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Patricia Pickett says she has known that she wanted to be a writer since she could hold a pencil. Patricia spent 20 years as a reporter, editor, and publisher before making “the jump” to public relations in 2005, and she launched Pickett & Associates in July 2010 after being downsized from a marketing firm. As she tells it: “I was shit-canned on the Friday before the 4th; when the sun rose on Tuesday, I decided I never wanted to put my career in someone else’s control.” Today, Pickett & Associates serves 20 clients ranging from Hancock Health to Stephanie Grabow Style+. It’s your turn now, Patricia!
My Maven Superpower is … Writing/editing in someone else’s voice.
A fun fact about me is … I married my government teacher. (Disclaimer … I had been out of high school for 30 years, so it’s not as CREEPY as it sounds.)
Best book I’ve read lately is … “City of Girls” by Elizabeth Gilbert.
My first job was as … A morning news anchor at WKDQ-FM/WSON-AM — Evansville market, located in scenic Henderson, KY. And I had to read the obits at 7:00 a.m. and noon on the AM station.
The skill I most want to learn is … Saying a firm, guilt-free “no.”
My favorite nonprofit to support is … Easterseals Crossroads (I was a recipient of physical therapy as a child and credit them with so much of my healing.)
Self-care habit I swear by is … My bedtime routine is melatonin cream for my feet and passionflower tea.
The best career advice I can offer is … Be in control of your own destiny, but be gracious and patient. The latter is the hard part.
Favorite purchase lately is … The long-awaited IKEA Sektion Pantry & Bar.
I feel most confident when … I have worked through and completed a lengthy “to-do” list.
My favorite local restaurant dish is … Lemon Shrimp Pasta at 9th Street Bistro.
The thing I’ve been binging lately is … “The Good Fight.”
A Maven you should know is … So many Mavens, so little time … Jenny Lear, Stephanie Grabow, Carrie Petty, Lindsay Labas, and Beth Gehlhausen.
The thing I’ve achieved lately that I’d like to celebrate with the Maven community is … Pickett & Associates is celebrating 12 years in business!
My advice to anyone starting their own business is … Don’t start a “business” without a concept of how you are going to promote your product. We have had numerous small business clients who say they “don’t have the budget for marketing” … but it is a cost of doing business. So, if you don’t have the cash flow to handle it, perhaps you trade your services with a marketing professional (with a very clear contract of expectations!); maybe you dig in and do it yourself. There are a ton of resources, but it takes commitment and time. But you can’t look at your competition who’s spending $50K a year and get the same result by spending $5,000. Being an entrepreneur is rewarding, but hard. There are sacrifices … staying up late, starting early, being the “everything” person … if it were easy, everyone would start a business!
What’s next for me is … More PR & marketing tools and resources from Pickett & Associates and more bylines from me personally.
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Stephanie Groves is the Executive Editor of Indy Maven.
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