On Tuesday, our professor brought in MU alum, PR professional, and inspirational quote machine Molly Currey to speak to our class about public relations outside of the classroom. Since 1999, Molly has been working at Chicago’s GolinHarris—where she’s done some amazing things. Molly was the driving force behind the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago and the Elysian along with an impressive litany of successes with her motorsport clients. Needless to say, she knows what she’s doing. We learned a great deal from her, but here are some quotes that particularly impacted me:
- “You never know what will happen the day you walk in the door.”
Molly labeled this nugget of wisdom “the biggest lesson” she’s learned over the years. I have to be honest, the first thing that came to mind when she said this was the song “Be Prepared” from The Lion King.
Be prepared, indeed. Watch your step, Simba! Uncle Scar’s got it out for you.
But honestly, Molly speaks the truth. Every time I’ve been interviewed for an internship, the interviewer emphasizes how important it is to be able to adapt to any situation. I am often told that every day is different. PR professionals have to be on top of their game.
- “You can do it all. Play hard. Work hard. Live hard.”
This made me smile. Some other things you may not know about Molly are that she is a former off-roading world champion and that she is a breast cancer survivor. She epitomizes the idea of living hard. Seeing her passion inspired everyone to fight for their goals—both personal and career oriented.
- “Be cool, stick out, make a difference.”
When discussing how to succeed in the PR industry, Molly put serious emphasis on the importance of being awesome and showcasing your life experiences. Everyone will have some amount of former experience. What’s important is the lifestyle experience you’ve had. Shy and boring are two qualities that cannot be applied to any successful PR person. Having a unique perspective and interesting life stories imply creativity and an ability to tell spin extravagant tales with ease. Again, be passionate.
So, to sum it all up:
- Expect the unexpected.
- Give it everything you got.
- Don’t be afraid to showcase your awesomeness.
Thank you, Molly, for sharing your wisdom with a room full of young hopefuls. What wonderful lessons to live by!
Becky Binns 
I really love how you laid out everything that Molly emphasized during her visit to our class! I love the reference to The Lion King… it’s very relevant. Being prepared in PR for anything is what it’s all about. I think that’s what makes it exciting, as well as nerve-wracking. Having a personality that stands out and making a difference was great creative advice from an alumni!