Today we’d like to introduce you to Annette Malkin.
Hi Annette, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started my career at a lifestyle public relations agency in New York City. I spent 16 years at the same company, which is a rarity in this industry. I primarily focused on lifestyle PR for Fortune 500 wine + spirits and food + beverage brands. After a decade in New York City, I relocated to my hometown, Miami. During this time, I was running the agency’s U.S. Hispanic practice. I primarily focused on Hispanic marketing for about a decade before I founded Culturewise Collective in mid-2019.
The best decision I made in my professional career was to become my own boss and start my own company. Culturewise Collective is a boutique agency comprised of mission-minded communicators and marketers. I truly work with the best in the business and I’m so grateful for my colleagues.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The public relations industry, particularly working on the agency side, can be grueling. There are early-morning meetings and late-night events, especially when working with wine and spirits brands. There is also a lot of travel involved, overseeing event sponsorships, executing trade conferences, and hosting media and influencer events around the country. When you start your career, it’s fun and exciting to dine at some of the best restaurants in the country, have a drink at a world-renowned bar, and work with celebrity chefs and mixologists. After some time, the long hours, constant travel and need to be connected can take a toll.
The biggest professional struggle was becoming a working parent. Managing both motherhood and a demanding career were not the biggest challenge because I have an amazing partner and husband that supported me and was there for our family to co-parent. The biggest struggle, or shock I encountered, was the lack of support and empathy from women and fellow mothers in leadership roles. There were constant challenges and questioning whether I would choose work (after business hours) or family, and when I tried to set boundaries, it was met with contempt.
At Culturewise, we’ve created a supportive company culture, respect boundaries, and understand that life happens. We have a support system and cover for each other while managing client work and expectations. We also have very understanding and respectful clients.
The pandemic really heightened the need for work-life balance, however, that is the company culture that was established at Culturewise Collective since day one.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Culturewise Collective is a minority-owned, female-led communications agency that focuses on the wine + spirits, food + beverage, travel + hospitality as well as cannabis industries. We believe that every brand has a place in culture. By taking a human-centric approach, we craft brand narratives, develop a company’s cultural identity and weave the brand story through culture in a relevant way.
As a boutique agency, we are nimble, results-driven, and efficient. We help our clients develop purpose-driven campaigns that support communities and enhance our culture.
Our headquarters are in Miami, but we also have a presence in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, New York City, North Carolina, and San Francisco.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://culturewisecollective.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culturewisecollective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/culturewiseco/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/culturewiseco
- LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/culturewise-collective/
Image Credits
Culturewise Collective
