Kathy Malinski
Owner
The Wordsmith Marketing Communications
IABC Member since 1997
When it comes to delivering outstanding customer service, IABC member Kathy Malinski works as hard as she plays. Fortunately for her clients, Kathy’s playtime takes her to great heights—literally. As owner of The Wordsmith Marketing Communications, she provides a wide range of writing and communications consulting services. Kathy’s clients include major corporations, mid-sized and entrepreneurial businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Read below to see why the “sky’s the limit” for this daring communications professional.
Birthplace
Santa Barbara, California
Current residence
Diamond Bar, California
Favorite quote
“The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.”
—Oscar Wilde
Three words that best describe me
Creative. Perceptive. Team-player.
When I’m not working, you can find me
Flying an airplane, cooking, playing with my Golden Retriever, reading, or writing poetry.
Whoa…flying an airplane?
I’m really not sure where the desire [to fly] came from—except that it started when I was a youngster. I never even flew commercially until I was 16, and there were no pilots in the family to my knowledge. But growing up, pilots were my heroes! To me, they were bigger than life. Brave, adventurous, self-confident. I lived very close to a small airport, and the departure path of the planes was over my backyard. I would sit outside and watch them fly overhead and dream about someday flying myself.
Does the pilot license come in handy for work?
No, actually I’ve never used it for work. It’s strictly a personal hobby. I’m a hopeless romantic, and flying seemed to me to be about the most romantic adventure in the world. So I guess I was inspired by the romance; and, also the challenge of doing something special and different, something that only a small part of the population does.
MY LIFE IN COMMUNICATIONS
The biggest communications challenge I have faced in my current (or previous) role was…
My biggest, and probably most rewarding, challenge was working with a large corporate client to enhance and refresh their brand in order to help attract top-notch industry professionals to their field force. Working as part of a task force that included the company president, I assumed the role of communications consultant as well as writer. The process took nearly a year and resulted in a new portfolio of product and recruiting materials that reflected the spirit and tone of the organization and revitalized their communications efforts.
My favorite communications memory is…
When a long-time client won a prestigious award, I was asked to write a speech for a senior executive of the company to deliver at the award presentation ceremony. I was also invited to attend the event, because the client felt the work I had done for them over the years helped them achieve this award. It was a great honor to be recognized in this way, and it was a remarkable and memorable day, too.
The most important communications or professional lesson I’ve learned is…
There’s only one chance to get a message across, and words have to be carefully chosen and paced to get the desired response. Throughout it all, try to keep your sense of perspective. And a good sense of humor never hurts, either!
Resources I really find useful and recommend to other communicators are …
I recommend communicators listen to well-crafted speeches. A good speech, whether or not you agree with the message, is a work of art. That’s where the power and impact of words hit home.
OH, HOW FAR I’VE COME
Kathy Malinski is experienced in developing collateral materials, executive speeches, video scripts, advertising, direct marketing materials, internal communications, press releases, newsletters and other consumer, B-to-B and employee communications vehicles. Before starting The Wordsmith in 1994, Kathy had a long and successful career in marketing and communications in the corporate world. This client-side experience gives her the ability to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by today’s businesses.
Kathy has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Southern California, and completed several years of post-graduate study in law.
This profile was edited by IABC-LA member and volunteer Cheryl Farrell.