Defining success in the PR World

Everyone defines “success” in different ways. When I made the leap from being in a corporate in house PR position to starting my own agency I had a LOT of expectations that had to be met in order for me to feel comfortable jumping off the deep end in a world of the unknown. I was scared of failure, I was scared of not having a paycheck every other week, and most of all I was scared of disappointing those that had put their trust in me. I think as a business owner, you still live with those fears (a little bit) everyday BUT what soothes this anxiety a bit is that I am incredibly confident in my abilities in PR (otherwise I wouldn’t be doing what I do) and work for clients that I consider some of my closest friends. I’m sure I could take a poll of people in this industry that take on clients that they may not totally love (but need to take on for financial reasons), which makes it a bit difficult to enjoy pitching, working 12+ hours per day, and putting your heart and soul into making sure they are happy as a client.

The success of our company is not only build upon the virtues of honesty, respect, communication, and love for both what we do and who we work for, but it is also upon the fact that everyday I wake up and am honored to work for people who are truly grateful for what we do for them. My success is defined by knowing that I have surrounded myself with people in work and in life that propel me, support me, and have a genuine love and respect for what our agency is able to achieve for them.

I asked a few of my closest and most successful friends in the PR industry what defines their success and here’s what they had to say.

Carine Redmond, carineredmond.com

“You know you’ve made it as a publicist when you’re the story.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate Slean, Communications Coordinator

“The first time I felt that I’d made it was when a reporter called to set up an interview only minutes after I’d hit send on the email pitch. That was pretty special.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa Kwong of Tait PR

“You know you’ve made it when…You throw a huge launch party that everyone is still talking about six months later. A clear sign you’ve done your job well.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brigitte Foisy of PRdepartment.com

“You know you made it when…you get up in the morning and feel you’re exactly where you should be, accomplishing what you were put on this earth to do. It is living and breathing with the confidence that you are making a difference with the gifts, talents and strengths god’s giving you. Being where you should be just brings joy and fulfillment that makes you the person you should be without regrets or compromise. The best person you can be for your family, for your organization, for your clients.”

 

 

 

 

Charise Mariel Garcia of Kaeru Communications

“You know you’ve made it when… you receive an email in your inbox with the subject line “URGENT VOGUE REQUEST”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heather Davis former publicist at Think PR

“When you get a call from a friend telling you she saw your business in Oprah mag” or “When you tell a stranger your business name and they tell you they read the article about you in xxx”

Crosby Noricks of Prcouture.com

“You’ve know you’ve made it when you get to decide where, when, and with whom you work for.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christie Hill of Colour.ca

““You know you’ve made it when—your boss stops calling/emailing after 8pm because she knows you’ve got it taken care of””

FIVE THINGS ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA THAT FASHION PR OFTEN GETS WRONG

One of my really good friends in Toronto, Janette Ewen recently gave me an impromptu tutorial about this “tumblr” thing and I have to admit I started to break out in a cold sweat. The mere thought of having to handle another online/social media platform had me feeling like I was about to spontaneously combust from technology overload. So I began to ask myself, how do we as pr’s stay relevant, current, and interesting with our content in the age of twits and blog hogs. I looked to the successful and savvy Crosby Noricks of PR Couture to give us some of her dos and dont’s when it comes to social media for fashion pr’s. Check it out below:

We could argue until Betsey Johnson retires (never!) about which department should “own” social media — marketing, PR, branding, customer service? (Short answer: like your BFF’s closet, social media was made for sharing). In fashion, however, some of the greatest social media success stories occur when PR is at the helm. A quick glance through Lucky Magazine’s relatively exhaustive list of fashion brands on Twitter shows that in addition to social media darlings DKNY and Oscar PR Girl, Tibi, Elizabeth & James, and Stuart Weitzman all promote a decidedly PR-centric approach to social media. And why not? In-house fashion PR reps are connected to the day-to-day of office goings-on. In the know about everything from upcoming press placements to celebrity dressing, the fashion PR perspective can effectively extend the brand personality into social by providing “behind-the-scenes” content and, by engaging with fans and followers, build long-term rapport and loyalty between brand and consumer.

Yet, for many fashion publicists, their professional background is more pitching media than PPC, more credit checks than custom application development. As a result, the ins and outs of platforms like Facebook and Twitter are often misunderstood and misused. Here are five ways fashion brands are getting it wrong when it comes to social media strategy:

Fashion has a Police; Facebook has Promotional Guidelines
While it is remarkable how many fashion brands still have profile pages instead of business pages, the single biggest faux pas on Facebook is fashion brands that run contests on the wall. These contests often come in the form of status updates asking fans to post a picture or leave a comment for a chance to win something. The skinny is that while you can promote your contest on the wall, you must use an application to manage the actual entries. Solution: commit Facebook’s Promotional Guidelines to memory and then find a Facebook-approved vendor or developer to help you execute Facebook contests or sweepstakes.

The Perils of Improper Tweeting
No, I’m not talking about the serious lack of tact shown by some fashion designers and PR agencies for capitalizing on international tragedies to promote their own agenda (really, Kenneth Cole?) but a far simpler issue regarding how tweeting actually works.

Twitter is a powerful tool for building relationships with customers, bloggers and fashion editors. A great way to start the mutual adoration is to reference another Twitter user in a tweet for all your followers to see. However, an oft-repeated oops looks like this:

@fashionblogger wrote a great piece featuring our Evergreen leather satchel for fall

The problem with the above is that by beginning the tweet with @, only the Twitter account referenced, and any who happen to follow both the brand account and the blogger account will see that tweet. Not very effective…

A quick fix would be:

Loving the @fashionblogger piece on fall essentials featuring our Evergreen leather satchel

Moving Beyond the Fashion Blogger Brat Pack
As fashion bloggers become an integral part of PR, and even advertising campaigns, smart fashion brands have moved away from the standard email pitch and are instead working collaboratively with these influential digital content producers to curate and develop original, branded content.

However, the fashion community appears to be wearing blinders when it comes to developing partnerships with up-and-coming bloggers, or those with a non-traditional look, choosing instead to work with a handful of traditional glossy-approved bloggers that function (and look) more like models than true brand collaborators. Yes it’s fashion, but can we please do something besides another (yawn) photo campaign?

A Tumblr is Not a Content Strategy
Another day, another fashion brand launches a Tumblr. Ad Age reports that, “about 20% of approximately 40 million daily posts (about half of which contain photos) on more than 27 million Tumblr blogs are concerned with fashion in some sense, whether it’s bloggers documenting street fashion or opining on trends.” While brands like Anthropologie and Kate Spade have put effort into the design, personality, and types of recurring content, many fashion brands have simply used a free Tumblr theme and proceeded to blog and reblog haphazardly, with no clear purpose or process and rarely do they promote the existence of their Tumblr through to other social channels and Websites. Clearly, there is a lack of strategy. Before getting set up on Tumblr, consider the following:

• Tumblr is built upon users “reblogging” each other’s content. What is your plan to both identify, follow and reblog content?
• How will you drive traffic to your Tumblr?
• What types of content should be posted to Tumblr?
• How will you differentiate that content from what is on your company blog, Twitter account or Facebook account?
• Tumblr doesn’t provide an analytics dashboard; how will you measure and report on your efforts?

Disclosure is more than divulging your secret shopping haunts
This thing happened. It’s called the FTC Blogger Guidelines and while it’s not likely that anyone is going to be put in an orange jumpsuit anytime soon, it’s certainly on the up and up (and just good ethics) to abide by their disclosure around “Material Connections.” This means, essentially, that the FTC considers anyone, even those with Facebook profiles, a “blogger.” As such, anytime a fashion PR agency posts about a client on social media, they must indicate that they are talking about a client. I like to either make it obvious in the copy or using #client on posts. This extends through to working with bloggers. Let’s all encourage and assist bloggers with disclosure in posts where they are writing about anything they were paid for, or any gifts/samples that received on behalf of a brand.

Fashion publicists provide welcome content that bring brands and consumers closer together, providing a level of access through social media that is not only a smart business move, but damn fun too. By ensuring that social media receives the same strategic thinking and best practices as traditional PR plans, and ensuring that fashion publicists receive the proper training and support, fashion brands can continue to reap the benefits of putting PR Girls in charge of social strategy.

— Crosby Noricks

About Crosby Noricks
Crosby Noricks has more than seven years experience in fashion and consumer marketing. She is the founder of PR Couture, an award-winning blog about fashion PR, marketing and social media, named a Top 25 PR Blog by PR Web. She won Blogger of the Year at the inaugural InfluenceSD awards and was named favorite Blogger/Tweeter by 944 Magazine San Diego. Crosby is director of social media at Red Door Interactive, a premier strategic Internet Presence Management firm, working with a multitude of clients including Charlotte Russe, Eagle Creek and Quiksilver. Follow her on Twitter @PR_Couture

Article credit: http://www.apparelinsiders.com/2011/09/five-things-about-social-media-that-fashion-pr-often-gets-wrong/

Jill Barber: Who Are You and Why Do We Care?

Often times in love and life, I get a little jaded. I stop to think that maybe this whole “stars aligning”, falling in love, and finding your true passion might not work out, but then I read about someone like singer, songwriter Jill Barber who seemingly has always followed her inner voice. If you have been lucky enough to catch the smooth, sultry sounds of Jill in person or have heard any of her songs (my personal fave is Took Me By Surprise) you will probably find yourself tapping your toes or dancing on air around the room. Its just the type of music that picks you up and get you in that happy, romantic mood. Her sound breaks barriers (with influences by Ella Fitzgerald) and is just the thing we need right now in this world. I admire her artistic touch and unwavering ability to always follow her heart.

VG: Who are you?

JB: I am a modern day torch singer performing original material reminiscent of classic standards.  I was born in Toronto, followed my heart to the east coast, then later followed my heart to the west coast, where I now live with my husband. I guess you could call me a romantic?

VG: What makes you tick?

JB: Bike rides. Road trips into the wilderness. My husband’s blue eyes. Being on stage playing music with my band. Cocktails with friends. Good food. Record players. The south of France. People who cheer loudly. Champagne popping. Amazing people doing amazing things. Men that wink. Hat revivalists. My incredible family.

VG: Name your top 5 personality traits or characteristics that you feel have enabled you to be so successful.

JB: I always follow my heart, I don’t let pride stand in my way, I’ve assembled a great team around me, I take advice, and I make those around me feel appreciated (my team, my band, my fans.)

VG: Why do we care?

JB: I’m bringing back the romance, and providing a soundtrack to your perfect evening, whether it’s a night on the town, or sipping wine by the fire.

VG: Tell me a secret (really, tell me a secret).

JB: I’m a fan of Lionel Richie.  There, I said it.

VG: Where are you?

JB: On a tour bus driving between Montreal and Drummondville, QC.

VG: What did you have for lunch?

JB: It’s still morning, but for breakfast I had a bowl of Fiber 1 with almonds, blueberries and keffir.

VG: Paste your last Tweet here:

JB: “Picking up the tour right where we left off… In La Belle Province!! Tonight in beautiful Beloeil, QC at the Centre Culturel de Beloeil.”

VG: So now what?

JB: In 5 years I see myself balancing touring life with family life, making new records, and becoming a better cook!  What does it take?  I think it takes asking yourself where you see yourself in 5 years, and making it so!

Make sure you follow Jill on twitter @jillbarber for all the latest updates on her tour schedule and releases!

Who Are You and Why Do We Care: Erin Ireland

The catch phrase “Thats Bananas” coined by a certain Hollywood uber stylist sounds especially sweet to Vancouver foodie, journalist, and tv personality Erin Ireland. Erin’s the type of girl that catches your attention from across the room. Perhaps its her signature hot pink YSL lipstick? Or perhaps its the aroma of fresh, warm “To Die For” Banana Bread that she ever so lovingly cradles in her arms in a quest to take over the foodie scene and make obsessed fans of her signature bread. I admire a lot of things about Erin and learned a TON of things I never knew in this interview, like where did this “To Die For” moniker come from?  I was honored to hear about someone in this day and age of money, power, and fame, that it is still possible to follow your dreams (no matter how scary it may be) and achieve happiness and success. We all know the struggles it takes to make the “impossible” into the “possible” but Erin is proof positive that taking the risk is worth it, and that you can create change and leave your mark along the way. Bravo Erin! Cheers to women in business and to everyone who each day inspires change.

VG: Who Are You?

EI: After playing four years of volleyball and studying broadcasting, I returned home from University in South Carolina with the plan to become a sportscaster. I quickly realized, however, that I’m much more passionate about food! Currently, I’m building an empire under my brand, ‘It’s To Die For’. The company will include a line of banana breads, cookbooks, a television show, retail locations, and a social campaign raising awareness about the dangers of extreme dieting. I currently write a weekly food column for Metro Newspaper, a monthly column for Vancouver View Magazine, and I’m a regular on Urban Rush reporting on the best local foods in our city.

VG: What makes you tick?

EI: An early morning run followed by a big breakfast of oatmeal, bananas, and coffee. Also, the belief that anything is possible! There is no industry too saturated to conquer and no job too high-ranking to achieve if you want it badly enough and have the basic tools required for it.

VG: Name your top 5 personality traits or characteristics that you feel have enabled you to be so successful.

EI: Confidence. Fearlessness. Friendliness. Being open-minded. A perfectionist.

VG: Why do we care?

EI: After four years of NCAA volleyball in the States, I returned home to Vancouver with the belief that I’d have to get ultra skinny to succeed in broadcasting. With this in mind, my motivation made the following five years of extreme dieting easy. It has become my mission to inform teenage girls and women about the health dangers associated with the condition. Eating disorders are so common among young women, and the dangerously thin, highly under-diagnosed phase before ‘anorexia’ is also harmful to health. I’ll tell my story to high schools, on media tours, and to anyone else who’ll listen. My message is that extreme dieting is not to die for.

VG: Tell me a secret (Really, tell me a secret).

EI: In university, no one knew me by my real name. To this day, when someone from my South Carolina days calls or emails, they refer to me as ‘Jeter’. In my senior year I forced the coach and all team member to call me Erin so that the new freshman would follow suit.

VG: Where are you?

EI: On the couch with the TV on but muted (waiting for CTV News). I work from home where I rotate between desk and a more comfy spot. Feet are up and computer is resting on my ovary protector.

VG: What did you have for lunch?

EI: I was on assignment for Metro today when I dined solo at Luke’s, which is a new South Granville restaurant in Vancouver. Their veggie burger, made with quinoa, almonds, egg, beans, and mushrooms, was enormous. You’ll have to read the column to see if it was any good!

VG: Paste your last tweet here

EI: @erin_ireland: this list wouldn’t be complete without @thaaschocolates: best cafés in vancouver –> http://bit.ly/rd6Gt6

VG: So now what?

EI: In five years, I’ll be 33. My banana bread will have national distribution and my show will be in full swing. By then, I’ll be ‘smelling the roses’ a little more often than I am now. As I build my business, I realize that it’s crunch time. I’ve put some of life’s ‘frivolous activities’ on the backburner. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t have it any other way. What I’m doing right now is what fuels me. Even while on vacation, I’m drawn to the hotel notepads where I’ll make lists or brainstorm ideas. I love what I do so much that it’s hard to turn off.

Trusting your gut will get you where you want to be. I worked at CTV for two years, and though I loved every minute of it (so much that I cried when I left), I knew that ‘news’ wasn’t for me at the time. Taking the leap can be scary (financially, emotionally, etc), but you must do it to end up in the right spot. Only in my wildest dreams did I picture launching a line of baked goods and being a food reporter, but the chain of events that my gut has led me on has landed me right here and I couldn’t be happier.

Follow Erin’s adventures in foodie-land at @erin_ireland on twitter.

About Erin: Food reporter and lover of cuisine, Erin Ireland aspires to spend the rest of her life eating food that is to die for. When coerced to relinquish the fork, she swaps it with a microphone to dish on the best new restaurants in Vancouver and her favorite ‘to die for’ products on Urban Rush. You can also read Erin’s weekly ‘Lunch Rush’ column in Metro Newspaper every Tuesday, her monthly ‘To Die For Face’ column in Vancouver View Magazine, and taste her banana bread in cafes in and around Vancouver.

The Grass is Greener on the Other Side? Musings on how to get, keep, and succeed in an internship in PR

My path into pr, as been similar to how I lead my life in general. A sort of “go with the flow, lets see what happens, fate will lead you in the right direction” kind of attitude and Hey, It has really worked for me. Don’t get me wrong, it has NOT been easy. I wasn’t born with a diamond encrusted spoon in my mouth and my family was NOT from the fashion industry. In fact, my parents very much discouraged my foray into the fashion industry as a very young and naive girl trying to get in front of the camera. Perhaps that coupled with the fast that Im not a 5-10 amazon had a little bit also to do with the path that I choose, but who knows…It might have also had a something to do with the “bright lights, big city” gotta get the f- outta this small town and make something of myself mentality that I’ve always had.

 

Fast forward 10 years or so and now I not only have the opportunity to “live the dream” but to also do one of the things I am most passionate about which is to teach others how to succeed in pr. I learn new things every day through the people that work alongside me at the agency and its so fun to see interns and others succeed and go on to do great things in the world of pr. Working as an intern was truly one of the hardest experiences I went through. From juggling a full load of college classes to working two jobs, one at a big pr agency in LA under a “Devil Wear Prada” type boss who had high expectation (Can’t complain! She taught me to have a thick skin, which you need in pr) being an intern was not all puppies and rainbows, copying and shuffling paper around.

 

I wanted to give some tips that I had on the Do’s and Don’t behind pr internships, but marketing consultant Melissa Lai was kind enough to share over twitter a few of her top tips (which just so happened to be some of the same that I had!) Check out what she had to say and heed this advice. Oh and if you ever have any questions about pr, how to get a job/internship, or how to take over the world (kidding!) please shoot me an email (kristin@thevanguardpr.com). I always love helping out young pr stars! Better of luck and be brave young soldiers.

 

“Getting an internship can be tough because competition is high. Having the right attitude is a great start. When I started out in my career, I looked at some of the companies I wanted to work for. I did some research on recent successes, found the hiring manager or who would be a “direct” manager to me and cold called/email them to see if there was opportunity for internships. Having the right attitude worked for me because although there wasn’t an available position posted, the hiring manager felt that I cared enough and wanted to be a part of the company enough to pitch them on my candidacy. It helped me find amazing opportunities and I look for these traits in interns now.

 

Other than prospecting companies I’d like to work for, I also networked a lot. I like to ask interns if they are involved with associations and/or like to attend networking events to get an idea of their personality. PR is a very relationship building career, and if someone were to tell me “No, I don’t like going to events or meeting new people”, I tend to think that maybe this career is not for them.

 

As “easy” as it can be to land an internship, it’s very easy to lose it as well. Here are some experiences I’ve had as a manager and some of the things I liked and didn’t like about certain interns. It helped me decide whether or not they should become full-time after their internship was done.

 

Do’s:

 

- Be ready for challenges and be open to new projects and responsibilities.

- If you’re done your work, don’t sit on Facebook. Ask if there is something else you could do. Taking initiative shows that you’re eager to learn and do more.

- Be eager to learn. I love interns who have a passion to absorb as much information as possible. It shows me that they’re serious about their careers. At the end of internships it helps me judge who should be taken on full-time.

- Attend company events and try and get involved.

 

 

Don’t:

- Say it’s “not a part of my job description” when someone asks you to help them around the office.

- Be late, take extended lunches, or just… not show up.

- If you attend a company or client event, be professional. Even if there is alcohol served, it isn’t an invitation to go overboard. (I’ve had this happen and it’s a quick way to lose an internship).

- Don’t ask for extra freebies. If you’re offered tickets to a show, don’t ask for more so you can sell them on Craigslist.”

 

About:

Melissa Lai is an independent Business Development and Marketing Consultant in Vancouver, BC. With a strong business development background and a knack for creative writing, Melissa has a proven track record in being a vital part of assisting organizations break in, secure, and maintain awareness in key audiences. With experience in technology and retail, Melissa is passionate about new media and how technology changes marketing. She was recently chosen to speak at the IIMA (International Internet Marketing Association) conference in May 2011.

Picture credit: Hollywood livin the dream. Appropriate no?

Nicole Ritchie-Oseen: Who Are You and Why Do We Care?

I’ve got a confession. You can keep a secret right? Being surrounded by my past and present clients gives me a bit of the heeby jeeby’s (in a good way). They are some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs and have chosen a path for their business that is not only a successful business model, but came into “the game” on the premise of basically hoping to “save the world” to put it lightly.

While I’ve been in the fashion industry for many years now (and no I won’t reveal my age! Geesh Im a lady!) I have to admit, some days I get jaded of all this “fashion talk” about trends and blah blah blah. I mean shouldn’t I be out there saving the world or something? But then I look at people like Nicole Ritchie-Oseen, who we spoke to below and know that fashion doesn’t always have to be all material things, and that through the visions of eco entrepreneurs, we can shape the world. Read on and get lifted.

VG: Who are you?

NRO: I’m Nicole Ritchie-Oseen. My last name gets a lot of comments. I’ve yet to come up with a witty comeback. I own an eco clothing boutique, body politic. If I had to choose one thing to bring me joy for the rest of my days – that would be dogs!

VG: What makes you tick

NRO:My family and friends keep me sane and I am so lucky to have such a solid group of people surrounding me and supporting me every step of my journey. For what I bring to the table, I believe these are the traits I have that see me through:

1.Stubborn-ness: It really has helped me! I committed myself to an idea, and as difficult as it was, I’ve achieved it! Perhaps “determined” is a nicer way of stating it?

2.Creativity – I’m a chronic day-dreamer and I’m happier when I can indulge in that.

3.Being Responsible – Not in the boring sense, but in the way that I feel I have a responsibility to “Do Good” in whatever role I may have at the moment.

4.Simpleness –  I like being behind the scenes and that allows me to grow ideas without worrying what others might think first!

5. Being Independent – I like working on my own and I feel like I get in my “zone” easily. I opened my business when the sky was falling in 2008. Not necessarily the ideal time to start a new company but like I said…I’m stubborn…

VG: Why do we care?

NRO: I’m not sure that you should! In all honesty all I’m doing is trying to play a part in the industry I love (fashion!) without being a jerk about it. There are so many aspects of the industry that are truly disgusting, but rather than writing it off completely I’m trying to show myself, and others, that we do have a choice and can shape it into something better. Sustainable, in fact!

VG: Tell me a secret (really, tell me a secret)

NRO: I cry….A lot. It’s how I cope and it’s probably “ok” as far as dealing with stress goes. I read an interview with Natalie Massenet (founder of Net-a-Porter) and she stated that she cried every day for a year when struggling with her new business. I can sort of relate!

VG: Where are you?

NRO: At my “home office,” AKA my kitchen table. It’s always piled high with paper instead of delicious meals.

VG: What did you have for lunch?

NRO: Lemon yogurt.

VG: Paste your last tweet here:

NRO: “RT: @NaomiAKlein So proud that the Canadian government is a glorified ad agency for Big Oil. Our tax dollars at work gu.com/p/3x2ct/tw #tarsands” (I can’t say they’re always this political!)

VG: So now what?

NRO: I feel like I’m always thinking about the future and it’s constantly changing! What I ultimately want to achieve is a sense of being content in my day-to-day day life. I want adventure but I want my “real life” to be as I like it. I’ve realized I can’t control everything (which goes against my stubborn nature). As a 20-something I’ve really planned every single step of the way and I’m ready to let go a bit and see where the wind takes me next!

Inspired yet? Nicole was so delightful to interview and is always such a down to earth person. I’ve had the pleasure to met her mom, who basically inspired her to start her business, and its easy to see where she gets her sweet, genuine personality from. Support her and save the earth. Shop at bodypolitic.ca!

Natalie Kathleen: Who Are You and Why Do We Care?

When I reflect back on all of the great people and friends I have met while in Vancouver, one of them stands out amongst them. Natalie Kathleen, the owner of Sienna Ray Handbags was just my type of gal. An entrepreneur with a serious passion for what she was doing, we bonded over Absinthe martinis after long nights of fun conversation. We promised to always have one night a month where we shared our love of culture (people dont go to the opera enough in this city!) and explored new things about Vancouver. Natalie’s drive and commitment to life, love, and her company continue to inspire the many who have met her and well, Im just proud to call her my friend. Read on to check out why you should care.

VG: Who are you?

NK: Natalie Kathleen, a young woman passionate in making the most of life one day at a time. A loving sister, a generous friend, a grateful daughter and the founder and head of Sienna Ray & Co. a luxurious handbag & footwear brand.

VG: What makes you tick?

NK: I am naturally very curious, competitive, energetic, compassionate and adventurous – all together I run a very fast paced life with a fantastic work hard / play hard mentality.l’m always keen to make the most of every opportunity in front of me. My life is continuously keeping me on my toes, full of many interesting experiences and memories.

VG: Why do we care?

NK: I smile at strangers in the street. Simple as that, I believe that adding a little unsolicited brightness into other people’s lives can spread peacefulness throughout the community and society.

VG: Tell me a secret (really, tell me a secret)

NK: I have an odd fascination for small spoons and straws in all my drinks…

VG: Where are you?

NK: Gastown Vancouver for summer!

VG: What did you have for lunch?

NK: Is 4pm still considered lunch? Soy latte, carrot sticks, snow peas & almonds – saving myself for a yummy dinner out on the town!

VG: Paste your last tweet here:

NK: ”dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions” edgar cayce

VG: So now what?

NK: It’s difficult enough to know what I am doing come autumn let alone 5 years….However following my “you can’t get what you don’t ask for” mantra, I will be enjoying my days designing and promoting and now greatly expanded Sienna Ray & Co. accessories collection for both woman and men. I will be enjoying my nights and weekends with my friends at whichever international destination I currently call home – enjoying a life of much travel, adventures & laughter.

Check out Sienna Ray’s latest collection here: http://siennaray.com/

 

Janette Ewen: Who Are You And Why do We Care?

Many of you may (or may not) know that I just moved back to LA and with decorating our brand new office and my new place, I’ve been on a serious hunt for furniture and decor. One person that I can ALWAYS that has AMAZING design inspiration (that she tweets about) is interior stylist, Janette Ewen. Seriously, everything she posts about is something that I am DYING to try my hand at doing for our office and my place. I figured she would make a great”Person of Interest.” Not only is she an amazing design stylist, she is also such a “girls girl,” the kind of person you meet and just immediately hit it off with. Oh, and she’s not too hard on the eyes either.

Check out what she had to tell us!

VG: Who are you?

JE: My name is Janette Ewen and I’m a quirky gal based out of Toronto. I work as an on air interior stylist and my most recent show is Inside the Box with Ty Pennington. I get to co-host with Ty- super-beyond cool! My biggest passions are entertaining and travel, which my new upcoming project will capture the both of.

VG: What makes you tick

JE: I am a go-go-go person. I’ll work my butt off if my work involves creating anything. I get bored very easily, so I’m always seeking new inspiration, projects, things to see. Once I find something I am extremely focused. I (for the most part) enjoy meeting people and really getting to know them. I’m very genuine and I think this has helped me build an amazing network of friends and contacts. I don’t take no for an answer.

Justin Bieber said it best, “never say never”. In my world there are plenty of people who will try to discourage you, knock you down, say you don’t fit in and so on, so I decided a long time ago to use negativity as a motivator… “Don’t think I can do a something? Watch me!”

I’m not about money, which is almost on a fault on some levels. I will never sacrifice my core values for money. I find this has helped my career, as my decisions are driven from my heart and passion. I’ll take my freedom over stuff any day.

VG: Why do we care?

JE: Giving back is so important to me. One thing I am very proud of is my work with young women in several charities. I also think providing an opportunity is so rewarding. I never ask young people to work for me for free. I was so proud to not have one unpaid staff member on my Inside the Box with Ty Pennington design team. I hired all summer students, they learned a ton about the industry, and were able to save money for school and day-to-day expenses. I think that you can always create opportunities to teach people and  everyone deserves a chance to learn

VG: Tell me a secret (really, tell me a secret)

JE: This one is a shame secret: I was a dork in high school! Not one boy EVER asked me to dance or on a date. As well, when I was 25, I entered the world of magazines (a little late in the game). For my first interview at Chatelaine Magazine, I wore an out of style suit and the pants were floods- I mean shin skimmers, I was so broke at the time I couldn’t afford a new outfit. When I finally interviewed with the editor in chief I had saved enough money to sew an outfit (I made a dress) for five dollars, she asked me if it was a Theory dress, I lied and said yes. So insecure, now I am proud of how resourceful I have had to be! Oh and I am a horrible speller.

VG: Where are you?

JE: Right now? I’m sitting out on my terrace (all 76 square feet of it) in Toronto… thinking about how I get to go to Kelowna in 3 days!!

VG: What did you have for lunch?

JE: It’s 3:30 and I haven’t had lunch yet! Although I am debating between a Lean Cuisine and a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich.

VG: Paste your last tweet here:

JE: Lets try that link again… I did something wrong!! @jillianharris @VANGUARDPR jillianharris.com/post/five-home…

VG: So now what?

JE: In 5 years I’d like to have a successful show on PBS. Produce shows for some of the young talent out there. Own a pub (in Santa Monica). Be a good wife to someone (stop laughing!). Have started a new charity that assists the “working poor.” I would also really like to have the time to be in one place long enough to be on a lawn bowling team (we’d have green uniforms).

VG: What do I think it takes for people to achieve their dreams, goals, and aspirations in life?

JE: One word, fearlessness… There is nothing, nothing, people can’t do if they just do it. All the time people ask what did I do to have my career, my life. I just jumped in. I am still jumping in and I have such a long way to go, but I will never be afraid of what happens only afraid of not trying. Just get up and do it, for real, what is the worst that can happen? I don’t care if I fail a million times, I will try again and I will stick it!

For great interior design tips and inspiration, follow Janette on twitter @janette_ewen.

Inside Design: The story behind the green renovation of the brand new Nicole Bridger Flagship Boutique

I’ve got a secret to share. I’m completely and utterly obsessed with Elle Decor Magazine. Literally, it’s a publication that I sit in astonishment and just stare at the pages pondering where in the world these people get such amazing things and how can I ever find a way to part with $10k for a sofa. And even if I could afford that sofa, it would probably be the only thing in my apartment. (I kid I kid).

When my client Nicole Bridger told me that she was in the midst of opening and designing her very first flagship boutique in Vancouver, it opened up the floodgates to design questions. Among them; tell me theres a less expensive eco friendly version of everything I see in Elle Decor and where do you even start when designing an “sustainable store front?”

Luckily, Nicole Bridger called on green interior design expert Kate Cannata from New Leaf Interiors in Vancouver to get down to beautifying the space (Which was formerly a mattress store. Can you believe it)?

Here are some of the incredible materials used in the construction  on the Bridger boutique at 2151 W. 4th in Vancouver, BC as told to us by Kate Cannata and some pics from the inside (*courtesy of Leo Cai).

“The features of the store are the many renewable resources including the 100-year-old douglas fir display shelves. These solid wood shelves were converted from beams purchased from a church demolition site in Vancouver. More importantly, to avoid excessive construction waste, the team decided to use plaster over the gypsum board instead of replacing the many imperfect walls. The lime plaster cuts carbon footprint in a variety of ways. The longevity also makes it an excellent green building choice because it will not need to be replaced or maintained regularly like other building methods. Lime Plaster can be recycled, reused and also is resistant to mold and fungus, increasing the quality of the air when used indoors.”

“In addition, New Leaf chose to use concrete with radiant floor heating. This combination with the lime plaster will require less energy to achieve better thermal comfort at a lower thermostat setting. Another benefit includes, providing the store with more usable area and reducing the need for additional building materials.”

“Other materials used in the store include; Paperstone for signage (recycled paper composite), the 3-Form Varia Eco-Resin chandelier from Vancouver based designers Propellor (40% postconsumer recycled material), and Farrow & Ball Paints (all natural pigments/No VOC).”

Jillian Harris: Who Are You and Why Do We Care?

Our next Person of Interest is one of my favorite people in the entire world and I’m not just saying that because she’s my client. Jillian Harris is one of the most genuine, sincere, honest and caring people I know. She is just like she is portrayed on tv with  her bubbly, friendly personality and it’s no wonder that so many people fell in love with her when they first saw her on the Batchelor/Batchelorette. I can’t tell you how many times I hear from a reporter or editor that has just interviewed Jillian and told me how much they love her and how she makes you feel so at ease. Jillian is the type of person that would give you the sweater off her back if you were cold. So it’s no wonder that she is now helping to change lives and share her love of design on the hit show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC. She’s got a heart of gold and she is our next Person of Interest.

VG: Who are you?

JH: To many who haven’t met me, I am small town girl who introduced her self to the reality-tv-loving world on the Bachelor & Bachelorette. Hopefully many of them caught wind that I am also a designer who loves to laugh, love, and chit chat. I am also now a designer on the show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which just happens to be my dream job.  But to me, if I were to think of who ‘I’ am, I think of a fun-loving, hyper creative soul.  I am a sensitive, open-minded, and determined small town girl. I am successful, however with much to learn and far to go.  I am a good daughter and good friend, but continue to do better and try harder.  I also love Tomatoes, Campfires, Frye Boots, Grandma & laughing till I cry, or just crying for the sake of it!

VG: What makes you tick?

JH: Resilience: In the past, when life brought me adversity, I would allow myself to fall to my knees and hurt, but quicker than you can say “it’s going to be ok” I will shoot back up and fire back with double the force of the hurt. Creativity: I actually think creativity for me is the fact that I am a bit outrageous and nothing is impossible, so I have a very creative imagination. It has gotten me into trouble many times, but for the most part it’s helped me get to where I am today. Sensitivity:  Ask any ex of mine, I’m not afraid to cry! I used to think this was a flaw, but be assured I’m not changing it anytime soon. How awful would it be if I closed up this heart of mine? I love to be sensitive, it just comes with my package. Humor: I find pretty much everything funny, it’s something my dad instilled in me at a very young age.  Even if it’s not intended to be funny, I’ll try to find the humor in it. Again, this has gotten me into trouble, but most times I  can turn an awkward or sad situation into a giggle. Adventurous: I learned this one from my mom and I can thank her for the countless places I have traveled, the planes I’ve jumped out of , the beaches I’ve camped on, the roller coasters I’ve threw up on, the TV show’s I’ve landed on and the people I’ve met along the way. Thanks mom!

VG: Why do we Care?

JH:Like anyone, I feel like I have a long way to go when it comes to changing the world, but I DO try.  I am environmentally aware and my heart breaks for our lovely mother earth when I think of how we treat her.  I do avidly recycle, reclaim and reuse items. I think twice before tossing ANYTHING into the garbage.  I try to educate others around me and share my passion without nagging or preaching.

VG: So now what?

JH: I don’t believe in 5 year plans anymore. In the past, I pushed myself towards goals that I  ‘thought’ were right for me, but 5 years down the road it turned out they weren’t. As simple as still being happy, working hard, being creative, and surrounding myself with those I love and continuing to laugh daily … I have no plan!

Follow Jillian on twitter @jillianharris and check out her brand new site jillianharris.com.

Photo courtesy of OK! Magazine.