Betsy Annese is willing to accept her weaknesses. For example, she freely admits she's not the best at-home worker.

"I never know whether to return a call or empty the dishwasher," says the president of Annese Public Relations, a five-employee firm that's made a name for itself in Winston-Salem and beyond.

Annese founded the company in 1998, beginning by working out of her house.

Her company grew quickly, at least to the point where she needed a few employees, which was fine with her. She found office space downtown, where she had the luxury of focusing on clients' needs through the day and not worrying about juggling housekeeping.

But that's not to say that Annese Public Relations is all about work. The all-women staff likes to talk about everything from Hollywood stars to their families. But when it comes to providing services to their clients, the women operate off a simple motto.

"I like to say we provide 'performance rather than promise,'" Annese says. "We always want to exceed expectations, and I think we do that."

Annese has a background in print journalism -- she worked as a proof-reader and reporter in South Carolina before jumping into public relations. She worked for Bigelow Sanford Carpet Co. before landing a job with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., where she spent 16 years, rising to the position of senior vice president for external relations.

After she left RJR, Annese was planning on taking some time off, but she was asked by home improvement chain Lowe's Cos. Inc. to help set up its corporate communications department. Deciding that there was a niche for a "really good PR firm that would serve not only clients but the media really well," Annese launched her own company in late 1998, and hasn't looked back.

Building a team

Early reaction was positive, and Annese faced her first decision. She could either turn away clients or hire employees and grow her fledgling company. She chose the latter.

"I think the key is to go out and hire people who are better than you are," she says of her strategy.

Annese also decided to find people who had similar backgrounds, but with slightly different specialties. Employees Karen Jarvis and Pam Cook-Longworth both have television backgrounds.

"The depth and breadth of their experience helped fill in the gaps," Annese says. "They can produce videos and help clients with the placement of stories. Buying space and time is so important, and they understand what (TV media) can offer."

Pressley Ridgill, president and CEO of NewBridge Bank, who has been working with Annese Public Relations for the last year, says the ability for the firm to pull together all aspects of media was evident during his bank's recent events.

"We had our unveiling of our logo and the announcement with (naming rights on the downtown Greensboro) ballpark," Ridgill says. "The media coverage they were able to get us from TV and the newspapers was great. They attack all the different media outlets and get us the most coverage they can."

Jarvis, Annese's first hire and now vice president, says that it's the family-friendly atmosphere that has kept her at the firm.

"I'd always heard that working for a woman was one of the hardest things to do," Jarvis says. "But it's one of the best things that I've had happen. I'm comfortable saying and doing things, and (Annese) provides flexibility for family situations."

Given Annese's media background, one of the things she wanted to do most with her firm was to make it as media-friendly as possible. That has extended to the company's internship program, which has brought on interns from area colleges. Annese nearly always keeps up with her former interns as they enter the working world.

But the crux of the business, and the reason for its founding, has always been Annese's relationship with the press.

"I figured that being a print reporter, I understood how to approach the media," Annese says. "From the time of day to not bugging them every day, I knew what it was like."

Media savvy

The media-savvy attitude has paid off for clients, who go through a media-training process, where Annese and her employees videotape mock interviews and give clients ideas on how to answer questions but also promote the company's message.