By Mary Owen
Entrepreneur Nicole Miller has come a long way since she started her own business in public relations nine years ago.
On May 1, Miller moved her business, Word’s Out PR, from her home office to its new headquarters at 617 N. Second St. in Stayton, a location she considers central to all her business needs.
“This is the perfect business move at just the right time,” Miller said. “I’m excited about how central this office is to all of the local resources.
“I’m looking forward to becoming more connected with the chamber members, the new Young Professionals group, and the nearby businesses. I have normally served clients outside the area who need national PR campaigns, or clients in the Salem or Portland areas who need statewide PR campaigns. I look forward to being more accessible to the local community, as well.”
Six years ago, Miller served on the management team of GROW, an organization she credits with helping her grow her public relations business. She also chaired the group’s fundraising committee.
“During my time with GROW, I had that ‘aha’ moment in which I understood their suggest formula for a successful business: getting the right management structure established with passionate, competent people behind the financial, marketing and service legs of the business,” Miller said.
Based in Mill City, GROW-EDC is a nonprofit organization committed to leveraging grassroots resources and helping businesses grow in the string of small towns from Aumsville to Idanha. Formerly known as the North Santiam Canyon Economic Development Corp., GROW offers free, confidential, one-on-one business coaching to any entrepreneur in the area who wants to open, expand or improve a business.
“Sometimes aspiring entrepreneurs think we only help people who want to start a business,” said Allison McKenzie, GROW’s executive director and entrepreneurial coach.
“Of the 320-plus people we have helped in the past five years, about one-third of those folks started a business in some fashion, but many others had an existing business that needed a little or a lot of help. We routinely help long-term entrepreneurs buy or sell a business, refocus their product offerings, retool their marketing materials, upgrade their financial systems, find staff or solve a pressing problem.
“Sometimes business owners just want someone to check their thinking, and we are happy to provide that help.”
GROW assisted Miller in finding the help she needed for her business, freeing her to do more of what she loved: the actual implementation of public relations services.
Business is steadily growing, Miller said.
“I currently have proposals and contracts out with six different potential clients, ranging from construction firms to surgeons. I will need to hire people who are skilled writers as independent contractors,” she said. Miller a 2001 graduate of the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communications, enjoys helping clients through Word’s Out PR.
“The most rewarding aspect of being involved in public relations is helping to share my clients’ incredible stories that might otherwise not be known,” she said.
“Throughout the years, I’ve gone to GROW to help me navigate complex issues that sometimes involved both my business and my role as a wife and mother,” Miller said. She lives in Gates with her two daughters, Julie, 9, Noelle, 5, and her husband, Todd Miller, superintendent of the Santiam Canyon School District.
“Part of the help I got from Allison was navigating that journey while making choices about work, life balance.”
Miller continues to incorporate GROW’s guidance by attending workshops as well as one-on-one consulting sessions.
“I consider Allison my mentor, so I go to her for everything from opening this new office to client-related questions,” she said. “I have been able to consult with Allison on anything from service pricing to how to handle sticky client situations.”
McKenzie considers Miller’s story a familiar one for many entrepreneurs, particularly women.
“In any microbusiness, the personal life of the business owner greatly impacts his or her professional life,” McKenzie said. “Figuring out how to build a business while juggling family priorities can be tricky. A new baby, caring for elderly parents, a spouse who becomes suddenly unemployed, ill or takes a new job, and the changing needs of children as they grow and develop all requires flexibility and imagination from the entrepreneur. Sometimes the business has to take a backseat for a while, though with Nicole, that has never been for long.”
McKenzie said Miller’s story is a great example of how GROW’s principles create results.
“We have a large network of volunteers throughout our community as well as out-of-area resources that will help them most,” she said of GROW’s offerings.
To further help owners handle business demands, GROW-EDC initiated Small Steps, Big Results, an ongoing monthly drop-in class that provides a fun and engaging environment to bring together like-minded individuals. The next class is 8-10 a.m. Monday, June 2 at Trexler Farm on Ferry Road, just east of Stayton.
“It’s free and open to anyone in our area who is an existing or aspiring business owner, or has a nonprofit or other project to work on,” McKenzie said.
New to GROW is the Young Professionals Meet-Up for entrepreneurs age 40 and younger. It’s a chance to meet with key private/public employees and civic leaders.
“We see growing energy among this age group, and a sincere desire to connect with each other to improve their businesses, careers and communities – and have some fun doing it,” McKenzie said. “These are up-and-coming business and community leaders, but they haven’t had a forum to speak together with one voice or come together to network with and learn from each other.
“Our hope is that making connections between folks in this age group will inspire larger projects region-wide, further anchor the investment these young people have made in our communities, and provide an active forum for them to do business their way while bringing a fresh perspective to economic development in our area.”
The first Young Professionals gathering will be Thursday, June 5, 8-9:30 a.m. at Trexler Farm. The meet-up is open to any young professional, 40 or under, who lives or works in GROW’s service area, from Aumsville to Scio to Marion Forks.
“We are currently researching some special, region-wide projects that we hope will provide another layer of positive economic growth in the area and bring more support and encouragement to our local businesses and communities, all while leveraging our existing resources to new advantage,” McKenzie said.
Miller advises people who are interested in starting a business or existing proprietors who just need to vet their ideas and set a solid foundation for their business to use the GROW offerings.
“You’ve got nothing to lose,” she said.
For information on GROW-EDC, call Allison McKenzie, 503-871-5188 or email info@growsantiam.org. To reach Nicole Miller with Word’s Out PR, call 503-949-7621 or email nicole@wordsoutpr.com
