Managing Partner Paula Yakubik has a lot to say on the subject of recent news for advertising and PR firm MassMedia. In addition to new corporate headquarters in Green Valley, MassMedia is celebrating some notable new clients, such as McDonald’s social media in Phoenix (where the firm also has offices) and the proposed Adelson/Majestic domed stadium, Cowabunga Bay, Nevada State College and Miracle Flights. Yakubik says the team now comprises more than 40 people, and they’re focused on growth.
What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?
A mindful teacher in Laguna Beach, Calif., taught me to slow down and learn to “ride the waves.” The advertising business is competitive and fast-paced. It can be thrilling, rewarding and exciting, but it can also be disappointing, frustrating and downright appalling. I started MassMedia 19 years ago and today can proclaim that learning to ride the waves makes it more gratifying and enjoyable.
If you could change one thing about Southern Nevada, what would it be?
Our access to great specialist doctors. I find myself leaving the state due to it taking months and months to get an appointment with a good doctor. My son’s allergy doctor could not see him for seven months. This cannot and should not happen.
You’ve been in business since 1997. What has been your key to success?
Working hard, and our commitment to building a smart, strategic management team that wants to win. We are laser-focused on our goals, the vital factors that drive our company, and we have a clear path toward growth and progression.
What has been your most exciting professional project?
There are so many. For me personally, it was pitching and winning the Healthcare Partners business in Nevada. We went up against a large firm and won the business; it was very exciting.
What are you reading right now?
I am obsessed with audio books, completing four to five a month now. I just finished “Living with a Seal,” Steve Case’s “The Third Wave,” “What Great Brands Do,” “David and Goliath” and “The Four Agreements.”
What do you do after work?
After work is my favorite time of the day. It usually consists of a quick dinner with my family, then heading out to softball, football or basketball with my kids. On the days we don’t have sports, we walk the Anthem loop, take a bike ride or swim.
Describe your management style.
I am a hardworking, hard-driving executive who wants our team to focus and deliver results for our clients. I try to lead by example in everything that I do. I have a capable and hardworking team under me, so I don’t really micromanage the day-to-day. I let them take the lead. However, I am involved with setting the course for the company and ensuring all aboard help us get to where we say we are going.
Where do you see yourself and your company in 10 years?
I will be right here, working hard, continuing to grow the team and company I love.
What is your dream job outside of your current field?
I am absolutely living my dream at MassMedia. I am so thankful for this company, the team and our clients. I am so grateful for every opportunity we are afforded and for all of the success we have had over the years. With that being said, if there was no MassMedia, I would pursue a career as a documentary filmmaker with a goal to win an Oscar. I have always dreamed of walking the red carpet and thanking my husband and children in front of Hollywood royalty.
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
I love Laguna Beach and plan to retire there when I have no real income, because I am not a fan of California state taxes.
Whom do you admire?
I tend to admire women entrepreneurs who have developed successful companies, such as Arianna Huffington, the Honest Company’s Jessica Alba, Spanx Founder Sara Blakely and clothing designer Tory Burch. They inspire me in different ways, but it’s refreshing to know they have all endured adversity in their businesses and overcame it.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who think they can get ahead without working hard, and state officials who award advertising and PR contracts to out-of-state companies. We have a lot of talent and really great firms in Nevada. We provide jobs and call Nevada our home.
Where do you like to go for business lunches?
My favorite is the Veranda at the Four Seasons, but I also really like Panevino and Table 34.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
My family genetics. My grandmother, my aunt and my mother have all had breast cancer. It’s scary and a heavy burden to carry.
What is something people might not know about you?
I am pretty much an open book, but one thing people might not know is that I love to fish. From Alaska to Oregon to lakes in Idaho, I love the competition and the thrill of the catch. When me and my husband were dating we went ice fishing and I caught the biggest fish. I haven’t let up. On all of our family fishing trips we compete, and I am always the winner.