Blink and 15 years go by, just like that!

It all started at the Hotel Seattle, Brighton, in February 2003. I was having dinner with a very good friend, colleague, mentor, future client and future team member. My small but perfectly formed PR and marketing consultancy was about to arrive on Planet Earth.

I had just taken voluntary redundancy from a wonderful job I had been in for 10 years. I was a head of department running PR, Communications and Corporate Services across nine group companies in the South-East. I had a great team behind me and unquestioning support from my immediate director.

It’s possible I would have been there still today, had it not been for rafts of mergers and acquisitions, the last of which resulted in horrendous internal politics, self-preservation tricks and ego-related shenanigans. This was the sort of situation that showed people up in their worst light. It became the sort of place in which I didn’t fit, so I was off.

What next?

So many people said to me, upon hearing of my impending departure: “If you’re going to set up a PR company, I’ve got some work for you.” Goodness no, I retorted, that’s really not what I want to do! No, no, never. My plan was to take a few months out and consider what to do next, calmly and rationally.

Back to the Hotel Seattle on that fateful night. “If you’re going to set up a PR company, I’ve got some work for you.” Now it was my friend’s turn. “Go on,” she countered, “what’s the worst that can happen?” I pondered for a moment and responded, “If it all goes wrong, I’ll have to go and get another job… oh, alright then. I’ll call it Chimera Communications.”

And that was it. The next day I designed the logo, set up a bank account, got an accountant and bought a new laptop.

And now …

Fast forward 15 years and, of course, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. 

That’s not to say there haven’t been times when stacking shelves in Tesco seemed a desirable alternative. But overall, I really can’t believe it’s been 15 years. And several hundred clients later.

Here are some observations, as I sit back with my coffee vat and contemplate what’s turned out to be the very quirky world of Chimera Communications:

• Few people understand what PR is (public relations, that is, not proportional representation … which no-one understands anyway)
• When they do get it, they think they can do it themselves (sometimes you can, sometimes you really do need to be concentrating on the business you set up and leave the professionals to do it properly)
• Even fewer people realise how important it is to know your customer inside out and what makes them buy into your brand, products or services
• Only about 5% of SMEs have a business plan when they come to us (that’s an estimate, by the way, based on my experience; we’re not talking Ipsos MORI here)
• PR is not necessarily a quick win. You must be patient and allow time for the professionals to do it right (no, I’m not going to tell you how, you’ll have to employ us for that!)
• Some clients ambush themselves by not giving us what we need. This has been one of the most surprising client attributes. By not giving us what we need, to deadline and in the right format, we’re unable to do our job
• Another surprising client attribute is that some think we should work for nothing, which I always think is quite weird. Would they? I, for one, have spent decades honing my skills, experience and professionalism, and that comes at a price as a business consultant, just like a lawyer or accountant
• Social media has revolutionised communications. It’s fascinating to watch what happens next in the world of PR and comms. Will robots take over our jobs? Wouldn’t it be fun to see how they tackle organising an event on the beach, or train people to go live on TV or radio?!
• The explosion in real-time news availability has been, overall, fantastic. How interesting is it to watch news happening in front of your eyes?
• Crisis PR management, though, has changed immensely. Not the theory, just the speed at which responses are expected. Not a bad thing, but organisation and prior preparation for such an event is key

• Everyone’s expectations have changed dramatically too. Remember when we used to send letters by post and – yes - actually waited days for a reply?! 
• Now most of us look online for reviews before we consider buying a product or service
• Whole new industries have arrived to tell us how to do things: digital everything; Data Protection; GDPR and so on
• Technology has certainly made life much easier in so many respects, but the burden of legislation and political correctness in communications has escalated, more so for some sectors, so the small print is not so small any more
• Where would we be without YouTube videos to show us how to do things properly (invaluable in many cases)?; or squintillions of apps (how did we ever live without them?), so much so that we don’t need to go outside our homes or offices unless we really want to (sunshine and fresh air, anyone?)
• Keeping up with the pace of change is either exhausting or exhilarating, depending on your frame of mind. I think a combination of the two, as I love learning new things daily
• And I have learned so much over the years. I’ve improved. I’m confident in my views and advice. I can share successful techniques across my client base. I mentor others in business. I give back

Some more observations

• It’s been interesting to see the revival of vinyl - and that the specialist record shop on the corner opposite Brighton Station is still trading, despite everything!
• People’s love of reading books is still alive and kicking. It’s been dismal seeing libraries disappear
• It seems social media is losing some of its lustre. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more about this in the weeks, months and years ahead. Life is cyclical (as any woman who realises something she wears is so old, it’s now back in fashion will tell you). Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
• As someone who started her career on newspapers in London, I’ve been saddened by the decline in the quality of journalism over the years. Governed by the decrease in advertisers and the subsequent decrease in journalists, content has been lost and quality content at that. Coupled with the lack of experience of cub reporters and sometimes the lack of experienced chief/senior reporters and editors to teach them on the job, as well as sub-editors who don’t seem to know how to correct bad grammar or spot bad spelling - plus the proliferation of non-stories and fake news - is it any wonder people these days have little faith in what they read or see on screen?

Overall, though 

Don’t let the above make you think it hasn’t been fun. I’ve experienced so much I never thought I would, done so much, seen so much, been so many places, met so many people, laughed so much.

It’s been a real ride, and I still have the ticket to go around again.

One of the highlights was being invited to become a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations for services to PR. A real accolade.

Most of my clients have been a delight and a pleasure to work with. We’ve had some great results and some lovely testimonials. We’ve had some talented, skilled, creative professionals on the team over the years, who have been real assets to the company. And I have a clever hairdresser who hides all the grey hairs which have arrived over the years under this nutty blonde halo (of hair, not the celestial kind).

So, to start celebrating 15 years of Chimera Communications with you, we’re offering 15% off PR and marketing services, as well as mentoring, for 15 days from 15 February 2018.

There are some Ts & Cs, so do contact me for details.

Thank you to everyone involved in or with Chimera Communications over the years, and here’s to the future.