2021 WEB AWARD FOR
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
in Web Development for Métis Crossing.
Staff
Christina & Peter Pilarski • December 11, 2020
In this episode, we talk about the more challenging part of running a business which is staff.
We are Christina and Peter Pilarski founders and leaders of CIPR Communications.
Moving past the ‘I can do it all’ philosophy
Growing up Peter saw first-hand what it took to run a business. His dad was a successful entrepreneur who was an efficient hands-on person who sometimes experienced the frustration that came along with owning a business and managing staff who were sometimes not as experienced and skilled in his trade as he was.
But it's literally impossible to grow a digital marketing business by yourself unless your goal is to of course have a one-person business, but that’s not our goal in our business. We needed staff and Peter was aware of this fact quite early on. Christina on the other hand needed a little bit more persuasion to hire staff as she is naturally independent. It took her a while to realize that she was now running a business, a business that was growing and it was something that needed to be done - we needed staff who we could depend on.
The first time we started interviewing people, we felt proud that so many people wanted to join our company but for Christina, it was also challenging to internalize the process as she still felt unsure as to what it was she was actually looking for (which looking back was probably not the right approach to start with).

We now we have a better framework when it comes to hiring, what position we need, and when we need to hire, etc. but in the beginning, it was a different story where we felt we had to rush to get someone on board to help us when we felt we were just too busy.
Looking for the right person
The interview process is interesting because everyone talks a great game in their interview – and who wouldn’t? People usually will tell you things that they think you would want to hear. Peter is a trusting person and is a people’s person and wants to like everyone, but there has to be a point of differentiation between one candidate and the next, and that’s the really tough part.
So, for our communications, marketing, and public relations company, we’re about people at the end of the day. We ended up hiring two people after looking for only one, but that was definitely the right move. We had enough revenue and work to sustain two people.
What we would have done differently
Our advice to you is to start earlier. When do you hire, there are two ways to do it: at the last possible minute to maximize revenue and profit or proactively so that you can continue to provide the service that your clients expect and it gives you time to do the proper training.
Think carefully about what your business needs in terms of skillset; you could even create a picture prior to the interview of your ideal candidate and then test people in an interview against the example of your ideal candidate. You’re never going to ever get a perfect match but it's good preparation in terms of establishing what you need - simply being too busy and needing help is not good enough.

As a service company hiring late is a really dangerous thing to do because you end up getting too busy as you’re trying to keep clients happy and at the same time train staff and it ends up being a recipe for disaster. The benefits of hiring faster or from part-time to full time will be worth it in the long run because it helps you accelerate faster in terms of growth.
It’s also important to take note of the growth of your business and hire before your business starts to grow too quickly. If you have an HR process that is streamlined it makes the interview process flow almost seamlessly. Take your time and don’t jump the gun and hire too quickly. From our experience having recently hired someone, it took a couple of interviews before we could say we knew for certain that we had found the perfect match to manage our digital marketing. The timing was perfect, there was a similar cultural fit and she had enough time to grow into the role rather than just throwing her into the deep end and hoping she could swim. If you hire too late, you’re setting up your new hires for failure which is not good for you or your clients and not good for your staff.
As challenging as it can be at times, your staff are a valuable part of your business and is a necessary step if you want your business to keep growing.
CIPR Communications, Certified Flourishing Coaching and Rumble Boxing Studio have teamed up to participate in the Canadian Mental Health Association's Energize Don't Hide event. CALGARY, AB, April 28, 2022 /CNW/ - Calgary businesses CIPR Communications, Certified Flourishing Coaching and Rumble Boxing Studio have teamed up to participate in the Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA Calgary) Energize Don't Hide event to raise awareness about mental health, build connection and community, and fundraise for the ongoing delivery and expansion of CHMA Calgary programs. These local companies are committed to helping the Canadian Mental Health Association's Energize Don't Hide Calgary campaign and are encouraging other businesses to participate through incentives and prizes. The first two businesses that contact Peter Pilarski ( peter@ciprcommunications.com ) to join Energize Don't Hide as a result of this challenge will receive a free Digital Competitive Analysis Report from CIPR Communications. Certified Flourishing Coaching will also provide complimentary Life Coach Training and Certification to the first individual or solopreneur who contacts Abe Brown ( abe@momentumcoach.ca ) to sign up a team. Additionally, Rumble Boxing Studio has agreed to provide $100 Personal Training Gift Certificates for a First Free Session, a Free Heavy Bag Class and Complimentary Group Bookings to all companies that participate in Energize Don't Hide. "We know that physical activity and a sense of belonging to a community can help to improve mental health," said CIPR Communications Vice President Peter Pilarski. "We wanted to take advantage of Energize Don't Hide Calgary to bring local businesses together to raise awareness, lift our collective spirits, raise some money for CHMA Calgary and have some fun while we are at it." In addition to challenging other businesses and individuals to participate in Energize Don't Hide, CIPR Communications invites registered teams to join their team every Friday for a weekly group training or outdoor fitness session, starting with a private group heavy bag session at Rumble Boxing Studio 17 AVE on Friday, May 6th at 1:30 PM. Interested participants can email peter@ciprcommunications.com to take part. "We are thrilled to host the CIPR Communications Team and anyone who joins them at Rumble Boxing Studio on May 6th," said Kealan Bailey, founding trainer at Rumble Boxing Studio. "While getting any kind of exercise is great for mental health, participating in group fitness adds a sense of community that enhances the experience and punching a heavy bag has many therapeutic benefits." Energize Don't Hide runs from May 2 to June 30. During this time participants are challenged to complete 3,300 minutes of activity and teams are challenged to complete 33,000 minutes of activity while raising money for CHMA Calgary's mental health programs. For more information, visit the Energize Don't Hide website. About Certified Flourishing Coaching The Certified Flourishing Coach Model™ is evidence-based and practitioner focused, meaning that it is based on science and psychology. "Evidence-based" describes an approach to medicine, education, and other disciplines that emphasizes the practical application of the findings of the best available current research. Essentially, it means that a concept or practice is supported by a large amount of scientific research. So, when we describe the Flourishing Coaching Model™ as evidence-based, we mean that we are taking the best available current research around people, change, and specifically how people flourish, and practically applying it with a coaching lens. About Rumble Boxing Studio Rumble offers a one-of-a-kind badass fitness experience, with a fight club meets nightclub vibe. We bring together a high-intensity boxing workout with the powerful platform of group fitness. We are more than just fitness; we are a community. All experience levels are welcome.
Pilarski was named to Entrepreneurs Herald’s Top 30 Entrepreneurs to Look Out For in 2022 List
New Approach to Public Relations Pricing In 2022
Google MUM Update
Core Web Vitals: What it Means and How to Measure Them On Your Website While we saw some important changes in 2021 and we expect to see more over the course of 2022, the tried-and-true digital marketing practices that have worked in the past will continue to serve you well into the future. Provide a great user experience on your website pages Back in May 2021, Google introduced its Core Web Vitals update, which rolled out over the summer months. This update is all about improving page experience signals that measure how users perceive the experience of interacting with a web page. At the end of the day, Google is looking to provide the best answers to people’s questions while at the same time providing a great user experience – in its essence, it really is that simple. Simple as it may be, however, it’s not always that easy to achieve!
What are the Benefits of a Landing Page? Landing pages provide a vital touchpoint with you and potential customers, serving as the initial brand interaction through engaging content with an opportunity to generate a lead through a form fill. Here are some key benefits to creating an audience-specific landing page for your next marketing campaign: - Generate leads and conversions - Provide valuable insights into your target audience(s) - Help grow your newsletter subscriber list - They support your business goals through measurable metrics - Increase brand value What types of content does a landing page offer? A good landing page should have a clear message, nurture leads with appropriate content, and the most important, have a call-to-action awareness or consideration form. Here are a few types of content offers you can add to your landing page to convert users into leads: eBooks and whitepapers Event Registration and Webinars Email Newsletter subscriptions Free trials As you begin exploring a landing page for your business, there are a few additional things to consider. Don’t distract your user from the end goal. Limit any unnecessary content that would shift focus from filling your form out. And most importantly, think about how valuable your offer is. The more valuable, the more engaging it will be for the user. Want to take your marketing campaign to the next level? Book a meeting with one our experts today.
November 2021 Newsletter
CIPR Communications Wins Two Web Marketing Association WebAwards in 2021. For Website Development in Collaboration with Indigenous Clients in the Tourism Sector
Web development is perhaps the central point of any long-term digital marketing strategy. Read this introduction to all you need to know about web design.
Website quality audits are useful, data-driven tools that help you to assess and improve your website’s performance. Learn more about them here.
