Paige Arnof-Fenn founded Mavens & Moguls, a global branding and marketing firm, in Cambridge, MA in 2001. With 19+ years running the agency at the time of this interview, Arnof-Fenn has navigated multiple economic downturns including the Great Recession of 2008–09. The firm focuses on senior-level branding, marketing, and PR counsel for small businesses and growth companies.
The Interview
Q: How has COVID affected your business?
A: I started a global branding and marketing firm 19 years ago in Cambridge, MA. We've had a few delayed projects but no client has been lost. The biggest change is the shutdown of all networking events, travel, and conferences. Spring is typically a very busy time. I have had more Zoom and Skype calls in the past 15 days than the prior 6 months. Pivoting to online meetings is a smart and productive way to continue conversations that educate, inform, and build relationships.
Q: How have you dealt with slowdowns in the past?
A: Going back to the Great Recession in 2008–09, just as Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers were imploding, I had 3 big projects (six figures) about to launch all get postponed within days. Since my dance card was suddenly open, I looked at my calendar and saw I needed to be in Chicago, the Bay Area, and Boston for speeches and board meetings, so I added on a Listening Tour in each city. Politicians do it all the time. I made a list of movers and shakers, asked smart open-ended questions, then sat back and took notes. With things so slow they were more than happy to get together. If you listen to what they share, there will be plenty of opportunities to help them. I picked up several new clients. Our growth rate slowed and we shifted from mostly monthly retainer to project-based work — but our clients spent roughly the same.
Q: What are you doing differently this time?
A: An idea I'm sharing with my community: look at all the groups we're part of — industry, trade, neighborhood, alumni, women, hobby, religious, non-profit — and start our own stimulus packages by agreeing to support and buy from each other directly and refer business proactively. Cross-promote in newsletters, follow/like/retweet on social media. Whether you need food, a book, a gift, office supplies, a website update, or a video — there's probably someone in your network happy to get the business right now.
Q: How do you feel about the future?
A: The most trusted leaders and brands will have a big competitive advantage in the new normal. Employees, customers, and clients will remember who treated them well during the crisis. It is about touching people in meaningful ways — which may mean being less busy not more for a while. Maybe the silver lining is this crisis reminds us we have always needed each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Paige Arnof-Fenn founded Mavens & Moguls , a global branding and marketing firm, in Cambridge, MA in 2001 . With 19+ years running the agency at the time of this interview, Arnof-Fenn has navigated multiple economic downturns including the Great Recession of 2008–09. The firm focuses on senior-level branding, marketing, and PR counsel for small businesses and growth companies. The Interview Q: How has COVID affected your business?
A: I started a global branding and marketing firm 19 years ago in Cambridge, MA. We've had a few delayed projects but no client has been lost. The biggest change is the shutdown of all networking events, travel, and conferences. Spring is typically a very busy time. I have had more Zoom and Skype calls in the past 15 days than the prior 6 months. Pivoting to online meetings is a smart and productive way to continue conversations that educate, inform, and build relationships.
Q: How have you dealt with slowdowns in the past?
A: Going back to the Great Recession in 2008–09, just as Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers were imploding, I had 3 big projects (six figures) about to launch all get postponed within days. Since my dance card was suddenly open, I looked at my calendar and saw I needed to be in Chicago, the Bay Area, and Boston for speeches and board meetings, so I added on a Listening Tour in each city. Politicians do it all the time. I made a list of movers and shakers, asked smart open-ended questions, then sat back and took notes. With things so slow they were more than happy to get together. If you listen to what they share, there will be plenty of opportunities to help them. I picked up several new clients. Our growth rate slowed and we shifted from mostly monthly retainer to project-based work — but our clients spent roughly the same.
Q: What are you doing differently this time?
A: An idea I'm sharing with my community: look at all the groups we're part of — industry, trade, neighborhood, alumni, women, hobby, religious, non-profit — and start our own stimulus packages by agreeing to support and buy from each other directly and refer business proactively. Cross-promote in newsletters, follow/like/retweet on social media. Whether you need food, a book, a gift, office supplies, a website update, or a video — there's probably someone in your network happy to get the business right now.
Q: How do you feel about the future?
A: The most trusted leaders and brands will have a big competitive advantage in the new normal. Employees, customers, and clients will remember who treated them well during the crisis. It is about touching people in meaningful ways — which may mean being less busy not more for a while. Maybe the silver lining is this crisis reminds us we have always needed each other.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.
