Bringing a Bit of Michael Corleone to the Office

I’ve often found it odd how when colleagues or employees leave a place of employment for another – another opportunity, another path, another job – there is a bit of Michael Corleone channeled...

“You’re nothing to me now; you’re not a brother, you’re not a friend; I don’t want to know you or what you do.”

While that particular mafia sentiment may be a bit too harsh – I do believe the mob mindset holds true with your agency alumni.

You’re always going to be part of the family.

Good, bad and all the parts in between – you helped make it happen at your former place of employment. Success is owed to all of those who contributed. And with any company classified as a ‘small business’ there are a lot of those who contribute. People will move on for many reasons – a new job, a new career, a need for a new direction or new atmosphere. Sometimes they’ll move on for reasons that the employer could have recognized and addressed. Other times, they’ll move on for reasons beyond an employer’s control. But when they move on – they take part of your company with them and represent it to the world. That connection will always be there.

As we grow, we are building our Red Sky alumni network through interns that have moved onto their career path, through employees who have chosen new opportunities. With the uber-connectedness of our new normal it’s pretty easy to figure out who worked where, when. The growing LinkedIn Company profile tab showcases our ‘Departures’. And the social web allows us to keep in closer contact with those who are more than former colleagues, but also friends and still family.

While I doubt we’ll ever have a formal Employee Alumni Network like the Fortune 500’s boast, I do hope we pay more credence in the coming year to our alum and make a stronger effort to….

• Share in their successes at their new work home
• Invite them into celebrations with their Red Sky family
• Ask for their input and feedback as our agency goes through its inevitable changes
• Seek their referrals on great new candidates to help grow the agency

“I’m not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

– Jess

Growing our team

Sharing the news about our growing team!

BOISE, Idaho – Red Sky Public Relations has enhanced its national client service capabilities with the addition of two new members to its account team  – Leigh Ann Dufurrena and Danae Castellaw. Both work with clients in Red Sky’s growing Consumer Products and Healthcare practice areas.

Account Executive Leigh Ann Dufurrena joins Red Sky from design agency Carew Co., bringing experience in strategic communication, brand messaging, social media, creative planning and project management. A Boise State University graduate, Leigh Ann has a B.A. in Communication and Public Relations with a Minor in Visual Art. She is a vibrant force in the community, volunteering and working with many organizations such as Trey McIntyre Project, i48 Film Festival, Cupcake Collective, Cult Camp, and The Arc of Boise.

Assistant Account Executive Danae Castellaw joins Red Sky after relocating to the Treasure Valley from Lewiston, and brings with her experience in broadcast news, media relations, market research and campaign development. A Washington State University graduate, Danae has a B.A. in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Business Administration.  Prior to Red Sky, Danae cut her teeth on the media side of communication working in a radio newsroom.

Red Sky Public Relations, Inc.

Headquartered in Boise, Red Sky is Idaho’s largest public relations agency, specializing in the design and execution of strategic communication plans. Red Sky believes there is a dual nature at the heart of public relations – strategic minds are needed in times of both crisis and calm to protect and promote brands. Red Sky’s experience spans practice areas of Consumer Products, Corporate Communication, Economic Development, Education, Hospitality, Public Affairs, Technology and Industry. For more information, visit http://www.RedSkyPR.com or call 208.287.2199.

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Thrilled to be welcoming new folks on board, though we’ve also said goodbye recently to great friends who’ve moved on to other opportunities. Next blog post  is about creating and honoring an employee alum network!

– Jess

Braving Tornado Season for Warmer Waffles

Faces and personalities are my favorite part of traveling.  The take-off makes my stomach drop and sitting in a middle seat while a stranger tries to land a 14-ton machine that’s barreling toward a concrete runway at an obscene speed hasn’t really done much for my nerves over the years.  Airports are usually the same: you check in, you take off your shoes, you put your shoes back on, you sometimes get patted down for looking at a security guard the wrong way (I try to avoid eye contact), and then you’re off to board and start that whole 14-ton machine/obscene speeds thing.

But don’t get me wrong when I say I love people while traveling – I would not classify myself as a “chatty” seatmate.  While I’m open to a mid-flight convo, I’ve learned there’s a big difference between plane-mates when taking a vacation flight to Jamaica versus riding a 6:00 a.m. mid-week business class flight into San Francisco.  One features passengers pulling 4 oz. flasks of coconut rum from their carry-on bag (and offering you a swig) while the other has a sea of laptops and Wall Street Journals blocking your view of the nearest exit.  One is chatty and one is not.  I’ll let you guess which is which.

In most cases, the best personalities while traveling tend to unfold after landing – when you’ve stepped off the crowded plane and out the sliding airport doors.A co-worker and I boarded a plane to Tennessee last week for two events that I was excited and proud to be a part of.  Our client, Avery Dennison, pledged $10,000 of school supplies to fifteen publically chosen schools-in-need across the nation.  Two of the schools receiving donations are located in small communities in Tennessee, each boasting less than 15,000 people.  My co-worker and I were warmly welcomed into each elementary school gymnasium for the heart felt presentations.Gloria and I had never experienced southern hospitality until we arrived in these little towns.  After flying and driving through tornado weather to our first destination in Manchester (14 tornados were spotted that day), we stopped at a local Waffle House for a late dinner.  It was the waitress’ last night working at the Waffle House and she introduced us to her son and husband, then spent our entire meal chatting with us about her life and home in Tennessee while we ate waffles and drank chocolate milk at the counter of the well-worn diner.  Leaving the restaurant was like saying goodbye and good luck to an old friend.  We realized after that first night that the friendly persona of Tennessee was just warming up for us.

We stayed in three cities over three nights and fell in love with the open honesty we received from people we’d never met.  The school principals were tremendously accommodating , students filled an entire gift bag with letters and crayon-drawn pictures of appreciation for the donation, and hugs or high-fives from students, parents and staff were literally around every corner.  Hotel workers told stories about their families to enrich their restaurant recommendations and we had a fabulous time with the locals from Nashville on our last night there.  At the risk of sounding cheesy, yes, even the drivers on our multiple mini-road trips made hours of driving a cakewalk.

The cultural flavor that defines neighborhoods, cities, and even states is what I believe makes traveling such an international passion.  With its incredible rolling hills and stunning hilltop estates, Tennessee is a beautiful state, especially this time of  year, but I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the memorable citizens we met along the way.  And, like most travel-bug infected souls, it’s always the personality of a place that makes me actually want to brave the skies for another round local hospitality, wherever I may land.

– Anna Gamel