Playing Well in the Sandbox
Knowing you can trust someone is essential in any line of work, but especially in public relations. A big reason our firm has been successful is because we continue to pay it forward and “play well in the sandbox.” We don’t pretend to be masters of all, and as a result have continued growing by narrowing our focus and sharing talent, projects and ideas with other inspiring communications firms. There is plenty of good work to go around for all.
Now I am not going to “Pollyanna” this and say all firms have one another’s best interests; I don’t think that truly exists across the board in any professional industry. But for the most part, I have found that JT wasn’t lying when he said “what goes around comes around.” I also think it’s a deep part of my personality and our team’s innate culture.
When I explored the possibility of starting this firm nearly 10 years ago, I reached out to a personal mentor, Holly Lollar, APR, who owns a well-respected local PR agency, The Lollar Group. She had every opportunity to tell me to run in the other direction or talk me out of it, but Holly was encouraging and even offered to help fill in leadership holes during the transition. What a testament to her unmatched character.
Another great example is my friend and former colleague, Lauren Reed, APR, owner of Nashville-based REED PR. When I mentioned our leadership team was eager to find a network of PR firm owners who could serve as trusted growth advisors, she opened doors for us to join the prestigious Public Relations Global Network, despite our respective markets being located close together.
When our team mentioned to Helio Fred Garcia, our crisis mentor and a global thought leader, that we wanted to lean into mastering crisis training, he offered to lead Peritus’ book club teach back and has been a phone call away during our crisis specialization journey.
We want to surround ourselves with true team players, and fortunately Alabama is home to many talented and inspiring agencies that focus on different creative specializations. Peritus has enjoyed partnering with and referring business to many of these agencies that are equally open to this level of comradery.
Here are examples of firms that we have continued to develop strong relationships with over the years:
Luckie & Co has become a true second family to us. Our specializations align well to help support projects like The U.S. Civil Rights Trail and other tourism projects.
J Fisher Communications President Jennie Fisher not only previously worked at our firm, but we now refer her projects that spark with her deep F&B passion.
Scout Branding does beautiful and thoughtful design, and we enjoyed our collaboration with Scout during our work with Alabama Trails Foundation.
o2ideas has been a strategic partner to us to bring additional creative inspiration for our innovation work and their founder is another personal mentor.
Folks like Creative369 have been in the trenches with Peritus since day one and even helped us design our OG brand.
Markstein and Wilbron’s owners, and Big Communication's PR lead have been helpful sounding boards during the pandemic in determining how we could lift our professional network up. We love a good lunch or coffee with either of them any time we can make it work.
It’s never a dull moment during a Telegraph Creative brainstorm or getting an honest take on a challenge with their talented leadership team.
FRED has shared a home in Pepper Place with us for many years and also shares our passion for development communications.
Our Gulf Coast friends JJPR love a good cocktail as much as we do and we have shared meeting best practices with each other.
Hummingbird Ideas was one of our first agency collaborations for a Mobile online consumer startup in our early days.
Our work with a statewide nonprofit would have not made the impact it did without the beautiful brand build out of the creative masterminds at Brand Neue Co.
BGrace Media is an inspiring woman-owned and minority firm that has a deep understanding of Alabama’s education landscape. Lucky for us we get to partner together on some HBCU engagement efforts.
Social U has been an instrumental partner with the firm’s digital collaboration strategy.
Our friends at Direct Communications share a mutual love of public affairs work and were enjoyable to partner together for the Protective Stadium opening.
KC Projects – Our agencies share many PR students who have experienced growth internships with both of our agencies. Krista also appreciates an adventurous travel opportunity like many of us.
Adelaide with AMD Creative and I both started a firm in our twenties and have experienced similar peak and valley entrepreneurial moments. It’s been rewarding to send each other projects that better align with our specializations.
We’ve been able to see the impressive and refreshing creative work partnering together for a major citywide activation with Cayenne Creative; also an added plus that we get to call them a neighbor (with beautiful office space #goals).
Although we have not had a chance to collaborate together yet, we are big fans of Kinetic Communications, Lewis Communications and Intermark’s campaigns that have helped launch major Alabama initiatives.
Our PUBLISHED By PERITUS Takeaway is this:
It’s incredible to think of how many opportunities we have been afforded to by simply being eager and willing to play well in the sandbox. We are inspired by and enjoy this collaborative work because we leaned into these opportunities and innately trust people who have our best interests at heart. I challenge you to trust others a little more, and see where the journey can take you.