Just a minute — with Karen Duffy
President/COO
Laughlin/Constable
Company addresses:
207 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee
515 No. State St., Chicago
Company Web site: www.laughlin.com
Industry: Advertising, marketing
Number of employees: 100
Company’s annual billings: $162 million
What’s new at your company? Our commitment to integrated marketing solutions based on the belief that a brand must speak with one voice across all contact points – advertising, public relations, interactive, direct marketing, design and promotion.
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year? We invested in new business development at a time when economic indicators would suggest otherwise. The result – Florsheim, Summerfest, Pier Wisconsin, Repel and Milliken are new clients on our roster.
What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year? Growing the top line. The past three years has put everyone into an efficiency mode, but we’ve invested in growth activities. Being an independent company, we’ve had the flexibility to keep a good core team together with an eye on the future.
What keeps you up at night? Adrenaline. It’s a byproduct of the creative process.
Do you have a business mantra? Our business creates ideas. Our ideas create business.
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to? Oprah Winfrey. She’s a powerhouse brand built on vision, passion and purpose.
What was the best advice you ever received? Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right or doing it better.
Who is your favorite author? Wallace Stegner.
Dec. 26, 2003 Small Business Times, Milwaukee
