Patience has never been my virtue. I tap my feet waiting in line, traffic is a nightmare and “take the long way home” never made sense to me.

In business, I never thought this was an issue. Getting the task done as quickly as possible was always something I was praised for, when I was someone else’s employee.

Now that I’m managing people, this lack of patience may be my downfall.

Without even realizing it, most leaders do and say things that create ineffective employees. Christine Comaford, author of SmartTribes: How Teams Become Brilliant Together says even good leaders unconsciously strike fear in the hearts of their work force.

“From time to time, we all say or do things that spark unconscious fears in our employees,” says Comaford. “The primitive ‘fight, flight or freeze’ part of the brain takes control. When that happens, when people are stuck in what I call the Critter State, all they can focus on is their own survival.”

Just like the garden, no one wants critters. But, I get the feeling my lack of patience is creating this mental state.

Continue to reading to learn how to practice patience and put people first.

Give and Take. One of the most simplified principles of physics. Energy, inertia and other terms help explain the physics principle but what about in business? What are some Give and Take principles for business?

Sharing Feedback (give) and Effective Listening (take) are the two I’ll be focusing on. Both can be very difficult to do but they are extremely important and don’t need to be stress inducing. Sharing feedback can make people feel uncomfortable for both the giver and the receiver and listening effectively can be challenging when you have so many other things on your mind.

Continue reading for some tips on how to do both with ease.

You know by now that PR firms produce the most effective measurements after listening to their clients goals.

It’s the firm’s job to clearly identify these goals, exceed expectations and produce the proper measurement that highlight the value of the work.

One way to show that you are indispensable to clients to produce measurement reports on a monthly basis. Here’s the easiest way to impress clients with your reports.

Continue reading to learn more about the best PR measurement practices for 2017.

PR pros work hard to earn placements and build a brand’s reputation online and across a variety of business channels.

While many results are clear, much of PR is hard to quantify. Goal-setting and measurement are fundamental aspects of any public relations program. 

When it comes to measurement, firms should always take an all-inclusive approach that takes both traditional and non-traditional factors into consideration. Things such as social media, comprehension and changes in awareness among stakeholders should always be included in results.

We're always looking to revamp our practices and have done some deep diving into measurement. 

Continue reading to learn more about the best PR measurement practices for 2017.

Namaste.

For today’s Trending Thursday post, we’re looking back at 2013 where we first identified The Year of Bliss trend in the garden industry.  

In 2013, we noted that consumers were fed up with complexities of modern life and turned to spirituality in an attempt to find deeper meaning.  

This idea ignited demand for garden products that were “created by those who care, for those who care.”

The Year of Bliss inspired gardeners to get in touch with nature and hasn’t stopped since. Here’s how the concept has shaped the garden industry for the last three years.

Continue reading to learn more about The Year of Bliss trend.  

I attended the Millennial Week Unconference in DC a few weeks ago where I was inspired by a handful of speakers to stay motivated, stay positive and stay on top of my personal brand.

Here’s a brief recap of what the speakers had to say.

Continue reading to hear what industry leaders has to say at Millennial Week’s Unconference.

It’s not often you get to hear a top CEO talk about business and leadership.

That’s exactly what I did at the Millennial Week Unconference in DC earlier this month.

In addition to hearing social media experts and branding mavens talk strategy, I was fortunate enough to hear LearnVest Founder Alexa von Tobel talk about entrepreneurship and what it takes to be a leader in the field you’re in.

Continue reading for a recap of Alexa von Tobel’s Millennial Week Talk.

Last weekend, I attended the Millennial Week Unconference in DC where I had the opportunity to learn
about leadership, social media strategies and branding from top leaders in the field.

Not only was the experience insightful to me on a personal level, it opened my eyes to new digital and traditional strategies for exceeding client expectations.

Here’s a brief recap of what the speakers had to say.

Continue reading to hear what industry leaders has to say at Millennial Week’s Unconference.

Last week, I attended a fun student-alumni speed networking event at Penn State Brandywine where I spoke to students about interview tips, networking tricks and job search advice.

Not only did I love representing Garden Media as a proud PSU alumna, I was inspired by the students’ enthusiasm and willingness to invest in their futures.

As with many of the talks we give to students about attending networking events, applying for internships and going on interviews, there was a common theme among the questions asked.

Here is a list of those top questions with tips for students:

Continue reading for common networking questions.

Garden Media Group may be a boutique PR firm, but our presence is felt worldwide.

Our headquarters in Kennett Square, PA, works with clients in more than two countries, five states and across a handful of time zones.

We’re committed to serving clients as if we’re sitting in the cubicle next door.  

Whether in Taipei or in our own backyard, it’s our mission to make sure clients get what they need – and that we’re available when needed!

Continue reading to learn how.