108 Behind the Scenes at Greentarget: John and Aaron’s Entrepreneurial Journey

In this episode, we sit down with John Corey, President and Founding Partner of Greentarget, and Aaron Schoenherr, Founding Partner at GreenTarget. Over 20 years, this Chicago-based public relations agency has evolved from its humble beginnings, funded by friends and family, into a consultative powerhouse that serves some of the world's largest firms. They share their entrepreneurial journey, the value of earned media, and how their research capabilities have transformed to keep up with industry changes.  What You'll Learn:  The origin story of GreenTarget and its evolution over two decades.  The importance of 'earned media' and research-based thought leadership.  How to maintain an entrepreneurial edge and a healthy paranoia for continued success.  Connect with John Corey and Aaron Schoenherr: GreenTarget.com, LinkedIn 00:00 Introduction and Casual Banter 00:50 Introducing Greentarget 02:36 The Genesis of Greentarget 04:11 Reflecting on 20 Years of Evolution 04:33 The Importance of Earned Media 13:23 Research and Market Intelligence 16:56 Early Days and Entrepreneurial Spirit 23:07 Healthy Paranoia in Client Relationships 23:58 Pressure as a Privilege 24:26 Counseling CEOs and Demanding Clients 25:16 The Role of Paranoia in Business 25:54 Navigating Complex Client Relationships 27:31 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Challenges 29:34 The Green Target Way 31:20 Consultative Approach in PR 32:20 Hiring the Right Talent 37:55 The Evolution of Public Relations 42:41 Concluding Thoughts and Contact Information For additional content follow OnAgency on Social: @OnAgencyPodcast  Contact us at [email protected] This episode is brought to you by TalentNet and MahaloHub.  TalentNet Media empowers businesses with innovative strategies in talent acquisition operations, recruitment marketing, and employer branding. Join us to stay ahead in the evolving hiring and HR technology landscape at www.TalentNetMedia.com.   For marketers looking to amplify their marketing campaigns with high-impact video content, MahaloHub simplifies your workflow with its powerful, flexible, and scalable platform. Savvy marketers know that MahaloHub makes their lives easier and budgets go further by letting them invite, capture, edit, and distribute authentic video content seamlessly across all digital channels, all from one intuitive dashboard. Check Mahalohub out at www.mahalohub.com.