Meet Annette Malkin | Founder of Culturewise Collective

We had the good fortune of connecting with Annette Malkin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Annette, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Experience. I have been in the public relations industry for almost twenty years and so has the majority of the Culturewise Collective team. Our team is comprised of senior level PR professionals who actually work on the clients’ business day-to-day. Clients don’t experience a “bait and switch” to entry-level peers once the work begins.

Another ingredient to our success is that we are passionate about what we do and do not take on clients we don’t believe in or that don’t align with our values. When you believe in something, you are able to endorse and promote in an authentic way. We tell our clients that we are an extension of their marketing teams because we are committed to their business and can provide much more value than traditional public relations.

Culturewise Collective is relatively new and our continued growth since mid-2019 has all been through word of mouth and direct referrals from previous clients and peers. Many of us had the opportunity to work with the same brands and clients for over a decade (that’s says a lot in our industry) and we hope to build that same rapport and tenure with clients at Culturewise. I attribute this longevity to our work ethic and transparency. We don’t pay potential clients lip service to win their business. We are honest about how we can support and move their business forward. If they are not aligned with our philosophy then we are probably not the best partner for them, and that’s okay!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Culturewise Collective is a minority-owned, female led agency. We are a virtual agency, meaning our team has always worked remotely and we have colleagues around the country so we have a solid, national footprint. So when the 2020 shutdown hit, we had our systems in place and were helping our clients navigate the world of remote work.

Our senior communicators each have their zone of genius and unlike most agencies where you have to be a jack of all trades and get pulled into the administrative/finance side of the business, at Culturewise we all focus on work that plays to our strengths and passion points. We help our clients find their place in culture and communicate with purpose. Before we take on a client, we ensure that their values align with ours, that we believe in their brand ethos and that we can get behind their product so we can confidently help promote them and grow their business.

Our boutique agency focuses on the alcohol beverage, cannabis and travel & hospitality industries. At the moment, we primarily work with small to mid-size, independent brands but we’ve also consulted and done projects for larger, global brands. Our team’s experience ranges from working with the biggest alcohol beverage company in the world to helping an entrepreneur turning his bourbon concept into a brand in the marketplace.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
To start off the day, I would recommend jogs or bike rides on the beach path or a hot Pilates class at Sweat Studio in North Miami. A friend owns the studio and you get the best work out! I would recommend skipping South Beach and heading up to Surfside for beach time and a drink at the Four Seasons Surf Club. The hotel has a beautiful patio overlooking the ocean. We’d also head to Mandolin Aegean to dine alfresco and then walk off dinner in the Design District and do some window shopping.
Miami is best appreciated from the water so we would have to take a boat ride and head over to Haulover.

Would definitely want to spend an afternoon in Upper Buena Vista, a hidden sanctuary, and grab a cholado at Amazonica, then hit up my favorite vintage store, The House of Findings, before grabbing an early dinner at Boia De. It’s a small restaurant that reminds me of all the New York restaurants I miss and love. They play great music while you eat and I love trying their funky wines.

No trip to Miami is complete without visiting Little Havana to see folks playing dominoes at Domino Park before grabbing a bite and listening to live music at Ball & Chain. For dessert, we’d grab a scoop of the Abuela Maria ice cream at Azucar and walk down Calle Ocho.

I would also recommend a day trip to downtown Delray. They have some great boutiques like Periwinkle and Morley and we’d grab a bite at either Hawkers, Dada’s or The Grove—they all have great outdoor seating.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Professionally, I couldn’t do it without my amazing peers and team. I am constantly learning from my colleagues Samantha, Valerie, Kelsey, Cassie, and Greg. Although I’m a native Miamian, I started out my career in New York City. When I relocated back to Miami in 2013, I didn’t have much of a local, professional network. I joined the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Miami Chapter and have been on the Board for the past three years. I met a talented group of local PR pros that I’m proud to call friends. They invited me into their networks, have referred me clients and always keep me in mind for opportunities to collaborate.

Personally, I am eternally grateful for the positive influence my abuelita and mami had on me. Growing up, I was surrounded by strong, independent women. While they were not business women, my grandmother was the CEO of an impeccable home and my mom worked hard to ensure I never missed out on anything. I try daily to emulate their positive examples and instill that same work ethic and those values into my young children.

As a daughter of immigrants and raised by a single mom, these women had no choice but to persevere and take risks to provide for the family. I was the first in my family to graduate from college because I was taught at a young age that in an instant you can lose everything that’s material, but that no one can take away your education and knowledge.

Then there is my husband, Ryan. For years he nudged me to start my own PR agency. He saw how undervalued I was at my previous employer and how burnt out and overworked I was and all working for someone else. At first I thought the hours and commitment of being my own boss would be more demanding, but what I learned since founding Culturewise Collective in 2019, is that it is possible to run a successful business and have a work-life balance.

Website: https://www.culturewisecollective.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culturewisecollective/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-malkin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/culturewiseco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/culturewiseco

Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/culturewise-collective/?viewAsMember=true

Image Credits
Photo Credit Courtesy of Annette Malkin, Culturewise Collective