What Dan Edelman and I have in common

What does the man who set the stage for public relations in Chicago and a DePaul student from a suburban West Michigan town have in common? They both started their Windy City careers in women's products but craved something more meaningful and adventurous. 

Dan Edelman and I had similar starts for our Chicago careers in public relations and communications. Dan, however, was a 28-year-old New Yorker who had some experience in the field before coming to Chicago. I was a keen 18-year-old student, hungry for the PR industry. He moved to Chicago after leaving Gottlieb and Associates to work directly for Toni's line of home permanents, but Dan's dream wasn't to work on women's hair care campaigns. He wanted something more. Something bigger. 

In Franz Wisner's Edelman and the Rise of Public Relations, the author describes Dan's feelings about his career at the time. "He loved public relations but didn't want to spend the rest of his life promoting hair products. He began to stir and dream. 'Even a good thing can get tiresome,' he once said." Like most young professionals, Dan sought the advice of his father on his plan to open his own business. Dan’s father supported his decision to open his own firm, but suggested he be patient and learn all that he could in his current position. A year later, in 1952, Dan left Gottlieb and opened Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., which would one day become the world’s largest PR firm.

Like Dan, I also promoted and created marketing campaigns for women's products. I landed my first big city job as a marketing intern for a start-up jewelry company called Greek with Envy with sister company Envy Designs Chicago. The two small companies offered custom, handmade jewelry for sorority women as well as a fashion jewelry line. Aside from learning about public relations and advertising in my DePaul classes, this was my first real taste of the industry. I created social media campaigns, dramatically boosted the companies' following online, established relationships with fashion bloggers, and generated monthly promotions and giveaways. 

After being with the company for almost two years, I was yearning for something bigger. I was so grateful for the skills and experience I had gained at the start-up, but I was quickly outgrowing the position and was ready to take on more responsibility. I too looked to my parents for career advice. Their advice was simple: If you have a dream, get up and chase it. Shortly thereafter, I was offered an internship at the Chicago Loop Alliance where I am currently assisting the company in re-branding the their public image with a new strategic plan, a consumer-facing website, and engaging marketing campaigns. I'm thrilled in my current position at CLA and I truly believe it will expand my skill set and submerge me even more into the communications world. 

Before I started reading Edelman and the Rise of Public Relations, I didn't think Dan and I would have much in common. To my surprise, however, I find us both to be fierce, passionate, and spirited individuals with a hunger that will never subside for public relations. We weren't completely happy where we were, so we set out on a more momentous journey.

Carly Petertyl is in her third year at DePaul University majoring in public relations and advertising and minoring in history of art and architecture. She is the creative mind behind the lighthearted preppy blog Chicago Prepster. She also holds the titles of Executive Board Secretary for the DePaul chapter of the Chi Omega Fraternity, VP of Program Development for DePaul IABC, and Project Intern for the Chicago Loop Alliance.

Carly Petertyl
carlinpetertyl@gmail.com
@chicagoprepster