A Day in the Life: Bridget K. H. O'Brien, CEO and Founder, Bridget O'Brien PR and Events

I work from my home office but most of my meetings are conducted at clients’ offices, establishments, restaurants, and coffee shops.

7:00 a.m.: Wake up, turn on BlackBerry, begin checking and responding to e-mails from bed. I am producing a charity event this evening and have a few meetings with clients so I will be out of the office most of the day.

7:15 a.m.: Come downstairs, turn on computer, and have breakfast and coffee while reviewing feedback of press release sent out the prior day about an actor client Gerard McNamee and his new film Hip Priest that is being acclaimed at film festivals.

7:45 a.m.: Get showered and ready for meeting.

8:30 a.m.: Leave for 9:30 meeting with Haitian Sports Foundation in regard to their PR campaign and Gala planned for April 2013.

9:30 a.m.: Meet with Haitian Sports Foundation at the Manhattan Executive Club.

11:30 a.m.: Meeting ends. Return calls to clients that came through while I was in meeting and return e-mails and inquiries about the evening's event.

12:30 p.m.: Meet with client about her wedding planning/wedding Web site blog launch party at the venue (a jewelry shop in SoHo).

1:45 p.m.: Head back to home office to do last-minute updates to guest list for charity event for nonprofit group HADEM.

3:00 p.m.: Beauty salon appointment for hair, makeup and manicure/pedicure. Working in PR, you always have to look your best, and the evening's formal cocktail party that is going to be covered by the press and many photographers is no exception. Through the appointment I am fielding calls from media, last-minute celebrity VIPs that want to attend, and directing my staff as to what to do as they are at the venue already.

4:30 p.m.: Rush home and get showered and dressed for the event.

5:30 p.m.: Meet my assistant and intern staff at the venue where the charity event is. Supervise and set up the venue, oversee silent auction items are placed properly.

6:00 p.m.: Set up sponsor signage, step and repeat banner [a portable red carpet backdrop], greet members of HADEM who have arrived early to assist set up.

6:30 p.m.: Make last-minute adjustments and additions to the media list, VIP list, and paid guest lists. Explain to security that is working the door that this is a ticket-only event and everyone who comes must have name on list. Do last minute walk-through of space and touch base with staff on their jobs for the night.

7:00 p.m.: Guest and press arrival. Direct the red carpet. Greet guests and guide VIPs to the step and repeat for photographs and interviews with press.

8:00 p.m.: Welcome guests on microphone, introduce the president of HADEM to speak about the work of the organization.

8:30 p.m.: Check in with staff to see that everything is running smoothly. Make sure people are bidding on silent auction items and purchasing raffle tickets. Make an announcement to guests to bid and buy tickets to generate more donations for HADEM.

9:30 p.m.: Announce winners of auction and raffles. Thank guests for coming.

10:00 p.m.: Event is over, begin breaking down signage, tables, and other decor.

11:30 p.m.: Arrive home, e-mail key individuals who made the night a success thanking them. Post on social media sites a few photos from event and announce the night was a success. Write press release about the event to go out over the wire at 8:00 a.m. the following morning.

12:30 a.m.: Answer a few e-mails on my BlackBerry from my bed, then drift off to sleep.