Meet Emily Taffel: Founder of Mugsy, a PR and Marketing Consultation and Management Firm

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

Hi Emily, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The success of Mugsy is based entirely on the authenticity of the people who work here. There is no pomp and circumstance or corporate stereotypes at our firm. We are REAL. Our clients really get to know US and we truly get to know them and their business, allowing us to consult on a deeper level about what we know will lead to the results they want. Add to that the incomparable work ethic and expertise of our team and we reach consistent success for Mugsy and our clients.

Tell us about your journey with Mugsy.
I started working as a receptionist at Haber & Quinn PR, but soon worked my way up to creating press schedules, pitching and eventually launching the first social media campaigns for our clients. This was just as social media was getting popular but you know we kept our clients on the cutting edge! My forte has always been creating unique publicity stunts and attention grabbing marketing campaigns. I love putting together events and project managing all the pieces until we finally see it come together. Early in my career I was as hands on as possible, working all hours, every event, pitching every story I could – anything to get experience. I highly recommend this to anyone getting into PR so that you learn ALL aspects of this faceted career. I have had the honor of working at some of the top firms in the country, with clients that range from celebrities and films to brands that are a household name to small mom and pop shops, and I loved the job of PR itself, but I just did not love corporate life (and corporate rules, lol). I wanted the ability to be truly authentic with a client, to work with them human to human and to really help shape some incredible news worthy campaigns with them so I left an incredible position to launch Mugsy PR. What started as just myself, grew to two, then four, and eventually to the team of 7 that we rely on today. We have evolved quite a bit over time. We started as Mugsy PR but soon realized that we do much more than just PR so we shifted to simply “Mugsy”. The overarching mission at Mugsy is the same as any communications firm – to tell stories and create visibility to the targeted audience, but we also know there are many ways to make that happen which is why we have integrated social media, event and experiential marketing, one-0f-a-kind real life and virtual interactions with clients and more into strong PR campaigns. Over 20 years of experience in PR have taught me that everything you read and watch is shaped and curated by publicity teams and media behind the scenes, and I love being a part of it. I truly thrive on finding an incredible brand to introduce to the world and watching them go from an unknown to topping all the best of lists. I have also learned that it takes a village, and our Mugsy team is a working village like none other. They are dedicated, intelligent, creative, connected and amazing individuals – my favorite weirdos. Our team is the heart and soul of this company, and I know our clients feel that they become the heart and soul of their companies too.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a tough question right now with COVID closing so much and making it difficult to hang out inside, but my top picks overall in Miami are the following: – Wynwood for a nice day outside checking out all the art. Lots of spots to pick up food (top spots include KYU, Coyo Taco and Salty Donut for dessert!) and drinks (get some beer to-go from Concrete Beach Brewery – a Mugsy client – before you head home). – Fairchild Botanical Garden is currently open and perfect for social distancing and enjoying some of Miami/Florida’s true beauty. The gardens are gorgeous, relaxing and always a favorite for visitors. – Grab dinner at The Deck at Island Gardens. It is a Mediterranean restaurant with Instagrammable views, plenty of outdoor seating and incredible food.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to Geri Haber & John Quinn who opened the door to the wonderful world of PR for me when I had no experience and no clue what I was doing. They truly taught me what it meant to take care of your team and I will forever be grateful for every moment of mentorship and support they gave, to me and to all who were lucky enough to work at their firm Haber & Quinn.

Website: www,mugsypr.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/emilyontheave
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilytaffel/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/emilyontheave
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Emilyontheave