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DKNY PR GIRL Beyond 140 Characters -- Aliza Licht

This article is more than 9 years old.

I had the amazing opportunity to interview the one and only DKNY PR GIRL, Aliza Licht, on my podcast, All The Social Ladies.

Aliza is the SVP of Global Communications at Donna Karan International—not to mention an absolute superstar. Besides being the company's award-winning social media personality, she has also been listed as one of the "Top 50 Most Powerful Women in New York.” Talk about fierce! Her path to success was less traditional; after initially studying to become a doctor, she realized her true passion was for all things fashion.

Considering that she has been profiled by The New York Times ("PR Girl Revealed as PR Executive") and has a wealth of experience in her constantly evolving role, I knew I absolutely had to share her story and words of wisdom with you.

The Veil Is Lifted

Aliza’s typical role at DKNY was traditional PR: celebrity dressing, fashion shows, and fashion stories for magazines. Inspired by the TV show Gossip Girl, along with the advent of social media, DKNY took to Facebook and Twitter, recognizing the need for genuine human conversation. And thus, in the form of a fun, fashionable illustration, DKNY PR GIRL was born.

With no preconceptions, the leap was made, and for two years Aliza was the anonymous voice behind this handle. Initially, DKNY PR GIRL was fictional, but the more human and personable Aliza became with her followers, the more engagement she saw. The struggles and complexities of tweeting as a fictional character eventually led Aliza to tweet her real professional life (although she still remained cloaked under the velvety veil of DKNY PR GIRL). Then in 2011, and with over 300,000 Twitter followers, the veil was finally lifted.

You may be asking why. Aliza says that even though it had evolved to become this big secret, she realized that greater value came from transparency. The DKNY PR GIRL we know and love continues to be maintained by Aliza and remains a reflection of her truly authentic online self.

Growing At DKNY

Aliza has been with DKNY for over 16 years. She attributes her success at the company to these four rules:

  • Do the work. Focus on doing the best possible job in all your positions at an organization—kick ass at it.
  • Don't get sucked into lofty aspirations. Be real, be authentic, and know what you have to do right now to succeed.
  • Learn to say no. You don't have to do everything and be everywhere.
  • Network. There are so many ways to do this, so take advantage.

 

Escaping 140 Characters

Aliza eventually took DKNY PR GIRL to Tumblr, using the same persona from Twitter, but without the 140 character restriction. And her long-form writing didn’t stop there. Part of Aliza's passion is helping others find their own path, which is why she wrote her new book,Leave Your Mark. The book will be published in May 2015 (if you can't wait until then, it's on pre-order now!) and is written as a mentorship through the lens of Aliza's career, complete with purposeful stories and practical do-and-don't tips. It's not just for those looking to start their first job, it's packed with great advice for all of us looking to switch gears, whether that be in a new environment or in our current one.

Can’t wait for May to embark on a new journey? I got a few sneak-peek tips. Aliza recommends closely examining the resources you have at your fingertips, taking a look at who you know, and accepting that things might not always go as planned. Her biggest advice: "Have patience and believe in your goals and yourself.”

How have you grown in your career? What advice would you give to others? Please share your comments in the section below!