As we head into April and the final weeks before the first Radix Collective Independent PR Summit, I want to take a minute to talk about what Radix Collective is – and what it is not.
Radix Collective was founded by me, Nicole Jordan, almost five years ago. I have nearly 20 years of experience in the PR industry and studied Journalism with an emphasis in public relations in college. I have a deep love for this industry and am wholly committed to pushing the topic of communications as a crucial aspect of every facet of business.
I am also deeply passionate about helping business leaders succeed. I’ve spent my whole career doing this and now want to (in part) shift my focus to helping independents succeed. I’ve been an independent. I’ve worked with dozens of them and still do to this day. I know the problems and the pain points – and the opportunities that lie ahead for this segment in the years ahead.
But I digress…In general Radix is:
- A hybrid-type of agency that’s an alternative to traditional agencies and approaches. We are part client-service and part independent infrastructure and network.
- For the client service division, Radix works with a handful of clients (at most) at one time. For each client, I put together a swat team of talented independents who have the right experience and then WE work together to do a kick ass job for our companies. I am in the trenches day-to-day with Radix independents.
- Radix is also an ever-growing hand-curated independent network. Many independents have met each other through Radix and have collaborated on business and often share tips and ask for advice. Because this is a premiere selective group the network quality remains high.
- Radix is a professional development tool for independents in the Collective who want to get better at their craft – not just as independents – but as business This is at the core of our mission. For the most part independents are stuck approaching their business like “PR” people and they need to shift their mindset to think like the “business” people they represent. It’s a subtle difference but a very important one.
- Radix is also a bit of a cheerleader – and sometimes therapist couch – for independents in the Collective. We commiserate and swap stories and sometimes vent to work through challenges that could use some outside input to problem solve.
Those are the broad strokes. Now, let’s talk about what Radix is NOT:
- Radix is NOT an independent or freelance brokerage farm. While I understand why some people would use these networks for BD, my opinion is that most of these are structured to benefit the companies more than the independents. As is, most independents undercharge, some severely, which is a bad precedent for our industry. In these situations, many independents have to cut their rate significantly to allow for the margins that the match-making company is making, while also charging the companies. This means independents have to take on more business to make ends meet. See something wrong here? The big part of that problem is keeping pipelines full but I think there are other ways to solve that problem.
- Radix is NOT a business of taking money from independents, especially some in-perpetuity sham if passing along referrals. I know of a few “companies” who do this. They put themselves in the middle, match some independent with an agency (who will likely underpay) or a company, and then take 10-20% in perpetuity from said independent as a fee. This is outrageous and incites me to no end. That is A LOT of money for an independent to give up just for an intro and it creates the same cycle, needing more business because you’re not making enough money. Don’t get me wrong, I think there should be referral fees because introductions are valuable but they should be a win-win and not hold the independent financially captive. Radix does have a referral fee – but we’re not religious about it. We ask 10% of the first month if we pass on a perfect-fit referral and it works out. That’s it. Nothing ongoing to bilk the independent of money they earn keeping that account going – and it’s NOT a core business model.
- Radix is NOT a company that aims to be a full-blown agency. That has never been a focus. The client service division affords the opportunity to keep MarComms/PR muscles flexed, work with fun and interesting clients, and build deep meaningful relationships with independents. Operating this way affords the flexibility to focus on non-client work like putting on the Radix Collective Independent PR Summit. In general, we march to the beat of our own drum over here.
I decided to write this because I don’t want there to be any confusion about what Radix is or have its integrity questioned by people who haven’t yet taken the time to learn more about us. I hope this sheds more light and answers any potential questions for those new folks that I haven’t connected with personally. If you have questions, always feel free to contact me directly 24/7: Nicole(at)radixcollective(dot)com.
Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! See you on the flip side.