Introducing the New Faces of BOCA: Lyndsey Rocca

It’s Tuesday! You know what that means. It’s time to meet another new staff member from BOCA Communications. Say hello to Lyndsey Rocca, one of our Media Specialists.     

Lyndsey grew up in Granite Bay, a small town outside Sacramento on the way to Lake Tahoe. While in school, she majored in psychology and minored in global peace at UC Santa Barbara. After finishing her degree she thought about going to grad school, but wanted to get some real-world experience first; she decided on PR since it allowed her to leverage not only her psychology background but also her love of writing, and she hasn’t looked back since. She got her start at a boutique public relations firm in the Sacramento area, before making her way to San Francisco to try her hand at tech, eventually landing as part of the BOCA team.

1. How would your friends and family describe you?

They’d say I’m laidback, but I also have a totally adventurous side. I love snowboarding more than almost anything, as well as traveling to new and unusual places, and unleashing my creative side at Burning Man and other festivals throughout the year with my closest friends. 

2. How did you hear about BOCA and what are your job duties?

I heard about BOCA from Brittney Danon, one of our Account Executives. She was one of my best friends at a previous agency, and since she spoke so highly of the culture here, I was sure I’d feel the same.

As for my job duties, I’m a Media Specialist so I’m mainly in charge of keeping an eye on the news, developing media strategy, and coordinating directly with reporters versus focusing on account management and other tactical duties.

3. If you could be an animal for a day what would you be?

I’d be a jellyfish because I like how they glow, I like how they dance, and I like how they get to live in the ocean.

4. What’s your favorite food?

I have two, and they are polar opposites: Thai green curry, extra spicy, and plain vanilla ice cream.

5. Where would you like to travel?

My next stop is definitely South America, but someday I’d really like to make it to Tibet or Nepal to see the mountains. I love the mountains! Also, one of my goals before I’m 30 is to take a summer off and rent a van for a summer-long road trip across the states.

6. Which famous person would you like to have a 30-minute conversation with?

Kurt Cobain, the childhood love of my life. I spent hours studying him as a kid and just getting the chance to be in a room with him would make my life. Since he is tragically out of the question however I’d probably say Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the guys who created South Park. All outlandishness aside, I think they are geniuses, and have greatly influenced the way I see the world.

Giving Back: Clients NewVoiceMedia and Jitterbit Ride for Good Causes

Not only are our clients committed to creating breakthrough technologies that are changing the business landscape, but they are also committed to giving back to their communities in a way that changes lives. While we love sharing everything from funding news to major media wins, we also love calling out the charitable causes our clients support.  

NewVoiceMedia and Jitterbit recently took part in biking events to raise money and awareness for those in need. NewVoiceMedia sponsored the Nelson’s Tour de Test Valley 2014 in Grateley Hampshire, England, and Jitterbit employees took part in the Bike MS: Waves to Wine 2014 event in the San Francisco Bay Area.

NEWVOICEMEDIA

 

NewVoiceMedia sponsored this year’s Nelson’s Tour de Test Valley event. Participants, including NewVoiceMedia’s Head of Corporate Sales Mark Dunn, worked to raise money for the charitable cause. 
 

The Nelson’s Tour de Test Valley started in memory of Nelson Pratt, a talented snowboarder and cyclist, who passed away in the summer of 2012. The event brings together cyclists to raise money for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). CALM works to prevent male suicide, which is the leading cause of male death in England. All money raised from the event went toward building awareness, offering support for victims and reducing the stigma surrounding depression

 JITTERBIT

The Jitterbit team recently took part in Bike MS: Waves to Wine 2014 in the San Francisco Bay Area for its eighth consecutive year. Bike MS: Waves to Wine, a rigorous 2-day biking event, builds awareness and raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society which helps fund multiple sclerosis research and treatment programs. 
 

Jitterbit joined with Salesforce to sponsor the event and individual Jitterbit employees joined the ride, collectively biking more than 700 miles and donating more than $7,000 contributing to the over $250,000 raised by the greater team!

The BOCA team is thrilled that our clients took part in such amazing causes, and are committed to giving back. Your dedication and hard work inspire us all!

It’s a Party – it’s A Recruiting Party – BOCA style!

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As the old film star Deborah Kerr once said in one of my personal, all-time favorite films Auntie Mame: “Life is a banquet, and most poor sons-of-bitches are starving to death!" In the film, she actually said, “most poor suckers are starving to death” yet the stage version kept “sons-of-bitches”.

I LOVE this quote! Why?

It’s so true. Unless you believe in reincarnation, we are given one life – just one – so live, live, live and have a good time while you’re doing it. Life is too short to (fill in the blank with whatever you want).

That is why culture is so important at BOCA – the culture we keep from the clients on our roster to the work colleagues we brainstorm with daily – it is a critical component to our thriving business.

And we want that culture to shine through in our hiring process. So we’re ditching the traditional interview process for one that reflects our culture and reveals who truly is the best fit for the job. After all, life is too short to sit in a room while multiple people grill you with the same repertoire of interview questions.

So, we are taking our interviews BOCA style! We are currently hiring interns, assistant account executives and account executives. See below for details about our exclusive recruiting party and details on how to secure your invite! 

That written, if you’re awesome at generating new business, offer kick-ass client services and are a strategic team member, we are open to hearing from you. We will consider VPs, account managers and media super stars. We would love to see your resume, and invite you to the party. BOCA is growing, and we plan to keep growing. So, if you’re a fit, we will work hard to find you a home.

Kathleen

Founder of BOCA

It’s a Party – it’s A Recruiting Party – BOCA style!

Everything about BOCA is different – even how we recruit. We live by the term #BOCAlife.

BOCA Communications is actively building out its Q4 2014 intern “PR University” program as well as looking for wonderful candidates across several levels – Assistant Account Executives and Account Executives.

Rather than some drawn out, boring interview process, we believe in chemistry, cultural fits, energy and gut instinct.

BOCA will be hosting an invite-only networking party where we would like to meet fabulous up-and-coming PR superstars and young professionals with several years of experience. Please note that interns need to be passionate about PR and AAE/AE candidates MUST have B2B, high-tech PR experience, NO EXCEPTIONS.

To be considered for an invite to the mixer, please submit the following information to BOCAlife@bocacommunications.com: 

1.     URL of LinkedIn profile ONLY. No resumes needed.

2.     FOR INTERNS - Why do you want a career in public relations?

3.     FOR AAEs/AEs - What are some great PR wins you’ve accomplished / examples of work (i.e. coverage secured, bylines or pitches written)?

4.     Why do you believe that you would be a great fit at BOCA?

5.     List of 1-3 references - Optional

Once we review applicants, we will send out an exclusive Evite to candidates we believe will be a great fit. BOCA will be hosting a recruiting cocktail party with food, drinks, music and your chance to mingle and meet current BOCAteers. This will be business casual – we want to meet the “real you” along with the “professional you”.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 1 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Additional details will be included in the Evite.

Why do you want to be at BOCA?

1.     It’s awesome.

2.     It’s a casual yet professional workspace.

3.     We work from home on Fridays (unless there is an on-site client meeting or new business pitch).

4.     We offer summer hours.

5.     Our team environment is supportive and encouraging. 

6.     We believe in faster career growth based on merit, not years.

Want to learn more about the BOCA culture? Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bocacommunications.

Introducing the New Faces of BOCA: Ivy Chen

Our last blog post highlighted all the new hires at BOCA over the past few months and now it’s time to learn about each of them in more detail. First up is Ivy Chen, Senior Account Executive at BOCA.

Ivy is a California native who grew up in Palo Alto and has traveled around the Bay Area before residing in Berkeley. She started her PR career during the summer of her junior to senior year of college, studying business management economics at UC Santa Cruz. Upon completing her internship at Nadel Phelan, she worked full time soaking in the sunshine on sandy beaches and redwood forests until she was drawn north by the glamorous city. After living in San Francisco for a year, Ivy decided to explore the other side of the Bay where she now lives in Berkeley.

After a friend referred her to BOCA, she joined the team and has loved it ever since!

1. How would your friends and family describe you?
They'd say I'm a crazy cat/dog lady and that I'm quirky, goofy and honest.

2. How did you hear about BOCA and what are your job duties?
The one and only Alicia Cormie referred me to BOCA. What do I do? I play a different role on each account. One day I'll be working on strategic planning and the next day I'll be working on media relations. Overall, I make sure accounts are running smoothly, clients are happy and we are exceeding expectations.

3. If you could be an animal for a day what would you be?
I'd like to be multiple animals: an eagle so I can fly, a panda so I can eat all day, a cat because you get to sleep all the time and a cheetah because you can run 70 mph.

4. What's your favorite food?
Japanese food - I could eat sushi and udon every single day.

5. Where would you like to travel?
I want to travel to a lot of places! A few on my list include Croatia, Germany, New Zealand, Machu Picchu, Alaska and the Grand Canyon.

6. Which famous person would you like to have a 30-minute conversation with? I would love to meet the NFL's PR team to learn "what not to do" and I also wouldn't mind meeting Kobe Bryant to ask him if he writes his own tweets.

BOCA Adds Seven Amazing New Recruits to Its Growing Family!

Jay, Jordan, Lyndsey, Ivy, Audrey, Laura and Tom

The BOCA family is growing! Since BOCA’s opening in 2007 we’ve continued to cultivate our client base, hire great talent and even expand our footprint on the corner of Powell and Francisco Streets. In the past few months we’ve expanded our work area to include four chic office spaces and added new talent to our growing BOCA team. Let’s take a look at some of the new employees, what brought them to BOCA, what excites them about working here, and their favorite places in San Francisco. 

FULL TIME EMPLOYEES

IVY CHEN
Ivy Chen is senior account executive at BOCA and, in addition to her PR responsibilities she helps monitor the intern program. She previously worked at other agencies and found her way to BOCA from a referral by a friend. She likes the location, the people, culture and work ethic at BOCA best. “I like urban hikes, discovering new restaurants, bars, and events like Vintners Market to NightLife at the Academy,” Ivy said.
LYNDSEY  ROCCA
Lyndsey Rocca is media specialist at BOCA.“ I think it’s really exciting working in a thriving tech industry helping companies discover what makes them special and to tell their story,” Lyndsey said. Since day one she’s felt at home at BOCA and enjoys working alongside a smart, creative, and down to earth staff. Her favorite spot in San Francisco is Lands End because she can enjoy a day at the beach with an amazing view without having to leave the city.
LAURA GOLDEN
Laura Golden is taking over management duties as BOCA’s new office manager, and brings with her a wealth of experience, particularly in administrative roles where she aided PR workers with support so they could concentrate on more demanding tasks and not sweat the small stuff.  “The people at BOCA have a passion for the work they do, and I love having the freedom to do the best job that I can without the corporate rules I’ve had to work within in the past,” Laura said. Her favorite place in San Francisco is the Ferry Building because of its rich history and the mixture of old and new.
JORDAN EGGERS
Jordan Eggers is the newest full-time content writer to join BOCA’s content bureau. While studying in college she originally wanted to teach elementary education, but found she was drawn toward writing and decided to switch her major to journalism. “What excites me most about working at BOCA is the potential it has to offer and that I can be a part of its growth,” Jordan said. Her favorite places in San Francisco are the Japanese Tea Garden and Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park.

INTERNS
JAY ZARATE
Jay Zarate is one of three new interns at BOCA. PR is a natural fit for him because he loves communicating with people. “Whether it’s pitching reporters, meetings, speaking with clients, or brainstorming with coworkers, I find it all very exciting,” Jay said. He enjoys being part of a great team that treats him like family. His favorite spot in San Francisco is Twin Peaks at night.
AUDREY HOFFMAN- LEKMINE
Audrey Lekmine joins Jay as a PR intern at BOCA and is new to San Francisco. “I’ve always been interested in the behind-the-scenes work that PR lends itself to since so many agencies are behind some pretty brilliant news announcements that they never get credit for,” Audrey said. She likes how the BOCA team works very hard, but still makes time to share a laugh with their fellow BOCAteers. Audrey’s favorite spot in San Francisco is Golden Gate Park or anywhere with a great view.
TOM KOSIEC
Tom Kosiec is the new writing intern at BOCA. He’s originally from Wisconsin and moved to San Francisco two years ago. Like Jordan, he gravitated toward writing in college and studied journalism. “I’ve always been interested in new technology, love the flexibility to write from anywhere and the opportunity to learn about PR from a journalist’s perspective,” Tom said. His favorite place in San Francisco is Japantown because of the culture, interesting shops and delicious desserts.

Why Today’s PR Agencies Need Smart Content Bureaus

When I started in PR circa 1995, the word byline was a “bad” almost four-letter word. I will never forget the disdain on the other side of the phone when I tried to discuss why XYZ CEO had something interesting to say. 

CMOs wanted their CEOs voice out in the media, yet when you pitched a reporter on the concept of a CEO thought leadership byline series it was frowned upon.

Well, the business of journalism sure has evolved.

Journalism continues to change, and the traditional model has changed too (we all know this). Many publications no longer employ full-time writers the way they used to, and numerous journalists are moving to content development roles at companies and PR agencies.

Dan Lyons, who used to write for Newsweek, made the transition to an in-house content position at HubSpot. Lyons mentioned in his introductory article for HubSpot that one of the reasons he left was because of a broken revenue model which heavily relied on advertising to be profitable. He argues that instead of changing to a new business model, media companies continued wasting time and effort on fixing a flawed system.

A few other renowned journalists who come to mind who also left long-standing journalist careers for the marketing department of a major corporation or PR firm are Michael Hickins, who moved from the Wall Street Journal to Oracle, and Elinor Mills, who left prominent industry publications such as AP, Reuters and IDG to head up Content and Media Strategy at the Bay Area PR firm Bateman Group.

The reality is that journalism is here to stay, but it has changed. And the change within journalism – blogs, linkbacks, SEO, click-through, etc. — have driven the need for content, more content and even more content.

The byline or “contributed thought leadership piece” is now a key lynchpin to driving the ongoing need for content demanded by readers’ huge appetites. Publications are now starved for content and reports are pushed to publish – the appetite is insatiable and only getting bigger.

In steps the importance of a smart content bureau at PR firms.

From blogs and bylines to research papers and survey data, PR agencies need to develop smart content. This goes way beyond driving a CEO point-of-view within the marketplace. News outlets are increasingly dependent on contributed content to support the Las Vegas buffet desire and need for online content.

Here at BOCA, we recognized this trend in 2007. When I personally founded this company I kicked it off with a dedicated senior writer and a formalized content bureau. Now, we have four full-time content writers on staff and our first ever-writing intern (very exciting).  I am incredibly proud of our content bureau and our team within it and I expect it to keep growing. 

I could go on another tangent about why the traditional PR agency model is also broken and why agencies that have “real” content bureaus will succeed, but I will keep that for another post. 

 

-Kathleen Shanahan