media update’s Adam Wakefield spoke to Lebo Madiba, founder and managing director of communications firm PR Powerhouse, and chief marketing officer at Ansys Ltd, about how to grow a PR business, and as a professional.
What two pieces of advice would you give to professionals who are just starting out?
Firstly, make sure that you are never the cleverest person in the room. If you are starting out your career, make sure that you surround yourself with people that you can learn from.
Actively seek out their advice and expertise. I think, in general, having mentors in your career is vital to your long-term success.
Secondly, if you start out on your own, make sure that your idea is scalable. When I started out, it was just me. I didn’t start out with a fully fledged team.
I made sure that the business was stable enough before I started hiring more people in order to sustain that growth.
What are some must-have skills for a career in PR?
It’s important to remember to be client-focused. That doesn’t just mean giving good service, it also means giving advice that can sometimes be hard to hear.
If your client has an idea that won’t serve their brand, it’s our job to provide insights into why it isn’t, as much as it is our job to support the ideas that will work.
Know what’s going on around you. And by that, I mean keep up to date with current affairs. The political environment is constantly shifting, and it’s our job to stay on top of news and current trends. This allows us to give the best advice to clients.
Apart from professional skills, which soft skills do you think are the most advantageous?
Networking can sometimes sound superficial. It conjures up the image of using a scattergun to disperse your business cards at events.
I prefer the term 'relationship building' because that’s what's really important. Nurture relationships in media, and other spheres.
Also, be on the constant lookout for talent. That doesn't mean just to employing talent when you are the boss, it also means potentially collaborating with them in the future.
Lastly, learn to be resilient. You’ll face many setbacks, but remember: you learn from each one.
For more information, visit www.ansys.co.za.
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