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Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only organization for communications, public relations, public affairs and media relations executives. Members are successful executives from world-class companies, each bringing a wealth of experience to the table. In this spotlight series, we profile our incredible members and share their advice with you. This week: Grant Lingel.
Grant Lingel is the Senior Communications Manager of Bunny Inc., creators of VoiceBunny and ArticleBunny. A perpetual traveler and digital nomad, Grant has visited dozens of countries across five continents on assignment. He has been living in Brazil since 2011 where he owns a small hostel on the island of Vitoria.
We asked him a few important questions. His answers are below:
How did your career as a communications executive take off, and what do you attribute your success to most?
My career took off because of my undying desire to meeting new people. I spent many years forging my own path, living out of a backpack as I sought different opportunities around the world.
Starting as a travel writer, I found many gigs on the road that paid me in food and hospitality in exchange for work. I ran entertainment and guest relations at 5-star hotels, bars at hostels, managed projects for NGOs, produced a travel show, ran promotions for travel startups, consulted for startups, and much, much more.
I met countless inspirational people along the way. I became fluent in multiple languages and learned that living outside of my comfort zone was much more comfortable for me than living inside of it. I have lived in Mexico, Guatemala and Tanzania before settling in Brazil back in 2011.
All of my time traveling has taught me that communication is everything. It goes well beyond the office and encompasses every angle of your life. If you can communicate well with others you will be able to accomplish anything. To me, this means being able to exchange ideas, share stories, build friendships/partnerships, collaborate and brainstorm, and more. These are the building blocks of not only a strong business but a strong society.
How do you keep yourself passionate and driven regardless of how busy you are day to day?
I keep myself passionate and driven by focusing on goals and objectives and knowing that it takes many individual steps to get there. Sure, one day might be very busy, but it is for the good of reaching a goal that was created to be completed.
What do you see as the future of the communications industry?
I believe the future of the communications industry -- as well as marketing, advertising and PR -- must go to the personalized experience. And by this, I don't just mean that it has to be personalized to the client. I believe that the whole experience must be more personal.
We are living in a world of mind-blowing technologies and possibilities, things that only seemed possible in science fiction films not even a generation ago. It seems now that the more connected we become the more distance we have between us. This can only stretch so far before a major disconnect divides all of our efforts in the communications world.
We need to develop real relationships that have substance beyond the workplace. We need to nurture the ones we have and strive to improve them in any way possible. Communications specialists need to spread messages that convey trust and honesty. What better way to gain trust than by actually building real relationships? No matter how much technology and machinery help us, folks still want to have human experiences.
What is your best communications strategy tip for businesses?
Be honest no matter what you do. There is nothing worse than stretching the truth to try and come off a little bit better. You will only come off worse. Stretching the truth or outright lying to get a message across will only come back to haunt you in the future. Honesty is the best strategy of all of them.
