Meet Ellen Blattel

Current position:  I’m the CEO of Blattel Communications and oversee all of our San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York operations.

Work history:  I started the company more than 22 years ago after working at another public relations agency for five years.  I saw an opportunity to focus my business on “business to business” and realized that this is what I wanted to do in life!

Education: I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley after attending the UC Santa Cruz for two years.

Where did you grow up? I was lucky enough to grow up in West Los Angeles.

What is the first paid job you ever had? My first paid job was as a sales person in a boutique women’s clothing store in Santa Monica.

How did you get into legal marketing? I started in public relations for the legal profession almost three decades ago when my first job in PR was for an agency that represented law firms.

What advice would you offer to someone new to the industry? My advice to someone new to the industry is to always remember that communication is the key to success!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?  The best advice I ever received was from my husband when I was in my early 30s.  He said, “Start your own company because the worst thing that could happen is it doesn’t work out.”  Well, it did work out, and it was TRULY the best advice!

What would people be most surprised to learn about you? I love to backpack in the wilderness and cook over an open fire.  My friends find this really funny.  The most important thing is to not bring a mirror and, yes, I even wear flat shoes.

Is there anything else we should know about you? I am obsessive about loyalty,  friendship, my husband and cats – the driving forces.

If you were stranded on a desert island for one week with a group of lawyers, what would you want to have with you? If I were stranded on a deserted island for one week with a group of lawyers, I would bring lots of paper and pencils – to play charades of course!

Is there anything obscure that you know more about than the average bear? I know what cats think.

What is your favorite word? “positionin’”

If you could eat only one food or cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be? Really, my favorite thing to eat would be chocolate éclairs from Victoria Pastry – with custard, of course!