PR and Entrepreneurship

Twitter chats are becoming my favorite way to learn more about the industry and how to grow as a professional. Last night, @PRStudChat moderated an awesome Twitter chat about public relations and entrepreneurship that featured some experienced solo PR professionals who gave great advice.

Below are a few of my favorite responses to the great questions moderators Deirdre Breakenridge and Valerie Simon asked to the attendees.

Q4: Who are the key business partners every PR entrepreneur needs?

From @shonali: A4: Depending on how you plan to grow your business, look for partners who can complement, not supplement, your skills. #PRStudChat

– I never thought of finding business partners who had complementary skills. Shonali made a good point; if everyone’s strengths are the same, your business will only be focused in those areas.

Q5: What percentage of time/budget should be spent on pro bono or philanthropic work?

From @prtini: Q5 I’m a big believer in the idea of “doing well by doing good.” And it works! The NP we adopted led to multiple paying clients. #prstudchat

– I’m glad the moderators brought up the idea of pro bono work because that was my original idea of how to start my own agency one day. Heather’s answer proves the value of pro bono work.

Q7: What are the best ways to network and grow your business?

From @arikhanson: A7: When “networking”, look to HELP others. Simple, but brilliantly effective in developing relationships that lead to biz. #prstudchat

– Networking is SO important but not everyone understands that it should be reciprocal. Arik’s response is a good reminder for young professionals that you need to show your value as well when reaching out to industry professionals.

I really enjoyed last night’s Twitter chat and found everyone’s advice very helpful. The topic of discussion is one that I think several young professionals are interested in but just don’t know where or how to start. The conversation on Twitter last night led me to other resources, like new people to follow and new blogs to subscribe to. Overall, I’m glad I paid attention to @PRStudChat’s chat last night and plan to attend more in the future. Special thanks to my friend and mentor Jason Mollica for pointing out the chat to me.

Do you agree with the answers above? Have any other advice about starting your own business? Share your thoughts!

Tagged: Business, Entrepreneurship, Networking, Pro bono, PRStudChat, Public Relations, Resources, Twitter chats