The top 10 things I learned from 30 years in business

Last week, I spoke at the Florida Public Relations Association's Gainesville chapter meeting. I shared with them ten of the things I've learned over the past 30 years of running a small public relations firm. Here is item number 1.

1. Keep your overhead low. I can remember an ad agency that was here in town about 25 years ago. They had a beautiful office in a restored Victorian home. I have no idea what their rent was, but I remember hearing they paid $3000 a month to heat the office during the winter. Boy, did that scare the begezus out of me.

Luckily the building we paid next to nothing for from the murderer’s father, has served us well. Even though it’s in an industrial park on the East Side of town, it’s paid for and it sure helps keep us in business when we don’t have a huge mortgage or rent payment to make. And now it’s even cool to be on the east side, so we’re proud of our location, too.