Public Relations Princess

Craig Olson of GeoLearning My Guest on PRP Wednesday March 17

It's been a while since I've hosted my Public Relations Princess Show, since it directly conflicts with my PR Writing class at Drake. But since it's spring break, my friend Brooke Benschoter has graciously allowed me back into the broadcast booth for a day. I've really missed my show.

I have an awesome spring break guest. Craig Olson is the Director of Marketing at GeoLearning. Join me at 4:00 CDT on DesMoinesLocalLive. Once you get to the site, click "watch the full video experience," and log on to the chat. What makes Des Moines Local Live such an interesting format is the chatters asking questions during the show.

Craig Olson has a diverse background in broadcast, public relations and high tech marketing.  He began his career as a reporter for KSFY-TV, in Sioux Falls South Dakota. For seven years, he worked as video communications manager in the Office of Public Relations at the University of Northern Iowa. His interest in high technology took him to Silicon Valley in 1996 where he represented the Sony Broadcast and Professional Group at what was then the largest high tech public relations agency in the U.S. 

Olson worked as Director of Corporate Marketing for TeamQuest in Clear Lake Iowa, before joining GeoLearning in West Des Moines as Marketing Director in July of 2009. He has a B.A. in Journalism from Iowa State University. He is an experienced team builder who is comfortable managing and motivating people while maintaining a sense of humor.(I can attest to the sense of humor!)

See you at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon.

No, I Don't Want to be Facebook Friends With Butter, and Other Annoying Subjects

~Today on Public Relations Princess, join me as I talk about really annoying trends happening in social media. Some of my rants will include:

~ Why I don't want to be friends with butter

~ Why LinkedIn conversation threads piss me off,

      and last, but not least...

~ Stupid Facebook mistakes

The show is on from 4-5 on Des Moines Local Live. Listen in!

Jill Haverkamp My Guest on Public Relations Princess

Jill Haverkamp is a one-woman marketing powerhouse. She's one of those coveted young people who ventured out of the state for college, sampled life in the big city of Chicago, and then came back to make a difference here in Des Moines. There are dozens of stories like hers, for sure, but hers is told from the other side of struggling to find success. Jill has already found it.

By the time she and I worked together at a local advertising agency, she already knew what she was doing. With years of experience in the music promotion business already behind her, she offered her considerable marketing expertise to the Des Moines Music Coalition, a group of dedicated volunteers. DMMC's mission is to promote the local live music scene in any way possible. They started small, promoting local bands and local venues, but soon set their sights on initiating an annual live music festival for Central Iowa.

Called 80/35, the festival is now in the planning stages for its third year. But DMMC is not resting on its laurels waiting for the big shows to roll into town, they are still promoting homegrown bands with events such as Little Big Fest, which happened last weekend.

Jill is also the full-time marketing manager for Ames-based Olde Main, a microbrewery and restaurant. Her worlds sometimes cross, but Jill manages to find enough time to do a phenomenal job at both places, using skill and creativity more than an unlimited budget. If you've ever worked with Jill, like I have, it doesn't take long to figure out that she's one of those people who just get things done. She stays behind the scenes, works the long hours and makes it happen.

Meet Jill today at 4:00 on Public Relations Princess on Des Moines Local Live. See you then!

Christine Comito, Des Moines School Volunteer and Mom Extraordinaire

You know when you were that new parent in the PTA, and there was this one mom across the room, who seemed to know everyone, everything and had it all together? Oh, and who, by the way, had brilliant kids, an adoring husband and on top of that is cute too? Oh and did I mention she is NICE as well?

Christine and me were never in the PTA together at the same time because my kids are a little older. But through her husband's hilarious Christmas letter every year and a party at their new house a few years ago, I pieced together the facts. Christine Comito is a SuperMom. Not in the country-club way. Not in the Barbie-doll, french manicured highlights way. She's literally a super Mom. Someone who cares enough about her own kids and their school that she volunteers there weekly. By the way, all three of her kids are in the Talented and Gifted program in the Des Moines Public School system and she has served on ITAG's board of directors for years.

A couple of months ago, her (aformentioned adoring) husband Brendan nominated Christine for an award at a local radio station, which of course, she won. I wonder if Brendan knows anyone on the Nobel Committee because I can tell you fo shizzle that Christine has done more to promote World Peace than President Obama!

Christine and I had a conversation on Facebook about the curriculum in the schools a week or so ago. It's led me to invite her to be a guest on my show today. The number-one factor for me when selecting my guests is PASSION for their subject. Christine has passion for teaching and learning, so it's guaranteed to be a fascinating discussion. Please join us today at 4:00 CST on Des Moines Local Live at macsworldlive.com!

PR Princess Takes the Day Off and Welcomes Brooke Benschooter

The PR Princess is taking a day off and I'm very pleased to welcome my friend Brooke Benschooter to the show. You have have heard Brooke subbing for Michael Libbie on Insight on Business. Today she's filling in for me. I have no idea what she'll be talking about, and you know what? I am totally fine with that. Brooke has more than 20 years in the Public Relations and Marketing World, most recently at Drake University.

Tune in to MacsWorldLive.com at 4:00. Let me know what you think! Thanks, Claire

Technology Association of Iowa's Leann Jacobson My Guest on Public Relations Princess

Leann Jacobson is a rare find in Iowa: A woman in the technology field. But not just any woman. She's the leader of Iowa's largest technology professional group, the Technology Association of Iowa.

Wednesday November 4 on my Public Relations Princess Internet Radio show, Leann will be my special guest. We'll be talking about the Technology Association, its member benefits and exciting things that are happening in the organization.

Leann and I go way back to the DMAM Rotary Club (man that was a long time ago) and I can't wait to catch up with her and find out more about this great organization.

Leann Jacobson brings over 25 years of business and entrepreneurial experience, including 18 years at AT&T, to her role as president of the Technology Association of Iowa. Her tenure at AT&T included leadership positions in sales, marketing and government affairs – where she retired as regional vice president in 2002. She then founded Capitol Gains, a multi-client public policy firm, and served as its president and chief lobbyist. The firm successfully represented a broad portfolio of clients focused on business, economic development, arts and culture and child welfare.

In May, 2005 she assumed the role of president of TAI.

Ms. Jacobson graduated with highest honors from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management. She is an Executive Committee Member of the Council of Regional Information Technology Associations, has served on numerous non-profit boards, and is the founding director of Iowa Women in Public Policy.

The show is from 4-5 p.m. CST on November 4. Just go to MacsWorldLive.com and tune in!

Des Moines Catholic Worker and the Homeless - Can You Help?

Dorothy Day is someone most people don't know about. She's neither a saint (yet) nor a Nobel Peace Prize winner. She was a feminist before that was a common term, she was a tireless advocate for the poor, and she was a radical socialist.

Dorothy Day was a flawed human being who used her life to provide comfort, food and shelter to those who walked the line between proper society and the edge. She used her writing skills her whole life to communicate her thoughts.

Dorothy Day was the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement in the United States. There is a Catholic Worker here in Des Moines. People who live at the "Worker" are known as "workers." And that's what they do. They carry on Dorothy Day's vision of living in peace, promoting social justice and providing hospitality to those who are in need. This is a stunningly simple concept, yet most of these goals are elusive in our very complex society.

Tracy Robson from the Catholic Worker House in Des Moines is my guest today on Public Relations Princess. Listen in from 4-5 on macsworldlive.com and find out what you can do to help Des Moines' most vulnerable population.

Chocolate Storybook and Des Moines' Best Coupons

Are you a supporter of locally owned businesses? Then this week's Public Relations Princess show is one that you shouldn't miss.

Every city has "entertainment books." But did you know that those are most likely produced by out of state and that's where the profits go, too?

Steve Shearer, the co-owner of Chocolate Storybook (a great locally-owned operation!) had a great idea...to create his own "entertainment-type" coupon book. There's several differences, though. One, it's a local effort and therefore the profits stay local. Only locally owned businesses are allowed in the book...no chains.

Steve and his wife Meg and their great staff at Chocolate Storybook worked very hard this summer to pull together the first book, which is now available for purchase. Steve will be on my show today on Macsworldlive.com at 4:00 to tell me where he got the idea for the book and about all the great businesses represented. Tune in!

Microblink co-founder and Highlight Midwest organizer Rob Jensen My Guest on Public Relations Princess Today

Next week, technology and social media aficionados from all over the Midwest will descend on Des Moines for the second annual Highlight Midwest. I've invited Rob Jensen to be my guest today to talk about it. Rob is the co-founder of Microblink and an organizer of Highlight Midwest.

Highlight Midwest is an annual gathering of some of the best and brightest minds in the world of technology and entrepreneurship in Omaha, Kansas City and Des Moines and these cities take turns hosting every year. I only became aware of Highlight Midwest last year, just by seeing the tweets of people who were attending.

So tune in today at www.macsworldlive.com at 4:00 and Rob and I will be talking about the event, which is being held this year on October 23 at the Des Moines Social Club. There's also a pre-event called "Movement Bash" which will be held at Impromptu Studio the night before, October 22nd at 7:00 p.m. My company, The Public Relations Project is one of many sponsors of that event.

Relocating to Des Moines? You Need Debra Salowitz!

Debra Salowitz is my guest on Public Relations Princess today at 4:00 on MacsWorldLive.com. We'll be talking about her business, Strategic Relocation Solutions. And yes, she really is this good looking in real life.

The idea behind this company sounds simple at first glance, but upon further examination I've found it to be surprisingly complex. Debra is an expert at welcoming executives and their families to Central Iowa. She helps them navigate, meet people, make connections and learn about their new community.

It used to be that wife would follow her husband around the country, pulling up stakes, and there was not much she could do besides try her best and suffer silently and sometimes not so silently. When I was a kid, my dad worked at Principal and I remember he would occasionally invite these exotic people from far away places to dinner.

The places? Sarasota, Islip, New York, Bentonville, Arkansas, Santa Rosa, California...the list went on and on. I remember one long-suffering wife calling Des Moines "provincial." Mind you, this was 30 years ago and I was 13. I had no idea of what that word meant but I could tell she was not happy!

All of these couples consisted of the breadwinner (a man, of course) and his wife, who was almost always reluctant to give up her life in a faraway place and start over in (horrors!) Iowa. These poor gals were left to their own devices here, with no assistance or help in adjusting whatsoever.

Women are much more involved in the decision to move the family, there needs to be much more sophisticated services in place to help these newcomers make the right decision and be comfortable with it after they settle in. That's where Debra's business comes in. She helps people learn about our wonderful community and all it has to offer. And obviously, now sometimes the "trailing spouse" is a man.

Debra Salowitz is founder and President of Strategic Relocation Solutions LLC. Strategic Relocation Solutions helps businesses attract and retain executive talent by offering customized and highly personalized recruitment and post-hire transition services for key people and their families.

Her career includes management positions with Andrea Obston Marketing Communications (in Connecticut), Winefest Des Moines and the YMCA of Greater Des Moines. Debra is Chair of the Advisory Committee for Reach Out and Read/Iowa and serves on the boards of StageWest and the Chrysalis Foundation. She is also a member of the Nexus Executive Women's Alliance and NAWBO. She was a founding member of the boards of Ballet Des Moines and the Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus.