Today we’d like to introduce you to Ioana Good, the founder of Promova.
Hi Ioana, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a teenager, I moved to the U.S. from Romania with two suitcases and didn’t speak any English. This was a difficult time for my family and me, but I worked to learn the language and I was ultimately accepted at Northeastern University, where I majored in journalism and international relations. I spent several years working as a journalist at the Boston Globe and Tribune Media.
Eventually, my career brought me to Florida to work for the Orlando Sentinel and I earned my master’s degree in Corporate Communications and Technology from Rollins College. I later developed and taught the university’s first New Media course, focused on the changing dynamics technology is bringing to the media industry. For the next two decades, I worked in the legal and AEC markets doing public relations, marketing and business development. Then I founded Promova to help my clients gain a competitive advantage. I still wake up every day excited to work with my clients on news stories to help them grow and win work.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been a smooth road for me, but the challenges and struggles have served to shape me into the person I am today. Coming to America was not easy and I have had to adapt to a new culture, language, and way of life. But this also gives me a unique perspective that others don’t have, so I am thankful for the hardships that have led me to where I am today. I have a great network of leaders and advisors around me and I have been so impressed by the other women entrepreneurs who I network with. Everyone has a unique story to tell and it’s fascinating to learn from all of them
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Promova is a woman-owned PR agency that helps clients grow through publicity, content creation, and marketing technology. We also offer crises response to our clients when needed. The difference between our company and other companies is that our clients work directly with our senior staff who have worked in-house in leadership roles prior to serving clients across the globe in a consulting role. Our team has truly seen everything. For instance, Bob Carilli, who heads our technology division and runs a successful company called Behavioral Essentials, has held executive positions with Kelly Blue Book, SHOP.com and BookIt.com. Adrien Maines, who leads our design and branding, is a talented and accomplished graphic artist and design expert. She founded her own companies AMA Design and Lemon Lovegood, doing branding for companies like Lowndes and licensing designs to Wayfair, Bloomingdale’s and Milk Snob. Promova works with clients across varying industries, including legal, AEC, technology, cryptocurrency, and blockchain. We also work with international clients who engage us to help develop a market for their products and services in the U.S.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
While taking a risk can be a scary thing, I believe that risk allows for innovation and success if you are willing to work hard. It was a risk to launch Promova but I believed in our work and our team and I knew that if we were committed, we would succeed. Being calculated and paying attention to the changing markets is important too. For instance, during the 1918 pandemic, more and more people started using the telephone to communicate and do business with one another. During the Cold War, people started relying on television for news consumption and making political decisions. In 2020, the pandemic forced a greater emphasis on remote work and a healthy reliance on the digital space. We live in what I believe will be a distinct time of change if we look at history as our guide. Opportunities exist in several markets if you are looking for them and willing to take a risk.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.promo-va.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/GetPromova
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/getpromova
