Scripps PRSSA was more than pleased to welcome Aaron Brown, Executive Vice President of Fahlgren Mortine, back to Athens for our first meeting of the year. A proud Bobcat and Scripps PRSSA alumnus, Aaron has become a strong mentor to our Chapter. Over the past 17 years at Fahlgren Mortine, he has collected a wealth of industry knowledge and professional advice. Here’s what he shared:
- Our field is incredibly diverse in terms of opportunity. Every company in the world needs a public relations strategy, which means you can work in sports, travel, healthcare, nonprofit, politics or higher education- ANYTHING that you might have an interest in.
- Creativity is key. Work on things that excite you and you’ll never run out of ideas.
- Our world and our industry are rapidly changing. Technology, best practices, trends and audiences evolve from day to day, so be flexible and willing to learn.
- Think from a completely integrated mindset. Public relations, marketing, advertising and communications cannot stand alone.
- When stating an opinion or idea, you better be able to stand by it. Your point of view is important, but you must be able to support it with good arguments.
- Versatility is necessary. Don’t be afraid to try something new, practice something you’re bad at or pick up a skill outside of your comfort zone.
- As you navigate college and career, focus on the value of NOW. Looking too far ahead prevents you from enjoying yourself and learning from your current experiences.
- Make yourself indispensible. Always raise your hand and become the employee that your boss turns to. A willingness to try and learn is more important than being an expert on one thing.
- Be a problem solver and care about your team. When a grenade is thrown into the office, be the one who grabs it and throws it the other way.
- “Learn, test, fail, have fun.”
All our thanks to Aaron Brown for helping us kick off another exciting year at Scripps PRSSA.
Maura is a Senior Journalism-Strategic Communication major and the current Scripps PRSSA VP of Member Relations. You can find her on Twitter @agentmanderson