PORTRAIT
By
Gabriela Vaca J., editor NM - IG: @gabriellavakj
Lasso Lorena
An 'all terrain' woman
THE CEO OF ASSISTEC TELLS US HOW HER COMPANY MANAGED TO POSITION ITSELF AMONG THE BEST IN PUBLIC RELATIONS.
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Being the head and core of Assistec, a public relations agency Lorena is a businesswoman who has contributed to the growth of powerful brands locally and internationally. But beyond her contribution in this sector, she has been the founder of Women for Women for seven years. "We started with a group of women CEOs from other national companies to motivate their women's teams to develop. Considering that only 4% of women worldwide reach management positions, we work to change that reality in the business world", she says. However, not only for these, she is an 'all terrain' woman and very committed to contributing to the improvement of other women. She is also
vice president of Junior Achievement Ecuador, where she works in education programs for children and women entrepreneurs; she is also part of the board of Caemba, emerging bamboo houses, to provide housing and training for women in vulnerable situations in Esmeraldas. "The program is designed for women to grow economically with their start-up and stop depending solely on their partners," explains Lore. The dream of having her own company begins after deciding to quit working for others and do it for herself with her company. She came to this after working for three different multinationals and, in a local bank, the latter did not work out
because it went into bankruptcy. At the age of 30, she experienced the bitter taste of the crisis amid a divorce process. "I did not have a job and had to feed two little mouths, in addition to a difficult separation. The country was facing a complicated situation, and everything looked uphill at that time," says Lorena. She remembers that she got a part-time job and spent the rest of the day developing what Assistec is today, a company born in 2000. "We started doing a little of everything. Among my anecdotes, I remember that the first invoice was for 10 thousand dollars, not for PR but for an event. The profit was $8,000, so I said to myself, "what was I doing stuck in a bank" (laughing). This 80% income percentage did not happen again, forcing me to think strategically. She did not have an office; she worked from home. The nanny sometimes acted as a messenger. Things went better and better; at one point, she was able to win bids with reliable companies such as Coca-Cola and General Motors.
"One day a client requests a meeting in our office which we didn't have. Because of this, we decided to rent a small one immediately. We bought tables, chairs, and all needed to project a good image. We were already three in the office (2001). That's how Assistec started in its own space, little by little, a few years after we were 15 to 20 people, and now we are more than 40. Every six months we changed offices because we were running short. Being an entrepreneur is not easy; it costs a lot of effort, totally worth it, nothing is impossible".
I did not have a fixed salary until year number seven; I was the last to receive compensation. There were months when I earned very well and other low ones. Then we stabilized when we won the bids and had our fixed portfolio of clients. General Motors was the first to believe in our company; we won the bid over renowned and experienced agencies with a spectacular and creative presentation. The same thing happened with Coca-Cola, our client, for 11 years. Assistec has at least one client in each line of business, and we handle clients with six different advisory teams. In technology, we work for Huawei and Honor, and we have many international brands in our portfolio of clients. "I think the significant growth started when a big multinational like GM trusted on us and signed a 3-year contract. Once a large multinational is in your portfolio, and you excel in your service, other big companies follow. "We always go the extra mile; we go beyond projections. In the beginning, we had the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce as a client. A few years after, I acted as a member of the Board" says Lorena. ¿HOW TO MANAGE A CRISIS? "Crisis management goes hand in hand with communication management, and I have always had a business vision not only from communications. I started my career studying Business Administration and working in multinationals; I had the opportunity to be part of the setup of GM's active operations in Ecuador. Everything became tremendous learning; I had to read the international policies and manuals to implement them in all areas accordingly. When I started Assistec, I already knew how to run a business. I have always been able to see beyond communication and perform comprehensive advice considering the country's envi-
ronment the company's business plan, tying communication to that. It is easier to work strategically on crisis prevention and crisis management when you have a broad view.
That's why you see her in this photo next to an aircraft, very confident and happy to be one of the first non-commercial aircraft pilots in the country.
The environment has changed a lot; before you had time to react to a crisis, now it is immediate, one has to be ready. Your reactions in the first 24 hours, especially in the first 2 hours, can determine the development of the crisis and the company's future. After two decades of working, we are a recognized brand in our market. Word of mouth is our best crisis management advertising."
Lorena clarifies that piloting isn't just passing an exam; it's doing it conscientiously because you involve your own life, and that's how she has managed it. Landscapes of Ecuador are natural canvases to fly; she has flown to some beaches in LSA's as pic and as co-pilot. This hobby fills Lorena's heart, as well as tennis and all the significant daily challenges with her company. She is, without a doubt, a woman of great power.
A HOTBED OF EXPERTS Lorena comments that several clients have hired Assistec's executives to manage communications in their companies; they considered them the most suitable option when openings came up. We value our human resources and their professional development. Assistec's grows continuously, being PR the core of the business. We have developed other services such as digital management, multimedia design, video production, editorial production, event planning, and training. "We do not depend on third parties; we offer a 360 service," she says. While leading the company, she overcame breast cancer, and she did it victoriously; her team was at the forefront, and they could do the job with the same determination. Amid the pandemic, she learns to fly aircraft in the US. She tests her strength, dedicating 6 to 8 hours a day to study weather, aerodynamics, instruments, regulations, winds, physics, and endless information. All this is in English, her second language. After passing the written test, she would dedicate up to 4 hours learning to fly. She would manage her schedule to combine work and flying at lunchtime and after 6 pm. Lorena is a close friend of perseverance, she loves challenges, and when she embarks on one, she never throws in the towel.