My entire life breaking the typical rules of how to get ahead, “make it,” or achieve a career goal as always suited me best. Perhaps it is my personal destiny in this lifetime to have to find innovative ways around conventional rules, but that is how I have always lived. The road less traveled… that is the story of my life!

What I can share in this blog entry is that breaking the rules, whether it has been in my public relations career within my pr firm or when it comes to my journalism career, it has gotten me where I am today. I didn’t go through the normal channels that most do to get to the point of placing public relations clients in some of the world’s largest media outlets nor have I gone through normal channels and career protocol to have achieved conducting more than 100 in-depth interviews with some of today’s most well known newsmakers and legends from entertainment, politics, and publishing. I was never some editor or reporter’s assistant, I never worked for a large publication, I never earned my wings and built my rolodex slowly over a number of years all while toiling away doing grunt work in someone else’s office. I am not putting that down, and many people have gone that route and gone on to wonderful careers, both as a publicist and as a journalist, it just was never for me.

I am not afraid of hard work, quite the contrary. I work my butt off my days, but I do it on my terms, not someone else’s; that is the main distinction. I am completely self-made. I think that whether you are trying to publicize your company or yourself (which is why you may be reading this blog), or whether you are simply trying to reach a dream in some other profession outside of the realm of public relations, breaking rules and doing it your way can always apply. Don’t get me wrong, you need to study the proper protocol if you are to be taken seriously within the culture of a specific industry, but try going off of the main path a bit and see where that less traveled road leads you, you may be pleasently surprised.

As I have recounted many times, with my public relations firm I set up shop after some success as an entrepreneur who found great success in publicizing myself to promote my businesses at the time. I then transferred that self-taught knowledge to helping others get their businesses off the ground and gain media coverage. I began doing celebrity interviews for a newswire with no formal journalism education and no contacts to speak of, but rather through countless hours of self-imposed study of how celebrity interviews are booked, orchestrated, conducted, written up and edited. I went to the University of Allison Kugel. I was pretty gutsy and presumptuous and just started going after interviews as if I had been doing it all my life and it was as natural as breathing. More than 100 major interviews with headlinemakers later, it proved to be a good tactic.

If you are searching for a publicist or a larger public relations firm to help promote your business or if you are simply trying to make your way on your own, I encourage you to think outside the box, leave the conventional thinking to others who prefer to spin their wheels in an overly saturated marketplace. Be creative, be spontaneous, take some risks and really put yourself out there. The worst that can happen is that you will learn what Not to do and need to re-group and go back at it again, but no one ever died from hearing the word “no.” Don’t be afraid of that word. I, personally, have disciplined myself to be imperveous emotionally to the word “No,” no matter how harsh the delivery from the other party. You have to do the same. Not being afraid to fail spectacularly will actually help your chances of succeeding. Ironic, yet very true.

What is it with celebrities pushing drugs on us in television commercials? And who on their public relations team convinced them that this would be a good idea for their public image?  Is it to stay visible in the public eye or simply to make a quick buck?  I really don’t get it. Either way, the ends just don’t seem to justify the means, and there is an embarrassment factor involved, no?

I just came acorss an article on AOL about that eyelash enhancing drug, Latisse and those commercials with Brooke Shields that we have all seen ad nauseum. Turns out some of the possible side effects of using this strictly for cosmetic enhancement drug are permanent. Duh! Why put a chemical into your system or on you unless it is medically necessary?  For people who use things like Botox, Latisse, permanent makeup, etc. and suffer uncomfortable, unsightly or dangerous side effects, I have this to say and this is a quote straight from the film Anne of Green Gables, “Now I hope you see where your vanity has gotten you.”  Leave nature alone.

I have seen Vanessa Williams on The Rachael Ray Show specifically to promote Botox Cosmetic. That’s why she was on Rachael Ray. She wasn’t promoting an album or a film. She was on there to plug Botox! Seriously? Ok.

Sally Field has been seen in commericals promoting the bone strengthening drug, Boniva. I’ll give Sally some points for the fact that it is a legitimate medical drug and not for cosmetic purposes, but why promote a medication for a drug company? Was Sally so passionate about the results she experienced with Boniva in stengthening her bone density that she just had to shout it from the rooftops? I just don’t know if I buy that. I think that generally speaking, celebrities lend their names to drug company advertising campaigns for money. I just don’t think that decision is a good one. All of these drugs have side effects and possible complications, as all drugs do. Why lend your name to that?  It is just asking for possible trouble and there are much better and more image enhancing ways to make a buck these days with a famous name.

I’m not saying Sally Field could make an appearance at the lastest night club opening, but I’m sure there are other options for her.

I don’t know if any of these women were advised by their public relations firms to accept these deals or if it was cooked up by greedy agents, or perhaps it was brokered through the celebrity, themselves.

Either way, I just don’t agree with it.