NRPR GROUP
Nicole Rodrigues: Revolutionizing the Art of PR with a Style All Her Own
What made Innovative Zone Magazine feature her vignette for this neoteric edition is her exceptional business style with which she has executed some major strategic campaigns for some industry giants across the business fraternity. Her persuasive leadership, out-of-the-box strategies and canny PR skills have been facilitating her brainchild– NRPR Group to be on the crest of the wave right now. Leading this reputed Group as the CEO, Nicole never ceases to make committed efforts to meet her client’s aspirations.
This whole cover story is dedicated to Nicole and her professional acuity. Here, you are about to witness how strategic leadership style, sheer hard work and domain ‘know-how’ can transform an idea into a megacorp with a difference.
An outline of the Company
Founded in 2014 by industry expert, Nicole Rodrigues, NRPR Group has rapidly evolved into an award-winning end-to-end public relations and marketing machine serving game changers and disruptors around the world. The company has served a multitude of clients across industries, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies within the consumer tech, FinTech, MedTech, mobile/digital entertainment, lifestyle, sports and consumer product fields.
The NRPR team serves clients with a high-touch, hyper-tailored and results-oriented approach that positively impacts clients’ bottom lines. The positioning agency has curated a dream team of highly adept professionals who phenomenally excel in public relations, digital (and traditional) marketing, communications, social media management, influencer relations, executive thought leadership development and video creation/distribution.
The firm is marked by its influential catchphrase, “Committed to Publicity, Powered by Purpose.” For NRPR, this is not just a phrase – it is a driving mantra that remains top-of-mind in the organization. It compels the team to strive for excellence in every single plan of action. They work closely with CEOs, executives and internal marketing/PR teams to explore a company’s passion, vision and differentiators in order to share stories of substance with key audiences and influencers.
Making MarComms & PR Prolific
NRPR delivers a wide range of services. Perhaps their first and most prominent focus is strategic PR and MarComms (Marketing Communications) planning. This is the chief pillar of the organization. The agency develops hyper-tailored, integrated communication strategies in which PR, digital marketing, social media and video marketing amalgamate to maximize a brand’s reach, impact and visibility.
To do so, they create, curate and leverage various assets (including press releases, whitepapers, bylined articles, PowerPoints, videos, social media posts, etc). The team’s timely, methodical planning and strategic execution help clients exceed their outlined business goals. They pride themselves on being proficient in building impressive stories that surpass audience needs and interests.
Diverging from the Norms
In 2020, NRPR launched NRPR Productions, a division created to broaden the agency’s horizons and capabilities to create branded content, commercials, corporate videos and YouTube series for clients. NRPR’s newest (and most differentiated) division, NRPR Business Productions (Biz Pro™) was formed during the pandemic to guide budding entrepreneurs and new businesses through the tedious process of setting up a company, incorporating and preparing to launch.
Once a Biz Pro client’s business is launched, the NRPR team can extend their marketing and public relations services to the new business to help them thrive. This business development branch is the first of its kind within the PR industry and has given NRPR an edge over its peers.
Oftentimes, it’s assumed that issuing a press release and keeping a close eye on media outlets are the defining boundaries of a publicist’s work. NRPR shines a light on the other important (and often overlooked) facets of what a PR agency can accomplish for its clients. One of the driving beliefs behind everything the agency does is that media members are essential for any PR professional’s survival. Each team member centers his/her efforts around building a lasting relationship of good faith, mutual respect, support and transparency with both clients and the media.
Leading by Example
NRPR Group’s founder and CEO, Nicole Rodrigues, started her remarkable journey quite early in life. She was elected as the student president of DECA, an organization that prepares students for a career in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. There, she participated in (and won) several marketing competitions. Her DECA teacher and her mother both saw the spark and evolving potential within her – and ultimately, gave wings to her career.
Nicole has always been a self-reliant and self-sufficient woman. The moment she started college; she was on her own financially. While taking a public relations course that had been recommended to her by her journalism professor, she quickly became hooked and knew that one day she wanted to launch her very own PR agency. Over 14 years, she honed her skills and expertise in the PR industry through agency and in-house roles, until she felt prepared enough to open NRPR Group’s doors in 2014.
Leveraging Emerging Technologies
Remaining on the cutting-edge of technology is often crucial to any organization’s success. At NRPR, it’s of paramount importance to sustain a tech-driven strategic approach in order to best serve clients and effectively collaborate as a team. The agency has invested considerable time, effort and resources into the right tools that allow the team to track and analyze industry data and results garnered for clients. Through software solutions like Onclusive, Cision, Meltwaters and others, the team measures client and competitor coverage to develop media relationships, build trust and deliver winning results.
When the world was combatting the drastic repercussions of the global pandemic, NRPR stood firm and confronted every challenge that came along the way. With its offices spread out across Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York, centralized communication via email, phone, Google Drive, Slack (etc) has always been the team’s standard operating procedure – which was only enhanced by the lockdowns. The team continued to run smoothly, successfully and remotely with vigorous strategies based on a rich knowledge of client expectations and present-day market scenarios.
Stewarding a Femme Future
In modern America, there’s nothing a woman can’t do – and Nicole firmly believes that females foster many competitive advantages that can help the business world evolve. They’re intuitive, intentional, cooperative and organized. This helps in developing a staunch relationship with employees and clients.
She also encourages all successful female business leaders to serve as role models and mentors for younger women who also aspire to greatness. At the very start of her career, Nicole gave birth to her daughter, who has since witnessed and emulated her mother’s tremendous journey. She watched as Nicole’s career blossomed and as she founded both NRPR Group and the Young Dreamers Foundation.
She was able to experience Nicole’s evolution from intern to CEO first-hand. Nicole strives for these experiences to serve as an example of what is possible for her teenage daughter, and to be a role model who can empower her with every tool necessary to succeed.
Nicole advises any aspiring female entrepreneur, “Don’t let social stereotypes stop you from diving into whatever it is that you want in life. Don’t let anyone tell you that something is not appropriate for a woman. The sky is the limit, not a glass ceiling.” Furthermore, she delicately notes that one should establish a boundary between his/her personal and professional lives.
To be taken seriously at work, emotions should be left outside when you enter the office door. Lastly, based on her own experience, she warns that you might get judged repeatedly and on various fronts, but one must learn to let it go. “Let it all roll off of you, as best as you can,” she says. “Keep your head straight and just keep moving.”
Sparking a Positive Impact
Nicole believes in the practice of helping others and supporting the successful journeys of those around you. She believes that encouraging and collaborating builds an emotional connection and motivates us all to reach better results. In 2017, she launched NRPR Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program, “Make It Happen.”
The inception of the program included a small speaking tour across various counties. She visited Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area schools to talk with students about their future endeavors and coach them on how to overcome life’s inevitable ups and downs along the way. The flourishing success of this program contributed to the inauguration of another social concept and non-profit organization, the Young Dreamers Foundation.
It was established with the aspiration to nurture the young minds of children/teens and to be the guiding light that can empower them to conquer life’s milestones and continue growing. Beyond her work with the foundation, Nicole also extends a helping hand to PR professionals by providing them access to expert insights and perspectives from key media personnel through her PRfect Pitch podcast.
Styling Your Space
A pleasant, orderly and amicable work environment is imperative for every organization to maintain. Happy and healthy employees bring forth better outcomes. At NRPR, the corporate culture focuses on nourishing the team – collectively and as individuals – by establishing a collaborative, warm and welcoming atmosphere. Each employee is treated with the utmost respect.
The firm is deeply rooted in innovation, inclusivity and cooperation. Nicole has led by setting an awe-inspiring example for her team, emphasizing her core values of shared work ethic, mutual respect and individual self-worth. She says, “Leaders need to motivate their workers and clients to achieve goals — and must do so with praise, rather than fear.” She also acknowledges the meticulous work of all employees to demonstrate her appreciation and respect for each of them, which ultimately escalates morale.
Hard work is encouraged and underscored by the lived belief that nothing comes easy in life. Likewise, obstacles and challenges are not only a part of life — they form the very fabric that makes us who we are.
That said, Nicole also understands the subconscious message that one’s space and style can convey, and she knows the impact each can have on how a person (or a business) is perceived. Accordingly, when she enters a conference room wearing a fitted black dress and a pair of high heels, her powerful presence is felt and her confidence is evident. Style and appearance play a role in professional spheres, especially for the PR and marketing industry, where reputation is of utmost importance. Since one’s style reflects the strength of his/her skills and capabilities, Nicole inspires her teammates to follow suit and always show up to work “client-and-camera-ready” – whether that’s in the office, at an event or on a video call.
Winning, Winning, Winning
As discussed, NRPR Group has established a notable name for itself in the industry and continues to expand its portfolio of client services:
Most recently, in 2021, the team launched NRPR Business Productions (Biz Pro™). Biz Pro assists start-up ventures in crossing the initial stages of incorporating, preparing to launch, registering the business, setting up bank accounts, designing the website and other vital activities. This helps new businesses survive the primary hindrances and obstacles of business formation.
In 2020, the launch of NRPR Productions turned out to be a well-spring of possibilities for the company, effectively enabling it to specialize in the creation of corporate videos, branded content, commercials and YouTube series for clients. Nicole marked an otherwise challenging year with another magnificent moment: the publishing of her first book, Beverly Hills Boss.
There were also many esteemed honors presented to the founder and agency:
- Team NRPR was awarded a Silver “Video of the Year” award for its “Practical Guide to Publicity” video series, hosted by Nicole and featured on YouTube. The 11-part series, created to teach CEOs and CMOs the true benefits of strategic PR, won a Gold Hermes Creative Award
- Nicole has also been commended with a Silver Stevie Award for “Communications, Investor Relations or PR Executive of the Year” (2020)
- She was honored with the prestigious PR Daily’s “PR Professional of the Year” Award (2019) award.
… And considerably too many more to mention.
Advancing through the Pandemic
Since it was first founded, NRPR Group has experienced tremendous growth and evolution, including historic expansion in 2020. When the world was withstanding the fallouts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, NRPR was able to continue to thrive. It signed on new team members, won new clients and expanded the horizon of the company’s service portfolio.
Nicole looks ahead to serving the hardest-hit industries (such as hospitality, travel, entertainment and retail) that lost ground/footing during the pandemic. When these unprecedented times edge into our “new normal,” all of these sectors will require a credible agency to elevate their PR and marketing efforts. NRPR will continue to serve the companies that are seeking a viable PR team with rich expertise.
A message for readers
“Be yourself. Take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses, your passions, and your goals. Once you have this information, create a plan for success, including the names of people who will support you in the journey. When you reach your goal, start dreaming again so you can accomplish your next biggest goal,” concludes founder and CEO of NRPR Group, Nicole Rodrigues.
