Conversations with Mia Mendez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Mendez.

Hi Mia, 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?
Growing up I had many dreams of working in the fashion industry, particularly as a fashion editor. I always knew I wanted to intern and I soon found out most internship opportunities were on the East Coast and for me, traveling there wasn’t a possibility at the time. Determined to get a foot in the door, I applied for any and all internship opportunities with a slight fashion angle in Los Angeles. I guess you can say PR found me because it just so happened I kept landing internships in that field. I was very eager to learn as much as possible, I knew no one in fashion and had no “friends” or contacts in the industry so these internships were really my only connection to that world.

Fashion PR in LA mainly focuses on two divisions: celebrity press and red carpet. PR agencies in LA are mainly hired for expertise in red carpet placements and celebrity dressing. I’ll admit I loved award shows, red carpets and celebrity style, so it was really fascinating getting a behind the scenes look at how this industry worked. I was able to meet stylists I had always admired and see their process as they worked with clients.

Working at a small agency was a great way to learn so much and learn fast. As I continued in Fashion PR, I was also offered experience working with luxury jewelry, interior design, beauty and lifestyle brands, which I’ll be honest I wasn’t really excited about in the beginning. In the end, taking on these non-fashion clients would actually be what made me qualified down the road to pivot my career and brought me where I am today.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely wasn’t a smooth road by any means. I had big dreams about what my life could be and unfortunately, I didn’t come from the most affluent of backgrounds and unlike many of my peers, I didn’t have the financial means to support myself or rely on my family to help me while I started out on this path. Years ago, unpaid internships were the norm. So in addition to having to work 20-30 hours at my internships, I was also working part-time in retail. I remember at one point asking a fellow intern how she could afford to keep doing this, surprisingly, she said she applied for unemployment while she worked for free at a PR agency. I’m embarrassed to admit I did that for a time but not for long. Once I got my foot in the door, I had a very unfortunate first job experience, I accepted an offer without a salary attached only to later found out I would basically be making minimum wage but expected to work 50-60 hours per week at a fixed rate.

So often, I questioned whether I could continue and I will say it took a toll on my self-esteem. How could I allow myself to get treated in such a way? But where would I go? There are so many people out there who will take advantage of you if they can, I was told that I was “lucky to be there” and “so many girls would kill for this job.” How dare I ask for more money? Little by little, I learned how to protect myself and I’ve always believed if you work hard, good things will happen. Probably a little naive, but my work was all I could control. I wanted to be the best and get noticed! My friends and now husband can tell you I sacrificed a lot during these years. Constantly working and pushing myself to the limit to keep up. I remember a former boss of mine telling me, “Mia, you’re just so good at your job and people see that…so they know they can trust you if they come to you.” Yes, that was flattering but why did it also feel like a punishment? That has always stuck with me when I know I’m being taken advantage of.

There’s a certain club of people who work in fashion/red carpet who understand the culture. So many hours, so little pay and so un-glamourous. It’s never what you think it will be! I learned as I got older that who you work with is more important than the flashy or sexy job description. Don’t get me wrong, I did learn so many invaluable skills and lessons during these years. It really made me a better human and woman in the workplace. I have so much pride for this time in my life. I excelled and survived it, with so many stories and memories that I will never forget.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Director of PR for a tech company that owns a portfolio of both online marketplaces and media brands. I specifically run PR for the Home & Design brands within the company. With PR, you tend to be a sort of catchall for anything that falls under external communications. I was brought on originally because I have a great deal of experience doing PR for home and lifestyle brands. I ensure we maintain a regular presence within the media and source ways for us to build our overall brand awareness whether that be through events, influencer campaigns, brand collaborations, etc.

Media relations is my strongest ability but I also consider myself a brand strategist, influencer relations manager and events PR specialist. I would say because I’ve stayed open over the course of my career working on PR for multiple industries, I pride myself on being able to adapt quickly and learn new types of communication styles and approaches. My expertise in so many areas has given me a unique point-of-view and I’m able to utilize those contacts and relationships that I’ve built over the past decade to bring to the brands I work on. There can be so many interesting ways brands can cross over and explore new audiences, I think that’s really a crucial part of staying relevant and on trend. It’s really important to embrace change and innovate, I never like to rest on what’s expected. That’s part of what makes this job so fun., being able to story-tell and educate new audiences on interesting things brands are doing.

Any big plans?
With the events of the past 16 months or so, I’ve had a lot of time to reevaluate priorities and see the bigger picture. I think something I’d like to explore is helping the BIPOC community as best as I can through my work and expertise. I feel a responsibility to use my voice and skills to uplift those voices and profiles where I can. It’s not something I actively thought about, but I’ve had some great friends and colleagues who have inspired me to really take a look and be proactive in that arena. I’d also love to be more of a mentor to women like me and from similar hardships who want to pursue their dreams and break into a world that feels daunting and unfamiliar. I want them to feel the confidence I didn’t always have when I first started out. I want to say to them, “You belong here too.”

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miaemme/?hl=en

Image Credits:
Amanda Lopez (personal photo)