Julie Talenfeld is the President & CEO of the award-winning BoardroomPR, She has extensive experience in public relations, social and digital media marketing, and reputational management – leading assignments for major corporations, non-profits, and family businesses around Florida and nationally.
Favorite quote: Just do it!
Fun fact: When I was little, I would chase firetrucks and policemen with my friends desperate to know what was happening. Even as a little girl, I’ve always been a news junkie. My father was a CBS News correspondent and I loved watching him on the evening news.
How do you unwind after a long day of work? I don’t! I am 24/7, day or night, always working. As working is my passion, so it doesn’t feel like work.
What challenges have you faced in your career, and how did you overcome them? When my first husband passed away in a scuba diving accident, I was left with two young children to take care of and a business to run. I went through terrible grief, and Boardroom became my refuge. I would work all day, then go home and help coach their sports teams. It was the most challenging time in my life, but I like to think that the business saved me. I poured myself into it to escape my tragic loss.
What has been the most monumental moment of your career thus far? When I was in my early 20s, the New York-based investment banking firm worked for was filing for bankruptcy. They made me a deal: I could take the firm’s public relations division I created and run with it. That’s how, at 25 years old, I turned around an adverse situation and became the president of BoardroomPR. It’s amazing to see how we’ve grown; what started as just me inheriting a blank canvas has become a six-office, 18+ employee operation. I couldn’t be prouder of my agency and amazing team!
Who are your role models? My mother, Joan Karp, is my biggest inspiration. She taught me to never take no for an answer, and that “can’t” is a bad word. She is fearless and I am so proud to be her daughter.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? Pick up the phone! Texting and emailing is not enough. In order to foster close relationships or even just to follow up with someone, you need to pick up the phone.
What advice would you give a young woman at the start of her career? Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change.
How does being a woman has impacted your career? I really love being a woman and have always seen it as a strength rather than a weakness. I embrace my femininity and I don’t try to “lead like a man.” I have always felt that women can be just as strong, powerful, and successful as our male counterparts, and that we should lift up other young woman with us along the way.
