Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Cornejo.
Hi Marissa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began my career in the design industry in 2008 when I started as a Marketing Coordinator at Gensler in Washington, DC. This was my first taste of the world of design and marketing for interiors. I didn’t have any experience in design and quickly had to learn the language. I always think of my time at Gensler as where I learned the fundamentals of marketing for design. From writing scopes of work for hospitality projects and outlining master planning proposals to going to site visits and measuring dining tables for restaurant designs, the experience there was invaluable. I continued my career in Marketing & Communications for interiors in DC and transitioned into commercial office furniture, working for a large furniture dealer, MOI.
In 2013, I moved to Miami and saw an opportunity to move into the luxury furniture industry. I worked with Adriana Hoyos, an Ecuadorian furniture brand and then went to Luxury Living, which is where I had the opportunity to lead the Marketing & PR for FENDI Casa, Bentley Home, Trussardi Casa, Bugatti Home and Baccarat La Maison for their three US showrooms: New York, Miami Flagship and Los Angeles. My experience at Luxury Living opened many doors for me to collaborate with some of the industry’s top brands, from fashion to automotive. It molded my career and allowed me to lead these brand’s images in the US. At one point, I took a break from design and worked in publishing with Cultured and LALA Magazine under Sarah Harrelson, an experience that was also huge for me.
In 2020, after unexpectedly leaving Luxury Living, I decided to pursue consulting and work with designers and furniture brands on my own. There is a niche in the Miami design industry and I felt that my expertise was something that could be valuable.
I started AM/PM Partners with another industry colleague and began to work with clients in Miami. Growing my own business has been extremely rewarding and challenging. You learn where your strengths lie and how to best support, multiple clients. I have had great opportunities so far and hope that I can continue working with new clients and their passion projects.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have definitely been struggles along the way. When I first moved to Miami, coming from DC, I was used to a very structured and formal way of working. DC is very different in that sense. With any industry and especially working with European brands, there were sometimes challenges in communication or working across time zones.
I’ve learned that I’m not a salesperson per se, but more of a storyteller. I worked in a sales capacity for one company and it was not in my wheelhouse. When I was able to focus on the strategy and the experience rather than pitching a product, I felt more in control and really enjoyed what I was doing.
As a consultant, there are, of course, challenges. Having been in-house Marketing/Communications for so long and having access to other team members readily, you feel like you have a built-in network. Working as an external resource, I sometimes don’t have insight into the full picture. I’ve learned to reach out to my network of colleagues who are also in the industry to bounce off ideas and strategies.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about AM/PM Partners?
I’m a Marketing & PR Consultant working exclusively with luxury furniture and design brands on Marketing and PR strategy in addition to custom event planning. I’m known for creating content and experiences for brands to introduce their services or products to the interior design/real estate community. I have organized many events in Miami for luxury furniture brands since 2014, from 700 person Art Basel events complete with live performances to black-tie casino nights.
I think what sets me apart from others in the industry is the experience I’ve gathered across industries, from working at design firms to publishing and combining that with the luxury furniture industry. All three industries have allowed me to craft a very specific niche for myself.
I’m most proud of the experiences I’ve been able to design for the brands I’ve worked with, from FENDI Casa and Bentley Home to MORADA Haute Furniture and B&B Italia. Each of them has been a unique opportunity to engage with the brands and introduce them to Miami’s top design community. I genuinely care about every single aspect and detail when working with my clients.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I actually began my career in 2005, working within the Consumer Packaged Goods industry. I started working for a trade show company called ECRM, based in Ohio. I would travel all over the world supporting the exhibitors with their B2B meetings and gradually began organizing shows in Latin America. I’ve sourced wines and nuts in Brazil and Argentina to olive oils in Spain. It was my first introduction to branding and how third-party retailers would source for their private label products. Very different from what I do now.
Contact Info:
- Email: marissa@ampmpartners.com
- Instagram: @ampmpartners
