Meet Jaime Rabb

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaime Rabb.

Hi Jaime, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Winston-Salem, NC. After graduating from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC with a degree in Business/Marketing, I followed my boyfriend to California. I had always wanted to live in California after a family trip when I was in middle school. My boyfriend at that time got accepted to LA Film School and I had been working at a bank and was ready for a change. I flew to Los Angeles on February 1, 2001 with no job and about $500 in savings. I moved into an apartment in Burbank and went to a temp agency to find a job. The first place they sent me to interview was Quincy Jones Productions. They told me not to be star-struck. I got the job and started the next day working for Quincy Jones as an Executive Assistant. The funny thing is the last meal my parents prepared for me before leaving NC for CA was Quincy Jones’ Thriller Ribs (https://www.oprah.com/food/quincy-jones-thriller-ribs) – an Oprah favorite. I met a lot of celebrities while working for Quincy including being able to help throw Quincy’s 70th Surprise Birthday party, which included taking tequila shots with Oprah Winfrey!

After about three years of working for Quincy, I met my best friend, Julie Anthony Sterk, whose family owned a floral company that Quincy used a lot. She worked for a small media buying agency called Press Media. They were looking for an Account Executive and I was ready to move on and advance my career with my college degree. At Press Media, we worked with a lot of magazine sales representatives. I met Shelley Fariello who worked for InTouch Weekly Magazine. In 2009, Shelley was now working for the company Northern & Shell who published OK! Magazine. A sales assistant position became available so I went to interview and started working there the next day!

My job has changed quite a bit over the past 12 years. Starting as a sales assistant with OK! Magazine to interviewing celebrities on the red carpet to my current position as a Business Director for 7 celebrity weekly titles – OK!, Star, InTouch, Life&Style, Closer, Soap Opera Digest, National Enquirer and three bi-monthly publications, J14, Animal Tales and Girl’s World.

A passion of mine is cooking. Since growing up in the south, I learned how to cook at a young age and have always been the one to bring homemade desserts or meals to a dinner party. I started a recipe blog called southerndeliciousness.blogspot.com. You will often find me posting photos of food on my Instagram page.

One of my goals in life was to own a home in Los Angeles and after about 16 years, it came true. In 2017, my partner, Parker and I purchased our first home in South Los Angeles. Shortly after moving into our 1908 Craftsman style home, we met a neighbor who was involved in the local neighborhood council. After inviting me to a meeting, I knew I had to get involved. I wasn’t familiar with South Los Angeles and I wanted to know everything that was going on in our new neighborhood. So I applied for a vacant position on the board of Voices Neighborhood Council as the Corresponding Secretary and was voted in March 2018. I love meeting new people and immediately knew that the council needed my help. There was no website and I had heard that many people in the community didn’t even know a neighborhood council existed. I quickly formed an Outreach Committee to help create a website, host “clean up” events, partner with Council District 9 (Office of Councilmember Curren D. Price Jr.) on other events and purchased branded swag items to hand out to community members. We have built a nice following on our social media platforms and we have hundreds of subscribers to our newsletter.

At the end of 2019, our Chair resigned from the board and our current Vice Chair took over the seat so I stepped up to the Vice Chair position which I currently hold.

Shortly after the pandemic hit, we rushed in to help secure COVID-19 emergency funds to ensure our community had food and resources it needed. We participated in several food drives and offered hand sanitizers and face masks. We also held an Appreciation Luncheon to the three major grocery stores located in our neighborhood council boundaries, El Super, Numero Uno and Superior. We were highlighted on several local news outlets.

I had finally found something I was passionate about – helping others!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
When things get challenging, I try to push forward and always remember tomorrow is another day, another chance to make great things happen.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the Business Director for seven celebrity weekly titles – OK!, Star, InTouch, Life&Style, Closer, Soap Opera Digest, National Enquirer and three bi-monthly publications, J14, Animal Tales and Girl’s World. I manage a team of sales representatives responsible for an annual budget of $14M. I handle ad placements in all the weekly publications and work with the managing editors to ensure accuracy on behalf of the advertiser in all titles. I manage quarterly forecast statements and report to the Publisher on a daily basis on all titles as well as create quarterly analysis for upper management.

I am most proud of the work I do with Voices Neighborhood Council – I’ve always felt a calling to help people and ensure equity for all. In October of 2019, I was one of fifteen women who was recognized for being the change makers in the South LA community at the 12th Annual Tribute to SHeroes luncheon by the Office of Councilmember Curren Price.

I am a doer and will always try to go above and beyond in order to ensure the happiness of others. I live a pretty carefree life and always wake up every day saying, “Today is going to be a great day”.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I would say I am a people pleaser and a work-a-holic. I will always go above and beyond. It’s just how I was taught growing up. A colleague told me one time when I was pushing myself to come into the office to work while sick that my tombstone isn’t going to say, “Here lies Jaime…but she always came into the office.”

I know it may sound cliché but my mom always told me, “life is too short to sweat the small stuff.” I try to remember this when things get challenging.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://southerndeliciousness.blogspot.com/
• Instagram: jaimerabb