Entrepreneur Ronke Lawal can only be described as Public Relations Boss Lady. Presented with a Precious Award for Inspirational Leadership [2011], Ronke specialises in public relations and marketing consultancy. Ariatu PR, founded by Ronke in 2004, shows off her skills and knowledge of the industry through its representation of clients of luxury goods along with entertainment, fashion and lifestyle & beauty.
BB: Explain your job role and your brand
RL: Ariatu PR is a public relations agency that is geared towards representing entrepreneurs and brands in luxury FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) industries, as well as entertainment and lifestyle goods sectors. I manage the PR and Marketing campaigns of my clients, as well as overseeing the development of Marketing & PR strategies. PR coverage for clients that I’ve gained included: The Independent, Arise News, The Voice, BBC Radio, SKY News, Vogues Bambini, Bloomerang TV, Vox Africa, OHTV, Mashable, Bella Naija and much more.
You will see that the majority of clients are from the African and Caribbean diaspora; this is purposeful. I am committed to telling good news stories from this section of society. There are so many excellent businesses which do not get highlighted by the mainstream media and I want to use my PR know-how to shine a spotlight on them and get people talking about these brands. The brand is built on excellence and I try my very best to upload excellence in all that I do and reflect it through The Ariatu PR brand.
BB: What’s the best thing about your job?
RL: I would say the opportunity to work with so many amazing business people and brands is the best thing about my business. I love seeing my clients in the news or getting profiled by a media outlet, because I know how fantastic they are, so the world deserves to know how fantastic they are.
BB: What does a typical working day look like?
RL: A typical day is very managed; because I work from home, I'm very strict with myself. I wake up at 7:30 am and I like to drink my lemon water tea and eat a light breakfast after finishing my morning routine. Mondays are like checking in at the water cooler, I check my email and my social media. I use social media to check my client's brands and my own brand. It tends to be more my clients' brands, monitoring their PR and seeing what's been said.
Then I start the day, I log onto my computer at 9am and just go through my follow up. Following up journalists, checking my emails and press releases I need to monitor or share. I chase up client updates for new angles and new avenues of engagement. I also engage with press and journalists.
The majority of my day is the same as being in an office, except there's more flexibility for meetings and phone calls. My laptop is for work and emails whilst iPad is usually open beside me on my social media accounts. I log in and out of twitter during the day and I like to check Instagram at least once or twice a day. I don't have any notifications so as not to become overwhelmed.
I stop and have lunch around 12:30pm for 20-30 minutes. I make sure to have something to eat. I like to make my own lunch if it's not leftovers from the day before. If I don't have the chance to make something, I do like to eat oven chips as they are quick and easy. I am very conscious of what I put in my body. I love to eat out at restaurants, but I don't tend to order in fast food places. Once you get into the habit, it's not only unhealthy, but financially unhealthy.
If I'm in the zone ad I'm following up on some stuff I usually end up eating whilst I'm doing work. However, I do believe that it's not healthy to do that. It's important to take time out just to eat and chill whilst relaxing, listening to music or catching up on a tv episode. It's important for both your mental health and well-being. I try my best not to answer calls during that time.
I have my lunch and get straight back to work and carry on until my day ends at 5:30pm.