Red Banyan

Red Banyan is a strategic communications firm specializing in crisis management, PR, reputation management, and government affairs. Red Banyan serves a variety of national and international clients, including businesses, individuals, and non-profit organizations.

FOUNDED IN

2011

INDUSTRY

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services

COUNTY

Broward County

REVENUE

87% increase from
2017 – 2020

EMPLOYEE GROWTH

60% increase from
2017 – 2020

Evan Nierman

CEO

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and then the pivotal points that brought you to Red Banyan?

I spent the first 15 years of my career in Washington, D.C., working in communications related to politics, policy, and business. I moved to Florida 12 years ago to work for a startup, but after 1 ½ years, I realized it was time to start my own crisis PR firm in Florida. I launched the company a little over 10 years ago with no clients or employees and against the advice of everyone who told me it was a terrible idea. Today we have a team of 23 and have served clients across the country, on four different continents, and in nearly a dozen countries.

Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurship was not originally on my radar. I’d been brought up to believe that you had to work hard, make good grades, attend a good school, get a good job and then work your way up over time from inside a solid corporation. I never recognized entrepreneurship as an available path. But the time I spent working at that startup got me thinking. I really wanted to have more control over my future, and I liked the idea of being responsible for my own fate. If the company did well and succeeded, then the credit would be mine, and if it failed, I would have no one to blame but myself.

Can you tell me a bit more about Red Banyan and the value you bring your customers?

Red Banyan serves two main types of clients: those who want to get into the press and those who need to get out. And our client base is varied. We help organizations, private businesses, and nonprofits tell their stories and accomplish their organizational goals by using strategic communications. For some, that means being on TV, ghost-writing op-eds, increasing their CEO’s public visibility, establishing their thought leadership voice, or helping them communicate with internal and external audiences. Our crisis PR work is focused on helping good organizations and good people navigate unfortunate or complex circumstances. We provide guidance and make sure they are optimally positioned to move forward.

What is your competitive edge over other crisis PR firms in Florida?

Our entire company is structured upon Red Banyan’s unique set of core values: Speed, because we operate faster than any other business. Integrity, because we have the moral courage to tell our clients if we think they are making a bad decision. Commitment, because there is no job too big or too small for us. Accountability, which for us means if we say we’re going to do something, we will do it every time. And lastly, Results. If we are not getting results for our clients, then we are not delivering for them. We hire team members based on those core values. We evaluate our team based on those core values because they are a part of our DNA. If we are true to those core values, then all our clients have an exceptional experience.

Can you talk about your company culture and how you like to lead your team?

Culture is not something you can just talk about. You have to live it day in and day out, without exception. People who are positive and have a growth mindset are the best fit here. I believe we can always teach them the skill set, but if they have a winner’s mentality, and are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, they will fit in. Those are the kind of people I want working for our clients.

When I started the business over a decade ago, we were 100 percent remote in our earliest stage, well ahead of the times. I did not believe that physical proximity was necessary to get the job done well and I still don’t. Our technology has always been cloud-based, so we have never been tied to any physical locations. As we have grown, we settled into office space in Florida, Washington, and Atlanta, mostly as a way to retain some cohesiveness and facilitate in-person collaboration. Now, we are operating in a hybrid model with a staggered schedule. It’s the best of both worlds. The collaboration and the socialization that comes from being in an office with other people is beneficial, but our team also values the flexibility and the freedom that comes with working remotely.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced while growing your business?

During the pandemic, we increased our emphasis on crisis communications, as opposed to standard strategic communications or positive PR. Now, our crisis PR business is booming.

In the beginning, one of my biggest challenges was learning how to operate and grow a business. I had worked in communications for years before opening Red Banyan, but didn’t know anything about building or growing a company. I learned by drawing upon mentorship from people who have been there, being involved in organizations such as Entrepreneurs Organization, and becoming a student of business. Tapping into all that knowledge was a game-changer.

Can you remember any specific books that really resonated with you?

The E Myth by Michael Gerber should be required reading for any entrepreneur. Jim Collins’ Good to Great – is also excellent. Probably the most important book for me is one that isn’t necessarily a business book but about life. The Big Leap is about limitations that we put on ourselves. It’s an amazing book about the way that we as people hold ourselves back and stunt our own growth and success.

Check out Evan's book!

"One of my top goals was to write a book, something I achieved a few months ago with the publication of Crisis Averted: PR Strategies to Protect Your Reputation and the Bottom Line. It’s exciting because now my philosophy of how to do communications the right way can help a lot more organizations than we could ever have as clients."

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On Sale now!

Where do you hope to see Red Banyan in the next few years?

I would like Red Banyan to be one of the top crisis firms in the United States. I want to continue to grow my team and create opportunities for professional and personal growth for every member. I hope to add staff to our locations to scale the business up. In the next few years, my goal is to increase our impact and make sure that we are able to help even more organizations and more deserving people.

What is your proudest moment as CEO?

One of my proudest moments was reaching a point where I had enough exceptional staff members that I could go with my wife and my two kids backpacking in Peru for 16 days. I was completely off the grid and knew that the business was humming along and that our clients were being taken care of. Getting to the point where the company could sustain itself, without my involvement, was a big milestone.

Honestly, I have a proud moment every single day. We get together each morning for a Zoom call and the team gives each other shout-outs based upon accomplishments from the prior day that are tied to our core values. It is an inspiring, rewarding, and heartening experience that I get to have literally every day.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Honoree?

I am very honored. I think it is a testament to the culture that I’ve been able to build and the team we have assembled. This award is a fitting tribute to the remarkable quality and dedication of my team. I’m so proud of them.

Is there anybody you would like to thank?

I would like to recognize my long-term team members who have been with me from the start. They are the ones who propelled us to this level.

My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is…

"Conquer your mind and then you can conquer business. If you can overcome fear, eliminate self-doubt, believe in yourself and be willing to put in the hard work, anything is possible. If you believe in yourself, then you will attract positive people who will help you achieve your goals."

Celebrate with the Red Banyan team!

Tickets are on sale now for the 11th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Awards Celebration! Don't wait, they will sell out!

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