Kick in the stomach inspires PR pro to start her own firm

For the first 13 years of my career, I worked in food and agriculture communications. From the farm to the fork is how we positioned ourselves in new business meetings, and I had the distinct pleasure of working with celebrity chefs, major brands, and wicked smart professionals.

A specific moment working in this sector is what inspired me to start my own business, although I didn’t know it at the time.

One of my biggest (and most favorite) clients at the time was Ocean Spray. I led the team that launched 100 percent juices (from a PR perspective) and to say I felt like I owned its success is a mild understatement.

I loved working on that business. We were given creative freedom and—the year the 100 percent Juices came out—we created a campaign called the “Art of the Ocean Spray Harvest.”

If you’ve never seen cranberries harvested, it’s a site to behold.

They grow on bushes and, when it’s time to pick the fruit, the growers flood the farmland, forcing the berries to the top of the water, where they can then scoop them up.