Ola Danilina pivoted from working in venture capital to founding PMBC Group where she is the CEO and active advisor for a roster of technology companies regarding their marketing and communications needs. PMBC Group is a leading technology PR firm based in Los Angeles, servicing clients across the globe. PMBC acts as an extension of their clients team to develop and execute campaigns designed to drive sales, attract investment and establish strategic partnerships. PMBC’s areas of expertise include: Apps, Mobile Payments, Ad Tech, FinTech, Consumer Electronics and more.
What’s most exciting to you at this point in your career?
I love watching our staff advance in their careers. I have some of my original staff rise from entry level positions up to management levels and it is truly rewarding watching them grow.
Give me an example of when you inspired people with a vision.
When we just started PMBC, I had a vision of a new, more efficient PR formula. The formula would deliver actual quantifiable results to technology startups. It was hard to convince my newly recruited staff that this new formula will work, as they were coming in with decades of PR experience from other firms. But after performing a few test runs on our new clients, everyone was convinced that this is the new way of Technology PR.
How would you describe your leadership philosophy?
I lead by example. I am not afraid of delegating, and do not micromanage.
Tell me about how you’ve scaled. What was a defining moment or decision you made that put you that path to growth? In other words, how did you get your organization to where it’s at today, and what role have you played in that growth?
PMBC was able to gain momentum by everybody working hard towards the same goal. We had many ups and downs, but we solved all the problems together as a team. I was in the trenches with the team, until we reached that desirable goal.
How do you invest in yourself to increase your relevance?
I personally stay on top of latest developments in media and technology and attend many industry events.
What’s one piece of advice you have for entrepreneurs who are just starting to hire C-Level talent?
Make sure that it’s not just about the pay. You need to feel that the talent is excited to build your company with you. Also make sure that they fit well with your existing staff.
How do you attract the best and brightest?
We always put our employees first. Clients come and go, but employees are the ones who drive the business forward. We provide a true life/work balance environment at the office and constantly invest into career development.
This can be done by internal workshops, attending industry specific events, and one one one mentoring of entry level employees with our Sr. management team.
If you could go back to when you were just starting PMBC and give yourself one piece, what would you tell yourself?
If I could go back to the starting days of PMBC, I would tell myself to not get attached to a specific outcome. We took many turns and adjustments and arrived at a much better outcome then I envisioned. Setting a goal is enough. Trying to control how you get there, could be very challenging.
TruPath is an executive search firm in Phoenix that finds mid to senior level executives in mission critical roles at your organization. This interview is part of our executive interview series, where we ask CEO’s a series of questions about their leadership philosophies and practices. Contact us if you’d like to recommend a CEO to interview, or if you’re looking for a leader to join your team.