For many small businesses in Michigan the economy has taken a toll. But for some, corporate cutbacks and downsizing have actually created a unique niche allowing them to thrive in an unlikely environment.

Lezotte Miller Public Relations

“I know a lot of people think things changed in 2008 but I think Michigan’s downturn started in 2000,” claims Barbara Lezotte, president of Lezotte Miller Public Relations. “I started focusing then on industries other than manufacturing and even began looking outside of Michigan for clients.”  That foresight is what has helped the small Okemos business, now in its fifteenth year of operation, stay afloat.

Catering mainly to associations and corporations, Lezotte says her company’s objective is simple: putting their clients out front through strategic, integrated communication. “Rather than waiting for clients to get into a communication crisis and then help them manage or react to it, we offer proactive counsel.” Lezotte says while other companies may offer some of the same services, Lezotte Miller Public Relations has a unique approach. “We give clients solid, long-range planning and guidance for reputation management, market positioning and integrated media campaigns.” They also counsel leadership teams to build strong relationships both internally and externally, and Lezotte isn’t shy about what her company brings to the table. “We’re probably one of the strongest, if not the strongest, provider of strategic communication planning.”

Lezotte Miller Inc. was founded in 1995. At the time, Lezotte was one of only a handful of nationally accredited public relations professionals in the mid-Michigan area. She admits getting business of late has required a more aggressive and broader approach but says it seems to be paying off. “We began looking outside of the state and found associations and corporations with more solid budgets and the potential for growth.”

Lezotte says the company has not only weathered the economic storm but also benefitted from it. She says outsourcing business to firms like hers allows companies to trim extra employee overhead costs. “In some cases, we provide a better fit and make more budget sense.”

Lezotte says being a female business owner in a male-dominated industry has not presented as many challenges as some might think. Instead, she says, it is the state’s tax structure that poses the biggest risk for businesses. “Being in business is a challenge,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman. The government is constantly encroaching, trying to feed off those who create jobs, take risks and invest their personal time and resources.” Lezotte offers some advice for making Michigan more business-friendly.  “The public sector needs to look harder for potential cost cuts and efficiencies, just as businesses are forced to do to survive.  We have no one to ‘tax’ when times get tough for us.”

Edge Partnerships

Another woman-owned business that seems to have found a way to escape the economic downturn is Edge Partnerships of Lansing. “When layoffs are necessary in marketing and public relations departments, it’s hard to find agencies able to step right in,” says Angela Witwer, chief operating officer of Edge Partnerships. “We’re able to move in and finish projects that need to be done.”

Angela and longtime friend Lorri Rishar Jandron left lucrative jobs in the private sector to create their own full-service public relations agency, and they have never looked back. “It was just the right time in my life,” Angela remembers. “I’m not generally a major risk-taker, but in my mind, it wasn’t a risk.” Both she and Lorri say they did their homework before venturing out. The agency, focusing on healthcare and higher education, offers marketing, advertising, branding, public relations and advocacy in creating a strategic road map for clients.

“We do tons of research in getting to know our clients,” Angela says.  “And we never hand off our clients to anyone else.  One of us is with you at all times!”  The women started with just one client back in November 2007, and today have a client list of more than 40 businesses, both in and out of Michigan.

Jandron and Witwer admit providing personal care can be time consuming but say they have been able to strike a balance in their personal lives. “I’ve always worked a ton of hours so owning my own business doesn’t really change things,” Angela says. “I love what I do and my family has been supportive of that.” And it’s the partners' personal philosophy of “family first” that they credit for much of their success. “I can’t be creative and produce in a business environment if I’m not personally fulfilled,” adds Lorri. “We want all of our employees to be productive so we give them time off when needed.” The women say that policy has created an environment where workers want to achieve. “Sometimes they just need time off to recharge their batteries.”

The ladies say being women in the industry has been a mixed blessing. “Our expertise and personalities actually open a lot of doors for us, but in corporate America, healthcare is very much dominated by older, white men.” They, too, are critical of the business climate in Michigan. “The more success you have, the more you’re penalized on the state and federal levels,” claims Lorri.

Her convictions, she says, are the result of her years of work in state government. She considers herself a small business advocate and has made advocacy part of what Edge Partnerships has to offer. The women also focus on mentoring and are both very active with women’s professional groups. “You can teach the trade of public relations to women but developing a business sense is something you won’t learn from a textbook,” Lorri says.

The women expect some expansion in the years to come. “We’re pursuing partnerships in areas that aren’t typical,” Angela explains. They already have a secondary business called Edge Events. They vow, however, to never lose sight of the personal attention which has made their company so successful. “We never want to lose sight of our mission. We always want to be available to clients, no matter how big or small.”