When I first started Gambel Communications, I always knew I could do the public relations and marketing – the scope of services a PR agency typically provides. And I was confident I could be the rainmaker; after all, I had been doing that for years with other agencies. What I did not know was the financial end. I had never managed my own company, and I certainly preferred words over numbers. This uncertainty led me to my friend Tim Williamson, then executive director of Idea Village in New Orleans. I told him that I was starting a PR firm and described my dilemma. He looked at me with a reassuring smile and said, “Betsie, congratulations! You are an entrepreneur!”
I was taken aback. Never in my wildest did I ever consider myself an entrepreneur. Aren’t entrepreneurs young professionals who wear jeans and untucked shirts, who have virtual offices and angel investors, who got their MBA’s from USC-Berkeley or Wharton?
This revelation made me start thinking, “Just what is an entrepreneur?” I did not have to look far. Over the past few months, several strategists in our Gambel Communications family have launched sideline companies. What is it about our boutique agency and our employees that nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit?
Probably the most important characteristic is passion. From day one, I explain to my employees (affectionately called the Gambel Girls) that if they do not have passion for what they do, Gambel Communications is not the place for them. The next is thought leadership. Anyone can write a press release. What we offer to our clients are ideas that will position them and their companies for success, now and for the future. I want our strategists to be forward thinking and open minded, with a constant flow of ideas. I challenge them to be catalysts for change, by trying new things and being innovative. This goes hand in hand with risk taking. If you are too content, I preach, you are not growing. Become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Embrace the butterflies.
Creativity, conventionally the cornerstone of entrepreneurship, of course, is desired, but creativity without strategy is simply an idea. Identify a void, a need, an opportunity – and you’re off! Our environment provides the freedom for the Gambel Girls to explore; in fact, we even have a category in our time program called “blue sky” whereby we encourage out of the box thinking to take new ideas to clients.
So, what do our Gambel Girl entrepreneurs look like?
Sarah Chambless Federer, mother of two under age two and a half, saw that her Northshore community was becoming more and more popular for visitors escaping bustling New Orleans. Additionally, her growing family needed a home. Sarah and her husband, Steve, restored a hundred-year-old home and converted one side of it to a bed and breakfast, the Blue Heron. While Steve did much of the heavy lifting, Sarah was the visionary. From design to furnishings, her attention to detail – not to mention her PR skills – has made this venue one of the most popular in the area. And somewhat of an “earth mother,” Sarah is a firm believer in essential oils, and as a consultant, convinces the Gambel Girls, clients and friends that life is better with oils.
Amy Boyle Collins has two young sons, one of whom is autistic. Realizing that resources for special needs children were not adequate, Amy and her husband, Sherwood, founded Beignet Fest (beignets are a New Orleans tradition – puffed confectioneries sprinkled with powdered sugar and lately becoming popular as savory treats). The 133rd festivals in New Orleans, Beignet Fest premiered this year to raise awareness of and funds for autism. Proceeds are directed to the Tres Doux (“very sweet”) Foundation, which in this inaugural year donated over $25,000 to autism initiatives.
Our newest Gambel Girl, Anna LaDonne, began Anna Liv Design (ALD) when she couldn’t find the perfect braided “statement” necklace. She looked high and low for this fantasy piece until one day she decided to make it herself. Soon after, family and friends wanted her jewelry too, so she began selling customized pieces. Since then, ALD has gained momentum, and last year Anna added another passion of hers to the roster—hand lettering and calligraphy. She started by addressing wedding invitations and is still slowly learning the technology to offer customized lettering. When she is not being a Gambel Girl, Anna shares her passion for interior design, DIY projects, fashion and even food as part of her entrepreneurship.
And finally, I have begun a new company, The New Orleans 100, a biweekly email newsletter affiliated with The 100 Companies. Complementary to Gambel Communications, The New Orleans 100 is comprised of 15 stories and videos, each 100 words or 100 seconds. The company was founded by a PR firm in Atlanta, which recognized that in this changing media landscape, it is becoming increasingly hard to tell clients’ stories. Thus, The New Orleans 100 tells stories of people, places and events that shape our city. It’s the “stories behind the stories.”
In all four cases, the Gambel Girls identified an opportunity and seized the moment to test their entrepreneurial skills. Like me, I doubt if any of them would claim the moniker entrepreneur, but indeed they are. And it is the skills they have cultivated in an environment that not only allows but encourages them to create that makes them not just great PR professionals but also impassioned entrepreneurs.