Building Cedar Group: Will Race on Growth, AI and Entrepreneurship in Juneau

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, Juneau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becca Parks sits down with Will Race, CEO and partner of Cedar Group, to talk about entrepreneurship, growth, leadership, and what it takes to build a creative business in Alaska.Race shares how Cedar Group grew from a small marketing and public relations firm into a 27-person company serving hundreds of clients across multiple states—and why that growth required more than simply landing the next project. He talks about forecasting, strategic planning, hiring the right people, building a strong company culture, and learning when an entrepreneur has to stop trying to do everything alone.The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence, Canva, Adobe, and other new creative technologies are changing marketing and public relations—and why Race sees those tools as opportunities rather than threats.There’s also some useful advice for anyone starting or growing a business: find good mentors, build a plan, surround yourself with people who challenge you, and don’t be afraid to admit when something isn’t working.It’s a candid conversation about building a company, adapting to change, learning from failure, and staying connected to the community that helped make the business possible.