In an interview with Insights Success, the Founder of Concrete Blonde Consulting, Lindsey Myers, shares the key insights over her organization’s delivery of reformative consulting services with an implied emphasis on custom PR and marketing solutions for profit and growth and a state of being au fait with various types of potential industries. Considering these influential and motivational traits, and her belief that the world, and the business world especially, could always benefit from a little more compassion and humanity, Insights Success recognizes Lindsey as one of the most innovative and inspirational leaders of 2018.
Below are highlights from the interview between Lindsey and Insights Success:
Give us a brief overview of your background and your role in Concrete Blonde Consulting.
I founded Concrete Blonde Consulting in November 2016 to pursue my passion for building reputations and revenues through business development marketing strategies and to provide profit and growth solutions. As a communications expert and entrepreneur, I have over twelve-years of experience serving various industries including consumer products and services, lifestyle, hospitality and nonprofit companies in NYC and the Hamptons luxury market.
I graduated from Boston University with a BS in Communications. My career began at WordHampton Public Relations, a firm headquartered in East Hampton, NY and ranked by Jack O’Dwyer’s as one of the country’s “Top 100 Independent PR firms”. In 2013, I was made a partner of the organization and was chosen to launch its NYC division.
Being recognized a strategic leader, I have earned a track record for counseling clients, including Fortune 500 companies such as NAPCO Security, Inc., to increase profits, manage brand reputations and gain market share. I’m continually driven by my enterprising spirit and innate understanding of consumer influence.
I have also been a guest lecturer at several universities including Hofstra University and Saint Joseph’s University. My leadership and expertise has earned me numerous accolades throughout my career including; PRSA Big Apple award, PRSA Bronze Anvil award, eight MarCom awards, nine Fair Media Council Folio awards, Communicator award, SABRE award and an Excellence in Communications award.
How do you diversify your solutions that appeal to your target audience?
We believe every client is unique. We partner with them to unearth their core business goals. Then we create bespoke strategic marketing plans with benchmarks to chart our progress and target our methods. We feel a sense of responsibility towards our clients and we are responsive not only to their needs, but also to the ever changing world in which they operate.
Describe some of the vital attributes that every CEO should possess.
It’s been said that the job of a leader is to name reality and then provide hope and I truly believe this to be the case. A CEO should be a visionary, someone who is capable of looking at the company’s current situation and the state of the marketplace and be able to determine where you need to go and create a navigational plan on how to reach that destination. They should also have an eye for talent and a unique ability to nurture that talent.
What were the past experiences, achievements or lessons that shaped your journey?
I’ve always believed that our journey is defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss. The biggest thing that has shaped my career, are the job opportunities that were offered to me that I didn’t take. Especially when I founded my company, MANY people at other firms made amazingly tempting offers to me and when you’re just starting out they’re hard to turn down. I’m SO incredibly grateful that I did. The lesson there is to trust your vision and your instincts.
What were some of the primal challenges and roadblocks that you faced during the initial phase of your journey?
During the start-up phase I believe the hardest part is just putting in consistent effort knowing that it could be many months before you see the results, and also staying motivated as you encounter the small failures which everyone, who does something new faces. We’re human beings, thus we almost never get anything right the first time. I’m not aware of anyone who got on a bicycle for the first time and just started peddling away. You’re going to fall down and skin your knee. It’s inevitable. Like Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to move from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm.”
Where does Concrete Blonde Consulting see itself in the near future and how will you catalyze the change?
We’re going through a bit of a growth spurt at the moment and bringing in some new talent to handle the growing demand. We’re a remote company, but a tightly knit one with a great culture and I’d like to ensure that we maintain that as we grow. Staying true to our company values should help along our journey.
What is your advice for the emerging entrepreneurs?
Be courageous, be humble, and have faith in the power of your art. Do this, and you’ll learn about the dignity in being loyal to something you believe in. Then, hold onto that feeling. Above all else, always believe without question that it will carry you home.
Source: The 30 Most Innovative CEOs to Watch in 2018
