Posts Tagged ‘life’

A Crazy Year of Learning and Growing

Friday, May 7th, 2010

It’s been a little over a year since my first blog post as a self-employed PR professional. Those of you who know me know that it’s been one crazy year both professionally and personally.  The fact that my family and I have survived living in Austin [Lakeway, TX to be exact] and that my venture in PR as a soloist (for the time being, I hope) has been a relative success, I have to say crazy isn’t so bad.

The ‘craziness’ of the past year has brought me to learn many things about PR…and life. Here are 12 [one for each month] that I’d like to share with y’all [that's a li'l Texan slang for all you New Yorkers]:

12. LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES. Such a cliche, but it’s so true. Who would’ve thought that we’ll be living so far away from all our family, friends, and of course, the PR/media capital of the world? I still wake up in the middle of the night sometimes thinking I’m in Cambridge Heights in Nutley, NJ.

11. I’M A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY…A LITTLE BIT ROCK ‘N ROLL. Moving to Texas has given everyone in the family an appreciation for the most spectacular natural scenery in the country.  The Texas Hill Country and Lake Travis are must-adds to anyone’s bucket list. We’ve also enjoyed getting to know folks who come from a very different background as us, and realize that we aren’t at all that much different. We do miss the diversity that the Northeast offers in food, culture, people and…FOOD.

10. IN PR, LOCATION DOESN’T MATTER. My friends who work in New York City would probably hate me for saying this, but this is based on my experience. The Internet has really changed the way we communicate. I am just as in touch with what’s going on in New York City from here as I was when I was working there. Ok…maybe location does matter a little. That’s probably why I’m keeping my 201 area code.

9. CENTRAL TIME CAN BE A PAIN. Location might not matter in PR, but time zones do especially in matters of scheduling meetings and TV watching. The one hour difference is enough to get me mixed up in making appointments with people in the East Coast. I’ve also missed live TV events because of this. Obviously, there is a time zone bias going on here.

8. IT’S ALWAYS BETTER TO REP CLIENTS YOU LOVE. Every PR pro’s dream is to have clients that they feel passionate about. In my case, that’d be the PGA Tour or Tiger Woods. No, I don’t rep both as you can tell with all the bad press they are getting lately.  I am proud to say though I do rep the next best thing. If you haven’t guessed it, then read here.

7. LIKE LIFE, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS DESTINY IN PR. I’ve told this story many times and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of re-telling this story again and again. Many of you who lived near us in New Jersey have had many yummy meals with us at Carino’s Italian. If I recall, I introduced Carino’s to y’all.  In fact, our final farewell dinner, hosted by the Ocampos, was at the Carino’s in Clifton Commons. Then, the funniest thing happened along the way to Austin. The first ever restaurant we ate at after a long yet leisurely drive from New Jersey that took ten days was at Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q.

Then, a Divine Intervention, a few weeks later, I end up meeting one of the most innovative digital marketers in the U.S., Creed Ford IV, Principal at Pictoric Media Group, who runs the digital marketing for Carino’s Italian and Rudy’s Bar-B-Q…a couple of months later I’m playing golf with him and the owners of Carino’s and Rudy’s Bar-B-Q. The rest as they say is history. [If you're on Twitter and aren't following @creedford, you're missing out. This dude will change how restaurants operate. More on that on a later post.]

6. TIGER WOODS IS THE KING OF GOLF AND DOUCHEBAGGERY. Considering I’m in PR, I felt shafted that I, too, fell for his image that he can do no wrong. Nike, Tiger and the rest of his crew should watch out for a class-action lawsuit for all the emotional distress he’s caused faithful married men.

5. NETWORKING IS EASIER FOR A FIVE YEAR OLD. Seeing how my two sons (ages 5 and 6), without thinking twice, approach other kids their age to make friends, is something to emulate. I even blogged about it here.

4. TEXAS HAS ITS OWN INDEPENDENCE DAY. Texans have always said Texas is its own country. They’re right. I discovered this when my client, Rudy’s Bar-B-Q, launched a campaign on March 2nd (3/2) to offer up quarter pound barbecue briskets for 32 cents (a play off the date in case you didn’t get it) for a couple of hours. All payments received from the promo hours, as well as 50 cents for every new Twitter follower and Facebook fan a week leading up to 3/2, were donated to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. A simple cause related program that combined traditional and social media generated significant media placements for the client. Welcome to the Republic of Texas.

3. PR, SOCIAL MEDIA AND A HEART TO HELP, IS A WINNING COMBINATION. Besides the aforementioned campaign for Haiti. My client, Rudy’s Bar-B-Q,  also embarked on a cause-related campaign that raised funds for the victims of the Fort Hood tragedy through a partnership with Soldiers’ Angels. In addition, Carino’s Italian restaurants introduced its new loyalty card, Pasta Points, by donating a dollar for every new registration from April 12th-30th to Autism Speaks, the largest nonprofit organization for autism awareness and research. You can view my behind the scenes take form Austin Live with Chef Peit here.  Here are six things about cause-related PR you need to know.

2. I GOT PR’d TO MOVE TO AUSTIN. Kudos to Austin’s PR team for getting the city included in rankings of the Best Places to Live in the U.S. (U.S. News) and the Best Places for Business and Careers (Forbes). Besides the obvious of asking friends who’ve been to Austin, my research showed that Austin is great a hot bed for entrepreneurs and great place to raise a family.  So far, that seems like the case.

1. GOTTA HAVE FAITH. Not talking about George Michael’s song. The craziness of the past year has actually made me more spiritual and to reflect on what’s really important. We may live with less, but we’ve become closer as a family. If it worked for us so it should for you. The ups and downs of being a small business owner requires a lot of faith in oneself. I don’t mean to be preachy, but without the belief that someone greater is watching out for you, the challenges will be tougher to face IMO.  If you don’t believe me, read point no. 7 again.

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The Toughest Pitch of My Life

Monday, August 10th, 2009

“Sorry, I don’t have any room for you.” “Not exactly what I’m looking for.” “Not a right match for us.” Or simply…dead silence. As PR experts, we’ve heard these replies before, but I’m not talking about pitching a story here, I’m talking about pitching myself so I can earn a living.

When we pitch reporters, we have to determine first what the news value is. What makes this story worthy of media coverage? In a way the job search is similar. So I dug deep and tried to figure out what makes me unique. What’s my news value, in this case, what makes me worthy of a placement in a PR agency or corporation?

I’ve tried to encapsulate what I know in public relations, marketing and social media in various job sites and on cover letters. I even posted an ad about my expertise on Craig’s List (hey, it’s free) in hopes of securing any PR/marketing job or freelance work available. I’m not trying to be trendy by using social media to land a job, although at this stage it doesn’t hurt to utilize all possible channels. It’s not easy to be unemployed with three children (one of whom has autism spectrum disorder and special needs) plus bills to pay.

BUT I don’t want this to be another sad tale of a guy who has the talents and the skills, but never catches a break. This is about defining who I am. Finding out what is unique about me. Besides, what defines me affects how I approach PR and the successes I’ve experienced in the past. It might even help me secure that elusive job or client. As I said, it’s just like pitching a story to any respected media outlet (are there any left?).

So what defines me. Is it the millions of dollars of publicity I’ve generated for clients in my 12 years of PR? Is it the counsel I offer clients that help them grow their business? Is it the strategic communications plans I’ve developed and implemented? Could it be the events I’ve managed or the speaking engagements I’ve secured? Maybe it’s my Twitter profile. I mean I am just another dude in PR adding diversity to the industry. All of these are true, but I can’t say they define me.

In fact, what defines me may be viewed as nothing special by many. So here goes at the risk of losing that job or client around the corner. I’m a husband and dad first and foremost. I’m also a son, brother, cousin, mentor and a friend. All of these things define me and hence my priorities. These things may not give me an edge in my job search and may not add value as a PR professional.

One thing about not knowing what’s in store in the future is that it messes with a person’s mind.  You begin to question who you are.  So at this point, I’m just happy to know who I am.  And my hope for all of my PR brethren is to never have to pitch what I’m pitching right now.  The toughest pitch is pitching one’s self.

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Through the Eyes of Patootie

Sunday, June 7th, 2009
they call me patootie

they call me patootie

Patootie isn’t my name, it’s James, and I turned 4 years old today. Woot! Patootie is a term of endearment that my parents dubbed for me, but in all honesty, I don’t think they know that it actually refers to ‘butt’ in American slang. I wish can tell ‘em that every time they call me, cutie patootie, they’re actually referring to my awesome posterior.  Unfortunately, I can’t.

When I was two years old, I was diagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorder.  The official medical term given is PDD-NOS, which stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified.  The way I see it, it’s not much of a medical diagnosis at all, because NOS seems to convey “Totally clueless about what you have, all I know is that you’re not normal.”

In my four years, I’ve accomplished so much although to the point of view of my fellow four year olds, their parents and mine, I’m still way behind.  What they don’t know is that all this time I’ve been observing things and everyone around me for I plan to takeover the world like Hulu.  Just kidding.

It’s tough to express myself because my vocabulary is limited to about 200 words.  I try to explain myself in words, but they come out as gibberish to grown-ups.  I’ve been looking for a translator to hire, but there’s no one qualified.  My big brother, John, who is the coolest brother of all, tries to help me explain things, and usually, he gets it but he can’t do this job full-time.  So I resort to sign language, which helps when I want to say something.

I’d like to think I’ve given so much joy to my parents, sister, brother, mama (what I call my dad’s mom), uncles, aunts and all my relatives.  A few strangers have looked at me rudely because they think I’m misbehaving, but in reality, I’m just being me.  I’ve also added some excitement to my parents’ lives. Let’s see a raise of hands. How many of you have been rushed in ambulance to the ER in the middle of the night? This has happened to me twice in my four short years. I’d have to say paramedics have a pretty cool job.

In any case, I’m totally cool with the fact that I’ve been classified autistic. I get to go to school everyday with more than four teachers looking after me at once. I am able to play with John, my classmates who are kinda like me, my neighbors who are nothing like my classmates, and pretty much every normal child I’ve met.  I’m a daredevil on my trike riding up and down the sidewalk ignoring my dad’s rules not to go beyond a certain point.  I know he means well and cares for my safety, but when I’m coming down that hill as fast as I can, I feel FREE.  Free of any ailment, disorder, disability.  Free of autism.

When we move to Austin in less than a month, I hope to find a similar hill.  See I even know that we’re relocating due to the bad economy.  I also know my mom & dad are struggling, but they’re smart folks and I heard they’ve been through worse.  I’m absolutely certain they’ll bounce back although tough times are ahead.

Now that I’m four, my hope is to catch up with my peers.  And I pray I no longer have a seizure when I have high fever.  I also wish my occasional sleep disorder will go away.

Thank you all for taking care of me and for reading this post.  I hope you saw a glimpse of my life.  I know I will beat this disorder one day and that day will come sooner rather than later.

James, 4, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. He is a smart loving boy and has dreams to fulfill.  He is the youngest of three children by Joseph & Maya Vasquez.

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Our Sweet Sixteen

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Sixteen years ago today, I got married. I was 21 and my wife, Maya, was 19.  Why we decided to take the plunge is beside the point. What matters is that since then, we’ve had the most amazing journey, and I’m so looking forward to the next 16, then the next 16, then the next 16…til death do us part.

May 29, 1993

May 29, 1993

At this point, we are starting a new chapter in our lives. I recently got laidoff from a job I’ve had for almost seven years and decided to take the opportunity to start my own PR firm. I do have to say it’s not going as well as predicted but I’m staying optimistic. Maya and I have accomplished a lot since being a PR freelancer was offered, I mean handed, to me including finding a good school for our 3yo, James, who was diagnosed with autism, a house to rent in a decent neighborhood, and launching this website & blog, just to name a few.

Maybe I was being naive, but one thing I’ve learned going through this whole experience is that loyalty in Corporate America is a one-way street totally unlike my marriage. I remember during our wedding reception there were many who were sad, some were even outright upset, that we decided to get married. It was like attending a funeral service rather than a wedding reception. The odds we would stay together after a year were 1000 to 2. The only two who believed we were in it for the long haul was me and Maya. If I had taken bets back then, I’d be a rich man today.

It’s been quite a ride the last sixteen years and it would be tough to list all the major highlights in one post, but if I had to choose five among the hundreds, maybe thousands of memorable moments, I’d choose the following:

1) December 15, 1993 — Birth of our first child, Monique, who’s grown to be one of the coolest teens ever.

2) May 1997 — When I graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in Communications (conc. Journalism). My parents never thought I’d make it considering since Mom & Dad (who passed away in 2001) funded tuition & expenses.

3) January 29, 2000 — The day I found faith.

4) November 2, 2003 — The birth of my first son, John, ten years after Monique was born.

5) June 7, 2005 — The birth of my youngest, James, who’s progressed so much in the last year. I have faith he’ll beat autism.

Looking at these unforgettable dates, I realize that none of the financial gains, promotions, new cars, fancy jewelry, designer watches, brand name golf clubs, etc. are even close to making it in the highlight reel of the past sixteen years.  Happy Anniversary Love!

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Reality Bites

Monday, May 18th, 2009

As I sit here on my back porch watching my two sons, John, 5, and James, 3, ride their scooter and trike respectively, I wish I could have as much fun as they’re having. They’re more than a handful and, at times, they seem to multiply. I find it amazing to see how much they’ve grown, and begin to wonder what life has in store for them?

John on scooterJames on trike

Then, it hits me like a lightning bolt, the fact that we will be moving to a new city in a few weeks. It’s not like we’re moving to a country in the third world, I mean it’s Austin for God’s sakes. Nevertheless it scares me that uprooting my family’s lives might be a mistake. Tough times are ahead and all I can think of is that it seemed like yesterday when I was the one on a scooter or a trike playing like there’s no tomorrow. I ask myself, “when did I become responsible for the lives of four people?” Amazing how time flies and we all grow old.

Without the support of my wife, Maya, and her strength to overcome this unforeseen situation we are currently in as a family, I’d honestly say we’d be doomed. While I try to make this venture work out, she’s been able to gain new clients for her mortgage business, which is what we are living on at this moment.

It’s been about six weeks since I lost my full-time position, and though I have a few prospects, I’m not sure which ones will hire me quick enough so we can get back on our feet again.

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Name: VASQ PR; Date of Birth: 05/01/09; Weight: Not Yet the 800-Pound Gorilla

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Today, May 1st 2009, is a milestone. It signals a new chapter in my life. Since becoming a PR consultant a few weeks ago, I finally established my own public relations firm, VASQ Public Relations, and launched my Website, www.vasqpr.com. It took a lot of help from family & friends to get it off the ground in under a month. What the site lacks in flashiness (no flash animation), it makes up with substance, and it works for now until I have the means to spend on a site redesign.

What is important is that it now lives on the Internet, and though its birth was not so painful, the next few months is critical for its survival. Just like any newborn, VASQ PR needs to be nurtured. I’m hoping that all those who’ve supported me this far will remain by me. Thanks to all those who helped in the birthing process (you know who you are) of VASQ PR.

I’d like to give a special shout out to Chris Hayes, Director at Paine PR, who I can say is one of the smartest PR people I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with; Andrew Worob, a young talented PR executive who I had the opportunity to mentor and who I’m learning so much from now professionally and personally; Roger Wu, CEO and Founder of Klickable TV, a Wharton grad whose intellect (and physique) will bring him national recognition (only if he hires me as his PR counsel *wink*); and last but not least, my lovely wife, Maya, who’s supporting my vision without hesitation as she takes on the financial responsibilities by aggressively working on her mortgage business. (Feel free to email her at: mvasquez@jdmtg.com on home financing and loan modifications now available under the Obama plan).

Since my arrangement with G.S. Schwartz & Co., where I was a vice president and worked for almost seven years, abruptly changed a few weeks ago, life has been challenging especially with three children whose youngest at 3 yrs. old is diagnosed with autism. Be that as it may, we are facing these trials head on, and looking at this moment in our lives as an opportunity to grow. I’m thankful that my new arrangement includes working as a consultant for the firm, which I hope would last indefinitely. Hey, every bit helps right now during this recession.

Without going too much off tangent, I’d like to invite you all to join me as I blog about my quest to land my first client. I will also offer the Flipside to public relations. Yes, there always is.

Fasten your seat belt, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride, especially on the road as we begin our drive to our new residence in Austin, TX come July.

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