Today we’d like to introduce you to Sasha Pisterman.
Hi Sasha, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m the Founder of SDP Digital, which is a boutique PR and Marketing Agency. I am a creative strategist and storyteller at heart that has worked in the PR space for almost 15 years, the majority of which have been in the music industry.
Growing up with my father being a Latin music record label executive, I was always surrounded by music and had a first-hand look into the behind-the-scenes of working with artists. From very early on, I knew I wanted to work in music and would spend countless hours reading album liner notes; even as a teenager, I would read books like ‘All You Need to Know About the Music Business.’ However, it wasn’t until I was in college that I discovered public relations as a career path. As someone who always excelled in writing and had an intuitive ability to look at something holistically and develop a creative marketing strategy, it felt like the perfect fit.
After college, I landed my first music industry position at Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) in the Corporate Communications and Marketing department. I worked there for five years and was able to get hands-on experience in developing and executing publicity campaigns for over twenty award shows, events at Sundance Film Festival, the GRAMMYs, Latin GRAMMYs, SXSW, and other major entertainment events, as well as corporate communications initiatives.
During this time, I also began freelancing on the side and in 2017, went full-time with it and established my company – SDP Digital – a PR agency which was initially focused on working with talent and brands in the music space. I’ve had the incredible opportunity of working with talent such as Jennifer Lopez, Alejandro Fernandez, DJ Mustard, Black Eyed Peas, and companies like Atlantic Records, Interscope Records, Live Nation, EMPIRE Distribution, and countless other talent and brands.
Within the past couple of years, I’ve been focused on expanding my PR agency into different industries, such as working with talent, entrepreneurs, small businesses, non-profits, tech startups, brands, and the public sector with a focus on multicultural audiences. Throughout my career, I noticed a huge lack of diverse marketing executives and agencies that knew how to authentically connect with and speak to these audiences. As a first-generation Latina born and raised in Los Angeles, I have lived experience within these communities and consider myself to be bicultural, which is a shared experience with many other children of immigrants. Understanding and being able to translate cultural nuances into publicity, marketing, and brand strategy in a way that is authentic and connects with our communities is an invaluable skill and asset that my agency provides.
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?
As someone with a rebellious spirit, when you choose a path that goes against the status quo – such as entrepreneurship – it is never easy but is ultimately the most rewarding. Initially, starting off as a freelancer and transitioning into a business owner has been challenging because of the learning curve of figuring out operations, legal, finances, taxes, sales, hiring, and everything else that comes with owning a business. Thankfully, I have always had a ‘figure it out’ mentality and enjoy researching, reading business books and listening to podcasts, but it is still difficult to balance all of the workload and can become overwhelming at times. My advice to any other aspiring entrepreneurs is to focus on learning all of these things early on, seek out a mentor, and take advantage of all the free resources that are available for small business owners.
As you know, we’re big fans of SDP Digital. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
SDP Digital is a certified minority and woman-owned PR + Marketing Agency. We specialize in working with talent, entrepreneurs, small businesses, non-profits, tech startups, brands, and the public sector to develop authentic digital strategies and storytelling campaigns that connect with multicultural audiences.
We develop authentic communications and marketing strategies that utilize public relations, brand strategy, and marketing methodologies to create a comprehensive plan from ideation to execution. Some of the methods we utilize are working alongside the client to define their brand strategy, creating brand partnership opportunities, pitching thoughtful media placements, advising on social media strategy, establishing thought leadership and industry expertise, creative content marketing, and impactful events.
Our focus is always on organically reaching and connecting with your target audience through a combination of storytelling, content creation, earned media, and owned media. Our agency’s goal is to create campaigns that result in long-lasting cultural impact.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
As a native, Los Angeles will always be home to me. I love the diversity of our city and the various cultural communities that make Los Angeles what it is (and their amazing food!). The thriving immigrant communities and businesses that have come from them are inspiring to see. I love the hustler mentality that a lot of us have and the ability to create our own opportunities within our city. Also, Los Angeles being one of the centers of entertainment, is something that gives us access to various career opportunities and to be able to create and be a part of the culture.
What I dislike about our city, besides the obvious answer – traffic – is the inexcusable increase of the number of unhoused people. Los Angeles has the second-largest economy in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet the amount of people without access to shelter continues to grow substantially. I hope that our community leaders and city officials are able to implement solutions for what is being considered a humanitarian crisis.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sdp-digital.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdpdigital/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sdpdigital
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sdp-digital/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sdp_digital
Image Credits
Sasha Pisterman
