1. MARCH 18, 2011 | SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNAL
BIZ SAVVY
SMALL BIZ sacramentobusinessjournal.com
| 15
Key tips for TAKING
speaking with THE
the media HELM
Be prepared, know your facts and Older unemployed workers
remain accessible to queries are striking out on their own
se
I recently helped a client who sudden-
ly found herself facing a flurry of me- KATHY ROBERTSON | STAFF WRITER
u
dia inquiries. We’d discussed key mes-
al
sages and potential story angles. What im Burkett was 55, out of work and
J
rci
we hadn’t talked about was her comfort frustrated. Armed with three de-
level in talking to reporters or her expe- grees and 30 years of experience, he
me
rience handling tough media situations. couldn’t get a job.
Normally I cover Then one day something clicked — and
those details during rather than searching for jobs, he started
m
media training, but looking for clients instead.
co
this was an unusual Not all entrepreneurs are the young and
situation. The story restless. Nearly a quarter of new business-
for
had been leaked, sig- es started in 2010 were founded by folks in
nificantly accelerat- the 55 to 64 age group, according to a study
ing our timing. by the Kansas City-based Kauffman Foun- ot
During an inter- dation. In fact, older entrepreneurs may
-N
(PR)ACTICALLY view, she was asked be better at startups, pundits say, because
a question she wasn’t they have more experience, understand
SPEAKING prepared to answer. customer needs and have spent years de-
ls
LORI PROSIO She decided to defer veloping a network of supporters.
rna
to me — and told the “You can go back to the old model and
reporter she would have her public rela- wait for something to happen with no rev-
tions consultant call him back with an enue stream — or pick something you are
ou
answer. When she told me about it, she passionate about and find a niche that al-
said “I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t lows you to do what you enjoy,” Burkett
J
expect him to ask that question.” said. “Is it scary? Oh, it is. But there are
ess
I gave him the information he needed people out there willing to help.”
and everything ended up fine. In fact, Late last year, Burkett started JQC Part-
sin
the story was so well received by the me- ners, a management consulting and pro-
dia, my client ended up getting national cess management business. He used to be DENNIS McCOY | SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNAL
Bu
news coverage. in high-tech. Now he teaches others how to Jim Burkett, left, Judy Isaman and Schiller Cassell started their own ventures after losing jobs.
The moral to the story is, anytime you use technology to become more efficient.
talk to the media, you need to be ready Last summer, Burkett stumbled upon clicked until a friend suggested she parlay for me to do it for them and calculate the
ity
for even the trickiest of circumstances. ProNet, a free local networking forum for her expertise into a new business. savings,” Cassell said.
Here are some general guidelines. unemployed professionals. The mortgage industry includes market- Armed with years of experience and
nC
Be prepared. Know your key messag- This program and another called Profes- ing, and Jansen was accustomed to work- new certification from the Building Per-
es and have talking points ready — but sional Edge are sponsored by the Golden ing from home. She launched My Virtual formance Institute to conduct energy au-
ca
also, as my example above illustrates, Sierra Workforce Investment Board and Marketing Center in September. dits, Cassell set up the basics of new com-
go through media training before you Sacramento Employment and Training “It’s a little different take on it,” she pany in October but is still in the startup
eri
speak with the press. A PR professional Agency. Their mis- said. phase.
can help with this, even conducting on- sion is to help connect ‘I’m 70. But I The new business offers marketing ser- “I’m not taking a massive leap into the
Am
camera interview training so that you’ll job seekers and busi- vices to people in the coaching and speak- darkness because I ran my own business
know how to handle that pressure. nesses in the challeng- don’t look it, ing industries. She helps them get more or- for so many years,” he said. “But the econ-
Limit the number of people who take ing economy. ganized, makes appointments and cleans omy is throwing up changes while peo-
Almost 60 percent I don’t feel it and
©
media calls. Only a select few media re- up their databases. ple are stuck in a traditional job search.
lations specialists should have permis- of the members have The only cost of the startup was buy- There’s a whole different world out
sion to answer inquiries. Make sure that been hired or started I don’t act it.’ ing a domain name and creating a web- there.”
working in the last site. Jansen used the GoDaddy template.
PROSIO | PAGE 16 year, most of them Mary Jansen “Every business is different, but there’s THE FRANCHISE OPTION
over the age of 50. Of founder/owner, My Virtual a wealth of information on the Internet,” Trish Tratros spent 10 years working for
JUST THE FACTS those, almost 9 per- Marketing Center she said. a mortgage loan service company before
cent started their own “It was easier than I thought,” Jansen she was laid off in September 2009.
business or became self employed. added. “I have no regrets. I’ve enjoyed ev- Over 50 and eager for a new venture, Tra-
“Many are using their unexpected un- ery minute of it.” tos and her husband decided instead to do
employment as a time to discover a career something they had always wanted to do:
they enjoy,” said Daniella Devitt, director CHUCK THE TRADITIONAL JOB SEARCH run their own business.
of outreach programs for the California Schiller Cassell looked for small gaps in “We decided this was the time,” she said.
Employers Association, which manages the economy and found one to fill. They liked the support and proven busi-
the programs. An architect in his “mid-60s,” Cassell ness model of a franchise and picked Spot-
Some found the switch easier than they worked in Asia for 25 years before com- On Signs & Graphics.
thought. ing back to the states and working a dozen “In a recession, businesses still need
more. An architect for a state prison ex- signs — maybe more,” Tratos said.
‘A LITTLE DIFFERENT TAKE ON IT’ pansion project, he was laid off in Janu- The franchise, which they hope to open
Mary Jansen was a wholesale mortgage ary 2009 when it lost its funding. in El Dorado County next month, was
broker when the housing market imploded The construction industry was in bad more affordable than she anticipated. The
in 2007, but felt too young to retire. shape, so he looked for other opportuni- couple expects to spend about $200,000 for
“I’m 70. But I don’t look it, I don’t feel it ties, zeroed in on energy efficiency and got the franchise and startup.
and I don’t act it,” she said. some training.
Jansen did part-time work but nothing “Owners want to know what to do — and HELM | PAGE 16