In the public relations world, there is a big divide between what a client considers news and what a media outlet considers news. For the client, of course, everything is important, or they wouldn’t do it. But for the news outlet, it must also matter to readers, listeners and viewers — people who may not be so “close” to the business, itself.
Fortunately, at BizCom, we get to work with clients who not only do newsworthy things…but they also dare to dream big in the process. And that’s the stuff of headlines.
The American Dream is not about chasing the money.
Tariq Farid, CEO of Edible Brands, turned one of his biggest ideas into a household name when he founded Edible Arrangements. And in a recent interview with Thrive Global, he shares some critical business advice that he learned along the way. Most importantly: “Don’t chase the money, it runs really fast.” Instead, what Farid did was focus on the customer. In fact, he said, “…nothing is more important than the customer. I’ve found that if you do the right thing for your customers and continually aim to please them, money will start chasing you.” Today, with more than 1,200 Edible Arrangements locations around the world, that approach certainly proved to be a strong business model and helped Farid achieve the American Dream. And audiences don’t just love a business success story. A windfall of media interest also rests in telling audiences about an American Dream come true. Not only does Farid’s immigrant success story help that along, but also he has sage advice to help others who might have a similar mission. For his “5 keys to achieving the American Dream,” read more in his Thrive Global Q&A here.
Be your own hero, and you will inspire others.
Heather Hudson didn’t have some master plan to co-found the largest kickboxing franchise in the world. But her love for fitness, a desire to learn self-defense and a blackbelt in karate laid an impressive foundation when she and her husband Shannon Hudson launched 9Round kickboxing. Today, the business includes more than 750 gyms open in 13 countries around the world. And Heather learned a few things about herself along the way that continue to be an inspiration to others. In a recent interview she was credited with being a female disruptor in the process. Heather said, “Women can find more confidence directly parallel with discovering their physical strength. I’m living proof. As the years have gone by and I’ve gotten stronger physically, I’ve gotten stronger mentally as a result.”
Likewise, her business has disrupted the traditional fitness model to fit into busy lifestyles so that thousands of men and women can also achieve that strength. “Because we have no class times at 9Round and are structured in a circuit model with a trainer still included, we have been able to take away almost every excuse people have for not working out,” she said. And since a full 9Round workout is done in just 30 minutes, everybody gets a chance to #BeYourOwnHero in record time! That gives the media all kinds of great stories to sweat over.
Change the status quo of the workforce.
Dina Dwyer-Owens, Brand Ambassador and board member of Neighborly, has been a cheerleader for a very successful organization that has does business across the service trades for decades. But that success didn’t keep her from thinking creatively and breaking stereotypes to open up those industries to an even greater workforce. More specifically, in the male-dominated service trades, Dwyer-Owens has shaken up work opportunities for women And when she launched the Women in the Trades program, it proved monumental in educating the public, in encouraging continuing education for women, and in welcoming an eager workforce to a host of satisfying careers across the organization.
“Through my own professional journey, I know that we can break down the stereotypes of effective leadership and financial know-how to encourage more “She-E-O” success at work, at home and in life,” Dwyer-Owens said. “And I can speak from a female perspective about the advantages I personally harnessed in a traditionally male-dominated industry of the service trades.” Now with a regular scholarship program, special women-tailored uniforms across their growing service trades, and a growing list of success stories for women living the dream, Neighborly brands are looking more diverse than ever across 3,300 franchise locations and counting. And the everyday now hiring news items have blossomed into a headline-grabbing Rosie the Riveter story for a new era.
If you’ve got more than the everyday news to share, chances are you could be winning more headlines too. For more on how public relations can play a major role in that plan, contact BizCom.
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