My Purposeful Journey

Leaving Home

Today was my last day at Cone, the agency I founded 29 years and 9 months ago. So many memories, friends, clients, programs created with such lasting impact on program receipients, company employees, social issues. But most of all it seems I nurtured many, many professionals who just blossomed before my very eyes. 

The comments I got from close friends, former and current employees, clients and even folks I didnt know well, touched me deeply.  Often it is hard to comprehend the impacts of decades of work, but the personal messages meant so much to me.

Anne Erhard, a vice-president at Cone sent me the most wonderful email. So I asked if I could share it, as it speaks so well to the subject of purpose work:

..... "here is just a few of the things I have learned from you that I am thankful for. There is more for sure, and I know there will be more to come!

Massively consume media!

My first meeting with you, you drilled into my head that I needed to keep reading at least 3 newspapers+++. I wish I could say I find the time every day to consume as much media as I want, but I do know that when I do, I am smarter, better prepared, quicker on my feet, and much more creative. Thank you.

Fearlessness and fun in presenting!

The first time I really formally presented to a client was an entire leadership team including board members at AHA. I was soooo nervous. At breakfast, we were making small talk while I am rehearsing in my head, trying desperately to stop shaking. This is when you say, “this is a really important group…you are ready right? Did you prepare? You’re not nervous are you?” I thought OMG, not only do I need to impress them but I need to do it in front of Carol Cone! I think I did a decent job that day; and following that day, I studied your presentation skills – not to replicate them, but to see how comfortable you were in your own skin and how you made each presentation your own – I always say, you are like an actress up there! I will never live up to your incredible theatrics – but I do try to instill fun, smiles, examples/stories, and going beyond the slides. Thank you.

Passion is contagious!

You have loved what you do, every single day. And when you talk about our work, everyone around you knows how important it is, how smart it is, and how much they want to be a part of it. I have tried to instill even a little bit of that passion in the work that I do with my teams, with my clients, and in my speaking. You have showed me that if you are passionate, they are much more likely to be on your side. Thank you.

Confidence is king!

Once when Kristian couldn’t make a meeting, I apologized for it and said that I was glad to be there – you told me after, never to do that. Just assume the shoes of the strategy lead and if I deliver no one would be any the wiser. I took that to heart and never did it again. I always try to fill the bigger shoes when they are laid in front of me. Thank you.

And lastly, I have to thank you for saving me from doing PR for money managers. If I were still calling the trades to pitch an institutional mutual fund, not only would I be miserable, but I would simply not be the same person that I am today. Thank you for letting me to do smart, relevant, impactful work every day since.

Please keep teaching me! "

Anne -- I will continue to teach you and others.  Of course, no longer at Cone.  But my new position, to be announced soon, will allow me to continue my purposeful journey, with new colleagues, new clients, lots of resources and on a global stage.  And of course, you and I will continue to learn through our book, Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding, that will be published this fall by John Wiley and Sons.

Thank you to all who strive to make their work purposeful.  Best -- C

 

Continuing my journey...

Effective March 31, I will be leaving Cone, LLC, the agency I founded August 1, 1980 to pursue new interests. Why?

As many of you know, last fall I followed the Dalai Lama at a conference about the power of community.  My focus was on compassion in business. Something happened there. His Holiness’ aura. His message. Following his speech I met with him. When he held my hand, looked into my eyes and smiled, I realized I had more to do.  Leaving Cone, although bittersweet, will give me the flexibility to pursue new ventures related to social issues, especially in content development and global public-private partnerships.

When I founded Cone I had a dream to create a highly innovative company doing extraordinary work.  Drafting my first client proposal, I had no idea of the journey or the eventual impact the agency would have. Almost 30 years later, I am deeply humbled by what has been created -- the expansive programs and their impact, relationships with wonderful colleagues and clients, and thought leadership that has coalesced an industry. As the world resets to pressing economic and social realities, what began as a alternative means of linking companies and causes, called cause marketing in its early days, is now an expansive approach to global corporate citizenship.  In today’s thoroughly interconnected world, a new equation for brand reputation has emerged, where organizations are judged as much by how they engage socially, as what they make and sell. This is the new normal.

I am so proud of the agency’s work over the decades. I am often asked about my favorite initiatives. They include: Rockport and Walking; the Reebok Human Rights Awards; Avon’s Breast Cancer Crusade; ConAgra Foods’ Feeding Children Better (PRWEEK’s 2001 Campaign of the Year); PNC Grow Up Great and Western Union’s Our World. Our Family (back to back CECP Global Campaigns of the Year), the American Heart Association cause movements, especially Go Red for Women and Start!; Proctor & Gamble Live, Learn and Thrive and ITT Watermark. While there were so many others, these are the ones I personally touched with my hands and heart.  Overall Cone's signature cause programs helped the firms' clients raise more than $1.2 billion for various social causes, as they contributed to forming authentic social movements.

Besides my love of brand building, Cone allowed the teacher in me to flourish. To move knowledge forward, ignite corporate support of this strategy, and guide effective collaborations, we commissioned more than two dozen research studies since 1993. The Cone/Roper Report, the industry’s first comprehensive study of consumer attitudes towards companies and causes, was so widely adopted, that I often received a conference nametag saying: Carol Cone/Roper! I am thrilled our research empowered so many individuals and organizations to convince their senior leaders at for profit and nonprofits that ‘doing good’ was good for business and society, and when done well, creates distinct competitive advantage.

In the months ahead, I will be focusing on a variety of projects. On the list is finishing my first book, Breakthrough Nonprofit Brands, along with co-authors, Jocelyne Daw, Kristian Darigan Merenda and Anne Erhard.  Published by John Wiley and Sons, it is due this September. I will be developing social issues related programming for big and small screens, will counsel new clients, industry trade groups and organizations and continue speaking to audiences around the world.

Over the past 29 years, my favorite achievements, beyond client work include: the hands on learning we created for more than 500 interns (I got my start as an intern); the Habitat for Humanity home I personally funded and built alongside my colleagues to recognize them upon Cone’s sale to Omnicom; being selected as one of two US judges for the first PR Lions competition at Cannes; my speeches at Cannes to a wonderful and engaged,  international audience, and Calgary, especially meeting  the Dalai Lama; Making Change for Katrina, the agency’s pro bono project helping victims of the devastating Gulf hurricanes; my election to the Arthur Page Society; being recognized in PRWEEK’s first ranking of the top 25 industry leaders and my Board participation with Net Impact, the international nonprofit that inspires and educates, individuals to use the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world.

My deepest thanks to all who have been part of Cone, as colleagues, clients, partners, industry and personal friends.  What a journey we had.  My best wishes to all for continued success.  And please stay in touch. 

I end with this question, as I do at all my speeches:  What do you stand for? Please think about it.  Then act. There is so much more for us to do.

As of April 1, please contact me at:  carollcone@gmail.com  or on Twitter: @carolcone