What inspires you to show up to work every day?
Well first of all, Gwen Thomas PR is my brand new baby. So, I am in a new year, a new town and have renewed energy with great new people. I love what I do. I enjoy all aspects of marketing, public relations and event management. I love recreating brands that have lost their luster. We can re-create a new buzz, a new flavor and a new audience. Be it an individual or a corporate product that has gotten lost in time, I love creating brands that set them apart from their competition.
I am extremely creative with some unique experiences. I am very knowledgeable about public relations, marketing and branding. I get especially excited when I am involved in an assignment where I can use the multi-facets of my background in communications, consumerism, fashion, entertainment, diversity and public affairs.
How did you determine your career path?
Well, today, I am a publicist, an agent and a consultant. My career has come full circle. I started off in college wanting to be a civil rights lawyer and writer. I have the gift of gab and could write, debate and write compelling arguments. Years later, I did finally end up in law school, but I didn’t like lawyers much because they manipulated the truth. I switched to business school so I could manage my business better. However, after undergrad, I landed in advertising and then found marketing. I discovered a deep passion for marketing. As far as the civil rights piece, I worked with NAACP and ACLU, where I held [a] leadership position, as a part of my civic and community responsibilities. I still hold that passion in my heart, but it couldn’t pay the bills at that time.
Before the age of 30, I had created my own promotional marketing agency in Chicago and later moved it to Detroit. I was far ahead of my time. I ran it for almost 23 years, until the economy finally flat lined my business. We worked on marketing projects in automotive, entertainment, health care, telecommunications, food & beverage and other consumer goods. I even used my experience as a working model to develop a talent division of my agency. Marketing took me in so many different directions, affording me [the opportunity] to work in every aspect of the game.
Today, as a consultant, I advise a full range of clients on marketing, public relations, diversity, entertainment, human resources, professional development, media relations and branding. I still dabble with casting and talent bookings, however those clients are primarily in Canada.
What industries connect to your career choice?
Advertising, automotive, entertainment, health care, fashion, food and beverage, politics, telecommunications to name a few.
Describe the skill sets that are essential to future business leader and innovators?
Great listening skills are essential. Recognizing that people are your assets and understanding the value of having a diverse team in race, age, and gender [because] “no one is young enough or old enough to know everything.”
Define innovative methods you apply to your business and life. You have to do your homework. Frankly, I learn something new every day. I read a lot. I do research in order to support a lot of my work, either through my experience or through focus groups. Most of the tangible innovations are digital, when I add new software or applications to improve efficiency.
How do you evaluate your success?
That is a work in progress. Right now, this a pivotal time in my career. I have embarked on a new market, Washington, D.C. I have come back to a market that I liked, but never developed it in the manner in which I truly felt I could. I worked on projects in this market almost two decades ago, and I had a few people here. So, my goal is to work to build the Gwen Thomas PR brand here. There is room in the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and Maryland for me to work with clients on their imaging, launching their brands and creating a team here. There are a lot of new projects in DC. I want to help these political pundits and business moguls craft their messages well and re-create their image. When my clients win, I win.
Who do you consider your peers in you field? How have they supported you? What best practices have they shared?
Interesting question. Tenacity and God have been my only real friends. It has been a lonely journey. Unfortunately, it was like crabs in a barrel in many instances. Not many people will help you. I vowed that I would always help others, because I don’t want anyone’s journey to be as hard as mine. I haven’t had any real mentors or sounding boards in the industry. Years ago, I could call on Gary Reynolds out of Milwaukee and he would give me a tour. Tony Rome here in DC would give me several events to manage and [so did] a few cats in Chicago. It is very competitive now. You have to be very careful with joint ventures. In the last few years, we had a few clients who were not solvent, and we lost our equity in the deal.
It’s not at all like when I first started. We had so much business across the country. It was wonderful. I had approximately 30 urban markets where we had marketing managers to do work on a consistent basis.
I always tell this story and it has stuck with me. I had an African American executive one time at GM; unfortunately, I don’t remember his name. He took time and had a memorable conversation with me. He had been watching me for a few years and said that I was trying to do the impossible. I was trying to get an auto show contract and there had never been a contract given to an African American with GM (in the largest trade show in the world). I could not conceive that at the time. My goal was to get the contract and to train my dynamic team of product specialists on the brands for the auto show in 10 markets across the country. For years, I would send my talent to my competition because I could only prep them but I couldn’t deliver [an] auto show to them and in Detroit that was bread and butter. However, I found myself fighting the same fight that black agents in [the] sports industry fight. They may have a talented ball player but they often have difficulty getting to the table with the NFL, but Saul Rosenberg can cut a multimillion dollar deal over lunch. The executive took me to lunch and sat me down and said, “you are extremely good at what you do. I want you to hear what I am saying. You won’t get the deal.” I didn’t understand why. He told me I didn’t understand the game. “How do you think these executives from our company have their second homes down in Boca Raton and homes up north?” I shook my head, “You are not paying under the table and you don’t have the cash.” I was shocked and could only respond by saying, “they didn’t teach me that in business school.” After that riveting conversation, I finally had some understanding. After several years, it took Bo Anderson, a top executive at GM, to listen to me and [he] cared enough about my tough journey as an African American female, to give me the deal. But another black woman really stood in the way of my real progress. I finally got a deal with GM, but unfortunately the skin was out of the game. GM had reduced the profit so much, I could not make the money that was once in the deal. The next year, GM filed bankruptcy and I lost my standing. Will, I go back to the game again? Yes, this time with partners and for an even bigger piece of the pie.
When I started, the larger agencies would not have any problems farming out the work that they could not do, but now most have developed their own public relations and promotions divisions or bought out the smaller boutique agencies. I would say that I have gotten the most support from Don Coleman at Global Hue. I was able to call on him, when I landed one of the largest clients in my career, to get some advice on financing the deal. However, in his early years we handled a lot of his field execution and events for Chrysler, Procter & Gamble, Kmart, Michigan Lottery and cast talent in campaigns for Kmart and State Farm. Today, I am trying to build relationships with the young team at the agencies.
Name your favorite role models for success in two different industries.
I would probably say I watch the sisters over at Burrell; Fay and McGhee. We’ve never met. I came close to a deal with them, but no cigar.
My favorite role model is Reuben Cannon. Reuben does casting for several television shows and films. We’ve met on two occasions but, we did not get a chance to sit down and strike a deal. When I was in the thick of running the talent division of the agency, I was willing to go and work for him to get more experience with casting for film and TV. I love his work
Names three books that changed how you saw life that you would recommend to others.
Jack Welch’s Doing it the GE Way: It was a lesson on how the white boys do it and how ruthless the game is.”.Two of my favorite books that I often reference are The Greatest Salesman by Og Mandino and the Holy Bible. You have to stay prayerful when you are in business.
Describe why lifelong learning is important to you?
Marketing is a changing evolution. You have to continue to stay entrenched in what’s happening today. I love learning. I listen a lot to my son, a millennium, who gives me a fresh perspective on what his generation likes, and it’s refreshing when we he learns that we might have done something during my time in a different way.
Describe the voice of success that you hear in your head.
Success comes in many areas, but right now, in my head, the voice says that I have to make the doughnuts more than ever before because I have to make up for lost equity. However the voice also says “be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Along my journey, I have helped many people and put food on the table for countless others. It’s rewarding when I hear from people who call me and remind me that I gave them a job, or say they will never forget the advice that I gave them. This is my favorite: how tough I was with them and they didn’t get it then, but a bell went off later and they are thankful now. So, my greatest reward and my success may not be here on earth. It will be when God asks me, “What did you do for others?” God will not always look for awards and diplomas, he might look for my scars and the seven times that I fell down. But, I have faith and I still get up.
Community success based on what you do in the community means what to you?
While, we were fighting with a tough economy. I got out in the community of Detroit and worked my butt off. I ran the NAACP in Southern Oakland County, where I focused on educating companies on the significance of understanding diversity. I worked with the community on bridging the educational divide and on healthcare disparities.
In many instances, people, whether they were black or white, did not take the time to actually equate the significance of hiring an African American company like mine. They did not understand that when they hired me, it allowed me to hire another black person, who might have been unemployed, and who as a result of being hired, becomes a tax payer who can add to the economy, whose taxes now go to pay for fixing the blight in his community or whose taxes can now buy more books in the school or they can now help to end poverty. You lift me up. I give another hand up. It’s an evolution of vertical integration.
Several years ago, I started a non-profit where I work with kids who want to go to college and who are from families who don’t have the wherewithal to send their children to college due to financial constraints. I developed a company called “Fresh Perspectives” and it’s a speakers bureau and seminar production company. One of my main seminars is called “The Parents Smart Guide to help their College Bound Student Secure Scholarships.” I help them understand the process of college preparedness. I was successful in helping students raise more than $750,000.00 in scholarship, so far.
Technology plays what role in your daily life?
I will admit, it has been difficult keeping up with Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Blogging, Instagram, and Google. It is a lot and its fun, but I can only do about 30 minutes a day.
What software or technology tools have made the biggest difference in your life?
Intuit … I can’t live without it. I also love Google.
Define your personal culture.
My mantra is “Never take ‘no’ for an answer.” So, for people who don’t know me personally, they think that might relegate to my personal culture and it doesn’t.
I am a culturally conscious person. I am rich in my Afrocentric heritage. For 20 years, for example, I was the only one amongst my friends who celebrated Kwanzaa. I would invite folks to celebrate and it would be an easy 50 to 100 people to come by the event at my home and learn more about the importance of Kwanzaa principles. Oprah’s folks even called me one day to appear on the show. This past December was the first time in 20 years that we didn’t hold a Kwanzaa event. Whenever I can, I support black businesses.
As far as my personal style, I can be conservative but I can get a little funky with my hair sometimes. I don’t have much time to shop these days. Sometimes, I call a good friend, Ken Daniels, a designer in Detroit. and he will dress me for an event or send me some pieces. I am a demanding hair and makeup customer. I have about 4 different looks and I will say I have a little style.
I am making some changes this year so I have little more balance, adding health and wellness into my culture. My townhouse is contemporary with a splash of African art in each room.
How does music impact and influence you?
Believe it or not, this morning, I woke up writing lyrics to a song. I think that I am going to shop it and see what happens. I am excited to be going back to work on gospel projects. I like all genres of music, but just a few days ago, I got a call to handle the publicity on a gospel label and I will lend my expertise to the project for about six months.
Describe your favorite vacation spot.
Anguilla, is just a short ferry ride away from St. Marteen and a wonderful vacation spot. I found it about five years ago. The beaches are serene and spiritual. They spoke to me and that is where my inspiration for my nonprofit “Fresh Perspectives” was born. I am longing to get back there again.
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
That the world would even the playing field for African American women much sooner. African American women are not given equal opportunities and men continue to make more money and get more opportunities. If I was a white boy, I would be filthy rich.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would change my birth year to be born in the 1970s. It was difficult to be a pioneer to pave the way for others. We don’t make the same money as the business owners opening up today. It’s the same with the NBA players and NFL players. The salaries and endorsement deals over 25 to 30 years ago are no comparison.
