We here at PRNEWS.IO continue to work on our project “Her PR Journey,” publishing interviews with amazing women in PR. Today, we are delighted to introduce Alisha Jeppar, an expert in PR and a successful entrepreneur. She is the founder of Topcity Official and Topcity Arabia, and the owner of Topcity Media Group. Recognized as one of the top 100 women in Ukraine, Alisha has an impressive track record in PR and business.
Meet Emma Sargsyan as she interviews Alisha Jeppar to learn more about her journey, insights, and experiences in thefield of Public Relations.
Alisha Jeppar: Empowering Women in PR and Business Globally
1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and share about your professional experience in the field of Public Relations?
My experience in PR intersects with entrepreneurial experience, it is especially noted by clients of my company when we talk about the development of their business. My business case: beauty salon InZir, online clothing store of stars, international beauty pageant Miss Fashion Universe (the first official beauty pageant held in Dubai), Topcity magazine, a network of talent schools for children Top Kids (12 branches throughout Ukraine), business mentorship in the German foundation KWB, PR company Topcity. Case of PR & media company for the last 2 years (exactly as long as the PR department exists): opening of Topcity magazine in Europe (previously was only in Ukraine), new distribution in Saudi Arabia, establishing distribution in Bulgaria and Turkey, work with personal brand (top people, clients from the U.S. mainly), partnership and work on covers with Top media from all over the world among them Forbes, Elle, Vogue, Glamour, Lofficiel, Haspers Bazaar and many others. Partnership with the world’s leading prestigious beauty pageants, among them: Mrs. Universe, Miss Universe, Mrs. Globe, Miss Universe World International, Miss World International, Miss United Nations and others. Also with TV channels in the USA, France, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. Fashion weeks in 7 countries, conferences in the Middle East. Cooperation with the Cannes Festival, AmFar, Golden Globe, Wiba awards, and others. We are partners in outdoor advertising in 8 countries, including Times Square. This year, Topcity Media Group published its first book: Self-coach. We are now open to working on larger projects with brands.
2. As one of the most successful businesswomen in Ukraine, what is your opinion on the role of women in the Public Relations industry? Have you faced any challenges as a woman in this field?
Yes, of course. PR is first and foremost a business. In every business, you face several issues where you need to show stress resistance, and determination. Sometimes you forget that you are a woman and leave your emotions and personal issues out of the work process, and sometimes, when it comes to a creative approach, on the contrary, include women’s creative energy.
3. Your company Topcity MediaGroup is involved in PR communications, event organization, etc. What services do you offer, and what are some of your most successful projects?
We do anything that will help the brand in any way. From organizing events, placing articles in media sources, placing on the covers of our clients, organizing sponsorship in the top media events, promoting our clients on TV, writing custom books, creating info occasions, and collaborations …. We cooperate with production companies in several countries around the world. From new services – the release of our brand under the celebrities. From clothing line to cosmetic brand. We have many successful cases. We managed to promote the placement of our clients on the cover of Forbes; we were the first to hold an international beauty pageant in Dubai; all the heroes on the cover of Topcity were placed on a billboard in Times Square; this year we are preparing our innovative brand of cosmetics; we received the directorship Mrs. Universe and are now preparing our winner to represent the U.S. at the world competition.
4. How do you evaluate the importance of publications and media appearances as a PR tool? What advice would you give for working effectively with the media?
Manifestation in the media is a huge tool of information impact on society. It forms the image of the brand, if the media resource is used correctly, and the flow of potential customers. But for effectiveness, it is better to cooperate with professional PR companies that know how to use this tool to the maximum and correctly. In brief, it is not only about a correctly composed article but also correctly selected media, the subtleties of using certain speech turns and links, which also need to be used correctly. Some media work for a certain audience and the product is not so effective. And you can check it on your own experience. 6a you can simply cooperate with professionals and save your budget.
5. In the modern world, social media plays an increasingly important role in PR strategies. What is your opinion on this matter?
Absolutely. And the best ones will gain momentum. Good media have their communities. And nowadays, community is not only an opportunity to enter a new market for a potential brand but also a tool of influence and monetization. What do I mean by influence tool? When a certain audience has won the attention of a new brand, this audience becomes a tool of influence for another audience that is not yet involved in the brand.
Also taking into account the ongoing natural disasters, the media will be a significant tool for covering vital events including.
6. Tell us more about the prestigious beauty contest you organized in Dubai and your collaboration with the Armani brand.
If my memory serves me correctly, 2016. I register the trademark Miss Fashion Universe and dream of my first international and bright project. Do you remember what the Emirates were like then? Quite closed, not like now. And I, due to my ambition (excessive, it must be admitted at that time and in that situation), decided to hold the first contest there: the most prestigious country that everyone dreamed of then! But it should be noted that when my son was very small, I could not go abroad, but this was not the only obstacle. I am faced with the fact that it is simply impossible to officially hold a competition in Dubai. A ban at the legislative level even on going out in swimsuits, and if you hold an event with participants on stage even without swimsuits, then you need to get special approval for each, which makes the competition expensive and almost impossible to hold. Working day and night for 4 months on the project, I still find a way to carry it out… It turned out that if there is a hotel that has already acquired such a certificate, then holding a tender on its behalf resolves this issue. I note that now everything is much simpler! But)) At that time, not all hotels had such a permit, but only the top. I had to solve the issue in a very difficult way) But everything worked out. The next stage was uniqueness, which I like to create in my projects. I had to work hard, but I managed to attract Armani Hotel Dubai to cooperate. And there they have already connected a culinary master class from the chef Armani and Armani Flowers as a partner. To be honest, one of the most difficult experiences.
7. You mentioned that you worked as a business mentor in Germany. What was your mission, and what experience did you gain?
My aim as a business mentor was to train the flow of my mentees (women from Ukraine who dreamed of starting their own business but did not know how). We met with them at coffee lunches, I first worked with them to identify their talents and desires for the upcoming business, then determined the resource for one of the types of potential business and in the third stage began to build the nearest strategy and proceeded to the first steps. The experience, to be honest, is not easy. Since some of them were in very strong resistance and squeezed all the strength out of me. As you know, it was an initiative on an almost free basis, we have blocked only travel tickets, if I may say so. But among the mentees, there were those whose eyes were burning with the desire to achieve their goal, and they were my inspiration. Out of 5, one person retreated. I think this is a personal choice and probably the norm. But it is important that 4 out of 5 got their first business, and it warmed my soul.
8. You have a diverse professional experience – from organizing events to working in political PR, to social projects. What are the biggest challenges in these different spheres?
Every project is unique. Even if you have already done similar work, a new project will still bring with it new experiences, new obstacles, or situations. Because in working on absolutely any project, whether it is a social or political, charitable or fashion event, there will be a human factor. People (customers and partners) manifest themselves in different ways, and give different requests and each requires a unique approach. I was in political PR, not for a long time, but it is more difficult. Nothing will work there without the cohesive work of the team. Political PR is not only personal brand development skills, but also neuromarketing, psychology, NLP, and even, to be honest, a lot of manipulative techniques – why I did not work in this area for a long time. But at the same time, this is a very high level of work. The other areas that have been mentioned are broadly identical. Standard skills with a more or less professional approach are enough to achieve the goal of the project. But you still need to take into account the initial data. With the similarity of projects and even the experience of achieving a similar or identical goal, the approach may change depending on the initial data. And as a rule, such correction gives the very effect of individuality
9. You recently published a book on self-improvement. What inspired you to write it and what is the main idea behind it?
My philosophy of life is that the more successful people are, the better for the world. The better it develops, the more work we have. I come from an ordinary family and have faced many difficulties in life. I know how difficult it is to get on my feet, but I am grateful for my life experience, he made me what I am now. And thanks to my work, I had the experience of working with several top coaches. I noted important points for myself and always wanted to share them because not everyone has such an opportunity. I have identified some important points for myself: let’s say important questions that are markers of a particular situation. In my book, I shared them and other knowledge that helped me achieve my first goals without having anything behind me. As always, I worked out the uniqueness of my product)) The book is captivating, I’m glad about it. The first feedback is your book is a real inspiration. And if so, my goal of writing it is achieved!
10. What advice would you give to women who want to start their own business or career in the field of PR?
I think for this you need to realize that each time the work will be with different people (different mentalities, languages, and characters). PR is already for ambitious people who have already reached certain heights, so be prepared for anything))) I’m not kidding now)) You will have to work 24/7 because your client may be from the time zone minus 9 hours, and the media contractor plus 6 hours .. Do you understand? And the project needs to be worked out in 5 days, for example.. 24/7 – was not a joke)) In addition, you will constantly need to develop a base of media contractors, follow the news of the advertising market, develop social networks, and develop your business as a whole – go into partnership and have time to do all this. I communicate with 90% of my clients directly without managers! My knowledge of 5 languages and other skills help me here. It must be remembered that clients in the PR industry are very capricious and will not tolerate amateurs. Therefore, at the very beginning, it is especially difficult. After all, you make mistakes one way or another, and customers do not forgive this. Therefore, it would not be superfluous to first practice in another company and only then open your own. Languages and psychology will also not become superfluous skills. Well, and creativity. I am a former singer and musician who appreciated the importance of a producer in the team (which I did not have). Therefore, knowing the kitchen from the inside also gives its zest, as well as personal experience in your business. After all, if you know how to develop your business, you can help other businesses)
Thank you in advance for your answers! I wish you success in your future endeavors.
