When 12-year-old Gary Rosen approached 1000 N. Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, despite no formal invitation, he was exhilarated at the prospect of meeting his TV idol. But the door never opened and a voice from inside shared unfortunate news: Lucille Ball was not at home.
Disappointment aside, young Rosen recognized that he had the courage to try.
Gary Rosen’s determination — coupled with his learned ability to topple closed doors — ultimately took him from Rockland County, New York, to president of Gary Rosen Communications, a public relations firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Miami.
With an unrelenting focus on a career in television, by age 24, the self-described “walking TV Guide” of television trivia was living his dream as a writer for TV Guide itself.
A handful of editorial and agency doors later, Rosen embraced the risk and opened his own PR firm.
As a publicist for 24 television programs throughout his career, Rosen specializes in nationally syndicated talk, court and magazine shows.
Additionally, his expertise in crisis management has proved beneficial to several major corporations. Rosen’s industry cred is also responsible for landing him commentator spots on national media outlets like Fox News, CNN, E! and HLN.
Today, his clients include the iconic “Judge Judy” and TV’s new fall entry, “Hot Bench.”
“I don’t think of myself as just a publicist. I’m a strategist with the mentality of a reporter and a clear understanding of what a reporter wants to hear,” Rosen says. Essentially, as Rosen has walked the walk, he knows exactly how to talk the talk.
Take risks
Just as his once benign attempt to ambush Lucille Ball prophesied, Rosen remains an advocate of a “no risk, no reward” professional lifestyle.
“Most successful people in the world are risk takers. They understand they have to set themselves apart,” Rosen says.
On the importance of originality, Rosen points to the legendary Joan Rivers — whom he first met backstage when he was 15 years old.
“Joan invented the concept of reinventing yourself. Her passing was so impactful because she was in a league of her own. She was a true survivor,” he says.
Survivor is also a word Rosen attributes to his mother, Bess Rosenstock. He credits her with instilling the qualities that guide his professional footsteps.
Rosen says “she raised three children alone, worked seven days a week, and taught me her work ethic and the value of a dollar. She was like the ‘Martin’ to my ‘Lewis’ and vice versa.”
In fact, Rosen is professionally attracted to “women who don’t embrace the status quo” and he also celebrates the importance of diversity and passion.
“I have friends ranging from servers to celebrities, from retail employees to multimillionaires, from 21 to 85 years old. I don’t care what you do — just be passionate and you’ll never be bored and you’ll always be interesting.”
Enjoy the journey
For Rosen, it’s not just about taking risks but enjoying the risk taking. Again, he salutes his mother: “There was nothing in my childhood that was ‘cookie cutter’ — professionally, I took that concept and ran with it.”
Celebrate passion. Seize the risk. Set yourself apart and — no matter what it takes — get the doors opened.
So, you C-suiters who keep tangible and technological doors shut tight, be careful. One day, a creative-thinking Rosen-type will knock on your door. Listen up — and open it.
