How should a business owner handle a Public Relations Nightmare?

How should a business owner handle a Public Relations Nightmare?

There are many websites, articles and blogs that teach/or give you tips on how to start or grow a business. 

What you don't see as often are the articles that provide tips on what to do when you have already started and grown your small company into a large business that now faces a public relations nightmare.

Recently my company, The Holton-Wise Property Group was involved in a potentially disasters public relations nightmare. Here is how we it all unfolded.

Before Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers one of our newest employees posted some very hateful things to Stephen Curry's sister Sydel Curry.

This of course led to outrage which led many people to notify Holton-Wise and myself of the situation.

After investigating what was going on I made the decision to terminate said employee and respond to the media outrage towards Holton-Wise for his actions.

After the decision to terminate him went public I personally issued a formal apology to Sydel Curry on behalf of Holton-Wise.

At this point the story went national. Every news station, blog and website picked it up.

I had reporters calling and news cameras coming into the office looking for comment.

FOX 8 NEWS VIDEO

MIKE & MIKE ESPN VIDEO

MSN VIDEO

WKYC NEWS VIDEO

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2645322-cleveland-fan-gets-fired-for-rude-tweets-at-steph-currys-sister-regarding-riley

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016/06/10/cavaliers-fan-fired-from-job-over-offensive-tweets-directed-at-stephen-currys-family.html

http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Cavs-fan-fired-over-tweet-to-Steph-Curry-s-family-7974116.php

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016/06/10/cavaliers-fan-fired-from-job-over-offensive-tweets-directed-at-stephen-currys-family.html

http://power1051.iheart.com/pages/onair/breakfast-club/#27067715

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/cavaliers-fan-fired-lose-job-hateful-tweets-sydel-stephen-curry-sister

http://www.kgw.com/news/cleveland-cavaliers-fan-fired-for-tweets-about-steph-currys-family/238542796

http://fox8.com/2016/06/09/cavs-fan-fired-for-offensive-tweet-about-steph-currys-family/

https://www.yahoo.com/news/cavs-fan-cursed-steph-currys-003819374.html

http://brobible.com/sports/article/cavs-fan-gets-cursing-steph-curry-sister-twitter/

http://uproxx.com/dimemag/steph-curry-sister-cleveland-cavaliers-twitter/

https://www.theroot.com/blog/the-grapevine/twitter-user-fired-after-directing-a-homophobic-slur-toward-riley-curry/

http://www.totalprosports.com/2016/06/08/cavs-fan-gets-fired-from-his-job-for-cursing-out-steph-currys-sister-on-twitter/

https://boxden.com/showthread.php?t=2363099

https://twitter.com/warriorsworld/status/740608257010503680

http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php/1041327-Cavs-Fan-Fired-From-Job-After-Tweet-Calling-Riley-Curry-A-Homophobic-Slur

http://www.follownews.com/cavs-fan-gets-fired-from-his-job-for-cursing-out-steph-currys-sister-on-twitter-1duqd

http://www.thecoli.com/threads/cavs-fan-fired-from-his-job-after-calling-riley-curry-a-fakkit-on-twitter.434875/

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2645322-cleveland-fan-gets-fired-for-rude-tweets-at-steph-currys-sister-regarding-riley

http://mashable.com/2016/06/09/cavs-fan-fired-steph-curry-family-tweet/#F5f5crBNBuq2

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/cavaliers-fan-fired-offensive-stephen-curry-tweet-060916

http://www.lovebscott.com/news/cleveland-cavaliers-fan-gets-fired-after-calling-riley-curry-a-fagot-on-twitter

https://news.google.be/news/more?ncl=dCKe_0RlizgxgmMPtfg0sQHKTwzvM&authuser=0&ned=us

http://celebritiesreport.com/2016/06/09/foolywang-twitter-material-cavs-fan-fired-from-job-for-mean-tweets-about-steph-currys-family-did-it-affect-stephs-game-last-night/

http://www.dubnews.com/more.php?title=Cavs+fan+fired+from+job+after+cursing+Steph+Curry%27s+sister%2C+daughter+on+Twitter&u=aHR0cDovL21hc2hhYmxlLmNvbS8yMDE2LzA2LzA5L2NhdnMtZmFuLWZpcmVkLXN0ZXBoLWN1cnJ5LWZhbWlseS10d2VldC8=&pubdate=Thu%2C+09+Jun+2016+19%3A51%3A19+%2B0000&category=Golden+State+WarriorsSteph+CurryTwitterNbaSports

http://www.scoopnest.com/user/mashable/741002900906868736

http://clutchpoints.com/merciless-cavs-fan-insults-steph-currys-sister-on-twitter-and-he-pays-the-price/

http://www.obsev.com/sports/cavaliers-fan-fired-after-attacking-stephen-currys-sister-and-daughter-twitter.html

http://sports--news.com/2016/06/09/cavs-fan-fired-after-sending-offensive-tweet-to-currys-sister/

http://www.neosportsinsiders.com/cavaliers-fan-gets-canned-sending-vulgar-hateful-tweets-steph-currys-sister/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/06/09/cavaliers-fan-fired-for-vulgar-twitter-attack-on-steph-currys-sister/

http://www.wkyc.com/sports/nba/cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-fan-fired-for-tweets-about-steph-currys-family/238478983

http://fox8.com/2016/06/09/cavs-fan-fired-for-offensive-tweet-about-steph-currys-family/

http://nesn.com/2016/06/cavs-fan-fired-from-job-after-inappropriate-tweets-to-stephen-currys-sister/

http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Cavs-fan-fired-over-tweet-to-Steph-Curry-s-family-7974116.php

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/cavaliers-fan-fired-lose-job-hateful-tweets-sydel-stephen-curry-sister

https://www.syracuse.com/axeman/index.ssf/2016/06/cleveland_cavaliers_fan_fired_for_tweets_directed_at_steph_currys_sister.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/06/09/cavaliers-fan-fired-for-vulgar-twitter-attack-on-steph-currys-sister/

http://www.theybf.com/2016/06/09/when-twitter-goes-wrong-cleveland-fan-gets-fired-from-job-for-mean-tweets-about-steph

http://www.businessinsider.com/cavs-fan-fired-tweet-stephen-curry-sister-daughter-riley-2016-6

http://newsone.com/3456234/cavaliers-fan-fired-after-vulgar-tweet-to-steph-curry-sister/

http://blacksportsonline.com/home/2016/06/cavs-fan-fired-after-dissing-riley-curry-on-twitter/

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=16094927

http://www.wkyc.com/sports/nba/cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-fan-fired-for-tweets-about-steph-currys-family/238478983

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/cavaliers-fan-fired-tweet-insults-riley-curry-family-stephen-curry-sydel/8matnse6mjk61m6ulmijmpkwa

http://us.blastingnews.com/sports/2016/06/cavs-fan-gets-fired-for-twitter-comment-dissing-riley-curry-00960579.html

http://www.thescore.com/nba/news/1040969-cavs-fan-fired-after-sending-offensive-tweet-to-curry-s-sister

http://www.ksfo.com/2016/06/10/june-10-cavs-fan-fired-over-tweet-to-steph-currys-family/

http://power99.iheart.com/onair/cappuchino-46761/cavs-fan-fired-from-his-job-14802639/

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2016/06/09/cavs-fan-fired-after-tweeting-at-family-of-warriors-steph-curry/

http://q104.cbslocal.com/2016/06/10/cavs-fan-fired-for-offensive-tweet/

http://www.archyuk.com/cleveland-cavaliers-fan-fired-for-tweets-to-steph-currys-family-wkyc-tv/

http://www.barstoolsports.com/barstoolu/cavs-fan-gets-fired-for-calling-3-year-old-riley-curry-a-fggot-ass-on-twitter/

http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/a-cleveland-cavaliers-fan-was-fired-for-sending-hateful-tweets-about-riley-curry-news.22156.html

http://theshaderoom.com/19796-2/

http://www.carbonated.tv/viral/cavs-fan-fired-after-obscene-tweet-about-currys-sister-daughter

http://www.inquisitr.com/3187192/moe-wahdans-twitter-cavs-fan-calls-3-year-old-riley-curry-a-f-curses-at-stephs-sister-sydel/

http://bossip.com/1322594/people-aint-isht-cavs-fan-fired-for-using-homophobic-slur-toward-riley-curry-43081/

http://www.bigplay.com/cavs-fan-gets-fired-from-job-for-sending-riley-curry-hate-tweets-to-steph-currys-sister/

http://icecreamconvos.com/cleveland-cavaliers-fan-fired-tweet-gay-slur-riley-curry-employer-apologize-curry-family/

http://www.programsports.com/cavs-fan-fired-for-vile-tweets-at-currys-sister/

http://www.foxbangor.com/sports/cavaliers-fan-fired-from-job-over-offensive-tweets-directed-at-stephen-currys-family

https://www.eurweb.com/2016/06/despicable-cavaliers-fan-fired-for-calling-riley-curry-a-fagot/

http://www.enstarz.com/articles/163096/20160610/stephen-curry-and-wife-cleveland-cavaliers-fan-fired-after-dissing-daughter-riley-video.htm

http://www.scoopnest.com/user/12News/741097975368273920

After all of the media outlets picked up the story Twitter and other social media went insane. People began reaching out to Holton-Wise and myself personally to express their approval or disdain from our decision to terminate this employee.

There consensus was a little mixed but the majority of people felt that Holton-Wise did the right thing. 

Some of the positive reactions were as follows.

Good Afternoon,

Bravo and terrific response by James Wise about the idiotic tweets from your former employee regards Steph Curry's family. The cliche "making lemonade from lemons" came to mind on how your firm handled this situation. As low and insulting those tweets were, the response from Mr. Wise was first class and heartfelt

Then of course there were the negative reactions. They were the minority but they were much louder than those who were on the other side of this debate.

WARNING: Some of these are very vulgar.

Hopefully you are still with me after combing through all of that data. This brings me to the point of this article.

How should you handle a public relations nightmare?

1. DON'T PANIC

If you are running a large company with a lot of exposure you need to prepare yourself for a PR scandal.

The question is not "will" my company be involved in a PR scandal?

It is "when" will my company be involved in a PR scandal, and will I be ready for it?

2. ACT QUICK

We did not sit on our hands when this thing started taking off. We immediately put this to the top of this priority list and acted quickly and appropriately  before any further damage to the Holton-Wise brand could occur. You do not want to sit around and see how things play out before you decide on what you want to do. The problem will not solve itself. You must solve it.

3. REMOVE THE PROBLEM

If you have an employee that is going against your culture or hurting the brand and image you have put blood, sweat and tears into you must remove them. Your loyalty is to your business not to the employee who is harming your business.

I was asked by several people "how is he going to feed his family now"

My response was "I have 50 other employees who need to fee their families as well. If I let the actions of one person destroy my brand we all may not be able to fee our families."

4. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED 

Remember when you are a business owner you are not only responsible for your own actions, but those of everyone working in your organization.

5. REMAIN PROFESSIONAL AT ALL TIMES

There are a lot of internet trolls out there that just want to ruffle your feathers. They have nothing better to do than to try to get a rise out of you. Do not stoop to their level. You are a business owner and you must act that way at all times.