Founder & CEO, NRPR Group (Beverly Hills)
Length of PR career (so far): 17 years
Your most memorable campaign: This is going to date me big time but MobiTV’s de-positioning campaign for MediaFLO before they launched. MobiTV was in every single one of their stories on launch day because we were five steps ahead of them and working with all the right media we knew they’d be talking to. It was an amazing feeling to see every significant piece have MobiTV in it. Showed me strategy and timing are everything in our business.
Most poignant professional moment: Working at MobiTV and being chosen after they had interviewed nearly 16 other candidates to be their PR Manager. This was well before “mobile video” or “TV on a cell phone” was a thing. Being one of the world’s first mobile entertainment PR professionals was and still is a huge badge of honor, especially seeing where the mobile video industry is today.
Nicole Rodrigues, NRPR GroupBiggest complaint about social media: PR professionals don’t take the time to truly learn its value and how to weave it into everything we do.
Best thing about working at your agency: I get to pick the people I work with, from clients to team members, I ensure the energy matches mine.
Last time you didn’t do any work all weekend: Goodness. Had to be sometime in 2013. Starting and growing my agency has been a non-stop labor of love.
Most misunderstood thing about PR: It is HARD work when it’s done right. Anyone can send lazy blasts, not everyone can close thoughtful, strategic stories. The ones who work hard do.
Most outrageous client request: Too many to count. I really think clients think we have a magic PR wand. If that existed, I’d be selling them!
Nicole Rodrigues, NRPR GroupWhat got you interested in a PR career? Marketing and PR I was apparently doing for myself and my step dad’s company in high school. I just didn’t know it was a “thing” till college. It’s like PR magically appeared as a major and it was meant for me. Declared my major in 1998 and never looked back.
Most interesting thing about your job: All the strategy involved in everything we do. It’s powerful to know you can take a company and help build its reputation through positive action and strategic steps with media, digital media and through social media.
Number of meetings you were in last week: 20
Your nightmare client in 3 words: Egotistical, Impatient, Rude
Best advice to a PR student: Read the news. You need to know it, love it, understand it and make it a part of your world.
What do you read daily? Wall Street Journal, Mind Body Green, recode, TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, Bulldog Reporter, Digiday, and a ton more throughout the week.
Favorite way to de-stress: Listening to my fire up playlist and getting in a great mood.
Nicole Rodrigues, NRPR GroupBrand most in need of better PR: Snap Inc. – their platform and vision are awesome and underestimated/undervalued. Not enough proactive PR around the great content they have on their platform and the strides they’re making. Also not enough around their inspiring leadership team. People should know more about them.
Favorite non-work hobby: Sleeping, reading, cooking
Last book you read: 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
Cocktail of choice: Don Julio, Pineapple and Orange
Your first “real” job: Waitress at El Torrito
Childhood “dream job”: NFL Cheerleader (thankfully, I reached that goal!)
Three people you’d love to invite to dinner: Barack Obama, Oprah, and Tony Robbins
Your next big adventure: Inspiring kids to chase and reach their dreams.
