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.