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 Sarah Znerold, president and
founder of national boutique PR firm SZPR, Inc. in Carlsbad,
California, received a Stevie Award for Best Young
Entrepreneur in the 2006 Stevie Awards for Women in
Business. Her agency was also nominated for Best
Community Involvement Program for its work for the Keep A
Breast Foundation, helping to maximize awareness of breast
cancer in young women.
Says Sarah Znerold about her Stevie Award: “I was honored
to be included in this group of inspirational women. By
opening my own business, I have had the exceptional
opportunity to live my dream, and this is only the beginning.”
When asked to say what has motivated her over the past few
years, Znerold responded: “Coming up with a big idea and
bringing it to fruition, and the adrenaline rush of landing a
highly sought-after media opportunity.” She still has
ambitions, however, including “becoming an awesome surfer,” or
of one day hosting her own cooking or entertainment show.
But the most important motive for Znerold is “making a
positive impact on the lives of others.”
So what did The Stevies judges see about Sarah Znerold and
her company that was so special?
Following a Dream
In 2002, at the age
of 25, Znerold decided to follow her heart and left the
security of a full-time job at a well-known PR agency to found
her own company, SZPR, Inc. In four short years she had
grown her business into one of the top ten PR firms in San
Diego, according to the 2007 San Diego Business
Journal report.
Znerold has now built a successful team of fifteen talented professionals, increased her client base by over 200 percent, and garnered nationally recognized clients such as Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Hilton San Diego Hotels, and San Diego Restaurant Week.
Sarah and her team have successfully placed feature stories for clients in top business and consumer media, including Business Week, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Travel & Leisure, Self, Allure, Elle, Glamour, the LA Times, MTV, and more. She has partnered with organizations as varied as Apple, Adobe, the San Diego Zoo, Palm Inc., Nintendo, the San Diego Padres, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and many more.
Helping the Community
SZPR has also helped the nonprofit Keep A Breast significantly expand outreach to its target audience by developing a comprehensive PR and marketing campaign and executing major special events. SZPR’s efforts have contributed to the generation of nearly $100,000 for the foundation.
SZPR continues to be highly active in the nonprofit community and has donated many man-hours in pro-bono services not just to Keep A Breast but also to BRAVO San Diego, Oceanside Museum of Art, Eco-Life Foundation, and several others. Znerold and her company are happy to provide these charitable organizations with the resources to secure invaluable public awareness and support.
Balancing Life and Work
From the start, Znerold has been responsible for all aspects of the company’s development, including strategic growth planning, human resources, client acquisition, and financial success.
SZPR’s revenues grew exponentially in its first four years. Znerold has been the company’s inspired rainmaker, single-handedly bringing in more than 90 percent of all the new business for her company. Znerold’s knack for assessing a new client’s needs has helped her agency “hit the ground running” and generate results quickly on several occasions.
On a personal level, however, her colleagues can attest that she is a supportive, compassionate, and communicative manager who cares deeply for her staff and her clients. She strives not only to deliver a high standard of service, but also to be a truly inspirational leader.
Though not always conducive with the high demands of the PR industry, Znerold is a big proponent of encouraging employee life/work balance. She is contagiously upbeat and believes in making time for fun, which has included organizing staff surfing lessons and wine-tasting excursions.
According to Znerold, the company’s success can in large part be attributed to its flexible work hours, which allow maximum flexibility for employees while getting results. Znerold actively encourages the executives at SZPR to capitalize on their unique strengths by providing them with numerous opportunities for career growth and mentoring junior staff. Znerold also believes that employees should be allowed to work on the type of accounts in which they are personally interested, giving them more motivation to produce high-quality results.
Industry Recognition
Znerold’s leadership talents, coupled with her creativity and out-of-the-box thinking in the public relations industry, have led to recognition not just by the Stevie Awards but also by the PRSA Bernay Awards, MarCom Awards, Print Communicator Awards, San Diego Metropolitan Magazine’s “40 under 40” Awards, YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry Awards, and 944 Magazine’s “10 Movers and Shakers Under 30.”
About SZPR
Founded in 2002, SZPR’s mission is to create fresh and insightful public relations campaigns that help clients successfully stand out in a cluttered marketplace. Producing creative and distinctive campaigns to connect with target demographics, success is a vision that begins with the goals of a client. SZPR will take it from there—providing media relations, special events, and online marketing services to meet business objectives with fast results. For more information go to www.szpr.com |
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