Everyone has those go to sites they check out first thing every morning. For me, it’s CollegeFashionista (duh) and my favorite shopping destination to ever exist in the history of the internet: Shopbop. Some call it an addiction, I call it passion—either way, I can admit (and my Visa bill can verify) that I am obsessed with Shopbop.
Olivia Carrino is Shopbop’s PR Associate. She works hard to continue to build the Shopbop name through brand messaging, meetings with editors and a whole lot of hustling. But before she was a PR superstar, Olivia was a University of Michigan student, studying Communications and soaking in all the knowledge her professors had to impart. And it paid off big time for her future career. We caught up with Olivia as she discussed all this and more for this month’s FASHION INSIDER.
CollegeFashionista: Tell us where you went to college and what you majored in.
Olivia Carrino: I went to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and double majored in Communications and Spanish. GO BLUE!
CF: Can you give us a little insight into what an average day may look like for Shopbop’s PR Associate?
OC: Trust me when I tell you there is no average day in PR! From running to meetings all day and to editor lunches in-between, I am constantly in motion. My philosophy is I’d rather be busy than bored.
CF: Is your college major useful to your work today at Shopbop?
OC: Most students ask, “Why are we learning this? It’s never going to help me in the real-word.” But I have to say much of what I learned in my Communications courses directly relate to my work today in the industry. The unique thing about Communications is that it continues to evolve and this was something my professors always stressed. Michigan did a great job of presenting us with a well-rounded curriculum taught by professors who had real-world experience.
CF: What is the most exciting thing about working for a company that is almost entirely based online?
OC: The most exciting thing about the online landscape is that it’s changing everyday, which also makes it the most challenging. There are constantly new things to learn and stay ahead of to ensure our work is relevant and breaking through the clutter. It keeps the environment interesting and definitely keeps me on my toes.
CF: What is one of the biggest PR struggles you’ve run into and how did you overcome it?
OC: One of my jobs in PR is to make sure our Shopbop point of view isn’t skewed in the media. While we do our best to control the message, the final outcome is essentially in the hands of the editorial community. Our team works closely to ensure we’re aligned on all points. That way, if anything comes up, we‘re prepared to quickly react to various situations.
CF: What advice might you give to students looking to get their start in the PR world?
OC: Work hard, prove your worth and trust your gut. Never let people push you around and don’t step on others to get to the top—if you excel at what you do, you will get there naturally.