Durée Ross is president and founder of Durée & Company, Inc., an award-winning full-service public relations and marketing firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale and Aspen. Serving the corporate, agency and nonprofit arenas, she paves the way for future generations of PR professionals in South Florida and beyond.

Favorite quote: It’s always better to under promise and over deliver.

Fun fact: I have never had a cup of coffee in my entire life!

How do you unwind after a long day of work? In Aspen, I love to go hiking and biking. In South Florida, I enjoy watching my daughter dance either on stage or after dance class.

What challenges have you faced in your career, and how did you overcome them? Starting my company at the age of 24, I was young and nervous that I wouldn’t be taken seriously. I was afraid to use my signature pink in our logo for fear people would not want to work with us or take us seriously. Needless to say, I changed my mind pretty quickly and embraced the pink as part of our branding. We think pink all day long!

What has been the most monumental moment of your career thus far? Buying our first office space almost eight years ago. Two years later, I bought the office next door and combined them together.

Who are your role models? ALL working mothers inspire me. Big shout out to all the female founder/entrepreneurs because it’s not easy.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? Go big or stay home.

What advice would you give a young woman at the start of her career? Always go above and beyond and do more than is asked of you.

How does being a woman has impacted your career? Public Relations is comprised of mostly women because it’s such a fantastic profession for women. It’s been extremely rewarding for me to work with and learn from so many other women throughout my career that I respect and admire. I can’t imagine doing anything else but PR and marketing!