From Offsite to Insight: Confidence, Connection, and Career Growth in PR
Adapting to changes on the fly was a skill that I didn’t realize I had until I started my career in public relations. My team had been planning an offsite PR event. Though, a couple days leading up to the event, some of my colleagues unexpectedly got sick. Plans shifted and suddenly, I found myself packing a suitcase for a last-minute flight to Las Vegas. While my first offsite PR event came as a surprise, it provided me with great lessons in both personal and professional growth under pressure.
Mind Over Matter
As much as I thought I was prepared for every possible scenario, there were often factors that were completely out of my control. However, instead of caving into the fear of the unknown, I found that embracing the chaos became my secret superpower, one I had to keep sharpening every day. It allowed me to expand my level of flexibility and adapt to make my first event a success. What started as ‘false confidence’ gradually grew into genuine ownership of my actions and embracing every result.
Power of Being Present
After graduating from college, I started my career in PR fully remote. That experience polished my ability to communicate personably on camera and form meaningful connections with clients and peers. Standing at this event, I realized it was just like joining a video call, where I showcased a more amplified version of myself, depending on the needs of our client. There were times when I needed to be extra-chatty and cheerful, and other times when I had to buckle down to figure out a strategic solution on a whim. What I was able to put into action was the ability to read the room and decide the persona our client needed for those few hours.
Enjoy the Magic
The weeks leading up to the event were intense, from making sure the proper equipment arrived on time to having an outlined itinerary for the day, with backup plans in case one activity ran too long. While this felt a bit overwhelming, it was also very exhilarating to see the magic our team crafted come to fruition. Seeing what once was just a bullet point list of ideas being openly enjoyed by so many was really rewarding, and it made me forget all about how early I had woken up that morning (or how late I would be getting home that night). The room buzzed with laughter and bright smiles, a contagious energy that turned my nerves into pure excitement — a memory I know will stick with me. There are many more events to come in my career, but I truly feel lucky to have had such a heartwarming experience as my first PR offsite event.