Build Your Business With Roshan Grossman

Meet Roshan

Roshan can you tell us the nature of your business, Hot Quill Communications and how you got started?

Hot Quill Communications offers marketing and employee communications services to help businesses communicate more clearly with the people who matter most to them – employees and clients. We do this by creating experiences that get people talking about your business…in a good way.  I launched Hot Quill in January 2013 following my maternity leave with my son. I spent the first part of my career working in a number of different financial services companies, and 8.5 years working for Sun Life Financial…and I decided I wanted to branch out on my own to see if I could bring my experience, creativity and ideas in communications to other businesses. I decided to focus on working with mid- to large-size companies in the tech sector because this was an industry that I hadn’t worked in before, but in which I was keenly interested.

 Why should companies have a community manager/communications specialist?

Whether a company is large or small, bringing in a communications specialist is never a bad idea. The work arrangement will vary depending on your resourcing requirements and budget, but at the bare minimum it is useful to have someone either consult for a short period of time or come in for a longer-term to focus on audience/community engagement and strategic messaging. And, most seasoned business communicators will be able to add value beyond a communications perspective. As a communicator, you need to understand how businesses work, how people think and respond to ideas, and how to motivate people to take action – all of this requires strategic and critical thinking, and high social skills which are worth their weight in gold if you’re just starting a new company or if you’re looking to make an impact in a larger organization.

How do communications services differ for small business vs. large companies?

With larger companies, you’re usually dealing with integrated communications strategies and programs that span a number of months or years, depending on the business strategy. As well, you may have more time to build a relationship and rapport with your audience. With smaller companies, there is usually a tendency towards running shorter campaigns and addressing immediate needs of an audience, in addition to looking out over the next few months to see what’s coming over the horizon that needs to be anticipated and planned for from a tactical perspective.

What are some great ideas you have noticed companies launch with the help of a communications specialist?

There are too many to count or mention, but I will say that some of my favourite campaigns involve high audience engagement using a number of in-person and virtual events, as well as really clear and energetic messaging.

How do you stand out from others in your field?

There are some really excellent communicators in the Waterloo Region. While it would be tempting to look at this as a field of competition, I’m more inclined to see these people as part of my community of practice. My goal is to connect with and learn from the really excellent communicators as much as possible. If I’m learning and growing, my work will benefit from this expansion of ideas and thinking, and it will speak for itself. I also like to spend time with people and get to know them so that we can deepen our relationships rather than just skimming the surface. My hope is that by striving for excellence in generating and taking action on ideas worth pursuing, and in building solid relationships, people will naturally recommend me and my work to others.

Want to learn more about Roshan Grossman and Hot Quill Communications? Make sure to RSVP for our Sign Depot Demo Day on June 20th to network with Roshan and many other fantastic business industry professionals. There you will see how important your business messaging is to your brand.