Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Roiz.
Hi Jessica, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m a Miami-based Nicaraguan-American multimedia journalist, who after graduating from FIU’s School of Mass and Communications in 2013 and working myself up in the industry, landed my dream job working for Billboard, where I’m currently an assistant editor for Latin. I’m also the founder of PulsoPOP, a digital media website catered to the Millennial and Gen Z Latinx audience. This passion project of mine was founded in April 2015 after I experienced my first layoff. Jobless but with so much passion and urge to continue growing in my field, I decided to open my own project called PulsoPOP. Luckily, I had established such great connections with industry leaders who supported my project from day one, and thanks to them, I was able to build my passion project from the ground up. Throughout the years, PulsoPOP kept getting traction and recognition on social media, and in 2018, I decided to form a badass team composed of driven, young, and professional reporters who, like me, are suckers for all things Latin pop culture. If not for this team, which is based in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles and includes the unconditional support of my husband, PulsoPOP would never be where it’s at today—with 200K subscribers on YouTube and covering important red carpets such as the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Latin AMAs, Premio Lo Nuestro, and many more. Before kicking off my project and working for Billboard, I wrote for Fabrika, The Miami Herald, VOXXI, Latin Times, Huffington Post, MiTú, and VIX, which have all been essential in my professional growth.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like everything in life, there’s always going to be ups and downs but I do recall the time I wanted to quit and throw in the towel on PulsoPOP. I was ready to stop paying for the domain and close all social media accounts. I was discouraged and truly felt as if no one cared to follow it on social media or read the stories on the site. But one day, a colleague of mine made me realize the importance of staying faithful to a passion project. If I would have closed down the site in 2016, I would have never seen its full potential. I would have never seen my first viral video surpass 12 million views, I would have never been invited to cover reputable red carpets, and most importantly, I would have never had a platform so that other aspiring journalists can collaborate with and get their foot in the door.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve been in the journalism industry since 2005 and have covered everything from community news to business to lifestyle, and beyond. As a true music junkie, I would have to say that working for Billboard is the dream of all dreams. I’m most proud of all the opportunities that have crossed my path as a journalist, from my mentors at the FIU to learning about inspirational local stories to traveling to different countries to interviewing music stars such as Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Karol G, Ozuna, and many, many more. Because I interview so many artists, I think what sets me apart from others is my informal way of interviewing. I try to be my—charismatic and spontaneous—self a million percent and I feel that it makes a huge difference.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@pulsopop.com
- Website: www.pulsopop.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/pulsopopnews
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/pulsopopnews
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/pulsopopnews
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/pulsopopnewstv
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