582. The Hardest Decision to Make—Just Do It

Gini Dietrich

Gini had her sights set on law school and becoming a sports agent. Then her mother needed her help to overcome a life-threatening illness, so she took an entry level position at a public relations agency. Passing out samples of cranberry juice at PR events was an unexpected detour on her career path.

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, an integrated marketing communications firm. She’s the author of “Spin Sucks,” co-author of “Marketing in the Round,” and co-host of Inside PR. She also is the lead blogger at Spin Sucks and is the founder of Spin Sucks Pro.

How Did You Start Using Your Talents?

Caring for her mother through a life-threatening illness derailed Gini’s plans for law school and a career as a sports agent. So, she took a job for a public relations firm, giving out Ocean Spray cranberry juice at events. “I loved, loved, loved that job! I was 25, traveling around the country to cool places and events and staying in fancy hotels. At that age, it was amazing!” She ended up staying 10 years and was on track to be a partner, with equity and “a partner BMW.”

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

Exuberant after getting her client on page one of the Wall Street Journal—a major coup for the firm she had created—and having watched the Google analytics count of new site visitors soar, she found a FedEx package awaiting her at home from her client. Instead of a “thank you,” he had enclosed a copy of the New York Times, with a post-it note, “When is this coming?” The non-thank you note was a big letdown. But instead of becoming dis-illusioned, she sharpened her vision for her firm. “I focused on changing the perception people have of the PR industry.” What felt at first like a rebuff brought her much needed clarity and direction.

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

“You have to really think about what is important to you. Only one person is going to look out for what’s best for you, and that’s you. The hardest decision you are going to make is when to make a change. Whether it is to quit your job, go out on your own, go for a job you may not be qualified for yet—whatever it happens to be—the hardest decision you will make is to do it. If it is the right decision for you, everything else falls into place.”