After working at a prestigious PR firm for years, Sheenah Rogers was actually encouraged by her boss and mentor to branch out on her own, and that’s exactly what she did. After founding Anstice in 2009, her company has rapidly expanded and is now considered one of Canada’s leading communication firms in today’s YEDaily…
Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell.
Principal of Anstice Communications – I run one of Canada’s leading boutique Communications firms that focuses on real estate development, hospitality and lifestyle products. I manage a team of some of the most bright and aspiring young women in the industry and represent a breed of clients who are working in and towards the “future” not the past; It’s incredibly inspiring and humbling.
Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
I started Anstice in 2009 after I was offered a VP position at a well-known PR firm based in Toronto. The owner of that PR firm was actually my mentor and encouraged me to go out on my own. Simultaneously I was being approached by a number of agencies to sub-contract on Communications work and thus decided that the time was right to jump into my own company with both feet. Anstice combines my experience in both PR and corporate marketing, which makes our offering unique.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
The best part is working with some of the country’s greatest talent. I very rarely take on projects or clients that are adverse to being “current” or are not flexible and willing to change with the times. Thus, we are very lucky to represent projects and brands and work with other agencies in retail design, branding and so on who are like-minded. Together, we do amazing things. The most challenging part is very cliché – it’s about finding balance: Balancing time to manage my team and manage clients, find new business and keep existing business, maintain a home life, see friends and family, stay fit….it all blurs together and is very stressful.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?I actually don’t see too much change. This year is interesting for me because I am starting family so for me I am ain sustaining-mode. But in 5 years I envision the company working with perhaps the same amount of clients but more diverse and growing our reach both in Canada but also outside. In order to make that vision a reality I see myself carving out a balance between being a great mother and continuing to be a successful entrepreneur, because both are equally important to me.
What does success look like to you?
Success is very personal. To me, I never feel totally satisfied or successful – I think this is what drives me, even though there may not be a firm end point in sight. I think many people define success as being monetary and status-driven but for me I’ve always defined it as being able to get up every day feeling good about myself – being able to know that I did the best that I could and surrounding myself with people who value the same things. At the end of my life it’s not going to matter if I made millions, but it will matter if I impacted millions.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
Working on the 2010 Olympic Bid was a major milestone for me professionally. It opened a lot of doors and tested my skill set at a very young age. I’ve pretty much taken everything I’ve learned during that project and applied it to the rest of my career.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
I always tell my own employees is to simply work hard and surround themselves with people who want to see them succeed. If you have ambition and you are willing to put in the time, people will notice and you will gain so much knowledge. Couple that with having a boss or mentor who sees the potential in you and utilize them.
Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
Currently I am the Co-Chair of United Way’s BeCause initiative – an initiative aimed at engaging the next generation of leaders (20 – 40 year olds) in philanthropy. This cause is very important to me because my generation is the future and I see such a lack of community giving on our part. I feel obligated to help engage my peers and be a part of how organizations like United Way are adapting to the shift in demographics.
What to you is notable?
Self-sacrifice.
Blackberry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
Blackberry.