Will you be our next PR intern this summer?

Well, it’s back!

The second annual search for our next intern is underway with the Maverick Idol Contest and anyone can enter!

We had a great time doing this last year, and ended up with a terrific intern who is now a full-time employee.

The winner of the contest gets a PAID (that’s right: PAID!), twelve-week internship starting May 31st, 2010. The intern will work on a variety of accounts across our three practice areas and will gain valuable experience in media monitoring, writing and social media. It’s a great opportunity for anyone seeking a fast-paced, fun environment in the communications field.

The details of the competition can be found here. Auditions will be in front of a panel of MAVERICK employees on May 12th (don’t worry – it won’t be in front of the other applicants!).

Those who make it past the first round will be invited to stay for lunch. The second round will be finished by 3:00 p.m., and the panel will decide on the winner by 4:00 p.m.

It’s easy, fast and painless and you could end up with a terrific gig at Maverick. How awesome is that?

See you on May 12th!

Many voices at Maverick

For those who enjoy reading my blog, please make sure you also RSS the entire Maverick blog site by clicking here. I'll be posting blogs on this site as well ... You'll get a better sense of our agency, people and our POV -- a better experience for sure than just reading my discombobulated ramblings.

We’ve encouraged the entire Maverick staff to blog .. sounds crazy and dangerous doesn’t it? A totally green-field opportunity for our staff to express their thoughts and opinions and better still, no censorship on management’s part.

I’ve set only one ground rule: Don’t write anything stupid.

I should probably follow that rule once in awhile.

Happy reading …

Our facelift is complete

Well, we could have gone for a shot of Botox up in the forehead and few band-aid solutions, but our web site needed a massive face-lift to get it where we wanted.

I’m so thrilled to announce that we went live with our new site this week! Check out the much new and improved Maverick web site. Hope you like it -- and would welcome your feedback. There’s a few more tweaks coming in the weeks ahead, but we’re really happy with this puppy. The site will be a lot more active and relevant than our old standard brochure-ware site.

I want to thank the wonderful folks at Igloo Software, a terrific Canadian software company that re-architected our site and gave us the tools and know-how to really develop a site worthy of being called “kick-ass.”

I also want to give a huge thanks to Dan Riley at Openminds (a Venture Communications company) for truly inspired creative. Dan, you not only have an open mind .... but you can read my mind most of the time! Hugs to you!

And of course, our very own SVP Stephen Rouse, who quarter-backed this non-billable, thankless initiative and who worked tirelessly to ensure this site finally got airlifted.

Hats off to everyone involved!

Inside PR .. thanks for the memories!

Hope you get a chance to listen to episode #143 of the Inside PR podcast. It’s a special broadcast ... since it’s the last time you’ll hear me on the show.

I had a great time being part of the Inside PR panel. It was a wonderful experience and I learned so much about the podcasting process. I wanted to do it for a year and I was really fortunate to have been asked to join the group by the creators of the show Terry Fallis and David Jones. They are consummate professionals and were willing to take a chance with a podcasting novice like me.

Martin Waxman was also a new addition to the panel this year and is staying on in 2009. I think Martin is my long lost Jewish half brother. Martin is so easy to talk to and his intelligent wit is something I looked forward to each week. His popular culture references all date back somewhere in the sixties (thank god I watched Laugh-In) and his stories of his youth in Winnipeg are so freakin’ funny.

As for Terry Fallis, he must be the most gracious and genuine human being on the planet. I’ve never met anyone so accommodating, sincere and articulate. His vast use of the English language astounds me every time he opens his mouth. It’s no wonder that he’s an accomplished novelist, winning the 2008 Stephen Leacock award for humour for his book Best Laid Plans. Joe Thornley is lucky to have such a business partner.

Okay, here comes my Wizard of Oz “Dorothy” moment. Of all the men on the show, I will miss David the most. He’s a big reason for the show’s success. I’ve known David the longest and we’ve crisscrossed many times throughout our careers. I first met David when we volunteered for a CPRS awards show more than ten years ago. David is a dichotomy of sorts. He has a boyish face but sports an incredible head of silver fox hair. He has the warmest smile but watch his Don Rickles mouth. He’s got a tough business edge, but knows how to get a choice seat at Cinderella's Royal Table at DisneyWorld. David has been my competitor, my client, golf buddy, fellow panellist and peer in the industry. But most of all David is my friend and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been part this show with him.

The best part of this podcast for me was the “pre-show chatter” before we went live to tape with the topic of the week. We usually spent 10 – 15 minutes nattering about the business, our competitors, our clients, our previous week’s ups and downs. It was like being in a PR executive support group. I never felt threatened or undermined and always felt at ease to say whatever came to mind. I think a lot of our pre-chatter discussions were even better than what we put on air! Get the guys to air those once in awhile!

So with that, let me urge all my blog readers to keep on listening to this wonderful podcast. If you’re in PR, the show is a must listen to each week.

Why I like it behind the camera

Last month I was asked by the producers of the MoneyTalk show to appear on the segment which is hosted by Patricia Lovett-Reid. The show airs on Canada’s BNN and it airs nationally three times during one week and then posted to the web site.

I was more than happy to be interviewed since the topic was right up my alley – women entrepreneurs. I can talk all day about entrepreneurship and women’s struggles and accomplishments, the do's and don’ts, the pitfalls and opportunities, the children and, of course, the whole work-life balance thing.

When I received the questions in advance of the taping, I knew I would be in my element and couldn’t wait for the gems to flow out of my mouth. When you know a topic inside and out, it makes any interview smooth as silk. I rehearsed in front of the mirror for a few days prior (I always prep in front of a mirror, stops me from frowning). I was confident and ready for my close-up.

I arrived very early in the morning at the BNN studios where I went directly to the makeup room. I was greeted by the effervescent Pattie (who is much cuter in person than on TV!). She’s a real fireball and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. She greeted me with a big hello and then said, “Julie, since you’re in PR and a branding expert, I thought we could talk about personal branding and what it means in business as opposed to corporate brands. Sound okay with you?”

Huh? Personal branding? What the heck does that mean? What happened to the entrepreneurial stuff you were gonna ask me? I know about corporate branding and messaging (heck, we do that every day).But personal branding? All I could think of was, “Geez. Am I ever f^$%!"

After an inch thick of pancake foundation was applied, I was led into the deep freeze of a studio where I was rigged for sound under my jacket, given a mug of warm water and was told to look at Pattie and not the camera during the 10-minute interview. Ok, I got that part. As for the interview itself, I had no idea what was going to come out of my mouth.

So if you want to have a good laugh, have a look at my interview here and watch me squirm. I have no ego, so be brutally honest with me. I think I managed a few good sound bites, too bad they can’t cut down the interview to 60 seconds. Check out my ummms and "you knows." Brutal!

This abysmal interview further validates my decision to stay behind the camera at all times. I mean, I can tell someone else what to do in front of the camera -- no problemo. But sweet baby Jesus – I can’t save myself.

Perez Hilton has a heart

Well, who would have thought that celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton has a heart? A few weeks ago, Perez’s site featured a Canadian charity that is near and dear to our hearts here at MAVERICK. It’s Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), a wonderful charity that was founded in 1970 by Murray Dryden, father to hockey greats Ken and Dave Dryden. The charity is focused on providing bed kits and treated mosquito nets to children in poor regions around the world. We’ve been involved with the charity a few years now and every time we get coverage for them it’s a wonderful feeling.

But when Perez Hilton included a piece on SCAW in his website’s Worthwhile Cause section, it just blew me away! We have no idea how this happened, it was never our target, but we are over the moon with joy!

The direct result from this blog post …. Tons of traffic to the SCAW website and U.S. donations are up, up, up -- for the very first time.

Boy, those high profile blog mentions really do work!

You can go your own way

In 1999, I caught the entrepreneurial bug and started MAVERICK. In one of my earlier posts, I described myself as an accidental entrepreneur because I really didn’t have aspirations to have my own business until someone pointed out to me that I would be pretty good at it.

I’m writing this blog post for anyone who is perhaps thinking about starting up their own PR shop. I have loads of professional experience to share with you.

There are several ways to launch your own PR shop. First off, you can simply go freelance or contract. You are essentially a free-agent, picking up PR gigs here and there. You don’t need fancy schmancy office space (you can work out of your garage if you like) and you can hire independent contractors when you need more feet on the street. This can be a very sustainable business model provided you like to work alone most of the time, you are self-motivated and you like to be the accountant, the media pitcher, the sales guy, the creative, the writer and the dishwasher. You don’t need a lot of capital to start this kind of business and it’s a sensible way to migrate to a larger scale operation in the future. I thought about this model when I launched my own firm, but I had much loftier goals in mind from the start.

If you think you are ready for prime-time and want to launch a full service PR firm complete with full time staff, office space and a solid presence, then it takes a little more than a rolodex of prospects. If this sounds like more your vision, then read on.

First off, you need money and lots of it. Rent, salaries, phones, computers and coffee all cost money. I started with a $250,000 float to start MAVERICK. You can probably get away with less, but I rented very expensive space in downtown Toronto. I was always planning on hunting big game so I needed a posh address to show clients and potential employees that I was a serious player. And yes, a lot of prospects still want to see the space you operate out of. You can start your PR firm with a partner to share costs, but be prepared to be highly collaborative and have only a 50 per cent share of voice.

Next up, you better know how to sell and persuade because you’ll be doing that until you are blue in the face -- with suppliers, banks, clients etc. You’ll also need a healthy dose of sheer determination and a vision for your firm. Oh, and don’t forget, you need to love rejection too.

Finally, surround yourself with positive people who want to see you succeed. Nothing is more important than an encouraging atmosphere, whether it’s your family, friends or co-workers. I hate naysayers and pessimists. Get rid of people like that. I sound very Deepak right now, but I can’t stress how vital it is to have positive karma all around you - especially during a start-up phase. I worked with the four best guys in the biz when I started MAVERICK: Gerry, Stephen, Andre and Andrew. I was incredibly lucky to work with this line up of talent and inspiration.

Above all, be fearless. As an entrepreneur, all eyes are on you to steer the boat during good and bad times. It’s a huge responsibility when you have staff to take care of, but the payoff is worth all the sleepless nights. I promise.

So whether you’re launching a freelance career or a full service PR shop, just remember the words of the great Beverly Sills: "You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try."

Mille Femmes and me

Well, it finally happened! Someone out there thinks I'm creative ... and along with 999 other dynamo women, my pic is hanging up at Brookfield Place (formerly BCE Place in downtown Toronto) in a stunning exhibit called Mille Femmes, which celebrates 1,000 of Toronto’s most creative, inspiring and artistic women.

This is part of the Luminato festival happening this week.

Last night I was at the official launch of this show stopper and it is truly amazing. I recognized so many faces from the arts, journalism, marketing and fashion arenas. I ran into Valerie Pringle who is just a class act.

I also named several protégés of mine who were included in this photographic extravaganza. They looked marvelous and of course, larger than life.

All the women had to choose a one word adjective that would be printed on your photo. I chose “irrepressible” … what else? I should have picked “maverick” but the obvious is so pedestrian don’t you think?

So when I saw Jane Hope’s photo of Taxi Canada I was expecting some blazing word to describe her. Know what her word was? … “hope.” Oh well…

Thanks to Luminato and Lancome for the recognition and for including me in such an extraordinary exhibit.

I'm humbled. Hey, I should have picked that word!

What's it like to work here?

If you've ever wondered what it's like to work at Maverick in a big old Victorian Mansion read this. Dave LeBlanc, the "Architourist" of the Globe & Mail did a wonderful piece on our historic home and interviewed some of my staff for their thoughts. No scripting before hand and no Q&A given out before the interviews took place. These were the thoughts and sentiments of my staff, no coaching required. I am so blessed to be working in this grand, luxurious environment (warts and all) with the best staff in the world. Hope you like the article as much as we did. And yes, I was the one who pitched the story concept!

Success in Partnership

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about the birth of MAVERICK. While it may have sounded very spiritual and easy to find the road, be forewarned: the decision to launch your own company takes incredible strength, foresight and the right team to airlift it.

First off, before you even endeavor to hang your own shingle, know yourself inside out. You should know intimately what parts of the business you can master and where you think you will fall short. Be completely honest with yourself. It is one thing to say you can “do it all” but another in practice. The failure in any new business venture is trying to do everything singlehandedly.

Case in point: I’d like to point to some great PR firms in this city that have strong partnership philosophies in place. The dynamic duo of Judy Lewis and Deb Weinstein of Strategic Objectives, the PR Pros Joe Thornley and Terry Fallis of ThornleyFallis, and of course, Susanne Courtney and Sharon Rainey of the Courtney Rainey Group (just acquired by Cohn & Wolfe). These firms (and many others) are successful in part due to their powerful partnerships and ability to divide and conquer.

I knew early on I had very few skills in the financial management department. Oh, I can figure out personal savings and expenses, but I had no concept of a P&L statement, overhead expenses, margins and the two most important words in a company’s financial well-being: “cash flow.”

Without a strong partner to fully manage and integrate the back-end, while I concentrated on building a client profile, I would have been D.O.A. before my first client win.

I was very fortunate that my life partner, Gerry Riddell, happened to be one of the Canadian PR industry’s foremost financial business managers. With a career spanning more than 20 years serving big agencies like Burson-Marstellar and Cohn & Wolfe, he was and still is the wind beneath my wings. Not only did he put all his best practices to work here, he is the ultimate sounding board for all of us in the company.

When we were launching MAVERICK back in 1999, I was literally all over the map. I bounced around every day with new ideas and changed my vision hourly (Ritalin has worked wonders for me!). A strong partner, that brings a divergent view point will listen and position you squarely on a focused path. (Gerry is a modest lieutenant and is probably pissed off that I am even writing this in my blog!)

Every entrepreneur needs a successful partner. I can’t think of any thriving enterprise that wasn’t rooted in a trusted partnership. Bill Gates had Paul Allen; Steve Jobs had Steve Wozniak and Heather Riesman had her Gerry….Gerry Schwartz that is.

The success of MAVERICK’s early beginnings rested squarely on two factors: client acquisition and financial back office management. I would even dare say no entrepreneur should attempt to simultaneously manage bean counting and building their business. Why? Growth will be stunted, guaranteed.

So, you might want to start your own business (maybe a PR firm?), but the undeniable truth is there are a ton of hurdles to get past. However, the biggest obstacle to overcome is accepting that you can’t do it alone. Martyrdom is not rewarded in our capitalist society. Divide and conquer. It works.

I’ve got my Gerry, make sure you get yours.

The Accidental Entrepreneur

For the first time in my blog I am writing about the genesis of MAVERICK. Some inquiring minds have asked me many times about how this PR firm came to be. So here it is, the full, all too real story.

I am very much an “accidental entrepreneur.” I never intended to start my own PR firm, in fact, I believe whole-heartedly in the company “lifer” mentality. There is a lot of dignity in that. I was loyal to my employer, a dutiful lieutenant and happy in the role I had for many years. But, after a terrible, unexpected family death, I discovered a profound sense of purpose that stretched beyond my current surroundings. This life inflection point was a critical juncture in my journey. (For an understanding of strategic inflection points, read Andy Grove’s book Only the Paranoid Shall Survive. Grove gives great insight into business inflection points, a topic that underscores this blog.)

Losing parents is a rite of passage that we all must endure, but my dad’s death came much too early and unexpected. That experience left me floating and dazed, and I realized that I was on complete autopilot, just going through the motions at work, at home, in life. Until one day I had my very own Jerry Maguire moment. That famous "Mission Statement" truly inspired me.

I’m a person of forward motion; with a stiff upper lip and a “never let them see you cry” attitude. So, just a few months after my father’s death, I took that despair and fueled it into something much more positive and productive - a new business venture which I baptized as MAVERICK Public Relations. I needed something to take my mind off of what just happened, something demanding enough to fill the void. It was so incredibly healing to put my mind into a single, focused mission. I required more risk in my life and what better way to challenge yourself than by putting up everything you own, hanging up a shingle and hoping someone will come? Like many entrepreneurs before me, money was the very last reason I started this company. In fact, it was pretty much a struggle just to make payroll, pay bills, eat, etc. The calling to strike it on your own does not come from finding yourself suddenly out of work or from greed; it’s exactly the opposite. Today’s entrepreneurs are moved by vision, passion and personal exploration. Not to mention the powerful aphrodisiac of control and flexibility. There is a common thread that motivates business owners, but it’s hardly money.

What's truly bizarre is that the path I am on today was never in the cards. It was eight years ago to this very day that my dad’s life ended. In a poetic kind of way, through his passing, I found my identity. I was always a MAVERICK; I just didn’t know it until that fateful day.