Ready?  Set?  Go!

For me, this is the starting line in my PR Journey.  Most of the other “racers” have already passed the starting line.  I just crossed it now, and I’m in hot pursuit to catch up with the rest.

So what am I doing here, being such a latecomer to the race?  The sprinters have already ran, amassing their experience through PRSSA and PR internships.

Yeah.  Those sprinters do have quite impressive strides, but it doesn’t discourage someone like me one bit.

So what is the purpose of this segment?  For those of you who are just tuning in,  I have just begun writing a new segment for this website.  It’s titled “My PR Journey”.  The title is self-explanatory.  I will be sharing my journey with you.  From the starting line to my first job in PR and beyond.  All of those “tough jobs” that you have to go through before you get to the one that you want.  Every leg of the journey will be included.  Not one will be left out.

What you will find in this segment is information.  Tons of it.  I will be sharing all the new things that am learning in PR.  This will include what I already know, along with my thoughts on articles from trade publications that cover the latest trends in the industry.  So if you are late to the starting line too, don’t worry.  You can run alongside me and we can all learn together.

While there may be many imitators doing this already, that doesn’t discourage me either.  Having another blog about PR is a big plus.  Especially one with the goal that I have in mind.  I want this to have a personal feel to it.  We are running together and if you are reading this, then you too are part of the journey.

My strategy will include the following.  I will be creating a “My PR Journey” facebook page.  On it, you can get updates regarding my latest posts, as well as information about the industry from new and experienced people alike.

I have some ideas for some PR campaigns that I will be trying in the future.  So with this segment, you can expect me to share some PR campaigns that I’m working on every now and then.

So with each one of these updates, I encourage those in the PR industry, new or old to leave your thoughts in the comments.  I would like to begin some interesting discussions about PR and what your journey looks like.  While the segment is “My PR Journey”, I would like to hear yours as well!

From what I have already read about getting into PR online, content is king.  And like that saying, I would like this content to be ruler over the land.

Since we will be running for a while, here’s a little information about me.  I am a graduate of Central Michigan University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Journalism.  And believe it or not, my area of concentration was in Advertising, NOT Public Relations!

Concentrations aside, my focus has shifted over the years.  Advertising is not something I could really get a job in.  It’s not really something that interests me so much as public relations.

So what have I done in PR?  While it’s not much, I still think that it deserves a little attention.  From 2011 to 2012, I have served as VP of Public Relations for Toastmasters International, a non-profit.

To be more exact, it was VP of Public Relations for two different clubs in Midland.  Midland Toastmasters and Sensational Speakers.  During that year, Toastmasters International was going through a brand update.  This update would change the branding of their organization everywhere, including the website.  On the freetoasthost website (a free hosting site for clubs), I was responsible for guiding the clubs through the branding update.  This update would affect the layout of the page, and it required that I backed up some really important information if I didn’t want any of the clubs to lose that information in the branding update.

So with PR, I have at least gotten my feet wet.  But I’m ready to jump headfirst into the pool.

To be on the right track, I have also joined two PRSA Chapters: White Pine and Central Michigan.  With both chapters, I hope to get the most out of my membership, learning everything that I can from them.  So expect to see a lot of posts regarding everything that I learned.

So that’s a little bit about me.  I can still see the starting line behind me but I’m well on my way in getting to the farther end of the track.

If you’re taking notes, here’s the short version for those of you who love Sparknotes.

• I discussed the purpose of “My PR Journey” and what I plan to do with it. One of them is creating that facebook page, so check it out when it’s up.  We can all run together!
• I shared a little information about me, regarding my educational background and PR experience

So yeah.  That’s the introductory post.  It’s like day one in a college class.  You’re already looking forward to day two because that’s when all the fun begins.

To those of you who are running alongside me, welcome.  I look forward to sharing my journey with all of you.  All of the information that I learn along the way from the starting line to my first job in PR and beyond.

I look forward to running with all of you!

Your friend in PR,

Kyle