Not Your Ordinary PR Professional

By: Alex Marcus

Francisco Escobar is no ordinary PR professional. An economics and French graduate from Rice University, Escobar has become founder and president of Dallas based JFE International Consultants, Inc.

Using his business background for 22 years, Escobar worked for a high-tech global Fortune 500 company, mostly in finance and procurement. In 2003, Escobar knew it was time to move on.

“For the past seven years, I have worked side-by-side with a consultant who taught me many of the skills required to initiate and sustain a successful independent practice,” Escobar said.

As his relatively newfound company’s only employee, no day is typical. Escobar’s responsibilities all reside in him, including but not limited to billable consulting work, marketing, accounting, public relations, proposal preparation, new business development, and continuing education. In addition to running his own business, Escobar serves as advisor and consultant to the Council of Public Relations Firms.

How can one man handle all those tasks you might wonder? Self- motivation. For Escobar it is nice and convenient working out of his home, however it can sometimes be quite difficult.

“My "job" is so inter-mingled with my personal daily life, that unless I'm traveling on business, it is difficult to draw the line between the two,” Escobar said. “Every day requires self-motivation for the most important tasks at hand.”

Escobar has shown extreme self-motivation throughout his life. After graduating from Rice University, Escobar went on to obtain his MBA from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Business. While in school, Escobar was very involved on campus, frequently attended athletics events and participated in intramural sports. Escobar said college taught him how to live on his own and be responsible for his own decisions.

Aside from responsibility, Escobar said that when entering the “real world” it is important to remain positive and enthusiastic. “You are not entitled to anything until you prove yourself. Don't expect the world to give you anything. Everything happens for a reason and you have to be willing to adapt, change and grow,” Escobar said.

As for advice, Escobar said it is important to have mentors and mentors should have lots of experience and be passionate about their work. By enjoying their work so much and being very focused, they can point new graduates in the direction of success.

Photo provided by Francisco Escobar