Today we’d like to introduce you to Liselle DeGrave, APR.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up I have always had an entrepreneur mindset. My parents were both Cuban refugees who came to the United States for a better life. I learned at an early age the value of hard work and determination. I believe it was their example that motivated me to pursue my own business.
I opened my business more than 15 years ago, it was not an overnight success. I started DeGrave Communications when I was still a public relations student at San Diego State University. I had an idea and was driven; I wanted to freelance for extra money. I went online, at that time it was still called the World Wide Web and sounded like I was trying to contact another planet, and applied for an IRS EIN number. I did small projects initially and went on to take on full-time employment, but always kept my side hustle going. There were definitely peaks and valleys, but I never wanted to let the idea of running my own business die.
Over time, I built a network in the public sector, specializing in water and government. I didn’t know it at the time, but having this niche network and work experience has set us apart in business. The rest is history. We continue to thrive and move forward as a local business, keeping things fresh. Just this past year, I launched a podcast with friend and business partner, Rachel McGuire from RMG Communications, PRessing On in Public Relations. Loving what I get to do every day makes it easy to work.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Key challenges are always the handling of the businesses side of things, such as accounting and human resources. Setting aside funds to prepay taxes, establishing a reasonable salary, invoicing, profit and loss statements and staffing are all details that I continue to learn about. As a business owner you need to know enough to continue to grow and see opportunities to improve, but we tackle these challenges with the help of a trust-worthy team. Having an accountant keep the books balanced has been one of my biggest reliefs as a business owner. I always look for people that are experts in areas that I am weak at. Reading, listening to podcasts and talking to people who are doing their work well are all valuable resources.
Understand that businesses take time to grow. Never underestimate the small steps. The small steps add up over time into giant leaps. When launching my businesses I was always cautious about costs. We have managed to sustain a growing a business without taking out a loan. Use the resources you have to do what is absolutely necessary. Don’t spend money that you don’t have. At minimum, every businesses needs a logo. Our first logo was very homemade, I am embarrassed to admit it, but it was literally created on Word. The logo that we have now was actually purchased from Etsy. We love to shop small and support indie businesses so purchasing from Etsy was very much in line with our mission. It fit our budget at the time and gave us what we needed. As we’ve grown, we are ready for a brand refresh, but not necessary. We continue to grow with our simple Etsy logo. People do business with people they like, keep that in mind. Buying a fancy logo or things you can’t afford will not guarantee your business will thrive. Stay focused on what needs to get done. Over time as you grow you can reinvest into your business, but when starting out, stay humble and use the resources available. Getting into debt is not a solid start to a new business.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into DeGrave Communications story. Tell us more about the business.
DeGrave Communications is an award-wining, full-service public relations firm specializing in working with public sector clients. We provide communication services for our clients. Some of what we create ends up as a tangible product (brochures, posters, videos, etc.), but a lot of what we develop includes communication pieces, such as talking points or secured media coverage. We start our projects by developing a plan. We use research to guide the strategies in the plans. We never want to develop a product with no strategic reasoning.
We pride ourselves in providing exceptional customer service with a strong ethical backing. Due to the fact that our work is often paid for by public funding, we are mindful of this and include this in our strategic approach and implementation.
Currently, launching the podcast PRessingOnPodcast.com has been a proud business accomplishment. The podcast was something that we had been working on and to see it become available to listeners was exciting.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
Business opportunities are for everyone, women and men. Working in the water industry, I often have to work with boards or leadership that are all or mostly men because traditionally this has been a male-dominated field. This can be a challenge, but the realization that I am there too shows that we are both at the table and opportunities are available to everyone who is willing to do solid work.
I am the child of Cuban refugees who truly struggled to create the American dream. I will never experience the adversary that my grandparents dealt with. My small set-backs will not define me as a victim because of my gender or other reason. As women we are different than our male counterparts, I always want to celebrate those differences. Our differences are not obstacles, but opportunities. Business is for women and men, if we get caught up on feeling victimized we are only hurting ourselves.
There is a lot of negativity in the media, but there are also infinite possibilities for anyone willing to get after their dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: DeGravePR.com
- Phone: 951-764-0865
- Email: Connect@DeGravePR.com
- Instagram: @DeGravePR
- Other: PRessingOnPodcast.com
Image Credit:
Karen Demamiel Photography and Sebaz Productions
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