We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Priscila Martinez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Priscila below.

Priscila, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?

Having immigrant parents, I’ve witnessed their resilience in navigating a new culture and language with limited resources, all with an optimistic outlook on life and motivating spirit—a testament to their hard working nature. On my toughest days, I often reflect on their journey and think, “If they could thrive raising four children in America under challenging circumstances, I can overcome any obstacle in my path.”

Looking at the bright side of things in any situation has become second nature to me having grown up in a household with parents that optimistically didn’t have it all figured out, but made the bad things we encountered pale in comparison. This perspective has helped me realize the extent of my own good fortune and emphasized that gratitude is the cornerstone for a fulfilling life. It also has fostered a mindset that encourages not minding too much when putting in extra effort into life, work, relationships, you name it.

Growing up in an immigrant household has also given me a sense of hunger. Knowing that nothing will be handed to you, I’ve learned to embrace hard work and actively pursue the things that matter most to me. However, amidst the instillment of hard work, my parents also imparted the importance of balance. Balancing family, friends, mindfulness, and self-care with work. This philosophy resonates deeply with me, and I carry it with me even onto my own little family. Their lesson on the primacy of family above all else is a guiding principle that influences my decisions and priorities, enriching my life in ways that extend beyond professional accomplishments.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a first-generation immigrant who started living in the US full-time upon graduating from Pepperdine University, I started my journey through the jungle of public relations at the largest privately-held PR company in the United States, servicing brands like Tiffany & Co. and Nintendo. Nine years ago, I decided to venture out on my own and founded The Brand Agency. I’ve built an award-winning all-female team of diverse PR experts who get to work with the biggest brands in the world.

Since its inception, this ‘little engine that could’ operation has won over multiple Fortune 5 clients and other household name brands like Amazon, Apple, Hulu, Disney, ESPN, Gucci, Balenciaga, and Netflix, to name a few. From taking Apple TV+ to their first-ever Comic-Con to shepherding Amazon Prime Video through their first Art Basel, the journey hasn’t been easy but it’s been filled with memorable milestones. I also led communications when renowned lawyer Theodore (Ted) J. Boutrous fought the White House regarding press access and ultimately won the Freedom of the Press Award. When the war broke out in Ukraine, my firm was one of the first to offer pro bono work to Spend with Ukraine. That campaign won our firm various awards.

Outside of running the agency, I enjoy speaking at various educational summits to provide insight on being a female business leader and how to navigate the ever-changing dynamic industry of public relations. Some of the summits I have had the honor to speak at include UCLA’s Velocity Women’s Leadership Summit, USC’s Marshall School of Business marketing series, USC’s Own It Summit, and the International Trade Council’s Think Global Conference.

I am constantly prioritizing ways to lead my all-female powered team to continue to disrupt the industry, as well as finding new strategies to institute that reflect the ever-evolving industry trends. In 2016, before ‘diversity’ was a buzzword, I expanded The Brand Agency’s footprint in the multicultural space by opening a media relations department that gives clients and personalities of various backgrounds and ethnicities a voice in the world among key press. Establishing a multicultural arm of The Brand Agency has created a ripple effect into every client interaction moving forward, suffusing PR plans with fresh, diverse and underrepresented perspectives that consistently reflect the latest political and social climate.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

As women, we often grow up hearing remarks like ‘wait your turn,’ ‘be polite,’ and ‘act like a lady.’ I looked at these expectations for women as the path to success, especially early on in my career, only to discover that such a mindset doesn’t secure the corner office.

With experience, I’ve come to understand the power of a direct and concise communication style. I’ve realized that shedding unnecessary niceties can be more effective in engaging with others, especially in a professional setting. Embracing the label of being considered assertive has been a necessary shift for me. I’ve learned that advocating for what I know my team deserves sometimes requires pushing against traditional expectations, and being assertive is a strength, not a flaw.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Women in the workplace have always found themselves wrestling with the glass ceiling. My firm got rid of it altogether.

Leveraging the power of an all female team and harnessing the psychological safety our unique environment brings has given The Brand Agency its own super power. We aren’t afraid to use it when sitting in rooms with executives from the biggest companies in the world. Our perspective is unparalleled. The environment we have established gives our team permission to color outside the lines—this is where magic happens for our clients. Our psychological safety is so strong that it permits The Brand Agency to go beyond what any other shop in town is proposing and to continue pushing industry boundaries. This process has helped us propose strategies that have now been rolled out at companies like Amazon as standard practice when dealing with press. It blows our mind to think about that: our tiny firm has created strategies that are now standard practice at the biggest company in the world.

We believe that who we are and what we stand for generates positive leaps and bounds in company culture, translating directly to success across client partnerships and our philosophies ripple outward into every client interaction, suffusing our PR plans with a diverse voice and mindset. Our unique firm establishes a strong presence in a previously male-dominated field and provides an opportunity to give brands a fresh and often underrepresented perspective in today’s climate.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebrand-agency.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebrand_agency/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebrandagencyLA/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-brand-agency-la