In two decades-plus of entrepreneurship, Las Vegas public relations professional Ruth Furman has thrived by using her ears — letting clients’ words guide her — and encouraging others to use their voices.
Furman, founder and principal of public relations agency ImageWords Communications, shared her business strategies and origin story in a 23-minute video interview with The Real Las Vegas and The Guilbeault Group’s Eileen Guilbeault, posted Dec. 4 on YouTube.
Guilbeault interviewed Furman earlier this fall for a National Association of Women Business Owners’ Southern Nevada chapter “Member Moment” video. The chapter honored Furman in 2019 with a Women of Distinction Award in the Arts, Entertainment and Media category.
In The Real Las Vegas video, Furman said a love of stories has underpinned her career. At Indiana University, she studied journalism. A postcollege magazine journalism job had her writing about retailers’ marketing and promotional strategies.
“That was my favorite type of writing, writing that helped people make their businesses better,” Furman said, describing the “aha” moment.
That job led to a corporate public relations job and then her own company as she moved from Chicago to Las Vegas.
Furman said she stays flexible as she helps clients, entering new relationships with an open mind and no assumptions. She builds strategies through conversation.
“Two words: ‘Say something,’” Furman said, describing her empirical tactic. “I think sometimes when we’re struggling, we freeze a little bit, and we get really quiet.”
Saying something can take many forms, she said, including social media posts and public relations strategies. When people are lost for words about themselves, Furman suggests they chatter about someone else, promoting a friend’s, collaborator’s, or client’s business.
To conquer anxiety, Furman encourages action. Even when she doesn’t feel initially inspired, activity — especially new, radically different activity — pushes her forward. Before she restarts, though, Furman said she’ll pause and, inspired by Sheri Salata’s book “The Beautiful No,” practice self-kindness.
“I (sometimes) let myself down, I don’t meet my goals,” she said, “but I’m very gentle with myself and I start over much faster. … I’m still not patient, but I’m way more patient than I used to be.”
Furman said Las Vegas, where she’s lived since 1999, has become home, for its entrepreneurial spirit and community feel. She said working in The Coop, a coworking space close to her home on the city’s northwestern side, has particularly bolstered her connectedness.
“The fabric of our community is very warm and welcoming, if you find the right spots,” she said.
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LEARN MORE:
See the interview by the Real Las Vegas and The Guilbeault Group’s Eileen Guilbeault with ImageWords’ Ruth Furman here: https://bit.ly/3otmLw0
Learn more about The Real Las Vegas and The Guilbeault Group Realtor Eileen Guilbeault here: https://thereallasvegas.com/
Photo: From left: Ruth Furman and Eileen Guilbeault
-Photo & video credit: KRICO Productions-