Carolyn Izzo-Feldman is the founder and CEO of CIIC PR, a full-service, award-winning public relations and marketing firm specializing in creating dynamic campaigns for the travel and hospitality industry. She’s also a Women Leading Travel & Hospitality consultant member. Izzo-Feldman’s more than 30 years of PR and marketing experience forms the foundation of CIIC PR’s renowned and distinctive service offerings. Her intelligent, creative and energetic personality has made Izzo-Feldman a valued counsel to top executives at multinational hotel brands, fine dining and restaurant chains, real estate developments, and government tourism boards around the world. She has piloted CIIC in numerous award-winning campaigns on behalf of the company’s diverse clientele.

Prior to founding CIIC, Izzo-Feldman worked for several large PR firms from which she gleaned experiences that honed her dedication to offer clients principle-led and personalized service. Today, CIIC is the culmination of Izzo-Feldman’s vision, setting a new standard for lifestyle PR.

Izzo-Feldman is a board member of the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA), a public relations chair for the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), and is on the Northeast Chapter Committee for the International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA). We asked her a series of questions about her experience and leadership.

Women Leading Travel & Hospitality: Tell us about your background. Did you imagine you would start and run your own company some day?
Carolyn Izzo-Feldman: My background from college was in creative dance and theater with a minor in communications. That translated naturally into public relations, as I was very comfortable being “center stage” and telling a story. I worked and learned from the best of the best at some of the largest agencies in the country. While I’m not sure if I initially thought about starting my own agency, I knew I was headed for something different in my career and wanted to have more control over my decisions and how I serviced my clients and mentored my team.

I also have my mother to thank for giving me the support and strength I needed to make that leap, including offering her spare apartment for me to start my agency. She was literally my first “hire” and helped me in the office. She encouraged me to take risks and go for my dreams and was always there to support and guide me. At 90 years old, she’s still such an important guide and inspiration to me today. So, while my initial intent wasn’t necessarily having an agency of my own, I’ve been blessed with support from so many people throughout my journey. Creating this successful, service-oriented, hands-on “little engine that could” wouldn’t have been possible were it not for the continuous support of my family, friends and, of course, my amazing CIIC PR team.

WLT&H: What do you enjoy most about being in a leadership position? How would you describe your leadership style?
CIF: I truly love mentoring our team of young, creative talent and watching them grow in their positions. I see my style as a supportive mentor and a creative, servant leader. By prioritizing the needs of my team and my clients, I do my best to lead by example, and am always pushing myself and my team to dig a little deeper. I encourage pushing the envelope daily and striving for excellence in service for all that we do. What gives me the most joy, however, is seeing this come to fruition when I watch my team members assume their own positions of leadership. We’re continually learning from each other and supporting one another. It has been amazing to see such growth and how our team really is like family.

WLT&H: What do you find the most challenging about leadership, and how do you tackle that challenge?
CIF: COVID was the most difficult time in my 26-year career as the owner of the company — as I’m sure it was for everyone in the travel and hospitality industry. During that time, my goal and mission was to support my staff and keep my team employed, regardless of the dramatic loss of revenue that everyone was experiencing at the time. Now that we’re through the worst of it, I’m proud to say that I didn’t have to let go of one staff member during that trying time. In fact, what I witnessed was resiliency, growth and courage from every member of my team. While it was certainly a challenge, it’s something that I’m most proud of as well.

WLT&H: What led you to create CIIC PR?
CIF: Prior to founding CIIC, I worked for several large PR firms from which I gleaned tremendous experience that honed my dedication to clients. However, what I felt was missing in the industry at the time was principle-led, hands-on personalized service. So I set my sights on setting a new standard and wanted to create an agency that was large on experience but “boutique” in terms of service. I wanted to be hands-on to the pulse of the day-to-day service of our clients.

WLT&H: What makes you especially equipped to service the travel and hospitality industry?
CIF: Travel and service is in my blood. When you truly love what your clients stand for and represent, it’s easy to feel confident in your ability. Also, my hand-picked team comes from such a diverse background — both culturally and geographically — that I feel we’re perfectly positioned to provide the best-of-class service to our industry clients. Whether it’s a one-off boutique hotel property or a large tropical island destination, we love diving deep into the client’s culture and brand pillars that align with our own and creatively tell their stories.

WLT&H: What’s an example of a travel/hospitality campaign you’ve worked on that you’re proud of?
CIF: There are so many, but honestly putting “Los Cabos” on the map as a household name has to be at the top of a very long list. Hard to believe it was once a little-known destination, but there was a time when that was the case. Through our years as the agency of record for the destination, we told that story and lifted the “brand” to new heights. Also, my very first travel client was Acapulco, joining me when I started CIIC. And coming full circle, we currently are proud to represent the Mexican Caribbean (previously known as Quintana Roo). Mexico destination campaigns obviously hold a special place in my heart.

WLT&H: What do you hope all leaders understand when it comes to sharing their company story?
CIF: Our CIIC PR tagline is “Transforming Ideas Into Powerful Stories,” and I feel that speaks to the heart of any communication strategy. Start with your idea, then tell it in the most compelling, honest way you can. If you believe in your mission and your purpose, and then differentiate yourself from the competition, that combination is the key to creating a compelling story that will truly speak to your audience.