Tracy Kashian has spent more than 24 years at Lance-Kashian & Company, overseeing public relations, community outreach and special events for Fresno destinations including River Park, Campus Pointe and Fancher Creek. Her work connects businesses, tenants and community organizations, and that experience shapes the advice she contributed to 60 Ideas in 60 Minutes, hosted live Sept. 29, 2026.
Her starting point is simple: Know your property and know your people. Staying in regular contact with tenants, customers, media and community leaders helps identify opportunities and address concerns early. For Kashian, communication before a problem develops is more valuable than scrambling after the fact.
She also encourages business leaders to tell a story rather than recite details. Whether promoting an event, supporting a nonprofit or launching a community effort, explaining the purpose behind it can give people a stronger reason to participate. That works best when participation itself is straightforward, with clear information and an easy next step.
Partnerships can extend the reach of a single organization. Kashian sees value in bringing businesses, nonprofits, media and community groups together to share audiences, resources and ideas. She urges leaders to be proactive in developing those relationships, rather than contacting people only when help is needed.
Listening is equally important. Employees, partners and customers often see problems and possibilities that leaders miss. Kashian advocates asking questions, welcoming different perspectives and creating a culture of “yes” in which promising ideas can be explored before they are dismissed.
Ultimately, she measures leadership by what it leaves behind. Using time, relationships and resources to open doors for others can strengthen the wider community. Her final challenge is to leave teams, systems, relationships and places better than you found them.
