is a buddhist monk but he was also in business and talks about his success.
He gets into the whole Karma thing and how thoughts and actions affect your future. He talks about business problems and why they happen (as a result of actions from the past). He also discusses quite meditation to solve problems. Hmmmm.... I might try it. Who knows, maybe I'll feel recharged when I'm not on vacation!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Traffic Jam...
I love to drive my car into the city. It's comfortable and has a great stereo system. Between satellite radio and the ipod, I can sit there all day!
Since we opened our new office, I've been driving into the city two to three days a week. The mornings haven't been bad. But, I learned that if you leave the city at a descent hour, it will take "forever" to get home. On most days, I've been leaving the city around 7ish.... and get home by 8ish....
On Valentine's Day, several of my staff members and I had a meeting in the city. We decided to leave the city by 4 pm to get home early to be with our families. My senior VP, Kristie, had her car and I had mine. She took home the publicity supervisor and I took home the new media director. She decided to go through the midtown tunnel and I made the mistake of going over the triborough bridge.
Over an hour later, I was still in the city and Kristie was in Queens. It took us over 3 hours to get back to our offices in Westbury!
I stayed calm and relaxed. Turned up the music. Smiled as people around me had road rage and happily got to know the new media director better than I did before.
Since we opened our new office, I've been driving into the city two to three days a week. The mornings haven't been bad. But, I learned that if you leave the city at a descent hour, it will take "forever" to get home. On most days, I've been leaving the city around 7ish.... and get home by 8ish....
On Valentine's Day, several of my staff members and I had a meeting in the city. We decided to leave the city by 4 pm to get home early to be with our families. My senior VP, Kristie, had her car and I had mine. She took home the publicity supervisor and I took home the new media director. She decided to go through the midtown tunnel and I made the mistake of going over the triborough bridge.
Over an hour later, I was still in the city and Kristie was in Queens. It took us over 3 hours to get back to our offices in Westbury!
I stayed calm and relaxed. Turned up the music. Smiled as people around me had road rage and happily got to know the new media director better than I did before.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Our New Lil' Office...
For years, I thought that one day I would open an office in New York City. But, I never thought we would open on Madison Avenue and 57th Street!
Our main office is in Westbury, Long Island. It's spacious, funky and colorful. As soon as you walk in, you hear the ipod playing new music and you see paintings by Olan and some other "starving" artists. When you walk in you can feel the warmth and the caring because the people who work there really are warm and caring!
After nearly 16 years, I think I finally have the formula right! We have a group of 15 people who work so well together. And, I think the hierchy works too. There's plenty of room for growth and movement!
So just recently, I decided that the time was right to take the "plunge" and open an office in NYC. To me, the location was most important. I know that when we moved from Long Beach to Westbury, we tripled our business. So opening up a satellite office couldn't be a bad thing. Could it?
I looked around awhile for the right spot and came across an office on Madison and 57th Street. It was perfect. A receptionist who greeted our guests, a full mail room, use of several different sized conference rooms and a fully loaded kitchen. The receptionist even screens all of my calls. What else could anyone want?
The only problem, it's tiny. But who has big in NYC anyway?
Last Saturday night I went to the Ward Nasse Gallery and found two paintings that I thought would work perfect in our new lil' space. That night when I went up to the suite, my son came with me and when he saw the space, he laughed. "Mom, this isn't an office, it's more like a closet!" he said.
But it's really not that small! We have a round table, four chairs, a stereo (my M.O.), a large filing cabinet and two amazing paintings. Today, one of my supervisors and I spent the day in the city office. We sat around the table and worked. We completely blocked each other out. We got so much done. The way we worked, reminded me of the time when I sat around the dining room table with staff and stuffed envelopes and sent out press releases. This was HJMT then... and this is HJMT now!
Our main office is in Westbury, Long Island. It's spacious, funky and colorful. As soon as you walk in, you hear the ipod playing new music and you see paintings by Olan and some other "starving" artists. When you walk in you can feel the warmth and the caring because the people who work there really are warm and caring!
After nearly 16 years, I think I finally have the formula right! We have a group of 15 people who work so well together. And, I think the hierchy works too. There's plenty of room for growth and movement!
So just recently, I decided that the time was right to take the "plunge" and open an office in NYC. To me, the location was most important. I know that when we moved from Long Beach to Westbury, we tripled our business. So opening up a satellite office couldn't be a bad thing. Could it?
I looked around awhile for the right spot and came across an office on Madison and 57th Street. It was perfect. A receptionist who greeted our guests, a full mail room, use of several different sized conference rooms and a fully loaded kitchen. The receptionist even screens all of my calls. What else could anyone want?
The only problem, it's tiny. But who has big in NYC anyway?
Last Saturday night I went to the Ward Nasse Gallery and found two paintings that I thought would work perfect in our new lil' space. That night when I went up to the suite, my son came with me and when he saw the space, he laughed. "Mom, this isn't an office, it's more like a closet!" he said.
But it's really not that small! We have a round table, four chairs, a stereo (my M.O.), a large filing cabinet and two amazing paintings. Today, one of my supervisors and I spent the day in the city office. We sat around the table and worked. We completely blocked each other out. We got so much done. The way we worked, reminded me of the time when I sat around the dining room table with staff and stuffed envelopes and sent out press releases. This was HJMT then... and this is HJMT now!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
What Is The Proper Etiquette?
Hey, does anyone out there know what the proper etiquette is for picking up the tab when you have a business lunch?
I ask because I attend business lunches almost every day. I meet with clients. I meet with prospects. I meet with business friends.
I always thought the rule of thumb was, if I'm "pitching" something, I should pay. If the other party is trying to "pitch" me, they pay. If no one is selling, you split the tab.
Sound right?
Well, recently I went to breakfast with someone who's been trying to get together for a long time. We talked a bit about his business and about mine. He tried to sell me a sponsorship for one of his upcoming endeavors.
When the waitress came by, he ordered an egg omelet. I ordered a single egg. I didn't think about who would pay for what until the bill came. It was $22 for breakfast. He quickly took the bill and put it on his side. I politely asked him how much I owe, and he told me $11. I started to think should I have not said anything and let him pick up the tab? Should I grab the bill and insist on paying?
I made the conscience decision to split the bill. But all I kept thinking was "Why should I pay $11 for a single egg?"
Later in the day, I went for lunch with a retired client. Since she no longer works, my thought was I was paying for lunch. When the bill came, she quickly grabbed it and when I asked how much, she said it was on her. That surprised me since I invited her and she's no longer employed. I graciously accepted the lunch and thought, whoever pays, it all evens out at the end.
I ask because I attend business lunches almost every day. I meet with clients. I meet with prospects. I meet with business friends.
I always thought the rule of thumb was, if I'm "pitching" something, I should pay. If the other party is trying to "pitch" me, they pay. If no one is selling, you split the tab.
Sound right?
Well, recently I went to breakfast with someone who's been trying to get together for a long time. We talked a bit about his business and about mine. He tried to sell me a sponsorship for one of his upcoming endeavors.
When the waitress came by, he ordered an egg omelet. I ordered a single egg. I didn't think about who would pay for what until the bill came. It was $22 for breakfast. He quickly took the bill and put it on his side. I politely asked him how much I owe, and he told me $11. I started to think should I have not said anything and let him pick up the tab? Should I grab the bill and insist on paying?
I made the conscience decision to split the bill. But all I kept thinking was "Why should I pay $11 for a single egg?"
Later in the day, I went for lunch with a retired client. Since she no longer works, my thought was I was paying for lunch. When the bill came, she quickly grabbed it and when I asked how much, she said it was on her. That surprised me since I invited her and she's no longer employed. I graciously accepted the lunch and thought, whoever pays, it all evens out at the end.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Meeting People Along The Way...
I meet with a lot of people. I attend networking events, fund raisers, galas and lots of committee meetings. The other day, I was invited by a business friend to attend the Networking Magazine "David Awards." I had never attended this event before and was amazed at how many people actually attended!
When I walked into the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, I could barely get through the door. There were so many people and everyone was practically on top of each other. After feeling totally claustrophobic and shaking hands and kissing practically everyone in the room, we were ushered up the stairs like cattle getting reading for a feeding!
After we sat down, we were inundated with speeches. I didn't really listen to most, but I was intrigued when I heard the President and CEO of Infosys. He talked about his life and how he got to where he is today. I heard him and I knew I wanted to meet him....
So I did. Today. I met him today. I'm not sure why. I had no agenda. I just wanted to meet him and talk with him. He told me he believed in reincarnation and was from India. I was interested in him. He told me that his marriage was prearranged and had to go back to India to meet his bride. He told me he had a daughter and had been happily married for 26 years. He talked about his hard work and how he continued to push forward when obstacles where in his way. He is someone I want to know for a time to come.
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in business and with our families that we forget that there are certain people we are meant to meet. Certain people who are supposed to come into our lives for one reason or another.... This person was supposed to come into my life. I'm not sure why, but I guess as time goes by, I'll find out!
When I walked into the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, I could barely get through the door. There were so many people and everyone was practically on top of each other. After feeling totally claustrophobic and shaking hands and kissing practically everyone in the room, we were ushered up the stairs like cattle getting reading for a feeding!
After we sat down, we were inundated with speeches. I didn't really listen to most, but I was intrigued when I heard the President and CEO of Infosys. He talked about his life and how he got to where he is today. I heard him and I knew I wanted to meet him....
So I did. Today. I met him today. I'm not sure why. I had no agenda. I just wanted to meet him and talk with him. He told me he believed in reincarnation and was from India. I was interested in him. He told me that his marriage was prearranged and had to go back to India to meet his bride. He told me he had a daughter and had been happily married for 26 years. He talked about his hard work and how he continued to push forward when obstacles where in his way. He is someone I want to know for a time to come.
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in business and with our families that we forget that there are certain people we are meant to meet. Certain people who are supposed to come into our lives for one reason or another.... This person was supposed to come into my life. I'm not sure why, but I guess as time goes by, I'll find out!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
I Love Shoes....
I really do. It's amazing how I get when I see a hot pair of shoes. The other day, I was telling my assistant that I was in the market for a pair of blue shoes and that night she sent me a link to a web site that had the pair I was looking for in a size 6.5! And, the best part, they were cheap!
Now, they weren't the ones that I would get excited over. They are just plain, leather, navy blue shoes. They have a pointy toe but that's the only thing about the style. Otherwise, they are kind of boring. But, they go with my blue suits and I'm now a happy camper.
So, what does navy blue shoes have to do with running a PR firm? Not much, except that I feel like when you work in the PR world, you need to be very stylish. I think that's one of the things that sets you apart. Your image, your style, the way you carry yourself, the you.
Now, they weren't the ones that I would get excited over. They are just plain, leather, navy blue shoes. They have a pointy toe but that's the only thing about the style. Otherwise, they are kind of boring. But, they go with my blue suits and I'm now a happy camper.
So, what does navy blue shoes have to do with running a PR firm? Not much, except that I feel like when you work in the PR world, you need to be very stylish. I think that's one of the things that sets you apart. Your image, your style, the way you carry yourself, the you.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Networking Events Are Sometimes Bizarre!
Most networking events are fun. You get to meet a lot of new people, learn what they do and sometimes even see people you haven't seen in months!
The other night, I was invited to a networking event in Manhattan. I only knew the person who invited me and I walked around the room introducing myself to a lot of new people. One of the people I bumped into had a long beard and wore a skull cap. I didn't think anything of it and went to shake his hand. He refused to shake my hand and I didn't understand why.
A day later, I received the following email:
After reading this, I didn't know how to react. I guess some things are better off not said. Most people don't remember these little details in life and it's best to move on to another networking opportunity!
The other night, I was invited to a networking event in Manhattan. I only knew the person who invited me and I walked around the room introducing myself to a lot of new people. One of the people I bumped into had a long beard and wore a skull cap. I didn't think anything of it and went to shake his hand. He refused to shake my hand and I didn't understand why.
A day later, I received the following email:
"When we first met you stuck your hand out at me and I didn’t return your warm gesture, you looked a little taken aback.
I’m sorry this might have come across as being offensive, and I apologize for that.
In no way did I want to offend you nor did I want to make you feel inferior in any way.
Let me explain, religious Jewish women dress modestly, don’t sing in front of men or touch men, and men don’t look at immodestly dressed woman, listen to them singing or touch them.
The reason for this is for the respect of woman, so that the man shouldn’t be attracted to, or remember her because of her externalities, but for who she really is.
You see, the problem is in the man, men could be external they could be attracted to externalities.
Woman on the other hand are more sensitive naturally and don’t usually feel attraction to men through such externalities.
Shaking hands is touch.
As everyone knows that touch can sometimes blind people of the truth.
Before I married my wife we didn’t touch, not even a handshake, so we can both make sure we made a truly conscious decision.
I hope this answers any misunderstanding you might have had."
After reading this, I didn't know how to react. I guess some things are better off not said. Most people don't remember these little details in life and it's best to move on to another networking opportunity!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Does it Matter Where You Take Them?
You have a new business prospect. He wants to meet you for lunch. Where do you go?
Do you go to the local diner? Do you take him to Friday's or Houston's? Or should you take him to Peter Lugar's Steakhouse in Brooklyn?
You have an employee who is trying hard to make a great placement for the agency or just closed a huge client, where do you take him?
Recently, I made a deal with one of my employees. If he gets a national placement, he gets to go with me to Peter Lugar's. (Little did I know, he already had a major placement in the works. That same day he arranged for a story in Parenting Magazine. Now I was obligated to take him to Peter Lugar's!)
So I decided to "killed two birds with one stone" and took the employee and the prospect to Peter Lugar's in Brooklyn.
Although I've been dieting recently, I decided to have at least two slices of the porterhouse steak that Lugar's is famous for. The steak melted in my mouth. It was outrageous. I realized that the Brooklyn Lugar's is way better than the one in Great Neck!
So was the employee and the prospect appreciative? I'm not sure. All I know is, I had a great meal!
Do you go to the local diner? Do you take him to Friday's or Houston's? Or should you take him to Peter Lugar's Steakhouse in Brooklyn?
You have an employee who is trying hard to make a great placement for the agency or just closed a huge client, where do you take him?
Recently, I made a deal with one of my employees. If he gets a national placement, he gets to go with me to Peter Lugar's. (Little did I know, he already had a major placement in the works. That same day he arranged for a story in Parenting Magazine. Now I was obligated to take him to Peter Lugar's!)
So I decided to "killed two birds with one stone" and took the employee and the prospect to Peter Lugar's in Brooklyn.
Although I've been dieting recently, I decided to have at least two slices of the porterhouse steak that Lugar's is famous for. The steak melted in my mouth. It was outrageous. I realized that the Brooklyn Lugar's is way better than the one in Great Neck!
So was the employee and the prospect appreciative? I'm not sure. All I know is, I had a great meal!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Juggling Family and Work...
Wow, it's hard! I have two children and they are now at the age where I need to be the chauffer and drive them everywhere. If one wants to do something the other doesn't. If one wants to eat at a particular restaurant the other doesn't. My weekends are filled with trying to make the kids happy by driving them to their appointments and catering to their every need.
Why do I do this? For starters, their my kids and I love them. Secondly, I feel guilty. I'm always working. Even when I'm away from the office I'm working. I'm always thinking about ways that we can improve the firm and the quality of work for our clients. I think about this all the time -- on weekends, in the evenings, before I go to the office in the morning, etc.
That reminds me of my typical morning -- get up at 6 am. Take a shower, get dressed, get the older kid up and ready, make lunches, get the second kid in the shower, drive the first kid to school, come back and help the second kid get dressed, feed him breakfast and check my emails at the same time. As the clock approaches 8:30 am, we need to rush out the door, get in the car and drive to the bus stop. When the bus picks him up moments later, I drive to work. There's no down time!
When I get to the office it's just as hectic. I have people in and out of my office asking me questions, I have a "zillion" emails and I have a list of people I need to call back. I'm not complaining I just sometimes wonder how I do this.
A few business owners have said to me, "you work so that you support everyone else." You know, that's true. As hard as I work, I'm the last to get paid and when money is tight, I don't get paid at all.
So why do I do it? I really love it. I find that working in the PR world is like a good book that has it's ups and downs but keeps getting better every day.
Why do I do this? For starters, their my kids and I love them. Secondly, I feel guilty. I'm always working. Even when I'm away from the office I'm working. I'm always thinking about ways that we can improve the firm and the quality of work for our clients. I think about this all the time -- on weekends, in the evenings, before I go to the office in the morning, etc.
That reminds me of my typical morning -- get up at 6 am. Take a shower, get dressed, get the older kid up and ready, make lunches, get the second kid in the shower, drive the first kid to school, come back and help the second kid get dressed, feed him breakfast and check my emails at the same time. As the clock approaches 8:30 am, we need to rush out the door, get in the car and drive to the bus stop. When the bus picks him up moments later, I drive to work. There's no down time!
When I get to the office it's just as hectic. I have people in and out of my office asking me questions, I have a "zillion" emails and I have a list of people I need to call back. I'm not complaining I just sometimes wonder how I do this.
A few business owners have said to me, "you work so that you support everyone else." You know, that's true. As hard as I work, I'm the last to get paid and when money is tight, I don't get paid at all.
So why do I do it? I really love it. I find that working in the PR world is like a good book that has it's ups and downs but keeps getting better every day.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Dead Beat Clients Can Kill A Business!
It's amazing how many "dead beat clients" I have had through the years! Clients who I would have never thought would have "screwed" me out of money after years of hard work and dedication on my part, did. And the part that gets me most is that I'm still angry almost a year later.
This past week, I came into contact with three of my "dead beat" clients. The first, a women's association, asked me to speak at a seminar. I was actually surprised they asked me because we didn't end on the best of notes. I decided to speak and "hold my head up high," even though I felt a little uncomfortable.
Last year, the group hired my firm to handle the logistics of all their meetings. After exceeding the allocated hours each month and evaluating the job, I found that each month we lost thousands of dollars on the job. Therefore, after the contract ended, I explained to the volunteers that we would no longer go forward. They understood, I thought. I finished off the month of work and at the end of the month, I got a call from a past president asking me to renegotiate the contract. "What do you want to be paid," she said.
My staff and I prepared a new proposal and presented to the client. They asked me to go one month at the same salary they had paid us during the year while they thought about it. We continued with them. At the end of the month, we sent them a bill and they refused to pay. They ended up giving us a quarter of what we were supposed to get paid!
Another former client, was a non-profit organization that hired us to organize and coordinate their black tie gala. The Director negotiated my contract down. And the clue to me was that it was done during my vacation! We went forward with the job thinking that we would meet lots of people and get other work from it.
The Director was so difficult to work with. She refused to work with any of my staff. She only wanted to work with either myself or my Vice President. So for nearly six months, my VP was out of commission, working solely on her job. She worked weekends, evenings, early mornings, all to appease the demanding client. As the event got closer, the rest of my staff got pulled in and they worked evenings and weekends to make sure the event was a great success. Through this process, things got very hectic with my staff. I started to loose people over this particular job and my VP was also ready to quit.
When I asked the Director to give us more for things not included in the contract, she said fine. She pushed off the bill until after the event. When I spoke with her directly she told me she would pay the couple of thousand she owed us. Instead, she decided not to pay!
We helped raise this organization more than $500,000 and they refused to pay us $2000! This job ended up costing me thousands of dollars due to the fact that my VP was totally out of commission from other jobs. It also cost me money in turnover and so many of my staff were so stressed from dealing with this person that it took me months to re fix what she had broke.
I thought we were finished. Until, my VP bumped into her at the parking lot of a local mall. And then, we received a nasty email asking us to take all references to them off our web site and networking sites. So, here we diligently work on a job that we charged very little for to try to get more work from others in her network to find out that we couldn't even talk about the success that we helped them achieve. I think something is wrong with this picture!
Finally, another association that we represented this past year, decided that they could not pay us the $30K that they owed us. We had worked on this job for 13 years. We always went above and beyond the call of duty. I totally expected them to pay us for the work we did. Then, budget time, they realized they had no money. I told them they could pay it out over time. They finally agreed to a payment plan of $500 every quarter. By the time they pay me back, if they ever pay me back, it will be almost 15 year in the future!
It's amazing how all three of these events occurred in the same year! I hope 2008 is better!!!!
This past week, I came into contact with three of my "dead beat" clients. The first, a women's association, asked me to speak at a seminar. I was actually surprised they asked me because we didn't end on the best of notes. I decided to speak and "hold my head up high," even though I felt a little uncomfortable.
Last year, the group hired my firm to handle the logistics of all their meetings. After exceeding the allocated hours each month and evaluating the job, I found that each month we lost thousands of dollars on the job. Therefore, after the contract ended, I explained to the volunteers that we would no longer go forward. They understood, I thought. I finished off the month of work and at the end of the month, I got a call from a past president asking me to renegotiate the contract. "What do you want to be paid," she said.
My staff and I prepared a new proposal and presented to the client. They asked me to go one month at the same salary they had paid us during the year while they thought about it. We continued with them. At the end of the month, we sent them a bill and they refused to pay. They ended up giving us a quarter of what we were supposed to get paid!
Another former client, was a non-profit organization that hired us to organize and coordinate their black tie gala. The Director negotiated my contract down. And the clue to me was that it was done during my vacation! We went forward with the job thinking that we would meet lots of people and get other work from it.
The Director was so difficult to work with. She refused to work with any of my staff. She only wanted to work with either myself or my Vice President. So for nearly six months, my VP was out of commission, working solely on her job. She worked weekends, evenings, early mornings, all to appease the demanding client. As the event got closer, the rest of my staff got pulled in and they worked evenings and weekends to make sure the event was a great success. Through this process, things got very hectic with my staff. I started to loose people over this particular job and my VP was also ready to quit.
When I asked the Director to give us more for things not included in the contract, she said fine. She pushed off the bill until after the event. When I spoke with her directly she told me she would pay the couple of thousand she owed us. Instead, she decided not to pay!
We helped raise this organization more than $500,000 and they refused to pay us $2000! This job ended up costing me thousands of dollars due to the fact that my VP was totally out of commission from other jobs. It also cost me money in turnover and so many of my staff were so stressed from dealing with this person that it took me months to re fix what she had broke.
I thought we were finished. Until, my VP bumped into her at the parking lot of a local mall. And then, we received a nasty email asking us to take all references to them off our web site and networking sites. So, here we diligently work on a job that we charged very little for to try to get more work from others in her network to find out that we couldn't even talk about the success that we helped them achieve. I think something is wrong with this picture!
Finally, another association that we represented this past year, decided that they could not pay us the $30K that they owed us. We had worked on this job for 13 years. We always went above and beyond the call of duty. I totally expected them to pay us for the work we did. Then, budget time, they realized they had no money. I told them they could pay it out over time. They finally agreed to a payment plan of $500 every quarter. By the time they pay me back, if they ever pay me back, it will be almost 15 year in the future!
It's amazing how all three of these events occurred in the same year! I hope 2008 is better!!!!
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