One of my first bosses in design always said “do work you’re proud to put your name on.” In communications and PR, we also find ourselves speaking on behalf of those we choose to work with. Each day ties to their mission, vision, and goals. Making sure those values align with your own is incredibly important.
In my last term of the MacEwan PR program, I reflected on my past work as a graphic designer and a community volunteer. I focused on the values that were most important to me in my own life and business. I knew relationships, lifelong learning, and communication were most important to me.
When it came time to apply for a practicum, Take Roots Consulting was a natural fit. Their four pillars: Community, Communications, Creativity, and Client Satisfaction drew me in immediately.
I began working with Stephanie at Take Roots in late April. COVID-19 changed our plans for the practicum dramatically. An unexpected benefit was we had more time to work on projects that highlighted the Take Roots values.
Community
As an active participant in my community league, this one was huge for me. Throughout the practicum, Stephanie found ways to support those around her, and I was fortunate to be a part of that. A few highlights for me were:
- Concordia University’s Innovation Launchpad. Student entrepreneurs presented their innovative ideas to Stephanie and her fellow mentors.
- Positivity Pops, an initiative to encourage kids to spread positivity in their communities.
- A Q&A video call with members of the MacEwan Public Relations 2020 cohort.
- The Roots Podcast. Recent episodes focused on people sharing their stories to uplift and encourage others.
Client satisfaction
This has always been an important part of my own business. I am grateful to have watched Stephanie work with her clients. She always had me explain things to her in ways that would improve my communication with my own clients.
Communications
Stephanie was direct and kept me focused on providing clarity in every project we worked on. The creation and launch of the Take Roots online public speaking mini-tutorial stood out for me. Converting an in-person workshop to online was a great experience. A lot of thought went into ensuring students got a great deal of value no matter what channel we used. I hope I work on more online education in the future.
A screenshot of the landing page I designed for the Take Roots Public Speaking course
Creativity
Creativity is one of the things that drew me to design and communications. During my practicum, a few creative parts stood out to me:
- Stephanie’s TikTok posts. This is definitely a creative outlet for her.
- Content creation. After a year of school, I was missing design. Working on graphics & web design for Take Roots inspired me to start new projects for my own business.
- Brainstorming new projects. The best is definitely to come!
The past few months went by faster than I imagined they would. I’m so happy I was able to complete my practicum at Take Roots. I’m looking forward to being part of the Take Roots team and I’m excited to apply all I’ve learned to my own client work.
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