The Many Paths A Career in PR Can Take You with Becky Best

Welcome Becky Best, to PRSay – the podcast of the Houston PRSA Chapter.

In this episode, Becky shares about The Many Paths A Career in PR Can Take You.

Becky Best, APR has nearly 30 years of professional experience in communications. She began her career working at boutique PR agencies before transitioning to destination marketing and then spending 20 years in leadership positions in corporate social responsibility at financial services companies.

During this time, she served on nearly a dozen nonprofit boards in Michigan and Texas, earning several awards for her efforts and igniting a passion for nonprofit work. After Hurricane Harvey highlighted the region’s significant numbers of homeless pets, she pivoted once more to use her grant-making and community relations skills to help improve the quality of life for pets and people. Today, she is the director of the Gulf Coast Animal Welfare Alliance and has been appointed by the Houston City Council to serve on the advisory board for the city’s BARC animal shelter.

Becky earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a concentration on public relations from Stephen F. Austin University, a Master’s in Business Administration from Davenport University in Michigan, and her Accreditation in Public Relations. She has served on the board of directors for Houston PRSA and is a current APR Committee co-chair. 

Connect with Becky at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyebest
Website: https://gulfcoastanimalwelfarealliance.org

Learn more about the PRSA Houston Chapter, our events and opportunities at www.prsahouston.org.

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher, Public Relations

Transcript

Veronica Sopher: 0:00

Hello, and welcome to PRSay this is the award-winning official podcast of the Houston PRSA chapter. We are so excited at PRSay because we get an opportunity to connect all of our Houston members together, get to know each other a little bit better and talk about some very interesting topics. Think about it like a virtual networking session. So if you haven't attended any of our in-person events, PRSay is a great way to still network and connect with members. So if you are listening on the podcast, make sure you hit subscribe. We don't want you to miss any episodes of PRSay. And if you are watching on Facebook or YouTube, drop us some comments. We would love to connect. I'm your host, Veronica Soper. And I have the pleasure of introducing you, too, are amazing members. So with that, we're gonna go ahead and bring on Becky Best joining us. Welcome. Hello, Becky.

Becky Best: 1:18

Hi, Veronica, thank you so much for having me today.

Veronica Sopher: 1:21

You bet we are so excited to connect and talk about just the multiple ways that people get into communications and what that looks like. Because not everyone has the same path. So very excited about that conversation. Want to know more about your path and then talk a little bit about APR and how important that is in our space. So first of all, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Becky Best: 1:43

So I have been in PR now, hard to believe, but almost 35 years at this point. And for me, as you said, it started out when I was in college. I became undeclared after discovering that I would probably not want to try to take statistics to become the psychologist I thought I wanted to be. I said, maybe something different would be better. And as it happens, I have some family members that had been in hospice care. And I felt really honored to have seen how that can work in people's lives. So I wanted to give back by becoming a volunteer. They felt like it was too soon for me to work with families and patients. So they put me in the volunteer and PR area. And the rest is history. So I really found my niche that way and switched my major over. And it's been you know, my life's passion ever since.

Veronica Sopher: 2:32

Oh, that yeah, that's definitely not the traditional way of going.

Becky Best: 2:35

Not usually

Veronica Sopher: 2:38

We usually get folks cross over from media and say, Oh, I've seen the light. Now I now I'm here on your side.

Becky Best: 2:44

Right, right. Yeah, so I started out that way. And then when I got out of school, it was a time when it was a little harder to get jobs. So I started doing internships, I did graphic design, I worked at a smaller boutique agency, I was in Dallas at the time, and found my way into travel and tourism. So you know, it was rough. But my first-ever business trip was to Cancun. So I had to go down there and host a media crew that was coming in to do a spot. It was just a mom-and-pop kind of thing, it wasn't like some big national news. But for a first-time traveler and, you know, for your first business trip, it's not too shabby. So we went down there and did a familiarization tour for them and got them interested in what the area had to offer. And from that tourism opportunity, I moved into a tourism director position in Ann Arbor, Go Blue. And I was able to live there for a number of years. And then, from that, I moved into a corporate social responsibility type of role working at a very large national insurance company. So there, I was able to begin using some of that event planning experience that I had had in travel and tourism, to help with employee events. And then I worked with our communications team, both internal and external, to, you know, work on employee messages for our team that was in the location that I was at, we had about 800 employees at that location and about 5000 nationwide. And then we also had communications, of course into our community as we were one of the larger employers there. So then it really wasn't about me doing the work, but it was really about being support to my team members. So having that PR background was really helpful because I could be a lot more efficient and getting them the type of information that they would need thinking ahead about the end product. So I think that made me more more efficient partner for them.

Veronica Sopher: 4:41

Yeah, that's amazing. And so would that tourism, from hospice to tourism? What were some of the other things you thought about doing?

Becky Best: 4:50

You know, I really thought that I wanted to stay in the tourism area and you know, work in the PR realm for that because we when I was In some of that work, we had clients, we have Switzerland, part of their work, we had some wines from Spain that were one of the clients of one of the boutique agencies that I worked at. And so I really thought I wanted to stay in the tourism direction, I actually went back to school to start to get a associate's degree in tourism, just so I can understand the field better, but then ultimately decided to go in a different direction. So I've got a lot of classes that never really amounted to anything. But you know, it's interesting to learn about other areas of the work that we do.

Veronica Sopher: 5:36

Yeah. And what are some of the similarities that you've noticed in all these different spaces that you've been in. Obviously, with as much experience as you've had, there's got to be some themes, regardless of the space that you're in, or the organization you're working for, what are some of those high-level themes that maybe a young PR person isn't yet familiar with?

Becky Best: 5:57

I think really, the ability to communicate is so important to be able to write in a way that people understand, I worry a lot now that everything has become so shorthand and texts and everything that we lose a lot of context. So I think being able to convey messages effectively. And you know, to really get people to understand not only the facts, but the emotions behind what we're trying to say, as PR people, I think that's really important. And then also just to have a thirst for curiosity. In the years that I've been in PR, things have changed. So significantly, I was thinking about it this morning. And it's like, at the beginning, we really didn't use the internet, and email. So we had messenger services that would go back and forth and take your, you know, your PR kits to people and you'd have to, you know, have messenger come over to bring you the proof of any kind of printed materials that you were going to be having. So I think all of that is really important to know that our field especially is going to continue to change significantly. And AI is coming into play right now with, you know how that might change in the future. So always having that ability to, to stay up with the times and curious about what's happening, talk to other people, I think all of that's really important to have a strong career, my career ended up shifting one additional time after I took a break from the corporate social responsibility, I started to volunteer with dogs that had been abandoned during Harvey, and really realized how significant the problem here in Houston is. So I am now working in the nonprofit space in animal welfare. So again, being able to just find a way that you can use your passion to help a particular topic, whatever you're interested in, if it's senior citizens or education, your communication skills can be so valuable, because I can promise you from the nonprofit side, they're stretched so thin that it's really hard for them to be able to get those messages out. So even just taking the time that you have, that might be free to donate some of that time to help other nonprofits, it will teach you so much. And it's really amazing the connections that you'll make through that. So that would be the other thing I would say is just always being open to give of yourself to help other people in in an area that still brings you joy that matters to you that you can give back but you're still honing your craft in the process.

Veronica Sopher: 8:23

No, I think that's a great, great suggestion and a great reminder, because we all need to be building that into our days and in our portfolios because you never know where the next opportunity will come especially if it's a project you feel passionate about. I know, when we were in the Austin area, I volunteered a lot with the Girl Scouts of America because my girls were both Girl Scouts and I was a cookie mom. But I ended up doing press releases for them and setting up all kinds of events just because I enjoyed it. And it really brought into my network in the Austin area who we had just recently moved. So that's a great reminder for all of our PRSA members.

Becky Best: 8:58

Yeah, I think that helps no matter what stage in, in your career that you're in, there's always something new to learn. There's always someone new to meet. So it really is a fascinating way to get out there. And it helps you to further your own work as well. Because, you know, for me with the animal welfare, that's definitely a passion and a strong need. We're trying to reshape how people look at animal welfare to see it really more as a community safety issue and community health and it's also a social justice issue. So we've got a lot of work to do to reframe what we're working on. So for us, you know, anytime we can meet people in any walk of life, since pets are such a big part of everybody's world, and that it allows us a chance to just kind of help further the message. So no matter what you are working on, there's always a way to make new connections and to help your own professional strengths while also getting your clients or your work more notice.

Veronica Sopher: 9:53

Yeah, yeah. And speaking about growing and education. Let's talk a little bit about APR. And that process As I know, it can be really overwhelming for someone who's just looking at it for the first time, or has been looking at it for years and still hasn't quite bitten the bullet because you're right. I mean, we're at different stages in our lives. And sometimes it may not be a good fit, but when it is, there's a lot of value in it. So let's talk a little bit about APR and your journey through that.

Becky Best: 10:20

I was fortunate to get my APR when I was I was living in the Michigan area still. And so the Detroit chapter had a cohort program. So they had about 20 of us that would get together. And we would meet on a weekly basis and you know, kind of talk through the different steps. And then I had a study partner, I still say to this day, if it were not for Jake Bueller, that I probably would not have my APR, because having that accountability partner was really helpful for me to, to keep going. And so that, for me, was really what worked. And so I was part of the process that we have today at the time, it was still pretty new. But it's a two-step process. So you first prepare for the panel review, which takes place is both a questionnaire that you fill out, and then you do a presentation to three of your peers. And then they decide if you seem prepared enough to go on to the written test or not. Once you get that advanced to the next stage, then you're able to take the written test. And what's changed recently. And I think this is really good. And when you send in your application, you have one year from the time that that starts to be able to complete that whole process. A lot of people now are starting to get everything together, they're working on their panel presentation and getting all those materials together, they're starting to study, all the materials that you need to review are out there, there's a booklet that will help kind of guide you through that process. There's a recommended reading list. And certainly here at the chapter level, we are very happy to connect people to other candidates, if they choose to do that or with mentors, we always say that the APR process is confidential. Not everybody wants people around them to know that they're working on that. So it's really up to the candidate, if they choose to, you know, let it be known that they're getting involved in this process. But while we're on that journey, the chapter will do everything we can to help, you know, provide that support. And then, you know, when they're ready, they'll go ahead and take that written test. I will say some people do need to take that test more than once, it can be a little tricky. But you know, certainly it's, you know, a lot of people have passed it. And we've got a lot of people that are here to cheer you on. And to help you know, with any questions that you may have. Yeah, no,

Veronica Sopher: 12:36

I would say that we do a fantastic job in our chapter with resources and supports. And so all the things that you shared, it can be really important. If someone were on the fence right now, especially with the end of the year coming up and different projects that people have going, what advice would you give them other than start, start now before you you know, start putting all your resources together? What other advice would you give,

Becky Best: 12:58

I think just give it a shot, go in and take a look at what's there. I think a lot of people think about it, and it just remains this thing on the back burner that's kind of there nagging at them that little voice, go ahead and jump in, you know, you don't even have to submit the application, talk to some other people about their journey. Talk to me about how we can get you some support setup, we you know, there's a lot of books that you can look at that will help. There's online resources through prsa national and there's just a lot of different ways that you can get more knowledge and as you weight into it, then you'll see that it really is going to help you not only in in you know being able to say that you have the accreditation but the the things that you'll remind yourself of along the way will help you be a better professional today, it'll it'll definitely change how you look at the work that you're doing and bring a little bit more structure to it. And I think that most people will say it it definitely improves the output that they have while they're going through that process.

Veronica Sopher: 13:59

Yeah, undoubtedly that's so true. Well Becky, that's some great information. Thank you so much for sharing it and anyone listening who might need a few words of encouragement how can they reach you? What's the best way to connect?

Unknown: 14:09

Just send me an email I'm you can find my information online with the chapter but it's just bestbeckye@gmail.com. You're welcome to reach out anytime and I'm happy to you know, meet with them in person or communicate by email, whatever is really your preferred style of communication, but I'm always happy to answer questions. And like I said, we've got some really incredible professionals in our chapter, Julie fix comes to mind she's a fellow at prsa and our chapter couldn't be more fortunate to have someone with her experience. And she is a great resource and is always very generous with her time as well as Deidre, and one of our former presidents. So there's there's a lot of really great people that are in our chapter who would love to help cheer you on and get you on the path so that you can great to get this great acknowledgment. Yeah,

Veronica Sopher: 15:01

For sure. Well, Becky, it was great chatting with you. I look forward to connecting in person and I can't wait for members to learn more about APR and then connect with you for some support. Thank you so much.

Becky Best: 15:12

Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

Veronica Sopher: 15:13

You bet. All right, that wraps up this episode of PRSA. Thank you so much to Becky Best for joining us some great reminders about APR and then just a fantastic journey that she's had in the communication space so very excited to have her on. Make sure you connect all the links are in the show notes and if you are listening on the podcast, make sure you hit subscribe. We don't want you to miss any episodes of PRSay If you are watching on Facebook or YouTube, drop us some comments and Becky and I will be sure to connect. And so with that, we'll wrap up this episode and we'll catch you next time