John Jay Grad's PR Firm Sees Meteoric Rise

Three years ago, Kristen Ruby was a recent graduate from Boston University who entered a weak job market. Now, she helms a fast-growing public relations company with dozens of awards to show for its effort.

The latest milestone for the founder of Ruby Media Group was in her company on a June 6 gathering of the Advertising Club of Westchester.

“I mean, what we won was really remarkable for an agency that’s been around since 2009," she said. "I’m 25 years old, I won more awards than my own actual age of 25.”

Ruby, who grew up in Waccabuc and is a 2005 graduate, has Mt. Kisco-based company representing local businesses ranging from to .

While national news headlines from recent years have painted 20-somethings as beleagured and trapped by unemployment, Ruby has managed to go against the grain.

When Ruby graduated in 2009 after majoring in public relations, she had been interning for two months - she has been through 13 of them, including at companies such as Morgan Stanley and CBS - but believed that she could really help businesses.

At the time, she says, social media wasn't hitting yet, so helping provide advice on it for businesses was an area she went into.

“I thought I can be of service to these people because I had that skill set.”

Starting with social media consulting, she branched outward and added services included more traditional PR and marketing services.

Extending her offerings was spurred by demand from clients.

“The clients made the decision for me," she said.

Ruby wants her company to continue its expansion.

“The way I look at Ruby Media Group is the agency of the future in Westchester County right now," she said.

Ruby, who now lives in Greenwich, has also represented clients beyond Westchester, including those connected to next door in Fairfield County, CT, Palm Beach and Los Angeles.

Her passion for her job goes in tandem with a heavy work load. She describes having worked at the office until 10 p.m. on a Friday, and with Saturday client work. With five mobile or landline phones, she also makes sure that it's easy to reach her.

“My whole life is dedicated to this business right now,” adding that because she is single and not maried yet it affords her time to focus on the business.

What might be considered work is not so for Ruby, who describes it as being a lifestyle.

“I don’t believe it’s a job. I believe it’s a life," she said.

Ruby doesn't keep to a 9-5 workload with start dates. She doesn't tell folks who work for her what time they're done, as they decide.

Her entrepreneurial spirit is nothing new, however. She recalls that when she was a student at John Jay, her brother was involved in a science research program and wanted to see something similar for media.

“So I saw how successful he was, and I was like ‘wait a second, why isn’t there anything for someone who wants to pursue media?’”

The result: She helped start a new curriculum, focusing on media and humanities research. It involved taking on an internship and doing a thesis. In the new program, Ruby spent time at PBS, chronicled her time and did a presentation.

“That was the best thing I got out of John Jay High School," she said.

One important part of her business is to care about her clients' success, rather than merely care about her own.

“I really care about my clients doing well with this stuff, or else why would they do it?”

She also believe's that it is important top present the stories of her clients to others.

“I should be about taking someone who really has a good story and putting the light on them so other people can see that.”