Treat Every Day Like It's Your 1st Day: Pass Counts in Public Relations By Ronn Torossian

Today for so many kids was the first day of school and the energy which kids bring to school is all inspiring – nonstop action, excitement, hunger, passion and desires. It is something which as a business owner I bring to work every single day and my management team and I work hard to impart to our employees.

Jay Z has an inspiring song called "My 1st Song". The song starts with an outtake from an interview with rap legend Biggie Smalls where he’s heard saying he "treats everything like it's [his] first project. Like it's your first day like back when you was an intern.” And Jay Z sings: “Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first - And my thirst is the same as - when I came - It's my joy and my tears and the laughter it brings to me - It's my everything…The key to staying, on top of things is treat everything like it's your first project.. Like it's your first day like back when you was an intern..Like, that's how you try to treat things like, just stay hungry”

Passion and the desire to win is vital for success, and the 1st day of school today made me re-listen to the song in the morning today. Our of the blue, I received the following email today from a former employee of my PR Firm, and with his permission I share it:

“It's been a long time since we talked but I wanted to write and say thanks for the influence you had on me many years ago from a professional standpoint. As a youngin' first starting out in the NY PR industry, the pressures you placed on us were huge. As I've grown older and become a manager who now interviews for JR level staffers, a lot of the positive attributes I learned from you and your team no longer seem to exist. Everyone seems a bit lazier, think they're owed something, only want to email vs. making phone calls and don't have the drive that was instilled in us.

With that, I very recently had an interview that got me thinking about writing this note to you, today. Not only in this particular interview but all of my interviews over the years, one of the first questions to always pop up is "What was it like to work at 5W?" Honestly I tell them the truth, it was 2 years of PR boot camp; stressful, demanding, learn on the fly, fear, excitement of new business - but you know what, I'd never have it any other way. You instilled a sense of hunger, entrepreneurial drive and eagerness to get ahead that has taken me to where I am today. I hope you're doing well and best of luck today and in the future.”

Today he’s a Vice President at 1 of the 3 largest global Public Relations agencies, and I am proud to have created a culture where we inspire people and push them to fulfill their potential. I like to know that employees realize passion matters and define our company – and its true. Very rewarding as an entrepreneur to receive this email… and we go to work every day with passion. Passion and the desire to win matter – at our PR Agency and every single industry.

Ronn Torossian is the Founder, President and CEO of New York-based 5W Public Relations, 1 of the 25 largest PR firms in the US. Ronn Torossian has overseen the rapid growth and expansion of the PR agency to the Inc. 500 list, as well as provided counsel to hundreds of companies, including members of the Fortune 500, Inc. 500 and Forbes 400.