N America News May 2017

26 NORTH AMERICA NEWS / MAY 2017 , Pristine Advisers are an Investor, Public andMedia Relations/Marketing Firm, headquartered inNewYork and with offices in Connecticut. The Firmworks with global companies of all shapes and sizes, frompre-IPO to roadshows, analyst days and businesses seeking investors. Patricia Baronowski-Schneider, Founder and President of Pristine Advisers talks about the Firm’s growth and the positive ethos she’s gleaned fromher personal challenges and insights in life. Reaching Higher Please describe your role within the company and your key responsibilities. My duties are somewhat atypical. I run our business. However, I also handle client relations, working to manage Pristine Advisers and our clients. This involves building relationships with them in front of the investment community, handling their IR/PR/Media Relations, ensuring I am up top speed on the latest rules, fundamentals, technologies, etc. so that I’m ahead of our peers and well positioned to best present and promote my clients. How long have you been active in your current position and is it something you aspired to be? I have been in this field for the past 30 years working my way up the corporate ladder. This worked to my benefit as I learned the ins and outs of every aspect of the business from start to finish. It was a job that I had from high school and I was inspired by the diverse nature of the business, things come up all the time and you always needed to be creative to enable clients stand out. I started in my career in 1989, right after high school. I started as an Administrative Assistant for a small IR/PR firm which eventually grew into a huge global company. I always admired the Account Executives and Managers. There was always something going on, a client crisis or issue, brainstorming sessions, client events, roadshows, etc. There was always a buzz in the air and it sparked my interest. How do you manage staff? Do you have any key principles you adhere to? It’s always tough in that I treat every client and every job as my biggest priority, sometimes to the extent that it interferes with my family and personal time. However, I always believe in perfection and doing all that we can for clients. Unfortunately, at times this means some staff feel that it is my responsibility to adhere to that as it is my business – when that is never how I was raised in this business throughout my 30 years. I am a firm believer that it is not a 9-5 job – it is a job where we must go above and beyond for clients and if staff cannot adhere to that protocol, then it may not be the type of job they are set for. Those that can appreciate that are the type of staff we like on board as part of our team. It is also what has helped up grow. What challenges have you had to face and overcome throughout your career? And how has this impacted upon your view of how to run a company? Many challenges of course are universal — peer pressure, competitors, politics, etc. I climbed a very steep ladder for many years to get to where I am today and I most definitely paid my dues. I also go above and beyond in every aspect to ensure that we are doing everything and anything that we can to tend to our clients’ needs. I do not back down from challenges and only see them as a means of trekking forward even harder. How important would you say it is to keep up to date with the latest technology trends? I think it is imperative to keep up with the latest technology trends. Every single year things change and we must adhere to such to be able to communicate adequately. Nowadays with iPhones, smartphones, iPads, virtual conferences, webinars, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc. it is basically “if you snooze you lose” and we are not losers, we are always on top of our game. How do you make sure your products or services are innovative and will become best sellers in the market? Part of being the CEO of Pristine Advisers is keeping ahead of the curve — attending events, networking, reading, etc. to see what everyone everywhere is doing. What else could I be doing better? Am I missing something? Is there an easier/better way to do something? Is it legal and/ or technically applicable for our clients? Who will this reach? Why is this better? I am consistently on the path for these and many other answers to ensure we are on top of our game for not only us, but for our clients as well. How do you keep up with industry trends? And is this becoming more difficult to do as new technology is released daily? Not really – if anything it is becoming easier since everything nowadays is available on our phones and/or iPad. Blogging, chat rooms, Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, etc. We can communicate around the globe with such ease, ensuring we are constantly keeping up with industry trends is fundamental to business. If we are asleep at the wheel, we will be passed by and that is not something that I am ok with. Finally, what are your future aspirations for this firm, and where do you see yourself in five years’ time? The economy has of course hit many firms and compliance is always a constant issue with many businesses and social media. That is always a difficult position for us, educating the investment community and explaining how it is not only ok and legal for them, but why not being more aggressive in this day in age is fundamental to their business. My Firm has grown bigger and better in the last six years and I intend to continue on this track in the next five years to double our staff and client base and to add more services to businesses around the globe. What is the biggest lesson you have learned that you feel is good advice for others? 1703CA07