Cassandra, or Cass, as her colleagues fondly call her, is a passionate go-getter and PR specialist whose vision is to help people in business mark their name in the world. She has a natural affinity for commercial communications and uses her passion to help hustling business owners succeed with professional brand positioning in the media.
At the age of 22, after learning about the industry from reputable PR agencies, Cass founded Millennium Communications. She did this all while completing her degree in Bachelor of Communications in Public Relations! Millennium Communications has grown from strength to strength, working with phenomenal people and amazing brands from all over the country.
To date, Cass has already been featured in Forbes, placed as a Top 50 Business Leader by Inside Small Business 2019 and was a finalist in the Young Entrepreneurs Awards 2019 and 2021. In addition to this extensive list of achievements and qualifications, it’s Cass’ strong creativity, genuine approach and honesty that allows her to stand out.
For more details, visit their website here.
Here we sit down with Cassandra to learn a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur!
Q. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Cassandra: My father is a business owner and growing up around him, it inspired me to want to start my own business. I got to witness him building something from the ground up, and it really pushed and inspired me to want to do the same thing.
Q. How did you get started?
Cassandra: I was naturally drawn to it, so I started my first business when I was 12 as a babysitter and I ran that until I was 22. That’s when I started Millennium Communications and it was a natural progression.
I had a blog that I started when I was 17 that allowed me to grow my personal brand as well. A couple of years into that, I was fortunate enough to share my story in the media, build connections and become an influencer through my Tumblr and Instagram accounts. It led me to meet people in marketing and I started freelancing for them with social media work.
During that time, I built relationships with some incredible business owners in my local area. So, when I had the opportunity to start my agency, they became my first clients. 6 months into the business, I was able to quit my full-time job and jump straight into my business and that’s what I have been doing ever since. We now primarily focus on media relations and events.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Cassandra: My biggest challenge in the start-up phase was taking on too much, too soon without the right people in my team. To overcome this, I had to stop growth for about six months so I could focus on building the right systems and team- which meant I had to scale back on work and turn clients away. It taught me the importance of building solid systems early on so it can help with growth.
Q. What is the most memorable thing you’ve done since you started your business?
Cassandra: One of the most incredible experiences was one of the first PR events we did. I was working with an incredible Australian swimwear brand that had a global presence, and they trusted me in handling the PR for the brand in Australia. We landed coverage for the owner in some amazing media outlets, including Vogue. In the strategy, we did a media and influencer event for the launch of their new season. We had over 80 celebrities, influencers and media attend and I just remember stepping back and looking at the event from the outside in and just feeling so proud. It was a massive milestone in my career.
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
Cassandra: The 5 Second Rule. When I’m going through challenging situations or avoiding something, this has been a massive strategy in just getting me to do things or have big conversations or even just do the task that I have been putting off. It’s a great strategy to apply in both business and personal situations.
Q. What are your top 3 favourite online apps, tools or resources and what do you love about them?
Cassandra: Canva; it has just transformed how we do things in house and it’s super easy to use. UpWork; I have connected with some really talented content writers and designers there. TikTok; as consuming as it can be, I have learnt some great hacks from it.
Q. In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
Cassandra: Honestly, I don’t want my legacy to stem from my business. I want people to remember me for how I was with them, the way I treated them, and how I helped them. After travelling to my Nonno’s hometown this year, I realised it’s not so much about what you create or the type of business you leave. It’s about how the smallest gestures or acts of kindness can impact others.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Cassandra: Surround yourself with people who are 5 steps ahead of you and are where you want to be in 5 or 10 years.
To keep up to date with Cassandra and her journey, connect with her on Instagram.
