286: PR Parenting: Lessons for Entrepreneurs and Event Leaders with Marjie Hadad
Release Date: 09/02/2025
The Business of Meetings
Today, Eric is excited to welcome Megan Nolan, the founder of Vitality Wellness in Maui. With extensive experience in yoga, mental health, and wellbeing, Megan brings powerful tools to support small business owners and professionals within the meetings and events industry. About Megan Nolan Megan Nolan is a yoga teacher and personal trainer based in Maui. She combines movement, mindfulness, and strength training to help people improve their posture, energy, and mental focus. Beyond individual sessions, she specializes in bringing wellness into the conference and events industry...
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Today, Eric shares five standout books he read this summer. As a passionate reader of 25–30 books a year, he found these books particularly impactful for both business and life. The Last Lecture — Randy Pausch & Jeffrey Zaslow This moving and timeless book was written by computer science professor Randy Pausch, as his final lecture after getting a terminal diagnosis. It blends philosophy, practical wisdom, and personal stories, offering lessons on living with purpose, nurturing relationships, and leaving a legacy. It is a book to hold onto for life, and to pass on to the next...
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Today, we are delighted to welcome Marjie Hadad as our guest. Marjie is a PR expert who has spent the last 4 decades working in media and public relations in various countries. She currently assists private individuals and individual business owners. Marjie joins us today to share her insights and experience. Tune in to find out how to become more successful in your business and at home. Marjie’s Journey Marjie has spent 40 years in media and public relations, working as a reporter, anchor, and producer, and she even won an Emmy Award. She later became an agent in the...
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Now is a great time to reflect on both personal milestones and business goals! Planning your priorities now can set you up for a strong finish to this year and prepare you for a successful start to 2026. Transitions and Emotional Awareness When your children start school or college, it can be emotionally intense as it reminds you how quickly time passes. Embracing the emotions of those moments can help you process change while you focus on other areas of life. Planning Your Year-End Goals With roughly 85 working days left in the year, it is essential to define what you want to...
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We are delighted to welcome Kelly Knowlen, currently the Vice President of Sales Engagement and Special Events at Hilton, as our guest today. Kelly joins us today to share her career journey and talk about her work in the meetings and events industry. This episode will be of particular interest to event planners who own their businesses and want to increase their engagement, using events as a strategic tool for their organizations. Bio: Kelly Knowlen Kelly Knowlen is a dynamic leader in the global hospitality industry with over 30 years of experience at Hilton, where she...
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Today, Eric shares a recent coaching experience he had with an entrepreneur who was hesitant to grow her business because she was happy with her current setup and did not feel the need to expand. Stay tuned as Eric takes a closer look at whether or not that way of working is, in fact, sustainable. Growth Can Create Freedom Staying small might feel comfortable, but constantly jumping from one project to the next leaves little room for personal time or long-term progress. Growth allows business owners to step back from their daily tasks and invest their time where it truly...
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Have you ever felt that a client was not the right fit for you, yet you ignored your gut feeling and worked with them anyway? In this episode, Eric shares two examples of similar situations he experienced in his professional journey, explaining how he handled them and what he learned along the way. Trust Your Instincts It is essential to recognize when a potential client or project does not align with your values, standards, or business model. Ignoring your instincts when your gut tells you a client is not the right fit will likely lead to lots of frustration down the line. ...
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Life as an entrepreneur can often feel lonely. Being a solopreneur or small business owner in the meetings and events industry is a wonderful experience. However, with all the stress and challenges entrepreneurs face, they often find themselves alone, with no one to share their wins, doubts, and fears with. In this episode, Eric reads an excerpt from the book he is currently reading and shares some valuable tips to help entrepreneurs avoid loneliness. Digital Nomads Unlike traditional nomads who rely on each other, digital nomads often go it alone. In his book 4000 Weeks,...
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Technology is no longer just a helpful tool for running small businesses. It has become the lifeline for small business success. In this episode, Eric clarifies why technology is now non-negotiable when running a successful small business. Tune in to learn why, as a small business owner, you must either evolve and adapt or risk getting left behind. AI Blackmail An article on Entropic described a test scenario where AI named specific (fictional) people and made a blackmail demand. Even though the situation was fabricated for testing purposes, it highlighted the...
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Eric knows that taking three weeks off each year is a European concept, yet he believes that it is up to each entrepreneur to decide for themselves when and how they choose to switch off. In this episode, he explains that it is not just about the time you take off, but rather about being intentional with how you recharge. He also shares the playful out-of-office email message he set up during the three weeks he recently spent in North Carolina. Decide How You Disconnect As an entrepreneur, you get to choose how and when you disconnect. Some people prefer complete time off, while others...
info_outlineToday, we are delighted to welcome Marjie Hadad as our guest.
Marjie is a PR expert who has spent the last 4 decades working in media and public relations in various countries. She currently assists private individuals and individual business owners.
Marjie joins us today to share her insights and experience. Tune in to find out how to become more successful in your business and at home.
Marjie’s Journey
Marjie has spent 40 years in media and public relations, working as a reporter, anchor, and producer, and she even won an Emmy Award. She later became an agent in the modeling industry before launching her PR career. For the past 25 years, she has run her own firm, working with clients globally and specializing in medical and venture capital.
Speaking and Training
Today, Marjie focuses on professional speaking and leadership training. Her work focuses on teaching individuals and companies to use communication and PR skills strategically to achieve their goals.
Internal and External PR
Marjie explains that PR applies internally and externally, and that success comes from clear, strategic communication on both levels. Internally, leaders must communicate a vision to inspire their teams. Externally, they should craft and share important messages with their target audience to build partnerships, launch products, or raise funds.
Winning Clients Through Communication
For small businesses, everything starts with the unmet needs of the client. Good communication begins with listening, then positioning your expertise as the solution. Your key messages should reflect how you want people to remember you after the conversation. Marjie recommends going beyond talk and showing your potential clients what you can deliver.
Handling Social Media and Cancel Culture
For adverse online reactions, Marjie advises people to remain positive and professional. She explains that every comment does not require a reply, and sometimes, the best move is to stay silent. If you do engage, keep it respectful and professional, addressing disrespect calmly, deleting toxic remarks, or inviting the person to continue the conversation privately. The key is to remain composed and protect your reputation while deciding which approach best fits the situation.
Building Company Culture
Constructive guidance, support, and recognition foster loyalty and performance. Leaders within organizations should rally their teams around a shared vision and show how their contributions matter. They should also view mistakes as learning opportunities rather than reasons to humiliate people.
Utilizing her PR Skills
Marjie has even applied PR strategies in her family life, which she detailed in her book, The Power of PR Parenting. She applied communication tools, such as crisis management, presentations, and constructive contracts, to raise her children into confident, resilient adults. Her mistakes became lessons, and she reinforced her expectations with agreements.
Communication Across Generations
When it comes to younger generations and technology, Marjie does not see texting as a threat but rather as another mode of communication with its own language. She stresses the importance of giving children real-life opportunities to practice social and communication skills so technology becomes an addition rather than a replacement for human interaction.
Bio: Marjie Hadad
Marjie Hadad has been in media and public relations for 40 years. She is a globally recognized public relations expert, a former television news journalist, an award-winning television producer, and an award-winning author. Specializing in medical and venture capital PR, she designs strategic programs to support the business, clinical, and personal objectives of her clients. A dynamic professional speaker and executive coach, Marjie empowers teams to use THEIR public relations skills to solve various problems and achieve organizational, professional, and personal goals. Her diverse career includes roles as an agent at Ford Model Management in Boston and a media liaison for the Consulate General of Israel to New England. She is the founder of Must Have Communications and Consulting.
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