Talk to anyone about Monica Alsagoff and the words “gregarious” and “affable” come up a lot. So does the description of a career woman “who likes people, and a party”.
Alsagoff is the CEO of Communications DNA, a boutique agency started just three years ago. In that short time frame, she has steered the firm to be voted one of the top 10 PR agencies time and time again. And adding another accolade to its fast rising showcase, Communications DNA won the best Public Service Campaign (Public Sector) at the Institute of Public Relations Awards last year.
Alsagoff’s success and achievement date back to the mid 1980s, where she first set her sights on the hospitality industry. Establishing her foundation as a management trainee with the Westin Stamford and Plaza Singapore, her talent and people skills did not go unnoticed. These led her quickly up the ranks, until she became corporate sales manager for the esteemed hotel chain.
Since those early days, Alsagoff has moved on to work for high-end brand names like the Grand Hyatt Singapore, Club21 and Vertu.
Through all of this, the mother of two has managed to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She says she makes time not just for her work and her family, but also for herself.
“My philosophy is to work hard and play hard,” she says. “I live life to the fullest with no regrets. I see problems as challenges that can be overcome. A creative block to me means the fun is gone. Passion is one way of overcoming this block and that is what I encourage at Communications DNA as well.”
That philosophy is an important one for the public relations industry. It typically comes with long and late hours, especially when key events roll around. As such, Alsagoff’s employees are able to take time-off and regular breaks as they need them.
“Many people underestimate the importance of work-life balance when it comes to being effective in their professional lives,” she says. “To be content in both personal life and at work, there must be equilibrium in your time management.”
Alsagoff realises running any business requires some form of networking. She says the key is learning when to accept or decline an invitation to ensure burnouts don’t happen. As she has observed in her 20-year career, unchecked stress levels tend to accumulate until the person is not as effective as he or she could be.
On a personal level, Alsagoff is also an active member of several social communities. She sits on the main committee of The Peranakan Association, the National Heritage Board’s Heritage Industry Incentive Programme, and, most recently, the Republic Polytechnic Interactive Committee on Culture and Communication. Alsagoff also raises funds for the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s “Kidz Horizon Cancer Fund”.
“Breathe, enjoy, look around and be curious,” she says. “Don’t let life pass you by.”