1. How did the idea for your company come about? The genesis of Boardroom Communications is as follows: 15 years ago, after a major New York brokerage firm I was doing publicity for went under (shortly after the October 19th stock market crash) I set up shop in an executive office suite, and began cold calling to generate clients. Several I had done work for while at my former employer immediately retained me - so I had a nice head start.This, coupled with my experience as a journalist, gave me good insight into a career change. I was unimpressed with the typical publicist pitching me news stories for my Florida Business Report radio program. I said to myself "I can do this so much better using my news experience."

2. What is the overall goal or mission of your company – your website? Our goal at Boardroom Communications is to act as a newsroom and DELIVER THE MEDIA. That means we get our clients' names in newspaper and magazine stories, interviews on radio and television, and notice in the community and the industry. We do this for our diverse group of clients every day. We also strive to exceed expectations -- and this is why the majority of our new clients come from referrals from existing clients. We also impress the news media and have gotten many clients from their testimonial referrals.

3. What were your goals when you started your business? When I started Boardroom Communications, my goal was to generate publicity better than other publicists -- and to impress my clients so much that they would be my best referral sources. So over the years I have assembled a group of very high energy overachievers (like myself) who are talented journalists and publicists, who enjoy the fact that our agency ONLY focuses on news coverage, nationally, regionally and locally here in South Florida. We don't put on fancy parties or do marketing -- we just concentrate on securing strategic media hits -- we call it PUTTING ON THE HITS.

4. From where do you draw inspiration? I draw inspiration from my father, Ben Silver -- who was a CBS News correspondent for many years. He was aggressive and a superstar -- later becoming a journalism professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. I also get my street smarts and my incredible drive to succeed from my mother, Joan Karp -- who is a superior motivator.

5. How do you market your website and is it a supplement to your business or do you use it to find customers? We use our web site both as a tool for communications professionals seeking top notch media relations and to attract talents.

6. What are some of the trends you are noticing in your industry? One trend in our industry is for companies and professionals to split up marketing and publicity into two sectors. Instead of using one firm that says they do "it all" businesses are looking for a strategic advantage -- a firm that really concentrates on publicity. This has lead us to believe that our initial strategy is gaining momentum in the marketplace.

7. What is the one thing you would like readers to know about you? About your company? I would like for your readers to know that at Boardroom, we have unparalleled drive and deliver superior media coverage for our clients every day. We are creative professionals who love what we do and we consistently exceed expectations -- not just meet them.

(To learn more about Julie Silver visit Boardroom Communications at www.boardroompr.com).

© 2004 - Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women’s ECommerce Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-kī) – an Internet organization that “Helps Women Do Business on the WEB.” She can be reached at www.HeidiRichards.com.