We had the good fortune of connecting with Joanna Rosholm and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joanna, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When our time in the Obama White House came to end, I was fortunate to have a lot of opportunities in front of me. But as I ventured out into the world, I realized that what I loved most about working in the White House was 1) the incredible people I met and worked alongside and 2) the fact that our daily work on the most important social issues of our time had direct impact on real people, our country and even the world. I saw so many former White House employees – especially men – launch their own firms with other White House alums. Why not me/us?

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I spent roughly 10 years working in politics and government, it’s how I started my career. My partners have each been doing this work for over 20 years. We now support clients across an array of industries and ideas, individuals to nonprofits to startups to 50-year old American institutions. Back at the White House, Mrs. Obama used to say, “You all don’t know how capable you are – you’re each doing the jobs of 5 people.” Turns out she was right! We all see the big picture, we see the levers that need to be pulled in order to help our clients meet their goals. Sometimes those needs fall squarely into public relations, sometimes public affairs and partnerships. Usually somewhere in between (and beyond – we have a great network for that!). Individuals and companies who have original ideas need original thinking from their partners, they need support from people who understand their unique vision and where they want to go while being able to operate under pressure. That’s fundamentally who we are and how we operate.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am all about organizing my day around food and being outdoors!

First stop: breakfast burritos at Howdy’s in Malibu
Next: a walk down the Malibu Pier
Next: Any hike and sandwich combo from this killer list: https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2021-03-11/best-la-sandwiches-enjoy-local-hikes
Last: A long lazy outdoor dinner at Salazar

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my partners at Original Strategies, Deb Eschmeyer and Kelley McCormick! We wouldn’t be as successful as we are today without the unique superpowers and support they each bring to the table. Also my Chief Core group! I joined Chief as a founding member. I would not have had the courage nor resources to launch my own business without their support and advice.

Website: https://www.originalstrategies.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/originalstrategies/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-rosholm/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jojorosholm

Image Credits
Pete Souza Amanda Lucidon Lawrence Jackson Brandon Schuman

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