As independent business owners struggled during the pandemic, Las Vegas public relations expert Ruth Furman found meaning by helping them make news.
In the last two years, Furman, who is founder of ImageWords Communications, voluntarily connected dozens of independent business owners with reporters to share their stories. That work inspired the veteran publicist to adapt her business model to work with clients on a single project and recurring project basis, in addition working with clients on a monthly retainer basis, which is the industry standard.
“I’ve always worked to be a megaphone for quiet voices and a hype woman for the underdog. During Covid-19, this took on new meaning as independent business owners everywhere needed help with publicity,” says Furman. “As we move forward, I want to continue working with mom-and-pop business owners who may not have a huge marketing budget, and don’t need monthly PR help. By offering project-centered services, I’m excited to work with more entrepreneurs to get them the publicity they need, when they need it.”
Since 2020, Furman has helped connect sources with reporters for more than 180 stories, frequently on a pro-bono basis. She found that it helped her, too, to see she was making an impact during challenging times.
“When the pandemic struck, a phrase kept resurfacing in my mind: ‘If you can, you should,’” says Furman. “I put my decades of experience and connections to work, and I’ve never felt more proud of the results. It felt good to be able to help both business owners and journalists in sharing important stories.”
Some of those stories include a single mom who lost her job because of the pandemic and started her own keto bakery; a single mom in the Midwest who owns a cleaning service and shared Covid-related cleaning advice; a struggling restaurant owned by a couple with young children that pivoted to help families cook at home. She also helped a Latina widow and mom who runs a school get local and national coverage on an array of education topics; and she helped a mom of four who runs a mom-centered fitness business (which paused indoor classes because of Covid) connect with media and help parents with wellness and mental health challenges they were dealing during shut-down and the era of virtual learning.
Energized by the meaningful and ever-changing work, Furman is eager to continue working on projects that help entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs. “I’m excited to continue working with small business owners as a megaphone, to help get their important stories out, one at a time.”
To learn more about ImageWords Communications, visit ruthfurman.com.
About ImageWords Communications
ImageWords Communications offers a full spectrum of public relations, communications and marketing, including writing and editing services, marketing consulting services and media relations. Follow Ruth Furman on Twitter @imagewords or on LinkedIn at Ruth Furman.
[Photo: Ruth Furman of ImageWords in August, 2022 in the lobby at The Coop Coworking Space ]