Led by founder Toi Troutman, GEM Public Relations has managed the public profile for a list of up-and-coming talent, including actors, recording artists, athletes, and television and film properties. GEM’s clients can be seen and heard in films (Antonio Tarver in Rocky Balboa), on hit TV shows (Keesha Sharp from Girlfriends, Furonda on America’s Next Top Model), and over the airwaves (Simfani Blue). GEM has become the go-to agency, especially among African American names, all due to Toi’s dedication and vision.
The secret to Toi’s success: her own experience on both sides of the velvet rope. She has not only worked with artists, she has been one herself, as a singer and producer on stage and in the studio. Her resume also includes appearances in videos, soap operas, and numerous independent films. All of Toi’s work, however, shares one common element: her passion and dedication to the task at hand.
Toi took some time out of her hectic schedule to talk to LA’s the Place about GEM Public Relations’ clients, history, and philosophy, as well as her own background and goals.
LA’s the Place: Your client list seems to be primarily African-American. Is this your niche within the highly competitive public relations world?
Toi Troutman: It wasn’t something I set out to do. It seems to break down like this: A lot of black actors are led to believe by their agents and managers that they need to sign with expensive and "mainstream" firms for successful PR. Then they do it and realize that their special needs are not being met in black media. After these contracts mature, they want to try something new and wind up with some of the smaller successful black firms such as GEM. I welcome all races; it just seems that most of our people are the ones that seek us out.
LA’s the Place: Your firm represents people from the corporate world, actors, models, sports, musicians and comedians. Is there one group you have found that needs a strong public relations firm behind them more than the others?
Toi Troutman: It is our actors and comedians, hands-down. Hollywood doesn’t seem to pay as much attention to black actors and comedians as they could, so they need more PR to get attention from the media, which hopefully translates into more work.
LA’s the Place: How do you see the power of the Internet working for PR firms like yours as well as benefits for your clients?
Toi Troutman: The Internet should NEVER be underestimated. There are so many online mags and blogs that have thousands – even a million or two readers. The goal is to get as much exposure as you can, wherever you can. We believe strongly in an online presence, and we share this belief with our clients throughout their campaigns.
LA’s the Place: How have you helped the extremely talented Keesha Sharp?
Toi Troutman: So far, Keesha and I have discussed ways to get her image in more places, both on the carpets and in the pages of magazines.
LA’s the Place: Tell us about the very cool and talented Simfani Blue…
Toi Troutman: Simfani Blue… it’s hard to tell you about her. She has an amazing online presence and lots of MySpace fans. I would simply urge your readers to Google her and form their own opinions. The author Eric Jerome Dickey was kind enough to feature her in his last novel, Chasing Destiny. Most of those who read the book wanted to know more, and it boosted the iTunes and Internet sales by about 30 percent. Right now, Simfani Blue is writing theme songs for upcoming shows.
LA’s the Place: Since you help so many people with their careers, how do you find time to pursue your own acting and singing career?
Toi Troutman: Honestly, my focus is on my clients. There are simply not enough hours in the day to audition, record, secure media for other clients, attend red carpet events, write releases and articles, and still be concerned with landing in front of the camera. The time will come when the firm can run without my daily input and then maybe I’ll be more focused on what is next for me in that arena.
LA’s the Place: With the popularity of reality shows in recent years, do you see yourself representing more reality stars like your current client Furonda, of America’s Next Top Model fame?
Toi Troutman: I’d welcome the opportunity to stretch the 15 minutes of reality stars. The problem is they usually don’t know what to do when their shows end and don’t have the resources to pay for proper representation.
LA’s the Place: The sixth Rocky movie was seen by many as the best since Rocky I. How have you helped your client Antonio Tarver, who was a co-star in this movie, in his new career?
Toi Troutman: We threw a pre-release party for Antonio’s film debut which was very successful and coordinated his interview schedule in relation to the film’s release. Since he is busy training and has not retired as originally rumored, he really hasn’t had time to focus on more acting roles, though he has been offered several since the film.
LA’s the Place: Where would you like to see your public-relations firm five years from now?
Toi Troutman: I was always taught that you build a business to sell it. Not to say that we will sell in five years, but I certainly expect to have the business running as a well-oiled machine that would attract a smart business buyer. I hope to not have the day-to-day responsibilities that I currently have, thus allowing more time to focus on my own career, in whatever direction I decide to go. We are currently developing several shows and will no doubt have them on the air by then in our production branch, ToiPix Productions.
LA’s the Place: Your myspace.com profile shows you attended my former college, the University of Maryland. How did your education there prepare you for your current business, and most importantly, did you ever drink a beer at the world-famous Rendezvous (The Vou) on Route 1?
Toi Troutman: I have never been. This is probably because I attended that school online since at the time, I was on tour with several national recording artists as a background vocalist. Multitasking has always been my specialty.
GEM Public Relations
Toi Troutman – Publicist on the Pulse
Since this interview, I did a commercial with the owner of this mag. I would love to see (hear) where it ended up. I enjoyed working with you and hope to do so again soon. Hopefully, you enjoyed the album and I thank you so much for your support.