Her Story
About Patricia
I've been in the public relations industry since 1982 when I graduated from the University of Memphis with my Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in public relations. I'm the President and CEO of my PR agency here in Memphis, where I specialize in writing news releases, putting press kits together, and distributing content to media representatives. I've built a real big following on Facebook with over 10,000 followers, and a lot of my posts have been receiving 400,000 and 500,000 views. One of my most notable professional achievements has been working on campaigns for prominent political officials - I worked on Memphis Mayor Paul Young's campaign and was attributed to really being a part of that success, and I'm also currently working on a campaign for county mayor. Handling campaigns for these influential, prominent clients has really been a milestone for my agency. Beyond my PR work, I'm a community leader here in Memphis - I work with government entities like the Public Works Department and host a lot of community cleanups. I'm also a member of the 1.6 million member Church of God in Christ where I serve as a missionary, and I'm affiliated with the Memphis Chamber as a PR representative and liaison. My community work is really my prime interest - I'm very much an advocate for concerns that a lot of citizens may have, and I'm passionate about cleaning up the community.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Patricia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to hard work and my faith in God and applying biblical principles to my business. I think that has been a tremendous success to my business. I start my day out every day at 6:30 - I'm on a prayer line. So definitely, prayer and hard work and my faith in God are what have made me successful.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to get an attorney and a CPA for the success of my business. That has definitely been something that I have held onto.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice that I would give to young women entering the PR industry is to get them a good mentor that they can actually work with and learn the industry, because the industry is changing, ever-changing. I think that's the best thing that I had when I went to the University of Memphis - I had an internship in a PR capacity that really did help me to get a feel for what I might be doing when I entered the workforce. So I would advise them to really get a mentor in the field.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think one of the biggest challenges is working with clients who don't really have a budget to pay for services. That's something I have definitely encountered - a lot of people want to use my services, but they really can't afford me, so I kind of make it affordable to them. Another challenge is really connecting and creating a real good client base and maintaining that and the sustainability. I think this economy has really been challenging.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and character are the values most important to me. I try to keep my life clean and free from all of the drama that goes on in this world.
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