Chic Perspectives

Business Advisor Elizabeth Gordon interviews Mollye Rhea, President of For Momentum, Lori Rosen President of The Rosen Group and Managing Partner of Blacksock

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Thanks for tuning in to the Chic Perspectives Show today on Business Radio X where we hear the success stories of women business owners, industry trends and innovative ideas – and help other women business owners put themselves in ‘higher heels’ and ‘succeed in style’- their own personal style.

My first guest joined me in the studio – Mollye Rhea, President and Founder of For Momentum, www.formomentum.com,  in addition to being a successful entrepreneur Mollye is also an expert in the area of cause marketing.

For 25+ years, Mollye Rhea, President of For Momentum, has conceptualized, developed and spearheaded programs for cause and partnership marketing to benefit non-profits and corporations at both national and local levels.

When Mollye Rhea founded her company, For Momentum, in May 2003, she realized that there were very few agencies specializing in cause marketing. Since then, For Momentum has grown to become one of the leading cause marketing firms in the country.

Mollye talked about how she got started in her business by leveraging her broad base of experience  working in advertising, corporate marketing, and nonprofit marketing.

This background created the right synergy for the For Momentum business model.

Mollye talked about how she created For Momentum to strike a better balance with her lifestyle wishes and values.

She selected cause marketing because it is her passion.

For Momentum serves three specific target audiences:

Nonprofits who desire to expand their resource base through corporate partnership.

Corporations who want to leverage their philanthropic support for expanding their business -- also known as strategic philanthropy,

Traditional marketing, advertising and pr agencies who want to round out their full service services with a cause marketing offering.

Mollye talked about what cause marketing is, why it works and how companies do it.

CSR are an important part of today’s business model.

She talked about how businesses of all sizes are leveraging the power of cause marketing to generate sales, positive PR and community reputation, employee loyalty and affordable solutions are possible — you don’t have to be a huge corporation to make a difference.

As entrepreneurs, Mollye said we have the opportunity to establish a business model that matches our lifestyle and life stage needs.

Her advice to other female business owners — Develop systems that match your business and budgetary needs

1. • project-based compensation models
   • telecommuting business model
   • employee-specific definition of “full time”

You also won’t want to miss Mollye’s “Chic Tip”: As entrepreneurs, we have the opportunity to establish a business model that matches our lifestyle and life stage needs. Don’t let the “conventional models” limit your thinking.  If you have a will, you can make your own way.

Go to www.formomentum.com and sign up for our Cause Alliances Insights e-publication — found on our website under “News You Can Use”

My next guest was Lori Rosen who called into the Chic Perspectives Show from the Big Apple to share her entrepreneurial experiences with us.  Lori is the owner of a public relations firm in New York, The Rosen Group http://www.rosengrouppr.com which celebrated its 25th anniversary in November 2009.

Last year, Lori solicited a company in Switzerland, and became Managing Partner of Blacksocks (www.blacksocks.com) NA, a web site that delivers socks by subscription. It’s aimed at busy men, who want the luxury of having socks delivered to them (rather than going to a store) –just when the one sock disappears. Blacksocks is a thriving business in Europe, with 40,000 active customers.

Lori talked about operating her PR agency, managing the ebbs and flows in the economic cycles, and how her company has evolved over time.  She also got into wha it was like starting a new business with its own set of challenges in a down market.

Blacksocks is run out of the agency-and most of the marketing is done through PR, in addition to google ad word and SEO.  It was interesting to hear Lori talk about how from a PR perspective what’s it like to be both the client and the agency and for the first time, have a very clear understanding from the client’s point of view.

Lori talked about both businesses-owning and operating aspects of a PR agency; and

what she’s learning from customers about the sock-scription business model, need vs. want, purchasing timing and creating urgency.

Thanks to my wonderful guests for sharing their stories and advice with our ever growing listen base.

Tune in next time for more chic business talk.

Until then… wishing you all Chic Success,

Elizabeth