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Last call for PIC’s Silver Social

This is your last chance to sign up to celebrate IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators group turning 25 this year.

Meet and hear from PIC founder Jane Naczynski about the evolution of this thriving group. Connect with new and long-time members and others in the IABC/Toronto community. Celebrate PIC’s success and kick off our silver anniversary year.

We’re gathering from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 19 at the Duke of Cornwall, 400 University Ave, Toronto (corner of Dundas St. and University Ave., near St. Patrick subway station). Light appetizers will be served and drinks are on your own tab. No charge for PIC and IABC/Toronto members and just $15 ($16.95 with HST) for non-members.

1.

PIC at 25: Independents at the top of their game

By Jane Naczynski

Way back in 1995 – before #WFH, before “gig workers,” before technology unchained all of us from our corporate desktops – being an independent communicator was something of a novelty. Maybe even slightly frowned upon. It was also very lonely.

That’s why, when I started my freelance career, I immediately joined IABC/Toronto. Then I sat back and waited for the organization to “do something” for independent communicators.

I finally figured out it didn’t quite work like that, so I started volunteering. It was rewarding, but still there was a piece missing. Where were all the other independents in this, the largest IABC chapter in the world? And when would IABC “do something” for them?

Eventually, the other shoe dropped. Time to stop complaining and start doing. We independents needed, to paraphrase Annie Lennox’s song of the time, to “do it for ourselves.”

So one day I sat down with the IABC/Toronto Member Directory (printed!) in one hand, and a telephone (corded! push button!) in the other. I started calling anyone in the directory I suspected from their title or business name was an independent.

The responses were immediate and enthusiastic. About two dozen people were keen to start something: How about a Special Interest Group (SIG) within the chapter?

Before long, we had a name (Alliance of Independent Practitioners, now Professional Independent Communicators), regular and special events, and the full backing of the chapter, making it official in 1998.

What I’d originally hoped for was a small group of independents who could share their trials and tribulations and who could support each other’s businesses and professional development.

That PIC at 25 is doing that, and so much more, is almost beyond my comprehension.

Congratulations to the Professional Independent Communicators of IABC/Toronto on this silver anniversary. You’ve gone way beyond simply networking among your peers. You’ve succeeded in raising the status of independent communication professionals within our industry. Your individual and independent best practices are earning you the respect of the wider communications world.

If our original group – someone dubbed us “The Old-Timers” – could have predicted then what PIC would evolve into today, well, we would have started a lot sooner!

I can hardly wait to see what’s next.

2.

3x3: A fond look at PIC over 25 years

By Sue Horner

Whether you’re new to the independent life or have years of experience under your belt, having PIC in your corner is like having a secret weapon. Challenges are a little less daunting when you can ask other members for advice. Stretch goals are a little more achievable when other members are cheering you on. And celebrations are a little more special when your peers are toasting you at a cozy pub or summery patio.

Talk about a terrific value! In my case, that value began in the early days, when having small children made it hard for me to get to in-person events. Since then, those kids and I have grown, and I’ve learned from other members, given and received job leads, made friends and so much more.

What of our other long-time members? To find out, I had 3 questions for these 3 members:

• Janet Comeau, ABC, was involved when PIC was going through its “self-discovery” phase and is now retired from her business, ALTkey Solutions.
• Ellen Gardner, ABC, who was Chair in 2000 when PIC was the Alliance of Independent Practitioners (AIP), runs Write to Know Communications.
• Gary Schlee, ABC, MC, divided his time between being a PR educator and a consultant, and is now an author and retired educator.

What is the greatest benefit of being a PIC member?

Janet: I bounced between being employed in two long-running corporate jobs and being independent. Of course I found the most value as a new indie, which was around 2001. I found it helpful to connect with people who had the same sort of struggles and were doing similar kinds of work. PIC (then AIP) was a great resource.

But PIC is actually a benefit for any IABC member. Jobs are never constant any more, and even if you’re employed now, you can pick up useful information from PIC that might be helpful in the future. Special interest groups like PIC are also resourceful, and chapters can learn some innovative ways to serve small member bases.

There’s also so much value in being connected to the great talent within PIC. Corporations often try to keep the communication function as lean as possible. So when you have a big event happening or a special campaign, being able to say to your boss, “I know someone who can help” is invaluable. PIC is an untapped resource for a lot of people.

Ellen: From its earliest days, PIC was a comfortable, supportive place where you could meet up with friends who were going through the same freelance struggles you were. As we transitioned from small group meetings at Metro Hall to larger gatherings, I’ve always felt like I was getting together with friends who were on the same wavelength as me – entrepreneurs who valued their corporate experience but were excited to be on their own and help a range of clients. The real benefits of PIC have been consistent from Day 1 – it provides the push to get out of the house, focus on your professional development and have a great time!

Gary: I would zero in on two benefits: Professional Development and professional development. The PD programming over the years has been both relevant and superb, particularly when it comes to online strategic marketing and, of course, pricing. But the other plus is informal professional development. Much like many communicators in organizations, independents are usually plying their craft solo. The ability to trade experiences and stories with like-minded practitioners can be rare. That’s where PIC has played such a valuable role for a quarter-century. It’s hard to beat the kind of learning that comes from chatting over a beer at a pub social.

What is your fondest memory of PIC over the years?

Janet: I love how the formation of PIC was such a grassroots effort. It helped the chapter recognize the importance of special interest groups and how supporting them added value to IABC/Toronto membership. By formally recognizing PIC and providing funding, the chapter got credit for having this great group, and the group had the means and support to offer its members real value.

Ellen: I don’t have one fond memory, I have many. Being able to share experiences about difficult clients, managing finances, how to project authority when you are a soloist. I do remember our many patio evenings downtown and getting together at each other’s houses. One summer Ginny Jones hosted a wonderful pool party! The many lessons I learned from my freelance colleagues over the years – Priya Bates, Sue Horner, Maryjane Martin, Cyrus Mavalwala, Jane Naczynski, Donna Papacosta, Gary Schlee to name just a few – have stayed with me to this day.

Gary: I’ve always felt a bit of an interloper, particularly in my years as a PR educator when my freelance and consulting work was minimal. But that never seemed to matter to PIC folks. Everyone was gathering for the same primary reason: to become even better at what they do. After retiring, I ramped up the consulting work for a number of years, and PICsters’ experiences were even more appreciated.

So, my fondest memory would be the people in PIC – so many over the years. But one I would single out is Sue Horner. She’s been an integral part of PIC, and AIP before it, from the early days. [Ed.: Thank you, Gary! ☺️]

What is one tangible way PIC has contributed to your business's success?

Janet: In my own business, I internalized everything I learned. When I went back to the corporate side, I was able to hire a couple of PIC members, and my indie experience really informed how I dealt with bringing on contractors. Companies always apply pressure to squeeze dollars but I went in with an understanding of how much work goes into being an independent and respect for their value.

Ellen: PIC has helped me understand my true value. It’s easy to feel inadequate next to a big agency or internal comms department, but over time you realize that as indies, we’re contributing depth and insight without the worry of having to follow the corporate line. What corporate communicators might be scared to say, you’ll hear from us!

I sometimes miss being on the inside of the action, but the upside is being able to hit the ground running in so many different organizations. Being part of PIC has helped me get over my fear of losing a job, knowing there will always be something new and interesting around the corner.

Gary: In the early 2000s, I attended a PIC workshop exploring the emerging social media phenomena. The focus was on blogging and podcasting, and I remember leaving the session quite energized by this new stuff. I followed up by having one of the speakers, Donna Papacosta, speak to the students at Centennial College. Within a year, we were offering the first standalone course in Social Media at a GTA college or university. Thanks, PIC.

3.

PIC Personality: Meet Marie-Lauren Gregoire Drummond, SCMP

By Arlene Amitirigala

Meet Marie-Lauren Gregoire Drummond (she/her), SCMP, VP Special Interest Groups for IABC/Toronto, and PIC’s new chair! Marie-Lauren operates a small business in independent consulting called MLG Creative Communications; she specializes in speechwriting and speaker coaching.

What’s your experience as an indie?

I launched my business after I left the Ontario government, where I worked as a political staffer. After all the time I had spent speech writing and editing, I decided to focus my business there. I ended up offering my services as a speaker coach to people who give keynotes or presentations. I also offer workshops and some communication support as well, but mostly speaker coaching.

What do you enjoy most about being an independent?

Definitely the relationship I can have with my clients. I also enjoy the storytelling aspect when I’m helping people craft their speech, their story or their testimony in a particular way. It’s been super helpful to have the time as an indie to focus on one client at a time and work with them to craft their best story.

What do you like least about being an indie?

I do indie work in addition to a full-time job, and the one thing I don’t enjoy is that I’m solely responsible for my earnings. That is the scariest part for me. I find it’s challenging to put that kind of pressure to rely on myself to make business happen. But other than that, it’s fun.

What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about transitioning from corporate life to becoming independent?

The one thing I would encourage people to do is focus on your passions. It’s often been said, find something you love doing and then you won’t work a day in your life.

When I made that transition – and I’m still in it – from corporate work to independent work, I was impressed that I could do exactly what I wanted to do and choose to accept clients or not. And that kind of power is very refreshing. In building a business, if you can focus on the thing you love to do, then you can have that kind of choice and freedom.

How long have you been an IABC member and what value do you get from your membership?

Officially, I’ve been a member of IABC since 2019, but I’ve been participating in IABC events since around 2016.

Personally, I get a lot of value out of my IABC membership, particularly the professional development. I’m a Certified Strategic Communications Management Professional (SCMP) and it's been super helpful to keep building my skills with IABC and IABC/Toronto courses, webinars, workshops and conferences.

I don’t know if it’s secondly or just as much, the networking opportunities are hugely valuable for me. I’ve met so many amazing people in my field and it’s been great to work together on various projects, be on the IABC/Toronto Board with different people, and just meet people socially to get a sense of who’s in what field, what people are working on and what we have in common. It’s been super helpful to have other communication professionals in my network I can rely on, because in my current role, I’m the only one in communication at the leadership table.

Contact Marie-Lauren:

Website | LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | marielaurengregoire@gmail.com

Introducing Buzzy Bits

Welcome to Buzzy Bits, where our featured PIC Personality gets in the hot seat to answer 10 short questions while the clock counts down! Enjoy.

Welcome new member

Yasmine El Shafei, SCMP (she/her)

Oakville | Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | elshafei.y@multiplier-consultancy.com

Yasmine is a strategist and a communication management specialist with over 15 years of experience in research, marketing communications and public relations, supporting businesses to enhance their positioning and grow their potential.

Yasmine has a diversified experience with multinationals, corporate giants, and government and internal organizations in multiple sectors. She has managed diverse projects, managed corporate reputations, and coached and trained C-suite executives in multiple facets. She has a passion for storytelling and crafting Corporate Social Responsibility direction and strategy. Certified as a solutions-focused coach, Yasmine strives to help businesses reach their full potential.

Beyond rainbow-washing: How to create an inclusive organization year-round

How can communication professionals take real action for International Coming Out Day (October 11), Pride Month and beyond? Find out at this joint PIC-IABC/Toronto event on Zoom from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 12.

Representatives from Pride at Work Canada / Fierté au travail Canada will share practical strategies supporting inclusion on the basis of gender and sexual diversity. You’ll take away the knowledge to make sure your organizations or clients don’t just wave a rainbow flag but have solid plans rooted in consistent, year-round support of the 2SLGTBQIA+ communities.

The Zoom format allows time for Q&A and discussion, but if you have specific questions you’d like addressed, please send them ahead of time to toronto-sig@iabc.to.

Registration opens soon. If the timing doesn’t work, register anyway – you’ll get access to the recording of a discussion you won’t want to miss. Fees are $15 for members ($16.95 with HST) and $25 for non-members ($28.25 with HST).

Correction

Our apologies to Cyrus Mavalwala, ABC, MC. When we recognized in the July/August Buzz that Phil Sach had been featured by #WeLeadComms, we noted that PIC itself received this honour in February 2022 and Sarah Manley Robertson, ABC, in April 2023. Ahem; Cyrus was featured in May 2023.

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:

“It’s not too late to make strategic changes and adjustments that will help you end the year on a high note,” says Ed Gandia. He has four best ways to shore up your business (not just for writers), like “Step up your prospecting.”

Disability Pride Month was in July, but it’s always the right time to use inclusive, accessible comms to help employees feel seen, says Sean Devlin. He talks with Dr. Nicole Price of Lively Paradox, via Ragan Communications.

Four ways to respond to clients with small budgets without discounting your price, by Austin Church.

X (Twitter) | Facebook | LinkedIn

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 | Designers: Arlene Amitirigala, Sue Horner

Executive team

Chair: Marie-Lauren Gregoire Drummond, SCMP | Past Chair: Jacqui DeBique | Membership: vacant | Marketing & Sponsorship: Brent Artemchuk | Communications & Social Media: Arlene Amitirigala, Sue Horner | Programming: Catharine Heddle, Lisa Marchitto