Women Of Influence

Back in 2009, Heather Whaling had a steady job, leading public relations and taking point on social media for a communications agency in Orlando.

She'd spent some time learning the ins and outs of social media, and speaking to audiences across the country about what it could do for their business. Confident in what she'd learned, Whaling approached the head of business development at the agency, and made a case for putting more manpower into the emerging sector.

"I thought I had found this great growth opportunity for the agency," Whaling recalled during a recent taping of our Women of Influence podcast. "… He looked at me and said, "No one here is going to make money off of social media.'"

It wasn't the response Whaling wanted, but it turned out to be the "nudge" she needed. She decided the time was right to move back to Columbus, where she still had family, and launch her own firm: Geben Communication.

Check out our full conversation to hear what it was like for Whaling to launch a new business during the Great Recession – lessons that might be particularly relevant for entrepreneurs thinking of striking out on their own as the economy feels the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

You'll also hear her thoughts on emerging social media platforms, how she approached growing her firm over the years and how she and her team are adapting amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

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