CEO and co-founder of The Lipstickroyalty Agency, Shawn Nelson was inspired to pursue public relations when she first learned that there weren’t many women like her in the field. On a mission to become a voice for others that can relate to her, Nelson and her partner Regina Smiley teamed up to open the Lipstickroyalty office in sunny Miami, Florida. We caught up with Shawn to discuss what it’s like being the first minority female-owned public relations agency in Miami, the expansion of the Lipstickroyalty Agency, and much more!
Tell us what inspired you and Regina Smiley to create The LipstickRoyalty Agency?
Honestly, we felt that there was a need for minority women in the field. I remember falling in love with Public Relations while attending FAMU. I was sitting in Dr. Grable’s PR classes when I learned how many women of color were in the field in comparison to other races. I was shocked. At the time our brand was known for marketing. We had a team of ambassadors that would promote upcoming events at FAMU and nightlife throughout Florida. As we evolved, our brand turned into a full service PR agency where we empower entrepreneurs to reach their full potential through innovative pr solutions. When we first started our business we did not realize how many “no’s we would receive. Let’s just say we got tired of hearing no’s and decided to create our own “YES.”
How would you describe being the first minority female-owned public relations agency in Miami, Florida?
It is an honor. Despite South, FL being diverse, we found there was lack of representation when it came to public relations. Majority of those in the field were not women and not women of color at that. I feel as though we owe it ourselves, our family, and our community to be a voice for people who look and sound like us. We want our clients and staff to know we are here to make sure we are heard and represented in the most positive light.
photo courtesy of Lipstickroyalty
How are you able to juggle all your duties as a CEO and publicist on top of your everyday life?
It’s certainly not easy but from a young age I knew I was called to “serve.” I did not know how exactly but I knew I would be working in a field where I would be a service to others and thanks to God that is what I’m doing right now. I do my best to pray and write everything down because organization is key when juggling multiple responsibilities. I have two phones, an ipad, two laptops, multiple notebooks, and agendas. Having a partner like Regina keeps me grounded because we are each other’s rocks. We both share similar goals and work hard to achieve them. Lastly, I learned to lean on my my family, and our staff.
Do you all hope to expand to different cities?
Yes definitely! Regina is from Cleveland, Ohio so we’ve been looking at different properties and areas where we can open our second office location and production studio. Eventually we hope to expand to major cities like New York City and even Los Angeles. For the time being though we are making the most out of having remote interns who live all over the U.S.
What can we expect to see from The LipstickRoyalty Agency and Shawn Nelson in the years to come?
Growth and success (I pray). Looking forward to working and connecting with clients who are interested in growing their business. I also look forward to writing my second book, launching an educational platform, and investing in more retail spaces to serve as offices and production studios. My dream is to have one of the largest minority staff working at a PR Agency/Firm known to date.
photo by Torres Create
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