PR Pros: Ali Slutsky of Resplendent Hospitality On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly…

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PR Pros: Ali Slutsky of Resplendent Hospitality On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro

Be a self-starter. I knocked on the door of a luxury hotel in Miami and said I wanted an internship. I was told they had never had an intern before but they’d give it a go. It was there I worked with the PR director while the restaurant was reopening under a new name and I was introduced to hospitality PR.

Have you seen the show Flack? Ever think of pursuing a real-life career in PR? What does it take to succeed in PR? What are the different forms of Public Relations? Do you have to have a college degree in PR? How can you create a highly lucrative career in PR? In this interview series, called “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” we are talking to successful publicists and Public Relations pros, who can share stories and insights from their experiences.

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ali Slutsky.

Ali Slutsky is a partner and co-founder of Resplendent Hospitality, a hospitality-focused PR and social media agency headquartered in Austin, TX. After establishing Resplendent in 2012, she has grown the business to include two more offices, diversified her client base and grown the team and offerings.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I started hostessing and waiting tables as a teenager and that’s when I fell in love with the hospitality industry. Later in life, I got my first taste of PR when I worked at a luxury hotel in Miami and then a public affairs agency in Chicago. I eventually made it to Austin and worked at a hospitality agency before starting Resplendent with my business partner in 2012. I’ve always thought I was fortunate to marry my career with an industry I’ve always loved.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

This is probably not that unique anymore but when COVID shut down restaurants and bars in March and April 2020, that was interesting, to say the least. We are a hospitality adjacent agency so it affected us immediately. We had clients no longer able to fulfill their contracts overnight. I felt a sense of obligation to my clients and this industry that I adored but also my staff, they were relying on us for security and jobs. After over two years, many hard decisions, and creative pivoting we’ve learned a lot and we’re still here and still growing.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

There have been so many great clients and projects over the years. I’ve always loved the spirits industry and we brought to market a honeysuckle liqueur (the first of its kind) in an extremely fun way. Instead of focusing the awareness of the general public, we reversed engineered it to get bartenders and industry folks excited about it and using it. We were able to throw exciting and fun industry parties on that account. It was a lot more fun than your general press announcement-style campaign.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Perseverance. It can seem impossible and insurmountable at times to keep going down the entrepreneurial path.

Hustle. I don’t know a single person in the PR industry who doesn’t exhibit this.

Dedicated. I have been genuinely dedicated to this business, my clients and my team, and that has been a huge part of my success.

Where should a young person considering a career in PR start their education? Should they get a degree in communications? A degree in journalism? Can you explain what you mean?

I think getting a degree in either of those topics is helpful but not necessary. People in the PR industry are all very hardworking and adaptable. Those qualities are more important than your degree. Writing is a huge part of our world so being a good writer is crucial and now there is a more diverse set of writing skills you need to develop that are not necessarily taught in journalism school; like social media caption writing, brand writing and more. If you’re considering a career in PR, try to get experience somewhere. School is great but experience in the field is better.

You are known as a master networker. Can you share some tips on great networking?

Relationships are key and networking is the best and fastest way to build strong relationships. I’d say, be patient. People are very busy and if you’re trying to build a specific relationship with someone don’t give up if they don’t reply immediately. Stay in their wheelhouse, and that works both ways. As publicists, we need to stay in other people’s spheres of influence to continue to grow our networks.

Lead generation is one of the most important aspects of any business. Can you share some of the strategies you use to generate good, qualified leads?

A good way to lead generate is to network with fellow publicists and agencies. I am a big believer that there is enough business for all of us and that when I can’t take on a client or it ends up being a bad fit, I want to refer them somewhere. Having an understanding like that with other PR folks is a great way to get referrals.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” and why.

  1. Be a self-starter. I knocked on the door of a luxury hotel in Miami and said I wanted an internship. I was told they had never had an intern before but they’d give it a go. It was there I worked with the PR director while the restaurant was reopening under a new name and I was introduced to hospitality PR.
  2. Never stop networking. PR is a relationships business and you never know where people will end up. I have met people early in their careers when they had a food blog and today they’re the editor of a glossy food magazine and always answer my emails and calls.
  3. Have the drive. Samantha Jones may have inspired your foray into PR but it won’t keep you there. It’s not all parties and celebrities. Much of it is working with other hardworking people who created a brand and trust you to help them market it.
  4. Know your values and stick to them. This will help you find clients and brands that are right for you. Life in PR is so much easier and more fulfilling when you enjoy the work you’re doing and who you’re doing it with.
  5. Be realistic. Our clients have BIG dreams which are sometimes outlandish and impossibly big. Expectation setting with clients, even if that means bringing them back to reality, will set you up for success and a healthy relationship with your client.

Because of the role you play, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I would inspire a 4-day workweek. Millions of people, not just in my industry work to live and I don’t believe we as humans should abide by that as a principle. However, that would be a huge cultural shift in America but I am here for it!

This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.


PR Pros: Ali Slutsky of Resplendent Hospitality On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.