JULY/AUGUST 2025: SUMMER ROUNDUP
Contents
1.
3x3: Summer and the independent communicator
Do you take time off or reduce your hours over the summer? How do you manage slowdowns due to client vacations? Catharine Heddle, Kathryn Hollinrake and Trish Tervit share their experience with Brent Artemchuk.
2.
Trusting my gut: Reflections from the 2025 IABC World Conference
Heather Redfearn says the IABC World Conference was far more than a professional development opportunity. Read her thoughts on how it reinforced the value of taking the time to connect with fellow professionals.
3.
PIC Personality: Meet Adrienne Jackson, ABC
Meet our PIC Personality, Adrienne Jackson, ABC, who started planning for retirement but found herself building her own communications practice instead.
And more!
Read the latest Book Nook, where Catharine Heddle reviews Bragging Rights, all about showing your worth without showing off. And get the details about a joint event on August 20 between PIC and the IABC Shared Interest Group for consultants, all about turning small opportunities into long-term client engagements.
3x3: Summer and the independent communicator
By Brent Artemchuk
It’s summertime and the living is easy. Or is it?
For independent communicators, summer can be a source of stress as we make decisions about taking time off, reducing our hours and managing slowdowns due to client vacations. Three members of PIC’s executive team – Catharine Heddle (she/her), Kathryn Hollinrake (she/her) and Trish Tervit (she/her) – have distinct views on how to manage business during the summer months. Spoiler alert: Indies CAN enjoy the summer! So, grab a spritzer and settle into your beach chair for a ringside seat to our conversation.
Does client demand slow down or ramp up during the summer?
Catharine: There’s still demand, but I find it slows down a bit. Projects generally move a bit more slowly. With vacations and compressed work weeks, it can take clients longer to provide the feedback or approvals needed to move things forward. I’m fortunate that my clients are very respectful of time off.
Kathryn: There’s never really a pattern for a photographer. The kinds of clients I work with and types of jobs I shoot vary, so from one year to the next my calendar can look very different. Photography of business executives and company teams does generally slow down due to their summer holiday schedules. But any photography that shows the outdoors – whether featuring actual outdoor locations, or just trees seen through office windows – is better done when there are leaves on trees, so this can mean shooting during summer months.
Trish: I haven’t found my client work slows down at all in the summer. In one case, it actually ramps up to help them out while their full-time staff take holidays. I’m always grateful for all work so try my best to accommodate my clients as best I can to help them out. Because I try to take time off, the days I do work can be rather frazzled because I’m trying to complete assignments for clients before my vacation.
Do you adjust your work hours or weekly schedule during the summer?
Catharine: I work “summer hours,” meaning I take Friday afternoons off to take advantage of the nice weather. I also try to scale back in-person meetings so I can work remotely when the opportunity arises. My accountability partner and I have an annual work-week from a cottage. We knuckle down and work hard all day, but make sure to bookend the workday with a kayak ride in the morning and drinks on the dock before sunset.
Kathryn: I do not officially adjust my work hours or weekly schedule during the summer. That’s a good idea though. Do you? Should I?
Trish: Not officially, no, because the bulk of my client work involves media relations. I often have to check emails for media inbound requests so even if I’m out of office, I am checking my phone. But I do slip out and try to enjoy the weather more often.
Do you intentionally take time off, or do you stay available throughout the summer?
Catharine: I always take about 10 days as pure vacation to spend at the lake with family. In addition, I’ll book informal time off during which I’m available and responsive to clients but may not spend too much time at my desk. This kind of flexibility is one of the great joys of being self-employed, and I embrace it wholeheartedly.
Kathryn: I don’t have a consistent summer holiday schedule other than one two-week cottage rental booked a year in advance. My husband and I are both business owners, so our schedules are often dictated to some extent by clients and frequently don’t align. He has staff and partners to take care of business when he’s away, and he can also generally work remotely. As an independent photographer, I don’t have either of those options. So I take less time off and am generally not offline for any significant amount of time, because not responding to an inquiry in a timely manner could lose me not just a job but a client. If they go with another photographer and are happy with them, I may never hear from them again.
I do let existing clients know of my holiday plans in advance, and they are generally happy to schedule around my holiday if they can. If a big client really needed me during my cottage time, I’d probably return to Toronto. But I really don’t want to cut my holiday short, or chop it into bits.
Years ago when we went on dive trips, I hired an assistant to check and respond to email while I was away. Next time I want to do a serious trip where being offline is either unavoidable or highly recommended, I’ll do that again.
It’s a constant choice: Be available or not. I dance between looking and hoping for business, and not wanting it now. If you need photography, please call me/don’t call me. No, do.
Trish: Oh, I take time off! I love the summer and want to make the most of it. We take an annual 12-day trip to a beach town in July, and then I usually take another week in August as well. Life’s too short to miss out on the sunshine.
Thanks to Catharine, Kathryn and Trish for their frank comments on this subject. How do you manage your business during the summer? Share your views with us at toronto-pic@iabc.to. Happy summer!
Trusting my gut: Reflections from the 2025 IABC World Conference
By Heather Redfearn
I remember mulling over my decision to attend the 2025 IABC World Conference. It would be a $5,000 investment, so I gave it careful thought. Finally, I told myself: successful business leaders make decisions much more quickly and often based on instincts alone. My gut was screaming: you can’t afford not to go! From that moment, I was all in.
The theme of the conference was CONNECT, and as an independent consultant, I knew this was something missing from my daily professional life. While the content of the event was so good that I struggled to choose between sessions, what stands out the most are the connections I made.
Early connections
My first rewarding encounter happened before the conference even started. After landing in Vancouver, I decided to build my navigation skills by taking the Skytrain downtown. After fumbling with the ticket machine, I boarded the train and saw a familiar face from LinkedIn. I approached the woman and asked, “Excuse me, is your name Monique Zytnik?” The woman replied “Yes.”
I reached into my bag and pulled out her book, Internal Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, which I had been reading on the plane. It was full of Post-Its marking points that I wanted to revisit. She smiled and we talked about our work until we parted ways at our stop.
The next connection came as I walked into the hotel lobby. Immediately, I recognized (now) IABC Fellow Mike Klein. We had previously exchanged online comments only. I began talking to him like we were old friends and then apologized (like a good Canadian) for approaching him with such familiarity. I said something like, “Sorry, I just feel like I know you,” to which he responded “You do. We just haven’t met yet.” That line captured the spirit of the entire event.
More memorable moments
- Insights, laughs and drinks shared with Lynn Zimmerman and Shea Sullivan. We had met in April for dinner in Montreal.
- Spontaneous get-togethers with IABCers from Quebec, Marie-Eve Morin, Marie-Soleil Pepin and Dominique Blain (who shared her “Five Signals for meaningful leader communication” at a session).
- A nice group dinner with the women above, along with Amie Silverwood and a group of her colleagues.
- Good chats with Sia Papageorgiou and Lauren Nowak from Australia at the Gold Quill reception.
- A lovely dinner with PIC members Natalia Smalyuk and Lisa Gibson (whose session on “Mastering Your Personal Brand in a Connected World” I also attended), with the beautiful Vancouver harbour as a backdrop.
Bonus business takeaways
- Not all in-house communicators know how to engage a consultant. We can teach these potential clients how to do this.
- A portfolio is a must to attract new business. I will find ways to share what I do and the results I provide without compromising the confidentiality of my clients.
A conference to remember
Looking back, the IABC World Conference was far more than a professional development opportunity. It reinforced the value of taking the time to connect with fellow professionals.
The sessions were enriching, but it was the casual chats, shared meals and spontaneous conversations that made the experience unforgettable. I returned home energized, more connected and confident that the best decisions and investments are the ones your gut tells you to make.
Were you at IABC 2025 too? What resonated with you most? Feel free to send me a comment (hdredfearn@outlook.com) or connect with me to chat.
PIC Personality: Meet Adrienne Jackson, ABC
By Sue Horner, SCMP, and Adrienne Jackson, ABC
Adrienne Jackson, ABC (she/her), is a business strategist and principal of AMJ Communications. She delivers customized, outcomes-based communications programs across multiple sectors and geographies.
Adrienne supports the full communications gamut, from a seasoned writer, to longer-term project lead, to objective sounding board to make sure your strategy is on track. She has a personal interest in healthcare, financial services and charitable causes that could use an expert helping hand.
Learn more and connect with Adrienne on LinkedIn, call 416-508-4175 or email adriennej@rogers.com.
When did you launch your independent business and how did it come about?
I feel like a bit of a unicorn compared to other PIC colleagues. In 2021, after 30+ years in corporate communications, I started planning for retirement with a focus on lots of extended travel. At the time, building my own practice was not on the radar. Then one month after retiring, my former boss invited me to take on an issues management engagement and I was hooked on the “indie lifestyle.”
What do you enjoy most about being an indie?
I’m grateful to support organizations aligned with my personal desire to give back, and who are facing communications challenges, versus maintaining the status quo. I love collaborating with teams tackling complex, multi-stakeholder business dilemmas. At the same time, standalone writing and editing assignments feed my first communications love.
Meeting and working with new communications professionals and business leaders on every assignment is an added bonus – it’s a gift that allows me to continue to learn from the best.
What don’t you like about being an indie?
No question – business development. I’ve been fortunate to grow my practice through word of mouth, previous contracts and my track record in corporate communications. I have a strong network but I still don’t like “the sell”!
What advice would you give someone new to independent life?
My advice is more geared to someone considering independent life.
Before diving in, do some deep soul searching to be sure self-employment is actually your thing. Be honest about how you like to work, who you like to work with and what work lights you up. Interview other indies, ask about how they prepared before launching their business, along with their perspectives on the pros and cons of going solo.
Another consideration: if you’re already employed, think about transitioning. Can you negotiate reducing your workweek so you can test the waters with some conflict-free consulting projects? Dipping your toe before taking the plunge could help you assess if independent practice is really right for you.
How long have you been an IABC and PIC member and what value do you get from your membership?
I joined IABC in 1997 and PIC in late 2024.
The value of my membership has evolved with my career. When I started out, the website, magazine (print!) and association meetings were professional development essentials.
Accreditation was the next growth step, followed by serving as awards evaluator and on global committees.
Now that I’m solo, PIC is a complementary resource to the broader member offerings. Indie-targeted online tools and connecting with other independent professionals has been of particular value.
The thread running through it all? Priceless networking opportunities, at home and around the world. Definitely worth the cost of admission!
Book Nook: Show your worth without showing off
“Purposeful self-promotion” — just what every independent communicator needs! Alas, the shoemaker’s children often lack shoes. Too many of us find it difficult to precisely describe and differentiate ourselves.
Canadian consultant and advisor Lisa Bragg offers help via her book Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion.
The book is practical and action-oriented, first making the case for “bragging,” then walking readers through a series of chapters on how to recognize, embrace and articulate the specifics of what makes them special. It advises readers on how to muster the courage to speak about their expertise and marshal others to do the same. Each chapter ends with points to consider, to do and to share — all valuable exercises to complete.
While the book is not written specifically for Canadians or for women, it speaks to both. Bragg’s take struck me as softer and more emotionally intelligent than other personal-branding experts, and I found her recommendations both wise and palatable.
That’s not to say the book won’t push you out of your comfort zone. It did for me. To quote Bragg: “When self-promoting, take yourself to fear plus 10 per cent.”
I welcome your recommendations for my next book! Email me at catharine@lamplightercommunications.com.
Aug. 20: Turn small client opportunities into long-term engagements
Delivering great work for a client is just the beginning. The real opportunity lies in turning that initial project into a high-value, long-term partnership that drives measurable results and predictable revenue for your business.
Join members of the IABC Shared Interest Group for Consultants on Zoom at noon on Wednesday, August 20, for a two-hour webinar with Angelique Rewers, CEO of BoldHaus.
Today’s companies are looking for trusted, strategic partners who understand their mission, elevate their communications and contribute to real organizational outcomes. If you’re ready to maximize the value of every opportunity you already have, this session will give you the roadmap. Free for IABC members.
See you on social media!
Build and strengthen your connections, advance your business and network with other PIC members on social media. In case you missed them, recent posts shared on our social media channels include these:
Whether work slows down during the summer or not, remember to take your breaks even when you’re busy. Make a list of things you’d like to do, big or small, says Eileen Chadnick.
Summer reads for the entrepreneur who actually takes time off. Look for books that offer inspiration, case studies or tips to grow your business, says the Financial Post.
It’s summer. Enjoy the season while taking care of business. Plan for and take time off. Embrace “batching” tasks. Work on personal projects. Keep networking. Move your work outside. Via Nasdaq.
Who we are
Professional Independent Communicators (PIC) is a special interest group of IABC/Toronto. PIC’s mission is to support independent IABC/Toronto communicators through professional development, networking and marketing. The Buzz informs members about upcoming events, shares professional development tips from past meetings and keeps us connected.
IABC connects communicators from around the world with the insights, resources and people they need to drive their careers and their professions forward.
Editor: Sue Horner, SCMP
Executive team
Chair: Andrea Walasek | Past Chair: Marie-Lauren Gregoire Drummond, SCMP | Membership: Kathryn Hollinrake | Communications & Social Media: Brent Artemchuk, Sue Horner, SCMP | Programming: Catharine Heddle, Trish Tervit