On this solo episode, I talk about the importance of “dating” your friends! After all, your friends are the family you choose. Also! I talk about my new mantra. I literally repeat this every single day: develop deep connections, not deep attachments. It has changed my LIFE! I have been talking about it on my social media nonstop and thought it deserved a few minutes of actual airtime. I hope you this mini episode format; we will be back with a new guest next week!
BonnieTaylor is a 20-year marketing and communications veteran with extensive experience in food & beverage, hospitality and retail. She is also my sorority sister, so she’s seen some sh*t! We have basically done life together (albeit long distance) for over a decade. In 2020, Bonnie followed her true passion of all things celebrity and influencers and took the leap to join the Talent Resources team, where she is currently the Vice President of Strategy and Communications. She is also (surprise!) my talent manager. Who better to advocate for you than someone who has known you most of your adult life? Listen in as we talk about living in Las Vegas, college and sorority life, and her subsequent fire career working with huge brands, celebrities, and several very talented content creators and influencers. Bonnie shares some excellent tips for what agencies look for when signing new talent, and how to successfully build your following on social media. Get ready: you’re about to get a pretty good peek into my early 20s – and the tea is hot!
Bonnie Taylor is a marketing and communications veteran with comprehensive experience in food & beverage, hospitality and retail sectors. She started her career running marketing and PR for high profile nightclubs on the Las Vegas Strip, then moved to the agency side working with clients like Buca Di Beppo, Las Vegas Hilton, Thunder from Down Under and Topshop. It was there that she discovered her passion for booking talent and securing coverage in a fast paced environment. Bonnie and her family made the move to the Boston area where she worked in consumer PR with her main client being Dunkin’. For 5 years, Bonnie worked on everything from store openings with local franchisees, to the iconic campaigns with Big Papi & Rob Gronkowski and a launch with Jojo Siwa. In 2020, Bonnie followed her true passion of all things celebrity and influencers and took the leap to join the Talent Resources team, where she is currently the Vice President of Strategy and Communications. During the pandemic, Bonnie saw the immediate need for a public relations agency that was comfortable working on a project basis and allowing brands to be more flexible with their budgets. Her current roster of clients includes Payless, Culture Pop Soda, Ohza Canned Mimosas, Jordan’s Skinny Mixes and Aesthetics Biomedical and their Vivace treatment.
At some point in the last few years, you are sure to have come across Sabino Curcio’s viral (and cultural) sensation called “Growing Up Italian.” The platform (a podcast, YouTube Channel and various social media accounts like TikTok and Instagram) lovingly pokes fun at growing up in an Italian, first generation American household. The concept is clearly relatable to other cultures, as well, hitting the nail on the head with the majority of viewers and listeners. Sabino and I discuss the resurgence of cultural synergy amongst millenials and gen z, being raised in a strict, Catholic faith in an increasingly liberal climate, the “Nonna” phenomenon, working with family, and the inception of “Growing Up Italian” with his sister, Michela, and cousin, Rocco.
Moving to a city like Los Angeles or New York can be pretty daunting – especially as an aspiring actor – but not for Chelsea Blechman, who has successfully conquered both. Not only has she succeeded in acting (including a role on TNT’s Animal Kingdom), but as a producer to boot. Listen in as Chelsea and I talk about staying grounded while chasing dreams, and playing an active role in your successes. Chelsea also goes into detail about navigating being a woman in Hollywood, from being an acting coach to body standards and filming a nude scene for television. We chat about how she met her husband, professional actor and dancer Nick Drago and how they have made it through the ups and downs of marriage: including her suddenly-onset chronic illness shortly after they exchanged vows. You will absolutely fall in love with Chelsea, just like I did 15 years ago – she is the epitome of beauty and brains, with a big dose of laughter thrown in.
Chelsea Blechman is an Actor and Director best known for her roles on TNT’s “Animal Kingdom”, and “Brand New Old Love” on Amazon. Originally from Houston, Texas, Chelsea discovered her love for film and Television while attending the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. This passion brought her from New York to Los Angeles. After spending years in the industry, Chelsea quickly found a new desire to work behind the camera. She studied directing at UCLA and has been building her skills in many positions from producing, assistant directing, and even teaching.
I’ve known Jackie Tigue since 2008, and since that time, she has hit the ground running at warp speed. I have been consistently blown away with her vision and subsequent execution in business as she trailblazed her way into the music industry. Through sheer grit and determination, she now holds the title of Director of Artist Relations for iHeartCountry, a division of iHeartMedia. From Houston, to NYC, to Nashville, this is one country gal who created her own path, spearheading projects and changing the game so as to forever leave her mark on the industry. Btw- you won’t want to miss Jackie’s “oh wow!” moment with one of the kings of country music. Enjoy!
Jaclyn Nicole Tigue was born on May 4, 1984 to Michael and Barbara Tigue. She grew up an only child in Houston, TX in the Meyerland area and attended Kolter Elementary, Johnston Middle School, and Bellaire High School. Jackie grew up playing competitive soccer and played one season of Division 1 College Soccer at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan before returning to Houston and completing her degree at The University of Houston. During her time at UH, she was a very involved member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.
At the age of 24, Jackie moved to New York City after accepting an assistant job for a high-profile Houston business woman and her family. After adding other C-level assistant jobs to her resume, she landed a job assisting Bob Pittman at Clear Channel Communications in 2011, soon to become iHeartMedia. iHeartMedia has been her work home for the last 10 years with that time split evenly between New York City and Nashville, TN. In 2016, she left her assistant role in NYC and relocated to Nashville to work with the iHeartCountry team as an Artist Relations Coordinator. In her current role, Director of iHeartCountry Artist Relations, she develops multi-platform marketing plans to support artist releases, assists in artist bookings for national tentpole events, manages the iHeartCountry calendar of events and artists content requests, and more.
She is a proud homeowner, has dated her boyfriend, Toddy, for 4.5 years, and loves to spoil her dog, Nikki, with smothering cuddles.
Sofia Medina is a fellow native Houstonian who is thriving on YouTube with over 100k subscribers. She is also brains behind social media marketing for the extremely popular skincare brand, Sunday Riley. Sofia climbed to YouTube fame by staying close to her roots, and to her heart: by celebrating her deeply-rooted Italian culture that has taken her on an adventure of a lifetime. She has gone above and beyond to celebrate her passion with her audience. Listen in as we explore how she elevated her life and manifested her dreams by staying the course and taking a chance on life and love.
An American girl transported to an Italian world, Sofia left corporate America and moved to Italy for “La Dolce Vita.” Living and working in Rome for nearly 4 years as a freelance digital marketing consultant and English teacher, she started her now successful YouTube channel, “Sofie’s World,” documenting her experiences as a bilingual expat and sharing the love of Italian culture with others. Sofia now resides in Houston TX, with her Italian husband where she works as a full time Social Media Manager and maintains her content creation on the side.
