Business Talk Magazine

From the Vault of Nicole Rodrigues: How She Empowers Businesses & Leaders to Thrive and Which Virtues She Believes the World Needs More of in the Post-Pandemic Era

There is no certainty as to what will happen after the pandemic ends, nor do we know how many people will have been hurt by it or how our society will look in the coming years as a result. This is a daunting prospect for most people. That said, one thing we know for sure about our readers is that we’re all fighters, leaders and survivors who are capable of getting through any crisis this world can throw at us.

We met with one such  resilient leader, Nicole Rodrigues, who is setting standards and pushing post-pandemic progress across industries in a way that will allow us to remain unscathed as we navigate our way through this unprecedented era. 

Meet Nicole Rodrigues, Visionary, Founder & CEO of NRPR Group

Nicole Rodrigues’ leadership skills, entrepreneurial abilities and public relations prowess are powerful during normal seasons, but in times of crisis, they rapidly grow stronger. This truth has been evidenced over the past pandemic-manic year, as she and her team have been able to successfully help her clients level-set expectations, plan, pivot, adapt and expand their businesses/brands even in the midst of quickly-shifting environments and unforeseen challenges. Nicole is a recognized public relations expert and marketing maven with 20+ years of experience developing and executing successful campaigns for iconic brands, including Yahoo!, Dolby, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony PlayStation, Hulu, M-GO, Toon Hero, Demand Media, Heal, MOBITV, and the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders — just to name a few. 

She remembers her early days as an intern, where her tireless journey of pursuing professional excellence first began: 

“Early on in my career, while I was an intern at Portal Software, I realized that a career in PR would be both fun and difficult. My manager and vice president both treated me as an employee, rather than an intern, and I was challenged to learn everything I could from them,” she recalls. 

Under the guidance of her manager and vice president, Nicole quickly discovered that hard work, ingenuity, and strategic storytelling skills are PR prerequisites. She learned that, in order to effectively pitch and position a client or announcement, you must first leverage every available resource to determine the appropriate media targets, understand their audiences and develop storylines that could convert. 

“In discovering the art of storytelling and hearing directly from the media what they need/want from PR professionals, I learned that meaningful public relations can never be accomplished by taking shortcuts,” says Nicole. 

She launched NRPR Group in 2014 and developed a comprehensive playbook for intentional, powerful and measurable PR practices — for which she and her team have been repeatedly acknowledged and awarded as leaders in the industry. 

“At NRPR Group, we are constantly working to sharpen and scale our expertise, strategies and services to best assist our clients in achieving their business objectives. We strive to spot the curve of innovation across industries early on so we can stay ahead of it on behalf of our clients — this means we must do deep research, continue to learn constantly and ask questions, when appropriate,” she explains.

In 2017, Nicole launched her second venture, the Young Dreamers Foundation, which provides positive role models and the tools necessary to help young people thrive through any of life’s ups and downs, including a global pandemic. Nicole is also the author of Beverly Hills Boss, her business and life skills book. 

The Inside Story — NRPR Group

Known as “the public relations agency of the future,” NRPR Group serves marquee clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies within consumer tech, FinTech, HealthTech, sports, entertainment, enterprise software, mobile, and consumer products industries. Building a brand new company from the ground up is no easy feat, and Nicole was well aware that she and her entrepreneurial clients must take risks in order to thrive in business. She highlights the fair share of risks she had to take in launching her agency when she says:

“The biggest risk I took was starting NRPR Group without any partners or investors. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has certainly paid off. I worked off of what I knew in my gut to be the best way to do public relations, based on my new model of flexibility, collaboration, and transparency. I formed the agency with a full MarComms department and an in-house editor to review all content before it goes out the door, including work from senior-level staff. Our team’s sharp attention to detail and multi-dimensional experience in media, tech, and corporate America has culminated in a deep understanding of the end reader’s point of view, which increases our close rate for media opportunities. We believe in and pursue excellence in all that we do.”

Today, seven years post-launch, NRPR offers innovative, end-to-end public relations, strategic marketing communications, digital/social media marketing, influencer relations, executive thought leadership, and video creation/distribution services — and, most recently, the agency expanded its offerings to include full-scale business development services through its newest division, NRPR Business Pro (Biz Pro™), which was launched out of the pandemic. With strategic planning, cohesive messaging and best-in-class brand positioning, NRPR ensures that clients hit (and exceed) their outlined business goals. 

 “We partner closely with CEOs, executives, and internal marketing/PR teams to uncover the passion, vision, and differentiators within any given company in order to successfully share those stories with appropriate audiences,” she says. “Our team thinks like entrepreneurs, journalists, and brand strategists who understand how the marketing, media, and corporate ecosystems work. Where other agencies might take shortcuts, NRPR team members are experts in building media relationships and helping craft stories that resonate with target audiences.” 

Nicole has been recognized as a visionary in her field on several occasions, most recently as one of PR News’ “Top 50 Game Changers in Public Relations.” She was also named Bulldog Reporter’s 2017 Gold “Public Relations Professional of the Year,” and has been the proud recipient of a Stevie Award for “Communications, Investor Relations, or PR Executive of the Year” and a Women World Award for Female Achievers for “Business Role Model of the Year.”

Before we wrapped up our conversation, Nicole shared some practical, powerful and timely life tips for all aspiring entrepreneurs:

“I have several pieces of advice to offer, primarily for women. First: Don’t let anyone tell you that something is not appropriate for a woman. Never change who you are as a female to fit into gender-based stereotypes. Second, for both men and women: Always maintain a level head and keep your mind on work when in the office. If you’re having a bad day, do what you can to manage your mood so it will not negatively impact your work or your environment. Good moods and bad moods are equally contagious, so it’s wise to always bring a high level of energy to the office. Third: Remember, you’re a role model and everything you do will be viewed, noted, and likely emulated by your team. You will face long days, inordinate stress, and plenty of obstacles. But the reward is far greater than the challenges. Keep your eye on your goals and how you can continue working toward success, and your team will follow your example.”

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