Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Frnka-Davis.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Laura. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In October of 2018, I was let go from a job that I gave everything to for almost a decade of my life: my time, my heart, my soul, my blood, my sweat, and my tears. I was nervous and apprehensive about what I would do next. With the encouragement of my husband, John, and many friends, I decided to launch my own company, LFD Communications. As a communications professional for almost 20 years in the Houston market, I always wanted to go out on my own but wasn’t expecting that this chapter would come so soon. The timing proved to be right: I had built a solid reputation for working hard and “knowing my stuff,” so off I went. Almost a year later, I find myself assisting a handful of businesses on their communications needs – everything from media relations to internal communications to writing brochures and website copy. Has it been easy? No. Working for yourself is anything but easy. You are obligated to deliver for your clients and you must be disciplined, focused, and determined. Most days are 12 hours – some are longer. But the beauty of it is no one can strip this away from me: I created it and it’s mine.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life as an entrepreneur is anything but easy. You must manage everything from the new business generation to the billable client work to issuing invoices. You also have to make time to market yourself and your capabilities. It’s important to me to always have my pipeline full of possibilities because you never know when something can happen to an existing piece of business. This mindset has forced me to network much more than I ever have. I soak up energy from being with other people, however, I’m an introvert when it comes right down to it. I know. How could a PR professional be in introvert?! (There are so many of us out there!) I’ve found myself over the past year entering some pretty uncomfortable situations with people I didn’t know. It would have been easy to turn around and leave, but I’ve learned to stick with it no matter how badly I wanted to find an escape route. It’s these times that actually have turned out to be most fruitful and have resulted in new relationships and sometimes friendships. I also work all the time … much more than I did previously and this has been an adjustment. I’ve always worked hard, but I put in a lot more hours now. My clients all have different needs and I’ve had to learn how to juggle them all.
LFD Communications – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
LFD Communications is a strategic communications agency that provides a variety of services for businesses of all kinds. Because of my background, I do a lot of work for nonprofit organizations but also assist some for-profit businesses as well. LFD Communications provides writing and editing services, media relations, and social media support. My career, which has included time at Texas Children’s Hospital, Pierpont Communications, and LifeGift, has helped me to develop transferable skills that have molded me into a communications generalist. What I love the most, however, is the practice of media relations. I love taking a story and pitching it to the media. When the stars align and I’m able to generate that earned media for my client, it’s a great feeling. Media placements in today’s environment don’t happen like they used to, so when it happens, it makes it all the sweeter.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I’ve had many moments in my career that make me proud but launching LFD Communications is probably the proudest moment. I know it’s an overused phrase, however, I like to think that I took sour lemons and turned them into sweet lemonade. Just as in cooking or baking, anything you make from scratch always tastes so much better!
My dad passed away in 2013 and I’ve missed him something fierce, but I’ve probably missed him the most this past year. He’s been in my heart and I’ve heard his voice almost every day during this journey telling me that “I’m going to be OK,” to “keep my chin up,” and “that a way!” I really wish he could see what I’ve done but I know he’s looking down and proud of his daughter for bouncing back. As my cousin would say, “we’re Frnkas. We bounce back like rubberbands.”
Pricing:
- LFD Communications provides a 30% discount for nonprofit clients
Contact Info:
- Address: 2700 Lake Olympia Pkwy.
Missouri City, Texas 77459 - Website: www.lfdcommunications.com
- Phone: 713-409-1480
- Email: laura@lfdcommunications.com
- Instagram: @lfdagency
- Facebook: facebook.com/LFDCommunications
Image Credit:
Shelly Porsch Chetty
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Catherine
October 17, 2019 at 9:22 pm
Laura is incredibly talented and I’m fortunate to have known and worked with her for years. So proud of how her hard work has paid off!