Meet Leslie Topps: Sr. Publicist of The Topps PR Firm

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leslie Topps, Sr. Publicist of The Topps PR Firm, and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leslie, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think taking risks is a valuable part of establishing yourself on a new platform. I’m a believer of “how will you know if you don’t try?”I also believe making wise risks choices are important. You want to think things through and have a plan. I took a risk by leaving a radio job and moving to another city where I had no connections. But I also had a plan to network, volunteer and align myself in an environment where I could get the things I needed to reach a goal.

What should our readers know about your business?
I’m a public relations professional. My team and I work with people who are interested in bringing a brand, project or product to the public eye. I love the art of communications and helping people connect the dots. Whether that be creating a schedule, building business relationships with other people or growing an audience surrounding what is being promoted.

I started very young by helping my father with small office work. This included writing checks to pay invoices, making phone calls, passing out business cards… etc… I’ve been in many industries since I started working when I was in college — from retail to restaurant, call centers, radio and executive assistance. When I started in public relations it was not easy, because it was an extreme learning curve for me. With a background in communications and a bit of experience with event management, I was able to start a lucrative business because the city that I live in has a lot of work available in the PR field.

I overcame the challenges of being a novice by continuing and not quitting. I used the resources that I learned from other industries to implement good business practices for my company. For instance, I was a manager at Forever 21. I used the knowledge from training associates to train interns that work under me now. I use the customer services skills that I learned while working in retail to be able to provide respectable communication to my clients. The organizational skills that I picked up on working under the CEO of a company and the event experience I got while in radio broadcasting has proven to be an asset to overseeing a successful business.

I’ve learned that when you are rising in a career, it never seems like you’ve made it because there is always room to grow. I would advise anyone to measure their success by the level of contentment you have within your job role.

I want people to know that when things are meant to be they will fall into place. I want to work with people who are excited about what they have accomplished so far and just need help taking things to the next phase. People who are willing, have the resources, patience and time to invest in their future align with the values of my company.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would give them a tour of downtown. We would go to Buckhead and have lunch, maybe at True Food Kitchen. I would also recommend going to Piedmont park and find some live music near Little Five Points. I would definitely invite them to church at Renaissance church of Christ in the Camp Creek area. There is so much love and community there. It is where I grow spiritually under the leadership of Dr. Orpheus J. Heyward. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Definitely my family. My parents, my aunt and my sister. I appreciate Saptosa Foster of One 35 Agency for allowing me to work under her to get my start in Public Relations. Through that relationship, I met a PR colleague, who I consider a friend, Chanel P. Hudson – Sr. Publicist and Owner of The P.R. Mentality Network Agency.

Website: Toppsprfirm.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/toppsprfirm

Linkedin: Leslie Topps

Twitter: @ToppsPRFirm

Facebook: @ToppsPRFirm

Youtube: Leslie Topps | Topps PR Firm

Image Credits
KIMBERLY TAYLOR