Resource Advantage firmly believes that delivering meaningful, tailored messaging is crucial for the success of its clients. The organization dedicates time to crafting compelling copy and pairs it with captivating imagery and artwork. As a result, their clients achieve outstanding business outcomes.

Being a skilled writer or designer is just the beginning. At Resource Advantage, they go above and beyond to truly understand their clients’ businesses. They dig deep into market trends and industry drivers to ensure they’re fully informed about their day-to-day operations. And it doesn’t end there. Resource Advantage works with clients to develop a compelling value proposition that generates significant impact. The company’s approach guarantees success because they craft customized strategies tailored to each and every customer.

Recently, Business Fortune spoke to Barbara A. Mecchi-Knoll, the Founder and CEO of Resource Advantage. The following excerpts are from the conversation that ensued.

Q. What is Resource Advantage’s story? Why did you decide to start an advertising and media company?

I didn’t plan on starting an advertising and media company. I was let go from my job as an Advertising Services Manager at a specialty chemicals business, where I had worked for almost 10 years. While searching for a new full-time job, I decided to stay occupied. Long story short, I don’t interview very well, as a full-time offer never came. I met some old friends from my previous job who introduced me to a small specialty chemical manufacturer worth $40 million. They gave me my first project, which turned into another one, and so on and so on, and before I knew it, I was managing their advertising and marketing for the entire company.

Q. How has Resource Advantage grown since its founding?

All of Resource Advantage’s (RA) growth has come organically. We have never had a sales force; it has been 100% straight referral business from the beginning. We became known for launching specialty chemical products with out-of-the-box ideas and making a big impact. One such idea was launched back in 2006. A client approached us with the goal of creating goodwill among customers in a popular global consumer market. We suggested that they host a run-walk for charity at the largest tradeshow for the personal care industry. They loved the idea. We partnered with a tradeshow organization, a publication focused on the personal care industry, and also located a publication in the host country to collaborate with us. We successfully ran this event for 6 years, with the last run/walk being held in Barcelona at the Olympic Stadium. After year 6, our client ended up being acquired by a larger specialty chemical manufacturer.

Q. What are the different types of services offered by Resource Advantage?

We offer a variety of marketing and public relations services as a full-service agency. Our expertise lies in the chemicals and performance materials fields. The leaders at RA have more than 165 years of experience in this market. We truly believe that there is a communications solution to any problem, hence our tagline, ‘communications can help you get there’. We work closely with clients, providing strategic marketing support. We follow a ‘write once, publish many’ approach to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget. With our team’s expertise, we can create copy for clients, including complex technical pieces. This is something I take great pride in after the experiences I had early in my career.

In my previous job, when agencies joined us, they said they were copywriters. When we started working with them, our team would end up writing 99% of the copy, and then the agency would edit it. This is one of the advantages of being on the other side of the desk before starting my own agency. I knew what drove me nuts with the agencies I worked with, and I made a commitment that I would never do that to our clients. That has really helped set the stage from a customer relationship standpoint.

Q. What are the advantages customers receive in choosing to do business with Resource Advantage over its rivals?

Our clients come to us because they know we are going to deliver on the commitments we make to them. They look at RA as an extension of their staff and true members of their team. We deeply understand their business by spending a lot of time with their team to learn about their challenges and how communications can help them succeed. We also have the industry expertise I mentioned previously. They want to benefit from that and appreciate our proactive approach to identifying potential opportunities to build their brand.

The value we provide customers also goes beyond typical marketing and communications. For the past 32 years, I have been a trusted confidant for many clients seeking guidance. They ask for advice based on my experiences. I give them honest opinions, even if they’re not what they expected. The reputation we have gained as a trustworthy advisor has resulted in many new business opportunities through word-of-mouth referrals.

Q. What were some of the most memorable challenges you and the team at Resource Advantage have overcome? How did the company learn from these challenges?

Years ago, we had a major account that contributed a high percentage to the overall bottom line of the organization. We maintained a strong, productive relationship with them, but then they went through a management change. When that new regime came into play, the ‘vibe’ with this client changed for the worse. We were no longer treated like team members but more like vendors. I didn’t like how the new leadership team treated me and my staff. It was becoming a “do as I say” type of relationship.

If our clients want us to do something I know is wrong, I work to point them down the right path. If they come to me and want to spend budget money needlessly, I don’t let them do it with RA. I have to feel good about the job we are doing and that we are doing the right thing to set our clients up for success.

The client always gave us specific instructions on how to proceed with projects, and we followed their lead, even if we knew it wasn’t the best approach for effective communication.

I ultimately made the decision to resign that account. I knew that the situation for RA would be difficult and that significant changes would be necessary. However, I was ready to make tough decisions and sacrifices, like not receiving a salary for three to four years, in order to rebuild the agency and become a true partner for our clients. We rebuilt the client base, continuing to do that through referrals, and diversified our client list a bit.

Q. What are Resource Advantage’s plans for the future?

We have a great team and clients at the moment, and we’re always looking to grow our business. We will continue to depend on referrals from current and past clients. As I always say to anyone who contacts me, I am always open to meeting in order to understand their business and discuss how communications can assist them in reaching their goals.

Q. Would you like us to highlight something important happening in your company that we may have missed asking about?

Looking back on my career and everything we have accomplished at RA, I have a lifetime of highlights and memories.

One of the most exciting was seeing our client’s messaging on a 300-foot-tall digital billboard flashing in Times Square to honor them going public on the New York Stock Exchange. This was a true example of how we work with clients that treat us like members of their team. We were invited to go to NYC for this event and be on the floor of the NYSE for the ‘ringing of the bell’. This to me is what it is all about, celebrating with our clients on their successes! This was an account that we won after they were acquired by a private investment firm for whom we’ve done a number of re-brands with their acquisitions. They were acquired again in 2021 and went public.

My team and I were with them for every step of their journey, and having the opportunity to be a part of their public launch was extremely rewarding.

I am tremendously grateful to everyone at RA and our clients, who have all contributed to our continued success. It’s important to acknowledge the people who have helped us. We did this in a big way during our 30th anniversary celebration.

More than 100 of our valued clients, both past and present, joined us for a celebration weekend, including an evening dinner cruise through New York. We celebrated and shared stories about the projects, unforgettable events, and successes that helped shape our journey together.

Meet the Founder and CEO

Barbara A. Mecchi-Knoll is the Founder and CEO of Resource Advantage. Barbara has been a leader in marketing, communications, brand management, and culture change for nearly 40 years. In 1992, she founded Resource Advantage Group (RA), Inc., an award-winning communications company based in Fairfield, NJ, focused on business-to-business clients with an emphasis on the chemical, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries. For a number of years, she also served as an advocate for CASA, an organization that advocates for and supports children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect.

“We craft and deliver meaningful, targeted narratives across various platforms, taking the time to combine carefully crafted copy with eye-catching, relevant imagery and artwork to drive home our clients’ messages.”