COMMS/NATION’s Executive Team Certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
The PR & Graphic Design Agency embraces modern behavioral training to further teach CEOs and Business Owners to understand their employees’ and customers’ needs - as well as to better connect with one’s own emotions.
(January 13, 2021) – Weehawken, N.J. – COMMS/NATION, www.commsnation.com a PR and Creative Design agency that combines business strategies and marketing services to shape their clients’ audiences, announced today that they are adding greater focus to an often unnoticed dimension that the modern business leader faces; their own mental health.
In an innovative effort to better serve its current client base, COMMS/NATION’s leadership team is now certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
The Mental Health First Aid Certification is a science-based training program on how to recognize, process and actively react to the many subtle signs or symptoms of mental health issues. To ensure that those certified are always updated with changes in modern psychology, a license must be renewed every 3 years, ensuring that the best practices are taught to - and carried out - by those trained.
Business leaders must learn to wear many hats, all while making important strategic decisions, managing people, their time, their money, and their lives. This can lead to decision overload and a greater potential for burnout. It’s more important than ever that leaders surround themselves with marketing consultants who are emotionally intelligent, and who can spot an impending crisis circumstance.
“A common misconception is that marketing is just about images on social media, but everything your brand touches is part of your marketing strategy. We are living in a world where employers must take an active role in building a healthy work environment for their employees. To ignore your company culture is a PR disaster in the making,” said Andrea M. Garcia, CEO of COMMS/NATION and an experienced crisis manager for corporate brands and high stakes litigation.
Business leaders are learning how to manage their own mental health, all while being responsible for the livelihoods of others – this is an added energetic toll on an already overburdened business owner; working with inflexible or non-empathetic marketing partners who are not people-centric will cost an additional financial toll.
“To be your best boss self, you need a marketing partner that is going to understand the different progressive stages you will go through as you construct your new business leader identity. This month the United States has hit a new all-time high in the peak of the Great Resignation, more employees are quitting their jobs. This means we will see an unprecedented amount of startups and new first-time business owners, who are ill-equipped emotionally for the business highs and lows. You need someone to guide you through the valley of ecommerce darkness and obscurity, and into the American promised dream of prosperity and attention. Marketing will play a much bigger and time consuming role in your business than you ever originally thought.”
Companies need COMMS professionals who understand people – that’s why it’s called Public Relations. Building sustaining relationships with customers should be the focus, not cheap Ads. Having a team of marketing professionals by your side who understand that mental health is at the root of literally every interpersonal interaction will help leaders build a stronger brand at its core foundation..
###
ABOUT COMMS/NATION LLC
COMMS/NATION LLC., is a N.J.-based award-winning communications, public relations, and creative services agency that counsels businesses seeking to reach new customers and take market share. Some service offerings include: media relations, public relations, creative services, brand development, digital design, promotional items, marketing collateral, and advertising. The firm is led by an experienced, diverse team that have career backgrounds in journalism, politics, consumer affairs, litigation communications, crisis communications, healthcare, real estate, construction development, and more.
COMMS/NATION is certified by the state of New Jersey as a M/WBE, SBE, and a NGLE.
Visit us online for more information about our service offerings: www.commsnation.com
-end-
COMMS/NATION WINS A 2021 AMERICAN GRAPHIC DESIGN AWARD™ BY GDUSA
December is the perfect time to explore how working with the right agency can increase ROI via the right COMMS strategy between a business and its audience.
WEEHAWKEN, NJ, — November 22, 2021 — COMMS/NATION™, a public relations and creative design agency, is very proud to announce that it has been selected as a winner by Graphic Design USA Magazine on behalf of its client work, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’s official report: "Why governing is no longer good in politics? The report was expertly designed by the awardee Christina F. Fuentes, COMMS/NATION’s Chief Creative Officer, Partner, and co-Founder.
The 2021 American Graphic Design Awards is the first award of its kind that’s been given to the agency for its marketing collateral and marks the 6th overall award that COMMS/NATION has won on behalf of its clients’ communications work since the agency opened its doors in 2018.
For the past 58 years, Graphic Design USA Magazine has sponsored competitions that spotlight areas of excellence and opportunity for creative professionals. GDUSA’s American Graphic Design Awards is the original flagship awards competition honoring outstanding work of all kinds and across all media. More than 10,000 entries were submitted this year; a highly selective 10% were chosen as winners.
Fuentes’ design work will be featured in the 58th Anniversary print edition publication and will hit stands nationwide in December.
“This award highlights the exceptional talent of COMMS/NATION’s smart communicative design strategies that commands people to pay attention,” said Andrea M. Garcia, COMMS/NATION's Managing Partner. “A major misconception in business is that words or ideas alone will get the point across – this mindset will get you overlooked. Bad design or worse, NO branding, tells a customer that you are unsure of who you are as a business and as a person – they are inter-connected.”
"We live in a hyper-visual world where ideas need to be packaged so audiences can consume content in real-time. Business is a competitive sport. Giving your audience only marketing buzzwords to rely on puts added stress on your customer to spend time in the “maybe zone” re-interpreting your services. You need to partner with an agency that knows how to make your audience and future customers act. And, for obvious reasons that's COMMS/NATION.”
COMMS/NATION enjoys working with clients that work with high-level concepts and introduce ideas that will dominate the future of the narrative landscape. These complex ideas are shaped through creative design strategies. When it comes to things like the Federal Budget and reaching a mass audience with diverse lifestyles and niche-interests, projects to better understand the root causes of our divisions, to bring attention and visibility to these issues, and to build support for necessary changes.
###
ABOUT COMMS/NATION LLC
COMMS/NATION LLC., is a N.J.-based award-winning communications, public relations, and creative services agency that counsels businesses seeking to reach new customers and take market share. Some service offerings include: media relations, public relations, creative services, brand development, digital design, promotional items, marketing collateral, and advertising. The firm is led by an experienced, diverse team that have career backgrounds in journalism, politics, consumer affairs, litigation communications, crisis communications, healthcare, real estate, construction development, and more.
COMMS/NATION is certified by the state of New Jersey as a M/WBE, SBE, and a NGLE.
Visit us online for more information about our service offerings: www.commsnation.com
-end-
COMMS/NATION CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS AN OFFICIAL LGBT BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
THE AGENCY WEARS THE DESIGNATION PROUDLY TO SHOW FUTURE DIVERSE GENERATIONS THAT THEY BELONG & CAN BECOME SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS LEADERS THAT PUSH OUR SOCIETY TOWARDS GROWTH.
Weehawken, N.J.—November 5, 2021— COMMS/NATION LLC., is excited to announce that it has been named a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE®) by the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) through the NGLCC Supplier Diversity Initiative. The NGLCC is the business voice of the NGLCC community and serves as the nation’s exclusive certifying body for LGBT-owned and operated businesses.
“To do our best work, we must walk the talk in living our truths,” said
Andrea M. Garcia, COMMS/NATION’s Managing Partner and co-founder. “The business world was hyper-fixated on maintaining the status quo. By encouraging employees to spend an exhaustive amount of energy hiding their personalities and cultural differences.”
“In an interesting plot twist, companies who are now late to implementing inclusivity into their cultural and operational structures are experiencing an internal identity crisis. They are in a race against time trying to change while saving their brands. Demographics are changing, expectations to get it right the first time are higher than ever. It’s imperative that companies have top-tier communications counsel to help navigate the current socio-economic and business landscapes. That can only be accomplished by a team with the right experience and diverse insights.”
“Joining NGLCC was worth the time investment to get certified. Having a supportive organization, like the NGLCC, by our side allows us to take part in pushing for positive change that we all can benefit from.”
A very special Thank You to Sydney Harris, NGLCC Associate for Supplier Diversity, who so graciously guided us through the certification process.
COMMS/NATION will be in attendance for this year’s NGLCC’s Back to Business (B2B) Summit the third week of November at the Diplomat Resort in Hollywood, Florida. The agency looks forward to connecting with Fortune 500 companies as a supplier in the one-on-one matchmaker event.
###
ABOUT COMMS/NATION
COMMS/NATION LLC., is a N.J.-based award-winning communications, public relations, and creative services agency that counsels businesses seeking to reach new customers and take market share. Some service offerings include: media relations, public relations, creative services, brand development, digital design, promotional items, marketing collateral, and advertising. The firm is led by an experienced, diverse team that have career backgrounds in journalism, politics, consumer affairs, litigation communications, crisis communications, healthcare, real estate, construction development, and more.
COMMS/NATION is certified by the state of New Jersey as a M/WBE, SBE, and now by the NGLCC as a NGLE.
Visit us online for more information about our service offerings: www.commsnation.com
About NGLCC
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce is the business voice of the LGBT community and the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses.
www.nglcc.org
-end-
Weehawken + Union City Virtual Block Party Announced
Press release from Weehawken Small Business Alliance: (an alliance that COMMS/NATION co-created to help our local business community re-engage with their customers during COVID-19.)
July 28, 2020
"Allow me to re-introduce myself," is the summer theme for small businesses across Hudson County trying to drum up customer attention during New Jersey's current re-opening phases.
The first-ever Weehawken + Union City Virtual Block Party, a one-day Zoom event filled with free workshops and special promotions from 15 local businesses, will go live on Saturday, August 8, from 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
No need to worry about the heat or if you forgot your mask. Support neighborhood businesses right from your couch and take fun classes like: live painting, children's theater, build your own violin, and floral arrangements. There is no age limit when it comes to having a good time or to these classes. All are welcomed.
Participating businesses include: Puppy University ∙ Trattoria Napoli ∙ Union City Music Project ∙ Two Crepes ∙ About Designs ∙ Meow Mini Mart ∙ Clarity Fit ∙ Wine & Design Weehawken ∙ Ghost Light Theater Company ∙ Obcec'd ∙ Meggies Ice cream ∙ PIEL BY PAMELA Wellness + Beauty studio ∙ Tkk Taekwondo ∙ Hornblower Cruises & Events ∙ Furry Tails Dog Spa
Virtual Block Party is a grassroots initiative created to jumpstart and build back our local Union City and Weehawken economies. In the wake of COVID-19, business owners are trying to come up with out-of-the store ideas to experiment with new products and service offerings to reconnect with customers.
THE HUDSON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF WOMEN OF COMMERCE IN HUDSON COUNTY
Secaucus, N.J. (May 19, 2020) -- The Hudson County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the creation of its new council, the Women of Commerce in Hudson County, an inclusive networking group primarily focused on supporting women who conduct business in and around the New Jersey/New York metro area.
Its mission is to develop a generation of diverse women who are dedicated to gaining excellence in their respective professions and championing a stronger economic vision for New Jersey.
“We are hopeful that the Women of Commerce is launching at a time when they are needed most, as their goals truly align with the country’s growing sentiment of businesses looking to innovate with the current times. They will create great value by driving even more opportunities for the good of all businesses,” said Maria L. Nieves, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce.
“Anyone looking to build future local economic partnerships and increase their network resources will be in very good company. These women have been hard at work forming the council and strategizing its ideals since January 2020, not allowing COVID-19 to stand in their way, speaks to our commitment towards helping one another through the eye of the storm.”
In an effort to support members’ professional development, the council is creating unique educational initiatives, events, and a new Women’s Leadership Program for Entrepreneurs. Part of the outreach will include producing exclusive content for a new podcast that will launch mid-summer, and videos for Youtube TV. The topics will focus on women leaders in New Jersey, innovations in technology, and tackling the real hidden modern challenges women face, like: loneliness in executive positions, entrepreneurship stress and isolation, balancing wellness.
With the lockdown extended for all non-essential businesses in order to slow the COVID-19 outbreak; WOC will host a series of 60-minute virtual zoominar events and workshops focused on solutions to its members’ current experiences. WOC is part of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, but its membership is independent from the Chamber. These zoominars are open to the public.
Pivoting Business Post Covid-19: PR and Marketing Spotlight
May 21st (4 p.m. - 5 p.m.)
Click Here to Register
Advancing Business Post Covid-19: Growth, Planning and Success
June 4th (4 p.m. - 5 p.m.)
WOC is co-chaired by Melissa Rosario, Director of Memberships & Finance at the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, and Elki Camacho, the Principal and CEO of Elki Consulting Group, Board Member for Hudson County Chamber of Commerce.
The founding members for the Women of Commerce are as follows:
Heidi Castrillon, President & CEO, Biz Republic; Diana Pombo, Assistant Vice President of Business Relations, Haven Savings Bank; Lissa Wells, Transformation Coach & VP, Basics Builders; Jordania Rodriguez, Vice President & Senior Branch Manager, M&T Bank; Kylie Rice, Personal Risk Specialist, USI Insurance Services; Andrea M. Garcia, Co-Founder & CEO of COMMS/NATION, a boutique full-service PR + Creative Design agency.
