RACHEL Carter
Rachel Carter
Career Highlights:
Rachel Carter PR - Owner and Principal
Champlain College - Instructor
Paul Kaza Associates - Director of Public Relations
Phillips Financial Group - Marketing Director
Polhemus, Inc - Corporate Account Executive
Girl Scout Council in TN - Teen Program Manager
Community Involvement:
American Heart Association – Donor
Charlotte Food Shelf – Donor
East Charlotte Tractor Parade – Volunteer/Sponsor
Special Olympics Vermont – Donor
Vermont Mozart Festival – Donor
Vermont Public Radio – Donor
Vermont Vibes Blog – Pro-Bono Publisher of Vermont Experiences
Rachel Carter PR supports the following Vermont organizations and causes: American Heart Association, Charlotte Food Shelf, East Charlotte Grange & Tractor Parade, Special Olympics Vermont, Vermont Mozart Festival, Vermont Public Radio, and the Vermont Women's Fund.
Favorite part of job? The favorite part of my job is effectively working with clients to grasp the elusive field of public relations so they are able to implement solid PR efforts for their own company. When the "click" comes and someone suddenly "gets it" and is then as excited as I am about what they can achieve for their company I can end the day knowing I have truly helped someone. I won't deny that watching my publicity efforts for clients take hold in the media and Vermont community doesn't give me quite a thrill as well.
Most inspiring mentor? The most inspiring mentor I had the privilege with was the marketing manager when I worked through a temp agency at Polhemus in Colchester. When I first moved to Vermont with a Bachelor's degree in PR and two years of solid experience the only job I was able to land was cleaning hotel rooms. A few weeks at that and I made my way through the temp agencies. I filled an extended leave position at Polhemus filling orders and processing shipping and a motivated, perky, and talented marketing manager took me under her wing and gave me side projects in the marketing department to help me boost my experience. It not only did that but she and the entire culture of Polhemus really boosted my confidence and gave me the Vermont welcome I really needed to begin to build a career here.
Who is your living hero? My mother told me when I was 14, "Rachel, you are not beige and people are either going to love you or hate you and you will need to learn to deal with that." Over the years that has helped me deal with all sorts of life's rejections and has solidly been built into something I say to almost everyone I speak to about marketing and PR - "If you try to be everything to everyone, you are nothing to no one." My mom reminds me of who I am everyday and is where I get my strength from. She just retired from being a superintendent of a school district in Mass and to help ease he into retirement she is my wedding planner and also making my wedding dress - so I would have to undoubtedly say that my mother is my living hero.
Favorite downtime activity? I have been gardening and growing my own food since since I moved to Vermont in 2000 and now that I live on hearty farmland in Charlotte, my gardens have erupted into quite bountiful affairs and in the past two years have learned I am an excellent chef. Working from home is one stressful endeavor no matter how "relaxing" it may appear on the outside. Not having transition time from office to home can add to the stress. Heading from office to garden to kitchen beats any drive home and provides peace which can be wiped away quickly in the swirl of PR.
Favorite Vermont Escape? So many of them! I calculate them on the Vermont Vibes Blog - www.vermontvibesblog.com. I love using my atlas and traversing the backloads of Vermont, spreading Vermont Vibes as I go and chatting with folks at different town events and stores. I may have moved here in 2000, but I spent my summers growing up in Greensboro and am a Fifth Generation Vermonter twice removed. The Northeast Kingdom holds my heart and one day hope to have a camp where my heart is.
Favorite social network? I really enjoy Twitter and the Vermont community using it. I also like the technology that makes Twitter easy to use and track multiple trends and news reports without it cutting into my daily routine.
Favorite website? Besides my new website which just launched? Ok, sorry for the shameless self promotion. I like the websites www.bobwhitesystems.com and www.brandonmusicvt.com because they were created by two of my favorite marketing partners - Hen House Media and Off the Page Creations.
Vermont Business Person you would most want to network with? I would really like to network with Robin Turnau of VPR because she lives in Charlotte as I do and I would like to participate in VPR in additional ways and want them to know I am not about pushing stories, but building relationships.
