Jana Ertrachter is the principal owner of Ertrachter Group and works behind the scenes with IABC to help the board set its yearly vision and works with them to develop a strategy for seeing the vision come alive. 

 

How did you end up having a career in communications?
 
I was in graduate school at The University of Florida taking some marketing communications courses towards my M.B.A. and found that I loved it and that it came very naturally for me. I could see that communicating well was a key difference that distinguished successful people and organizations.
 
What circumstances led you to start your own business?
 
I was "downsized" (or for me it really ended up being right sized) from Modis shortly after I had my son Taylor. I loved work and making a difference so I looked for an organization where I could continue to do that. I connected to a corporation headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas of all places! I had many wonderful conversations with the Chief Operating Officer who wanted to hire me, but it would have required a move to Arkansas. Since I was a new mom and our support system was here, we decided Fayetteville probably wasn't an ideal option for us. However, I loved the possibility of helping this new company, so I took a risk and offered him an alternative to his employment offer. I will never forget the conversation I had with the COO that day. I told him that I was not going to be the best employee match but that if he were willing to think outside the box, I would be happy to work with him on a contract basis to complete some key projects-including helping him find the best person to suit his needs. I made sure he knew that this was not a long-term solution but that we could certainly accomplish some great work together while we were looking for his ideal candidate. He agreed, and I started my business with a six-month contract! The six months ended up being one year, which allowed me plenty of time to network and get other work lined up. That was 11 years ago, and I am forever grateful that we both took a calculated risk!
 
What do you like about being an IABC member?
 
I love the wonderful, talented people that I have met. The web site also has some terrific resources.
 
For the past few years you've taken on a very important behind the scenes role in our chapter's success. You've led the chapter board in its yearly strategic planning process. Talk about how you got involved in this key volunteer role.
 
Two words...Marci Larson! In 2005, Marci asked me to help facilitate the strategic planning process. Who can say no to Marci? At that point, the organization did not have a plan they were working from, so we started from scratch! We had a small group of people that participated as part of the initial Planning Team (including Joanne Kazmierski!). Each year the process has gotten stronger and planning is truly a part of our culture. The biggest evidence of that is when Marci stepped down as president and the planning mindset and work continued. It was clear that this mindset was not dependent on one person but that it was really part of the way IABC does business. It has been wonderful to watch the evolution, and I have been proud to be a small part of that. The vision for the need to create a plan early in the life of the organization was Marci's. The wisdom to keep it a vital part of our culture has come from the presidents and boards that have followed.
 
If you could suggest one thing to your fellow IABC chapter members, what would you tell them?
 
Get involved! The value you gain from getting involved in organizations, projects, or causes that you have passion for is priceless. It's a way to be proactive in your own continuous learning. It's about meeting new people or developing deeper relationships with people you already know. And isn't communications about relationships? I find that in relationships, sometimes I'm the one giving and sometimes I'm the one getting. Either way, I'm learning!
 
Describe your dream job.
 
Not many people know this about me but one day I'd like to own my own ice cream "experience." I love ice cream and the effect it has on people. Who doesn't smile when you think of or have ice cream? I would like to operate a small diner where people could come and celebrate any occasion (little or big) as well hold team-building small group activities (or parties). I even have a name that came to me when I was in Sweden one summer. We went to a seafood restaurant where when you order a shrimp cocktail, they put it on a remote control boat and give you the controller. There was a pond in the middle of the restaurant with tables around it. So they placed our order in the water, and we had to maneuver the boat to our table. I thought that was such a neat thing! I decided that when I open this "experience," I would use that same concept except using ice cream and call the diner Ice Cream Floats!

 

"Becoming accredited is a great way to broaden your skills while proving that you have reached a high level of expertise in communications," she says. "And many times, employers will even pay for you to become accredited."

Davidson explains that becoming accredited is not necessarily easy, but well worth it. "I had trouble with one of the sections in the written exam, but thankfully, you don't have to retake the entire test, just the part that you didn't pass." She was also thankful that she was able to go through the accreditation process at her own pace. As she says, "life happened" on the road to becoming accredited - including facing health issues and getting married.

Davidson, president of her own writing and consulting firm, WaxCreative, has noticed a positive difference in the way she's received now that she's accredited. "When I send my resume to potential employers, they usually call me right away. I have a strong resume, but having those three letters after my name has taken it to the next level," she says.

A recent IABC survey revealed that ABCs, employers and clients say accredited business communicators add value to their organizations and clients by practicing strategic communications management and that for many, the accreditation program was the gateway to learning and reinforcing the practice of strategic communications.

Davidson encourages other IABC members to take the accreditation plunge and has some advice. "Be persistent," she says. "Being accredited is a great way to distinguish yourself, but it takes commitment. If it were easy, everyone would do it." Becoming accredited is a designation only about five percent of IABC's 12,000-plus members achieve.

Beth Stambaugh, ABC, is our chapter's Accreditation chair. If you have five years or more communications experience and are interested in becoming accredited, contact Beth at beth@writesourcecommunications.com. For information about the process, go to the IABC web site.

Members of the IABC First Coast Board attended the IABC Leadership Institute recently in Orlando.

They met communications professionals from all over the world and brought back ideas that will benefit our chapter.