NAOMI'S SHINY RUBY

FROM humble beginnings as a home-office business to one of the Gold Coast's most diverse media management companies, Ruby Public Relations is proving it's a real gem.

Launched four years ago by Naomi Spies, the company has seen year-on-year growth including a doubling of turnover and staff in the last 12 months.

Consulting to a raft of small and large businesses, the company's portfolio includes Surfers Paradise Alliance, Sanctuary Cove, Bravehearts White Balloon Day, Goldsteins, Essence of Living, Chatterbox Challenge and the Real Estate Results Network.

Spies attributes her success to fast thinking and innovation in what is an ever-changing mass media landscape.

"Public relations is the ultimate way to maximise any marketing budget, because the exposure in media you receive is free," says Spies.

"It is the most powerful way to manage your corporate reputation and strong credibility, positioning you as an industry leader.

"Ruby PR has been so successful for a number of reasons, but one of those is that we don't specialise in one industry specifically. For instance, when we had the GFC, the majority of PR agencies on the Gold Coast specialised in the property development industry and, as a result, some of them lost a large portion of their business in line with the string of receiverships that took place."

The company's services include media, publicity, event management and event marketing, online marketing and social media and video marketing.

In addition, Spies has launched a PR training division to assist small businesses in generating free media exposure.

"Over the last four years I have met so many inspirational people with stories to tell who ultimately don't have the budget to hire PR agencies," she says.

"The main objective behind the PR training division is to help people tell their story. We wanted to make the untouchable, touchable and make PR accessible to everyone."

The goal for the next two years is expansion with Spies saying a move into Sydney and Melbourne is being explored.