Jacob
Sharon
WITH PHYLLIS APPLE
Jacob
Sharon
Phyllis Apple
Tzachi Gadish
Lawrence A. Gottfried
Q. Why did you
elect to pursue a career in public relations'?
A. Immediately after graduating from college, I got married and started
raising a family. This was in the '40s and '50s when mothers traditionally
stayed at home and focused on child rearing. Nevertheless, I was always
very involved in the community as president of the PTA and American Red
Cross. I also devoted a great deal of time to fund-raising for nonprofit
such as juvenile diabetes and organizations that helped children with
learning disabilities. My husband was a CPA, and without realizing it,
my involvements were gaining him exposure that was enhancing his professional
stature and bringing in new clients. Later, I decided to try putting these
skills to work professionally.
Q. When did you start your business?
A. My husband and I moved from North Carolina to Miami 25 years ago. Unfortunately,
we divorced and to supplement my income, at the age of 52 I went to work
for the first time in my life. Subsequently, at the age of 59, I founded
my own public relations firm, starting small and initially operating out
of my home to minimize overhead.
Q. What advice can you give women who have little or no work experience
outside the home but find themselves in a situation similar to yours?
A. My advice is this: conduct a serious self-examination. Make a list
of your skills and then see how they can be plugged into the working world.
You won't know what you're capable of unless you get out there and try,
Q. What kind of clients retain The Apple Organization?
A. We are very diversified. Our client list runs the gamut, from retail
and real estate to travel/tourism, hospitality, technology, financial
services, fashion, health, fitness, sports and entertainment. Some of
our biggest clients include FedEx Express, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Warren
Henry Automobiles, CMC Group, The Related Group of Florida, Equity One,
Inc. and Goodstein Realty Florida.
Q. In running your business, what is your biggest challenge?
A. Every day is a challenge, but if you stay focused and keep your priorities
straight, no challenge is too great. It also helps to love your work and
have healthy relationships with family and friends outside the workplace.
I must admit, however, I bring to the table an attitude borne out of experience.
I have a retarded son who, I was told, would never be bright enough to
hold a job or live a normal life. Today, at 52, he is married, has a job,
drives a car, travels and enjoys a rich, full life. The bottom line: when
you've surmounted a hurdle that high, everything else is a piece of cake.
Q. What gives you satisfaction?
A. I love my work and feel very gratified that The Apple Organization
maintains longstanding relationships with its clients. This means that
when a real estate project is completed and leased up or sold out, the
client may drop off the roster for a while.
Continued on Page 12
However, more often than not, when that client starts a new project, he
or she rehires my agency, and that vote of confidence is a great source
of pride. Nevertheless, my life is not solely about work. I love spending
time with my three children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild.
They are my life's greatest treasure.
Q. In light of your stature in the real estate industry, how severely
will The Apple Organization be impacted by the downturn in the economy?
A. When you're my age, downturns in the economy are nothing new. The economy
always runs in cycles; however, I believe the South Florida real estate
industry will be less impacted by the current economic picture because
of the climate and strategic location at the crossroads of North America,
Europe and Latin America. The developers with whom my agency works have
been successful marketing their projects both domestically and abroad.
This means they are less dependent on U.S. buyers. One needs only look
at the condominium towers we're promoting right now. Each and every one
is maintaining very strong sales.
Q. What's new on the horizon at The Apple Organization?
A. I have forged a partnership with Valerie Zucker, who is a stockholder
and president of the firm. She brings tremendous experience, intelligence
and ambition to the table. Most importantly, she's played an integral
role in broadening our scope of activity by adding a very strong retail,
technology, sports and entertainment client base that has significantly
bolstered our overall bottom line.
Phyllis, we at the JewishXpress thank you for your time and cooperation, we wish you continued success, Jacob Sharon.