Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carli Brinkman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Carli, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Although I’ve had moments of self-doubt, I’ve never lacked in confidence, and I think that is due to the fact that I grew up with a healthy sense of self-esteem that never limited my understanding of what I am capable of, what I deserve, or what I can achieve. From a young age, when it was time to start creating independent experiences and venture out on my own, I took big risks, worked hard, and challenged myself, while at the same time, really experiencing life to the fullest and exploring the world. I found that, though it took a ton of energy, I was becoming successful and loving life at the same time. That was when my confidence caught up with the self-esteem I’d been building. The more I was able to work hard and experience professional success, and enjoy hard and experience personal fulfillment, the more I felt confident in the fact that I understood how to “do” life. Although it isn’t a completely linear equation (and boy, do kids through a wrench in any perceived “formula” for easily making your way through life), this theory tested over and over again, for me- starting in my formative years- definitely instilled a life-long confidence that anything was possible if I truly wanted it and believed it was attainable.
I know not everyone’s upbringing provides them the opportunity to grow up with a healthy sense of self-esteem, and because of that, challenging themselves, testing their limits, and discovering the depth of their talents- all of which build confidence and continue the cycle of learning and growing- is not so simple. I know it’s hard to create new patterns of thinking, but I would encourage these individuals to at least consider: what do you possibly have to lose in thinking of yourself as completely capable of accomplishing, and worthy of having, everything you want in this life, then going for it? With one life to live, why not at least try to live it as someone that believes in themself?
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the founder, owner and operator of my own boutique public relations agency, Carli PR, where I work with clients in a variety of sectors- from luxury hotels and restaurants, to arts and cultural nonprofits, and everything in between. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be doing what I love and to be doing it from the driver’s seat as the CEO and principal of my own company.
As a public relations consultant and strategist, I work with my clients to devise a plan to communicate who they are to their audience and the public at large, primarily through media storytelling. But also by working with them to create campaigns, programs, events, and collaborations that align with their vision, brand, and ethos that help them tell their story and provide them the opportunity to generate positive exposure and overall awareness. Earned media is tricky. You cannot simply tell the news media that you are newsworthy. You must be newsworthy. And if you are not, you must figure out how to authentically insert yourself into the conversation that is the current news cycle. To do that requires strategic thinking, and that is where I come in.
I’ve built Carli PR on the idea that staying small allows me to remain nimble and focused on the individual objectives and strategic vision of each client, rather than feeding a bottomless business development engine. This philosophy has been key to my success and reputation as a reliable, dedicated and effective industry expert. I am very proud to have built a reputation as a trusted communications professional who works hard for her clients and uses well-devised strategic planning to yield results.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Ingenuity- More than just smarts, ingenuity is a combination of your intelligence, cleverness, and creativity. Ingenuity is sort of half skill/ half quality. It’s a combination of what you’ve learned and what you possess, and together they can be a deadly combination. I have found ingenuity to be so incredibly important in my line of work. Although taking the time to think through things and strategize is incredibly important, it often must be combined with quick-thinking approaches and creative ideas. Not every real-world scenario allows you time to go back to the drawing board for two weeks, and oftentimes, clients want your opinion, thoughts, ideas, and recommendations on the spot. In my line of work, this also often applies to media interviews and conversations. Being incredibly careful, tactful, eloquent, and succinct all at the same time may look easy when you read it in quotes or see it on the news, but it is a quick-thinking example of ingenuity that is applied when a PR rep or spokesperson can respond to a challenging media question on the spot.
Energy- Energy, primarily expressed as drive, has been essential to my career success and my proudest personal achievements. I’ve always had a ton of energy, which may be to a detriment (I have a very hard time fully investing in relaxation time, which is also probably just as important), but has mainly served me in handling what at times can be an overwhelming workload and responsibility juggle. When I’m overwhelmed or in the weeds, it energizes me to work more vigorously and efficiently, which in turn helps me to be more pragmatic, strategic and focused. The more I’m challenged, the more it energizes me, and the more energy I amass, the more clarity I find. If you desire the entrepreneurial life, you also need to be prepared to turn negative energy feelings- like fear, anxiety, and uncertainty- all of which will come up very often in the beginning stages and again as you hit different professional growing pains- into positive energy feelings to ensure you are using those experiences to drive you forward and become more successful.
Tenacity- The qualities of a tenacious person include determination, persistence, and grit, and sometimes I think that possessing these qualities alone can almost guarantee a person can achieve any goal they’ve set their mind to. Having tenacity essentially means that you will do what you need to do- acquire the skill, develop the resources, outperform the competition, and so on- and work around the clock to do it. The power is within all of us to do this. Tenacity is a quality that creates skill. It is in you, and it allows you to develop, strengthen, learn, and grow, which is why it is so important in almost any industry on any entrepreneurial journey. You may start out in your line of work with an education or experience that puts you above your competition, but without tenacity, you won’t stay there very long. Tenacity is critical to success.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
As a mother of two beautiful young girls, this is a question I’ve reflected on quite a bit over the past few years. My parents very intentionally raised me to be strong, independent, and self-assured. They were incredibly supportive, encouraging and proud, but always made it very clear that it was up to me to be successful. I would be on my own to make my way and carve my path. They helped how they could, but ultimately, it was on to me to get myself into a good school, get myself through school both with jobs and student loans, and keep up the grades it required to maintain the scholarships to make it all affordable. It is natural, as a mother, to think about what you might do differently in raising your own kids, and of course, I have those thoughts too. But I truly am proud of the young woman I was- she impresses me and inspires me. I have my parents to thank for that. And although I definitely made some crazy and foolish decisions in my youth, overall I would be very proud of my daughters- and feel very confident and secure in their future- if I saw them following in my footsteps in terms of their drive, motivation, and confidence. I don’t want to place specific aspirations on my kids in terms of careers and life plans. But I do think it is important to see them develop certain life skills, and these are the sort of life skills that will serve them no matter what path they choose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carlipr.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlibrinkmanpr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarliBrinkmanPR
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlibrinkman/
Image Credits:
Photo 1 (stirring the beer at outdoor photo shoot): Photo Credit: Palm Beach Influence no other images need crediting
