Elena Verlee is a serial entrepreneur currently running 3 companies, WAHM, PR expert, professional coach, mom to 2 boys, wife and lives in two countries. Yep, she has a lot going on!
Can you tell us a little about your three companies?
PR in Your Pajamas – I co-founded an internet business in 2006 which we sold less than a year after launch, after attracting a buyer through PR.
I wanted to empower moms and small businesses to do their own PR, which not many people do because they find it confusing or scary. But PR can bring the credibility small businesses need in order to attract customers, and it’s more cost-effective than advertising because it can be free if you do it yourself.
Cross Border Communications – After working in the US, UK and Asia, I couldn’t get job in Canada so I started my own company. This company focuses on PR for high tech clients, from startups to billion dollar companies and had a unique business model when I first started it 10 years ago, which is almost the norm today for many consulting companies.
Connect The Dots Coaching and Consulting – My passion! This is a coaching company for moms who want to make both money and meaning in their lives. And to know that whatever they do, it is enough. Just being a mom, that makes you enough.
Running a business from two separate countries sounds like a big challenge, how do you manage?
Right now I live in the Philippines and in Canada and I look at it more as an opportunity! I’m currently attracting more coaching opportunities here in the Philippines, and I do more PR in North America/Europe. I just go with the flow in the market.
I also benefit in that full time help is more affordable here in the Philippines so when I work I can be more focused knowing my kids are happy and well take care of. When off work I have the luxury of really enjoying my kids without the chores.
In a few months when we go back to Canada for the spring/summer, I’ll have the opportunity to network more in person for companies that I work with, and there some things I just cannot do from here. I suppose the challenge is that with the time zones I can really work 24 hours a day, but I choose to work in the time zone that I currently live in.
If you could give all WAHMS one piece of PR advice, what would it be?
Just do it! Most people don’t use PR because they think they have to hire someone, which is expensive, or it’s too confusing to do it themselves. So they do nothing…which gets nothing ;-)
You can do it yourself by starting with your local press. Pick up a free magazine circulated in your neighbourhood (or target a local website or blog), and send a profile of your company or product to them. They are always looking for content, and especially want to write about local companies and personalities.
Once you get your first media hit, you’ll be hooked and you’ll realize it can be really rewarding for your business.
Where do you think most WAHMs go wrong with their PR attempts?
Not knowing what makes news, and thinking they don’t have a story or they’re not interesting enough. Sometimes it takes a bit of work to figure out what a magazine or reporter is interested in but just be persistent and things will pay off.
Talk about what makes you, your product or service unique. Why did you start in the first place? And if you can, make a bold, outrageous or provocative statement about your product or service. Don’t be boring, but you must believe in it for your pitch to be successful.
What is your favorite thing about being a WAHM?
The freedom and flexibility. I’ve had the opportunity to ‘work’ not just from home, but the beach, on safari, and now from 2 different countries. I have work responsibilities of course, but 90% of the time I get to decide what I do, when to do it and to some extent, what outcome I’ll get.
Mon, Feb 23, 2009
Working at Home