Back in 1999, when I started Straus Communications, organic food was still a relatively niche concept. And the idea of a PR / marketing agency focusing on sustainability was practically unheard of.
Our clients (partial list)
Unlike other agencies that specialized in verticals (finance, entertainment, sports), we focused on the so-called tipping point – pioneers who sought to fundamentally shift the marketplace of products and ideas.
Our little mission-driven change-the-world agency accomplished much, launching and supporting more than 100 companies and non-profit organizations. We helped mainstream the organic, fair trade, local and sustainable movements, promoted renewable energy and protected rainforest and agricultural lands.
We worked closely with hundreds of journalists, editors and producers at every major media outlet – CNN, TIME, Wall Street Journal, Fortune Small Business, Entrepreneur, USA Today, New York Times, CBS, NBC, ABC, Associated Press, Reuters, you name it – who were dedicated telling accurate, compelling stories about the issues we were advocating.
Gerald Prolman wielding the World's Tallest Roses
In 2010, I sold StrausCom to my business partner, Haven Bourque, who continues doing excellent, important work as HavenBMedia.
Our team – employees, contractors, consultants – was amazing, and I feel incredibly lucky to have worked with so many talented, creative, dedicated professionals:
Catherine Aurelio, Layla Azimi, Vanessa Barrington, Ken Beckman, Nathan Beers, Jon (Loci) Bendiner, Sarah Billingsley, Madeleine Blake, Haven Bourque, Robert Brewer, Stacey Brewer, Larke Brost, Rachel Cole, Kelly Coleman, Susan Coss, Ken Dennis, Michael Dimock, Ali Edwards, Bob & Jane Fleck, Lonnie Fogel, Patrick Forden, Lakeesha Gage, Brian Gaines, Matt Gallagher, Anna Ghosh, Sari Gilbert, Emunah Hauser, Keith Heller, Lara Heller, Malika Henderson, Stephenie Hendricks, Deirdre Holbrook, Stett Holbrook, Kristan Kirsh, Deborah Grace Kraft, Sarah Inez Levy, Kristi Jacobson, David Katz, Jerry Kay, Natasha Klobas, Susan Kuzminsky, Martein Lankester, Kenya Lewis, Christine Lim, Mark Magers, Marina Malikoff, Ido Mendes, Taylor Milsal, Diana Nankin, Lila Purinton, Katrina Rill, Johnny Santos, Jono Sher, Johanna Silver, Naomi Starkman, Joanne Stocker, Tina Taylor, Arion Thibourmery, Lily Thompson, David Visher, Greg Wei, Frankie Whitman, Kathleen Williams, Bill Wolf, Adam Yonkers and Arthur Young.