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Member Spotlight: Sheila Brooks, Founder, President and CEO of SRB Communications

Sheila Brooks, Ph.D., Founder, President and CEO of SRB Communications
Sheila Brooks, Ph.D., Founder, President and CEO of SRB Communications

Meet Sheila Brooks, Ph.D., Founder, President and CEO of SRB Communications

Sheila is the founder, president and CEO of SRB Communications, an advertising, marketing and PR agency based in Washington, DC. SRB Communications will be celebrating 30 years in business in June 2020.

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Sheila spent nearly 13 years in television newsrooms across the country, first as an anchor, reporter and producer, and eventually as a news director and executive producer. Throughout her career, she has taught courses in journalism as a college professor, and she currently teaches multicultural marketing in the Strategic Public Relations program at the George Washington University.

In 2015, she returned to the classroom and completed a Ph.D. in Media, Culture and Communications at Howard University. Over the years she’s won numerous awards including two Emmys, the inaugural Pat Tobin Media Relations Award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the 2019 NABJ Ida B. Wells Award. She was also nominated for the 2019 NAACP Image Award for literary work on publishing her first book, Lucile H. Bluford and the Kansas City Call: Activist Voice for Social Justice.

Leading SRB Communications

Over the past decade, Sheila’s job as CEO of a minority- and woman- owned business, has evolved from working “in” the business to working “on” the business. Her talented team of eight to 10 employees handle the day-to-day accounts under the leadership of No. 2, Adiya Mobley, SRB Communications’ Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Sheila enjoys closing deals and developing and executing a growth strategy for the agency.

Joining WWPR

Sheila joined WWPR to connect with some of the most talented PR professionals in the country. It also provides opportunities for her and the staff at SRB Communications to network and share new ideas.

Outside of the office

Sheila serves on the Federal City Council as a member of the Board of Trustees and as chair of the Board of Visitors for the Global School of Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University. She also serves on the advisory board of the Jim Vance Media Center at Archbishop Carroll High School. Sheila finds her many decades of serving on boards for journalism, educational and entrepreneurial organizations proves to be rewarding. She also enjoys giving back to the community and is specifically committed to sharing her experiences with young people.

Staying busy during COVID-19

Sheila generally loves to cook and entertain. Since COVID-19, she has spent more weekend time with her husband at their beach house, only an hour away in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. They social distance walk with friends, barbecue, and just enjoy the serenity of the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, during the week when she’s home in Silver Spring, Maryland, she is loving her Peloton. 

Defining the “new normal” for SRB Communications

SRB Communications has been working remotely nearly three months while continuing to provide clients superior services and value add. The company has been fortunate to work from home daily during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the team at SRB Communications realizes is a privilege many people aren’t afforded. 

Besides working from home, it has been business as usual for the most part. They have daily team and client meetings, and new business efforts keep them busy regularly. They are also excited to be celebrating their 30th year anniversary this year with a year-long roll out of campaigns to introduce to the public and their stakeholders.

Keeping up with trends in communications

Sheila can’t emphasize enough the importance of being a lifelong learner and staying ahead of the curve. Keeping up with digital trends is essential for SRB Communications to stay ahead of their competition. To do so, Sheila personally reads two books per month, and as an agency, they subscribe to several information resources. Some of those resources include following the right marketing thought-leaders and influencers, taking advantage of the many resources their partners have access to, networking with other marketers in the field through Meetups and networking sites. Lastly but most importantly, remaining agile and embracing new technology as it is introduced to the public. They also prioritize attending webinars and annual conferences like the National Association of Black Journalists, AAF-DC and ColorComm.

How the industry has changed in the past five years

In the past five years, the digital landscape has truly transformed the world, and the SRB Communications’ team now understands more than ever how important it is for their business and their lives. There have been so many advancements in the way people communicate through technology. The digital space is ever-evolving, and as marketing and communications professionals, it is our responsibility to stay abreast on the latest technologies driving the day-to-day work. 

Celebrating SRB Communications’ 30th anniversary

If you asked Sheila his time last year what they would be doing to celebrate SRB Communications’ 30 year anniversary, she never would have guessed celebrating during a global pandemic. However, here they are, celebrating … in the midst of a global pandemic.

Even though they are all quarantined and safely social distancing, they have decided to transition their celebratory efforts to the digital atmosphere. They’re excited to reintroduce the SRB brand and newly designed logo to the public. They also have a few content and storytelling campaigns rolling out across their social media channels throughout the entirety of the anniversary year. To kick off 2021, they’ll be releasing their 2021 Multicultural Marketing Trends Report outlining the latest and greatest happenings in inclusive marketing and campaigns. Make sure you follow them on social media to get the latest 30th anniversary update: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Lessons learned during this pandemic and how to stay positive

If you don’t walk away from this pandemic having learned something new, whether about yourself or about the broader community that we live in, then you’ve missed a huge growth opportunity. Sheila has learned that as a community they are stronger together. She has seen that play out even within the SRB team. She has watched the team stay resilient in the face of this pandemic and stay committed to their client’s work and the agency business. She stays positive because of her advisors and her fellow business owners that are supportive with regular phone calls, emails and texts. 

Like many fellow business owners, Sheila has also learned how to work from home. That’s not something she thought she would be able to do, but the team has done it and hasn’t skipped a beat. Sheila has faced other crises over the past 30 years in business, and through them all,  she’s learned to embrace the challenges, create opportunities, stay innovative, and most importantly, trust in her unshakeable faith. She is truly fortunate to be able to do this work with honor and a sense of responsibility at this moment in time.

Five lessons learned from 30 years of running a successful marketing and communications firm

Sheila’s passion in serving multicultural audiences has led her to a purpose that is both profitable and valuable. She can’t give up on that. The work she does is not solely for her. She’s invested in so many lives and so many have invested in her. You can’t stay in business and keep people working if you don’t make a profit. You have to keep that in mind.

Five lessons Sheila has learned in running a successful marketing and communications firm:

  1. Know when to pivot the business. Stop selling what you have. Sell what the client needs.
  2. Keep a customer-first mindset.
  3. Obtain a bank loan or line of credit before you need it.
  4. Recruit and retain the best talent.
  5. Stay laser focused on your business growth plan. 
Article written by Florence Sumaray, Digital & Marketing Communications Expert; WWPR Member

“The Resiliency of Women” Panel Recap

Sophie Harcleroad
Sophie Harcleroad, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at News Generation, Inc.

Women have been known to thrive during times of hardship. That was the subject of the recent WWPR virtual panel, “The Resiliency of Women: How We Can Learn, Share & Grow Together – While Apart”, held in partnership with News Generation. It highlighted the ways that we, as women, can look to the future while also staying present. The panelists gave attendees solid advice concerning both professional and personal life during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Moderator Susan Apgood, founder of News Generation, began the panel by addressing the importance of making connections in everyday life. This ensures that relationships are strong during uncertain times, not unlike the current climate. This is one of the many reasons why WWPR is such a great community to be a part of. The support that we give one another and the lasting connections we make are invaluable.

Frédérique Irwin, founder and CEO of Her Corner, addressed the importance of economic recovery. While gender equality is incredibly important, right now the economy takes precedence. Irwin also discussed the creativity and resourcefulness that women possess. A great example of this comes straight from Irwin’s own life. Her daughter has organized a series of food drives, inviting the community and neighbors to donate items, and delivering them to local pantries. Her daughter and the community have already donated over 5,000 pounds of food. Irwin also shared her insight on how we should be thinking about the future when the crisis is over.  She explained that we have all had a shift in paradigm on various levels and that kids have especially learned that there is so much at stake. Irwin said she ultimately hopes that everyone takes the things they have learned during this time with them when life returns to normal. 

Katelynn Wiggins, Staff Well-Being and Engagement Manager at the American Psychological Association, discussed intentionality. We all need to be more intentional when working from home, especially regarding communication and work/life balance. When working from home, we cannot just drop by employees’ desks. So she suggests we check in with them to see how they are faring, and that we should not be afraid to pick up the phone. Wiggins talked about her office’s transition to Microsoft Teams, creating a virtual break room, coffee breaks with the CEO, and channels for people to chat about a wide array of topics, making the online workplace as comfortable as possible. Wiggins stressed the importance of self-care, and that we should never hesitate to reach out to friends, family, or mental health professionals. 

Ana Morales, Managing Director of Commercial Services at United Bank, shared her insight on how women are cutting costs and reducing stress. One idea that Morales offered was to cut monthly subscriptions and paid phone apps that you may no longer need. She also suggested that this may be an opportune time to teach our children about finances, in whatever way makes sense for their age. Since we have more time together and finances are a common topic in this situation, use it as a learning opportunity for them. On a personal note, Morales shared her hope that we will all continue to be there to support each other in the small ways, dropping off a home-cooked meal, sending a card in the mail – as we have grown to cherish during this time.

Thank you to all who tuned in, and please check out more virtual WWPR events here.

Coffee & Conversation with Margery Kraus ☕

Margery Kraus, the Founder and Executive Chair of APCO Worldwide participated in a virtual senior-level discussion for WWPR’s Coffee & Conversation event on May 5.

Kraus, a true visionary and leader in the PR world, discussed the story behind the title of her newly-published memoir, Roots and Wings: Ten Lessons of Motherhood That Helped Me Create and Run a Company. Kraus appropriately named her memoir after a wall hanging in her house. As the saying goes, “there are only two lasting things of value to give your children. One is roots, and the other is wings,” Kraus recalled. She claimed this philosophy guided her while raising her three children and growing her own business. 

Kraus explained, “the roots is your value system. If your kids really buy into that, they can have a lot of freedom,” highlighting that freedom gives people room to grow and make their own decisions. “I realized that that’s how I built my business. We had a really strong set of core values.” She noted that it’s important to be clear about what your company or team’s values are and what you collectively stand for. Once that’s achieved, you’ll attract people who subscribe to those values and foster a healthy workplace culture.

She also encouraged WWPR members to lead with empathy and transparency during these unprecedented times. 

“It’s ironic to start this way, but I think at the heart of this is good communication” joked Kraus, stressing that everyone has had to adjust to this new normal. “I assured people that we have been through a lot together,” Kraus added, referencing a global townhall she convened for APCO employees early during the crisis, which she tackled calmly and honestly. 

While our current reality poses new challenges to overcome, Kraus’ words of wisdom offer great guidance for managing and thinking about the future. 

5 Leadership Tips for Managing and Thinking About the Future: 

  1. Move forward together with transparency – Communicate well and often. Assure your people of what you know – do so incrementally. Be open and honest about the future of the business, the clients, and the people. 
  2. Don’t overpromise – Lead with assurance but no guarantees. While you should reassure everyone that you’ll do everything in your power to keep things normal, there’s no way to guarantee anything when dealing with the unknown. 
  3. Encourage everyone to be present when they work – Whether this means requiring video-on meetings, checking in with on another more regularly, or paying extra attention to client needs. 
  4. Be proactive and inventive with your clients – Your clients need you now more than ever. Consider providing new services that could be helpful during this time, use those resources to fill in gaps for them. 
  5. Understand how your people are feeling – The current remote-working situation has unveiled numerous new challenges for people. Young parents for example, especially working moms, are juggling full-time work and caregiving. Form support groups and non-corporate resources that your people can lean on to signify we’re all in this together. 

Academy of Hope Perseveres As Classes Go Virtual

Like much of our nation, Academy of Hope’s (AoH) world was turned upside down when the adult public charter school was forced to take its learning environment online in March. The experience has been a mixed bag, but there is no doubt that both students and teachers are committed to making the best of a challenging situation.

“AoH learners have always impressed me with their resilience, and they continue to do so during the pandemic,” says Director of Advocacy and Communications Jamie Fragale. “Learners are continuing to study and are logging into classes across a number of platforms. We even had a student earn her diploma while in quarantine!”

LeAnne-DeFrancesco Headshot
LeAnne DeFrancesco, Vice President, Vanguard Communications, WWPR Pro Bono Committee Member

The learners definitely had their work cut out for them, as did AoH. As much as 75% of learners don’t have a computer or internet at home. AoH has tried to meet this need by providing laptops and hotspots when possible, but they have been unable to meet the full demand.

The organization also has started a digital access fund to raise money to provide necessary equipment. According to Fragale, emergency funds from the federal government that are provided to K-12 schools are largely not available for adult learners. But no one in this close-knit community is giving up.

“The unofficial mantra of AoH is that we meet learners where they are,” adds Fragale. “Right now, we’re trying to meet them in their homes in the middle of a pandemic.”

People at all levels of the organization are pivoting each day to meet the next challenge head-on so that they can stay connected, even while apart.

Happy Mother’s Day to All Hardworking WWPR Moms!

This year for Mother’s Day, we wanted to take a moment to recognize all the amazing moms out there who have been juggling everything from work to childcare to homeschooling, all from the safety of their homes. Here’s what the “new normal” looks like for a few of our WWPR moms. Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!

 

WWPR Mom, Kirsten Suto Seckler

Tell us about your family! Who do you live with, and what are their names and ages?

Husband Chuck, son Ethan (12), daughter Penny (9), dog Jade (13), dog Copper (2)

What does your current day-to-day look like? What are you juggling?

I am working full-time and I am thankful that my husband retired last year after 26 years in law enforcement. I’m not sure how we would have handled this if we were both working. I get up early every day to do a morning workout and dog-walk and then I am typically working at my computer on Zoom calls from about 8 am until 5:30 pm. While the kids have some distance learning from the notorious Fairfax County School System, at about 1 pm every day they are looking for something new to do. Both my children are athletes, so they used to spend their time after school at baseball or gymnastics. Now we need to figure out ways to use that energy. And then there are the dogs. My 13-year-old dog is an amazing office dog, however 2-year-old Copper loves to bark and talk during calls. I will admit I have Zoom fatigue and find that it is difficult to get away from the computer. I miss meeting people for coffee or lunch and having in-person meetings. I also have a bit of guilt that my kids want to do activities with me and I have to work. It’s a tough dynamic for them to understand. We are loving our family dinners, which we really have never had regularly due to our schedules. We have found different shows on Netflix, Hulu and Disney + to watch nightly as a family. My husband has taken on the household duties and shopping like a first responder. The lockdown situation has me out of my comfort zone, but I also know that my kids are growing up quickly. Before you know it will be off to college, so I am trying to look on the bright side and see this time at home as a working mom as a gift.

What three words would you use to describe your feelings or experience during this time?

Uncomfortable, anxious, perplexed

 

WWPR Mom, Lori Russo

Tell us about your family! Who do you live with, and what are their names and ages?

I am home with my husband Mark (43), my son Blaine (8), and my son Quinn (4).

What does your current day-to-day look like? What are you juggling?

Our agency is extremely busy right now, which is a blessing, so I am working from home essentially the way I would be working from the office. Minus the 3-hour round-trip commute! Days are packed with internal team meetings, client Zoom calls, and even a few new business presentations. My husband is a golf instructor, so he is not able to work as normal, but he is finding ways to stay connected with his students through virtual platforms. We are taking turns caring for our boys and helping them with their schoolwork and other projects to keep them occupied. My “me time” is now cooking. Our kitchen has turned out some incredible bread and other baked goods over the past month, which I mostly give away to neighbors. This time together, while challenging, has turned out to be a very special gift for our family. When things return to “normal,” I will miss being with them.

What three words would you use to describe your feelings or experience during this time?

Blessed, fulfilled, challenged

 

WWPR Mom, Melinda Tolliver

Tell us about your family! Who do you live with, and what are their names and ages?

I live with my husband, Kevin, and 3-month-old son, Russell.

What does your current day-to-day look like? What are you juggling?

When DC issued the initial stay-at-home directive, I was scheduled to be on maternity leave for another three weeks. When we moved to full-time remote work I decided to go back early because with both my husband and I home—and my place of work being super flexible—we felt we had it covered. Now, I am juggling caring for my little one with daily Teams calls and chats, plus ramping up for our big celebration week, which will be all virtual this year. I feel grateful to have more time at home than I had planned to with my son, but it is a challenge to manage both at once. I couldn’t do it without my husband who has flexibility with work as well.

What three words would you use to describe your feelings or experience during this time?

Busy, grateful, dynamic

 

WWPR Mom, KayAnn Schoeneman

Tell us about your family! Who do you live with, and what are their names and ages?

I’m surrounded by boys – my husband Brian, nine-year old son Nicholas, our sheepadoodle pup Tripp, and our orange cat Archie.

What does your current day-to-day look like? What are you juggling?

Since early March, my days are a whirlwind as I’m often onsite with a large health system client in Northern Virginia partnering with their multidisciplinary team to support communications for their COVID-19 Coordination Center. We’re providing the latest information internally and externally to team members, patients, the community, frontline workers, and beyond. It’s been highly rewarding and humbling communications work. I’m grateful for my husband, Brian who is an attorney, lobbyist, and true partner in helping with the responsibilities at home. We share the distance learning responsibilities for our son as well as cooking, pet care, and laundry. Since I leave the house for work, I handle the grocery store runs. We enjoy family walks, using the trails around our neighborhood, to help us get time away from our screens and some much-needed sunshine and fresh air. We truly are all in this together in our household!

What three words would you use to describe your feelings or experience during this time?

Rewarding. Exhausting. Humbling.

 

WWPR Mom, Tammy Lemley

Tell us about your family! Who do you live with, and what are their names and ages?

I live with my husband, Eric, and my two daughters, Hanna (13 yrs) and Olivia (10 yrs).

What does your current day-to-day look like? What are you juggling?

Working from home full-time while helping my daughters with online school. Enjoying the extra family time and no commute. We’re staying positive and taking time for bike rides, baking, planting a garden, building a bluebird house, and counting our blessings!

What three words would you use to describe your feelings or experience during this time?

Blessed Working Mom

 

WWPR Mom, Anonymous

Tell us about your family! Who do you live with, and what are their names and ages?

I live with my son, Jaxon. He’s 3-and-a-half years old.

What does your current day-to-day look like? What are you juggling?

We wake up around 9 am every morning. I dedicate the first two hours of the day to “home-schooling.” For pre-school age, that consists of coloring, going over flashcards, completing workbooks, and mastering puzzles. For lunch, I let him watch Ms. Monica’s Morning Show on YouTube and then any educational show of his choice after (right now he’s really into planets). For the rest of the afternoon, I am on conference calls (my company uses Skype for business), and finishing up work. During that time, my son is usually playing with his toys or on his tablet, but there have been quite a few times when he would interrupt me during my meetings to ask for something! Dinner is usually something simple that can last for a few days. Think spaghetti, chicken, rice etc. I tend to end my day watching a show or movie with a glass of wine!

What three words would you use to describe your feelings or experience during this time?

overwhelmed, anxious, hopeful

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