For those of you who are active on Twitter, @PRCog needs no introduction. One of the few examples of social media anonymity done right, PR Cog expresses – with trademark humor – many of the frustrations that exist for a mid-level PR pro. These generalized beefs can be with both clients and upper management, and many of his tweets are now on behalf of other annoyed PR tweeters, submitted anonymously to him by Direct Message.

I was happy to electronically interview this popular Twitter character turned blogger, who shares his insights on both PR Cog’s Gear Grindings and PRBreakfastclub (where he serves as Editor and Publisher). But little did I know I was about to be given a worldwide exclusive to the Cog-related story of the year!  Read on…

1. Being a PR Cog sure sounds tough — how’d you come to such a fate?

Well, I became a Cog in a small professional services based shop about 5 years ago after leaving the professional services space.  I became @PRCog on a bad working day almost 18 months ago. I made the account, tweeted a bit, followed some journalists and pros (not in the Law & Order sense) and forgot about it.  I returned a few weeks later to discover I had been re-followed by more than I expected.  I fully expected backlash and have only been told by one person that they know of someone who doesn’t like what I’m doing.  The person who doesn’t like it has yet to grow the brass ones to tell me. More details can be found in Valerie Simon’s interview from a few months back.  But it’s been a very enlightening experience since I started.

2. What’s the most difficult thing about your current state of affairs?

Let’s come back to this one…

3. Do you ever long to escape the grind and become a Solo PR Pro?

Well, this is the first time I’m putting this out there publicly — I already have.  A few months back my old agency and I parted ways.  I wasn’t growing as a professional any longer and had filled all the possible positions / done all the tasks at that agency (we were VERY specialized).  It was all very amicable – I still try to refer them business and they send me work occasionally.

Since then, in addition to looking for new opportunities at an agency and in-house (because we all like the stability of a paycheck, and I’m the first to admit I’ve got plenty to learn – I know if I don’t pursue other opportunities simultaneously I’ll wonder what’s out there), I’ve setup my own shop and have been living the solo life (living room office, kids asking for juice during biz calls, etc. – the whole kit’n'kaboodle).  I’ve worked a few contracts/consultations and am continuing to seek out new business.

4. Is being an independent PR consultant the best way to find freedom? What’s a Cog like you dream of doing?

Unless you can find that perfect agency/company and love everyone you work with (i.e., if PRBC were to form their own agency – xo Cats & Kittens ), it would appear to be.  The experience has been very liberating.

During a recent potential client meeting, who in addition to my normal skillset I discovered was also looking for skills and experience outside my comfort zone, I was able to actually say, “Yes, we can do these things, realize though this part of it isn’t where my background is and it’ll be a learning experience for both of us.”  I disclaimed that if needed we could knock down the tab or I’d bring someone in short term to teach me a few things.  I’m happy to sell myself to the best of my abilities, not make promises I then expect my “staff” to fulfill.

Could it have cost me the contract? Maybe, but that’s better than having a dissatisfied client and not being true to what I can and can’t do. Particularly early on – some of the best clients at my former company came from satisfied client referrals – don’t want to start off on the wrong foot.

So, returning to question 2 — the biggest issue now is the social media side.  Inevitably the question comes up, “Do you have any social media experience?” It’s quite a dance trying to reference my blogging, PRBC activities, and Twitter use without specifically referencing PRCog. Returning back to a normal twitter account will be difficult given the number of people that have actually seen me IRL (most of whom I trust, but there’s too many to depend on it being kept a secret).  Thankfully, I’m having more conversations than snark, so even if I have to go there I can.  Potential clients have no interest in outing me.  Most of the current venom has been archival or ghost tweets (tweets sent on behalf of others [as therapy] that they can’t send because their bosses or clients are following them).

5. Any extra tidbits you can tell us about the man behind the mask?

Oh goodness.  Well, next big projects include an interesting PRBC project and for this summer — Masquertweet, of course .

I’m still the same snark filled, fun loving, optimistic (ok, that one’s only partially true) me.

Actually there are a few odd observations — One of the biggest things that surprises me is the number of people I’ve never tweeted with before whose first question in a dm is ‘What agency are you at?”  I don’t assume everyone in the PR world knows who I am (goodness, I would hope not), but if I was really going to randomly disclose that info wouldn’t I have it in my bio?  Or a real name? Or…something else indicating I want to tie my real self to this identity?  This may be an indication of one of the biggest SM/PR problems — not researching (or reading) before engaging.

The lack of identity seems to put a number of people at ease online – I’ve had numerous people tell me things in confidence I wouldn’t tell others that I do know IRL.  Perhaps there’s a belief (which is true) that I have no incentive to ruin anyone (at least anyone that hasn’t given me reason to), and the credibility of an anonymous person is in question so the risk is minimal.  Maybe others are just more trusting than I am (a definite possibility).

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So, there’s the bombshell. I had intended to interview a Cog on how he longed to break free – only to find out he already had! Fellow PR pros, do you agree that becoming an independent consultant is the best way to escape life-long Cog status? What advice would you offer to our newly-solo PRCog?

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Jeremy Pepper has been blogging for seven years at Pop! PR Jots, and this early adopter is known for not pulling punches. The interesting thing is, whether he’s on his blog telling people to shut the —- up, or on Twitter letting folks know when they’re blowing hot air, he’s usually correct. It also helps that a good sense of humor comes with that intellect.

I’ve always wondered what it’s like to just speak your mind, especially for a PR person. Jeremy was kind enough to let me interview him to find out, and — as one would expect  — he shares both the good and the bad.

You’re both blunt and successful. Did you consciously decide that you would curse and cajole online, or did it just happen that way?

There’s nothing conscious in what I do, but there is a fiery part of my personality that believes if I believe in something, I will put my opinion out there. And, well, my background is philosophy so I’m able to argue my position pretty well, which seems to annoy people on Twitter (but, well, not my fault they’re unable to argue or prove their point – which might mean that their points aren’t defensible).

Also, I still follow my original position when I started blogging (and in extension Twittering or whatever is next). I blog for an audience of four friends that are also in the industry. That lets me be myself, swear when appropriate, and not be worried that I’m going to offend someone. Do I self-censor? Of course, I am cognizant of what I might write and how it may affect my career and clients. But, for better or worse, I’m true to myself.

Has it hurt me? Most likely yes. Am I going to change it up that much? Most likely, no. But I do self-censor and pay attention to what I say.

If you’re 100% your true self all the time, do you attract clients and employers who accept and embrace the real you?

Not really sure. Like I noted above, it has probably hurt me. But there’s also a disclaimer that it’s my opinion and opinion only, and the smarter organizations understand that. But, my work is what speaks for me. I don’t self promote like a lot of people out there, but the work I have done speaks for itself. You hire me for my ability to understand traditional and social media public relations, my ability to tell a story, my ability to build relationships and my efforts to go out and get coverage.

Do you think being outspoken has had an impact on your career?

It depends on if I’m being pigheaded and stubborn. But it has also helped because PR seems to have gone from counsel to almost being assistants: we’re told what to do and we do it. By having an opinion and being able to formulate it, I am able to give client’s counsel that is based on experience instead of the “whatever you want to do.” And, yes, being in-house, I have gone to past agencies and asked for their opinion and counsel and been stunned by their lack of an opinion or ability to counsel.

Have you ever regretted something you said?

Probably. I am human. But I learned a valuable lesson when I was like 9 years old from my Uncle (well, ex-Uncle, but still my Godfather). The difference between being a man and not being one is the ability to admit your mistakes and apologizing. That left an impression on me, so I try to apologize if I am wrong.

What’s the best part about being Jeremy Pepper?

No one forgets my name. That really is a great perk of the name, it is pretty much unforgettable. And my voice is distinct enough that I never have to say who I am on the phone.

What do you think? Have you ever shown your true colors, and was the result good or bad?

Jeremy Pepper has worked for more than a decade in public relations, in both traditional and what is now called social media. Pepper has worked with a who’s who of Fortune 500 companies during his career, ranging from consumer technology to consumer packaged goods to high technology, providing integrated communications counsel to such companies as Eastman Kodak, Clorox, Cisco Systems, General Motors, Mobile 1, Nortel Networks,  Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Campbell’s Soup, amongst others. Currently, Pepper is the director of communications and social media for Palisade Systems, working on public relations and social media campaigns in a B2B setting, garnering press and exposure for the corporation’s data loss prevention solutions.

How and why did you “go out on your own”?

I’ve been very lucky in finding great positions that allowed me to grow and experiment with new and different forms of communication, as well as measurement—an area that I’ve been learning a lot about the last few years. However, one of the things that often happens as you climb the job ladder is that the great positions, titles, etc., come with a lot of stress. I found that I was traveling frenetically (I’ll never forget going down an escalator in New York’s Penn station and thinking I was in DC’s Union Station) and was always tired. I didn’t like feeling that I only came home to sleep, or for the weekend. It was as if I had two lives and was constantly switching between the two. I knew something had to change—and since my husband would be practically impossible to replace, it had to be the job.

Initially I envisioned taking a few months “off” (we’re talking July 2008 here) before moving into another fulltime position. As time went on, I found that I was often perceived as “too young” for positions comparable in scope to my previous position, and I had no interest in making a lateral or downward move. After a few times of coming really close and then not getting “the” job, I had a great consulting project come my way (late 2008) and thought: why not? I had, after all, worked as an independent before moving to the East Coast as well as back in India, so I’m used to doing it. Working with a great client reminded me of how independent work can be fun as well as rewarding. So I decided that if I hadn’t found the kind of fulltime opportunity I was looking for by the end of the year, I would go out on my own in 2009. And that’s what I did.

How do you find most of your clients?

This will sound really clichéd, but it’s the combination of relationship-building and being active on the professional development front that brings work my way. I have little-to-no advertising dollars in my budget (though I did place an ad in HARO earlier this year, which brought me several interesting inquiries but none have so far converted into actual work), so I have to rely on networks and relationships. I’ve never cold-called for work—to date, at least.

The first consulting project I mentioned was to research and develop a social media strategy for BurrellesLuce. That came my way because I responded to a post on a LinkedIn group I belong to, and a good friend in their DC office followed up with a recommendation. One of my newest clients is the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, with whom I’m working on multicultural outreach for their Paralysis Resource Center. My relationship with them goes back to my days at Ruder Finn, where I helped get that very same outreach off the ground. Maintaining that relationship—which I did with no agenda whatsoever, but because I really liked the organization and the folks there—brought us full circle several years later.

I’m actively involved with IABC/Washington and started speaking at various conferences a couple of years ago. That helps people get to know who I am and what I can do. I’ve also found that starting to blog and getting active in social networks—particularly Twitter—has helped me tremendously. These have given me the chance to start finding my own voice (which is something PR pros struggle with, as your excellent post pointed out), as well as engage with and learn from my peers. That discussion and engagement has resulted in everything from new speaking engagements to client inquiries and actual business. And when people I know “IRL” see that I’m active both online and offline, they send leads my way.

What are some examples of interesting projects you’ve been able to work on as an independent?

I loved working with BurrellesLuce on their social media “embarkation.” Not only are they a great brand, but they have an extremely intelligent approach to the business of communication. And since I think research and measurement are integral parts of any communication outreach, it was like being a kid in a candy store to actually be able to DO the things I think smart communication involves. I also recently helped launch the Maryland Shore Pet Resort, an upscale pet lodging facility on Maryland’s Eastern Shore; with my animal welfare background that was a lot of fun. There were certainly social media aspects to that, but we worked traditional media as well. And now I’m really psyched about working with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation again, as well as a couple of exciting new clients in the pipeline.

What benefits of being independent have you experienced?

You can work in your pajamas…! No, seriously—the flexibility is great, of course, since you’re your own boss. I do have a “proper” home office, and make it a point to work from my desk, and maintain standard “office hours.” But if I need to take off for a medical appointment, for instance, I can work around that without any angst.

Since I’m “an agency of one,” my overheads are fewer and I can afford to take on the clients I really like and believe in. I can also fit in speaking engagements pretty easily; and since that’s something I love to do, that’s important to me. And I get to be around my three dogs (who greatly approve of the independent life, by the way).

What do you find to be the biggest challenges?

You’re the “chief cook and bottle washer,” so you have to manage every aspect of your business, including administration, accounting, etc. I like playing with numbers and processes, but I know that can be tough for some. The other major challenge is maintaining somewhat of a “normal” life; working from home, as many of us do, it’s easy to start work early, continue until it’s late, continuously check one’s BlackBerry, and so on. But since “having a life” is the reason many of us go independent, I think it’s important to keep that in mind, and not get sucked in to working crazy hours as a rule.

What’s your favorite “guilty pleasure” that being sol allows you to do?

Twitter! Whenever I need or want to, without worrying about anything/anyone else.

What are some important things to keep in mind to succeed as an independent consultant?

If you’re considering going independent I think it’s really important to identify what success means to you. Do you need to make a certain amount of money? What defines you—in your mind—as a success? Figure that out and work backwards. I think it’s important to be realistic, especially in your income goals. When I first started out, I kept thinking of all the money I was used to but wasn’t making. Then (with my husband’s help) I removed my head and put it back on straight by figuring out what I needed to make—and I was fine.

Don’t skimp on vendor solutions that will add professionalism to your work. I think one of the potential barriers to securing clients as an independent is being able to assure them they will receive the same level of service they’re used to with a larger agency, or even a boutique one. Depending on what kind of work you plan to take on, you should be prepared to reach out to vendors to see if they will work with you to provide products that make your work more efficient at a price you can afford, and work this into your budget. As independents, we often can’t afford the full range of services we may have grown used to while working for an agency or a company—such as media monitoring and distribution software, and so on. There are certainly creative ways to approach this—for example, if you can’t afford a media monitoring solution, Google alerts can often help bridge that gap. However, the paid services often give you more functionality and flexibility, especially in reporting back to your clients. Using such products—if they will add value to your services—is an investment in your reputation and business.

It’s really important to stay on top of your digital footprint and showcase yourself well. Chances are that if someone hears your name, they’ll Google you. What shows up? If you’re on LinkedIn, is your profile updated? Ditto VisualCV (which I think more people need to use) and anywhere you have an online profile. If you have a blog, are you keeping it relatively updated? Do you comment on and join relevant discussions online? Are you sharing your expertise among the networks you’ve built?

…Which takes me to relationship-building. Whether those are offline or online, they will be your single most important lead generator. There are several great consultants out there, and probably any one of them could get the job done. At the end of the day, people will work with you because they like you. However, if you have an “agenda” when building relationships—be it offline, or in social networks such as Twitter or Facebook—you’ll be spotted a mile off. Don’t use people for what they can do for you. Show them what you can do for them without any strings attached. Like I wrote a few months ago, it’s that whole social karma thing.

Finally, I think it would be terrible if you were a slave to your work. If you’ve taken the leap from employee to independent, remember why you did it in the first place. You are clearly entrepreneurial, which means you have a lot of initiative, are ambitious and are willing to take risks. But don’t let it rule your life. Don’t be tied to your BlackBerry because you have to be, but because you want to be. Live a little… that’s why you did this in the first place, remember?

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Told you she’s fascinating! What’s your favorite tip or lesson learned from Shonali?

Recently, Jason made the decision to leave Louisville’s Doe-Anderson and become an independent PR and social media consultant at Social Media Explorer, LLC. He was kind enough to sit down with me to tell us why someone with so many options would opt to become a Solo PR Pro, and share his insights as a newly minted free agent.

How and why did you “go out on your own”?

About three years ago, I was heading up the PR efforts for one of the largest homebuilder associations in the country – leading up public awareness campaigns, leadership positioning and crisis management for a variety of personalities and companies.  I began Big Noise out of a real desire to handle ‘non industry’ clients, taking on a few freelance gigs here and there and actually helping out with the local media relations efforts for Johnette Napolitano as she was touring in support of her solo effort, Scarred.  So, when the opportunity to handle the public relations for a NASCAR team based in Dallas – the only one based in Texas and a relatively small outfit – came up, I was intrigued.  The owner of the team was a bit of a paradox: a card-carrying Republican that was covered in tattoos and had a mouth like a sailor.  There mere fact that he was this little ‘David’ in the ‘Goliath’ world of NASCAR intrigued me, so I took him on as a client.  Big Noise Communications was then made ‘official’ out of sheer necessity to have an ‘offsite entity’ to serve as this team’s agency.

How do you find most of your clients?
Most of my clients have come about through word of mouth and recommendations.  Leaving a strong impression on current clients and colleagues has paid in dividends for me in this way.  It’s like having good karma in business – it’s all gravy when you handle yourself with integrity and moxie.

What are some examples of interesting projects you’ve been able to work on as an independent?
Some of the most interesting projects I’m finding myself involved with are still developing.  While I can’t say too much just yet, what I can tell you is that I’m in the process of working on a variety of things with folks like Todd Defren, Mary McKnight, David Mullen, Matt Batt and Arik Hanson. Additionally, from being able to work with Big Noise Communications full-time, I’ve been able to promote the ‘Narciso Tovar’ brand a bit more. As such, I’ve been asked to teach a couple of classes on Social Media and Public Relations to working professionals in the Fall.

What benefits of being independent have you experienced?
Going at it full-time with Big Noise Communications has been a great for a variety of reasons:

• More freedom – Since I’m the one who heads up the company, I’m the one that ultimately calls the shots, establishes methodologies and sets the tone for the brand.
• Greater focus – I’m no longer feeling the pressure to cross-sell services that I’m not as savvy on, nor am I feeling the need to ’share the love’ with different practices in-house.  Even though Big Noise Communications handles social media engagements and ALOT of things that fall under the ‘PR umbrella,’ that’s just it.  If we were to be approached with the prospect of doing some email marketing campaigns, print advertising, etc., I can simply pass along the opportunity to a company I can vouch for and trust.  The ability to do this is both invigorating and freeing.
• Increased flexibility – If I need to take in a movie in the middle of the day to unwind, I’ll do it.  If I just want to have a 15-minute ‘just shut up and dance’ time in the middle of the afternoon, I make it happen.  Moreover, I can be as mobile as I want/need to be.

What do you find to be the biggest challenges?
Going at it full time with Big Noise is still very exciting for me. Being able to contain this excitement and energy in a ‘normal’ 9-5 day has been more difficult for me than ever before.  Granted, there really are no true 9-5 hours in PR (or, at least, none that I know of); but since I have more than just our clients to consider (I have a company to think about, after all), it’s kinda’ hard to just turn it off.

What’s your favorite “guilty pleasure” that being solo allows you to do?
I can crank up my music to 11 without having to worry about bothering ‘the man’ – essentially giving me the ability to ‘Fight the Power’ with a lot more ease.

What are some important things to keep in mind to succeed as an independent consultant?
Whether you’re working as an independent or starting up your own practice,
you have to always remember three big things:

• Don’t take yourself too seriously – the moment you start rolling your eyes, thinking something is beneath you is the moment you’ve turned into a suit.  If people want to work with a suit, they’d go with the big dogs. More than likely, you’re not the kind of person that falls into this category.  Get your hands dirty and never hold yourself up to being the kind of person that has to be ‘handled’ in a certain way.
• Always be in sponge mode – there are so many things that are changing, improving, developing, etc. in communications that you need to always do your best to be reading and learning.  I know time is tight, but it will never let up.  You’ve got to make the time.
• Hold on loosely to your passion – to borrow the phrase from .38 Special (loved that song): “If you cling too tightly, you’re gonna lose control.” The best kind of passion is one that is free flowing like water – kind of like Bruce Lee.  This dude never let his fighting/self defense style get in the way of any one form.  He once said that “water can flow or it can crash.”  This is why tapping into your passions is so important because it will always be flowing and always ready to crash with ideas, excitement, energy and a desire to share.