Author: Dana Phelps

Authenticity Matters

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Earlier this summer, my friends and fellow public relations professionals, Sydney Ayers and Lisa Cutter, wrote a column for PRSA’s Tactics about how social media has given anyone with a voice an always-on platform to be heard and how that affects authenticity. A snippet of this piece is below, and I encourage you to read it in full: Why Authenticity Matters.

“This change in how information is shared and at the speed it can be shared increasingly means that organizations can not afford to be disingenuous in any way. Communicating authentically is a critical component of a successful business equation.”

As a member of PRSA‘s Counselors Academy executive committee, I’ve been collaborating with Tactics editor John Elsasser for several months as a liaison of sorts to secure contributors for the publication’s monthly column called “Changing Times.” It was started by Michael Herman, APR, Fellow PRSA, friend and mentor to many. There was no one better than Mike to write about changes in the public relations industry, and his only published column appeared in January 2015, the same month he unexpectedly left this world. Since then, members of PRSA’s Counselors Academy have been contributing their thoughts on the evolution of our profession.

Want to know more about Counselors Academy and its members? Read our previous posts here.

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Photo of the Week: Opus One Wine

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If you ask me where to go to enjoy a glass of wine with friends in Raleigh, that’s a no-brainer. Clairemont client, Vita Vite opened at the end of last year and has quickly become a downtown hot spot. Best place for dinner with wine in Chapel Hill? Oh, pick me! I know that one, too. Il Palio, also a Clairemont client, is the absolute best at pairing regional Italian cooking with wine from Italy’s 20 regions and vintifications produced in every corner of the Italian Peninsula.

Ask me to pick a bottle of wine outside of the doors of these establishments with no expert help from our clients and I might hesitate. However, my recent trip to Napa certainly provided a strong foundation for my wine knowledge. What better place to start than Opus One! I captured this shot during a tour and was intrigued to learn that Opus One hand-harvests and hand-sorts all grapes, and after about a year and a half in these beautiful barrels, the wine is bottled.

Can learning about wine really help me be a better public relations counselor? Many of our clients would say so. Read more about our restaurant PR work, and let me know if you agree.

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#DTR Entrepreneurs

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While it seems we are documenting every moment in photos these days, sometimes an awesome snapshot doesn’t get shared. I’m glad I held on to this gem of Grayson and Tina Haver Currin when they were with us at the Wendell Falls (Clairemont client) Hoedown Showdown earlier this year.

As a fellow downtown Raleigh entrepreneur and Oakwood neighbor, I couldn’t help but get a little goosebumpy when I read today that Raleigh Agenda has completed its fourth week in operation. I’m posting this photo now in recognition of Grayson’s accomplishment. I know firsthand how daunting it can be to start a new venture, and I’m thankful to be in a city that embraces entrepreneurial spirit and creativity — and to have a new source that features the best things about our Oak City.

Here’s the story of the shot: Just as I was taking the photo, Grayson caught a glimpse of the floating glitter in my phone case. It amuses me because I didn’t take him for the kind of guy who would appreciate excessive sparkle, and Tina’s expression is so different from his. Together they are simply adorable. (And you should see them square dance!)

Congrats again!

 

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