Edelman diversified into public affairs in the late '60s with important programs for the Concorde SST, gaining landing rights at JFK Airport in New York, and in the late '70s generating public approval for the building of the very stark Vietnam Veterans War Memorial in Washington, D.C., from a design by the very young architect Maya Lin.

My father and I talked every day. He coached me on how to cold-call companies I wanted in our portfolio, how to network at public events, to cultivate senior journalists at important outlets, and how to run a profitable P&L. But, more or less, he allowed me to make my own mistakes.

In 1997, my father appointed me CEO but acted as player-coach, keeping busy on long-term clients such as KFC and international travel brands.

Richard Edelman Quotes