Meet Rafael Sangiovanni | Multi-Instrumentalist, Director of Multimedia, Creative Writer

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

Hi Rafael, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?

An old mentor of mine once said work-life balance is an illusion; it’s more realistic to strive for work-life blend. These days, I’m inclined to believe the truth is in between those two.

When I was in my early 20s, I swung for the fences. I was in four bands as a drummer and singer, heavily involved in social media communities on- and off-line, getting my digital marketing career underway by juggling about 15 clients, and producing videos and websites for private clients on a biweekly basis.

I balanced this out by traveling the world with my wife, and we’ve been so fortunate to relish these experiences. I had to ignore the creeping dread of what awaited me when I got back home. I mean, how else would trips like these even be possible without all the hustle? Balance be damned.

In the midst of this productivity hurricane, I visited my grandfather in the Dominican Republic, who was always ready to listen and provide sage advice. (He started a successful business in his mid-50s, so I’m always open to his wisdom.) As I gave him a rundown of everything I was up to, I expected him to applaud me. Instead, he cocked his head and said, “And don’t you think that’s too much? How will you grow in any of those projects or talents? You should narrow your focus.”

I was shocked, but his words resonated with me. And that’s before I ended up in the hospital from stress that led to a heart condition. It was a wakeup call that some kind of recalibration was needed.

Since then, I’ve made major changes in my life to find an equilibrium. I’m currently the director of multimedia for Subway’s internal communications team while still moonlighting as a drummer and singer in a few bands. My video editing is mostly for one client and my own interests.

This extra space has allowed me to rediscover my love for dormant interests. For example, poetry writing, long distance bike riding, and forging bonds with gamer friends. I direct short horror parody films with my wife for fun and we’re getting more folks involved in our productions. And my wife and I still travel the world, but there’s so much more peace to each adventure now. These are things that are feeding my soul, not solely my bank account or work IDP.

To me, it’s all about perception. I have different modes that are activated when I’m working (e.g., Subway mode, video editing mode, musician mode) and when I’m not (e.g., biking mode, poetry mode, gaming mode). And I count on those modes to keep each other in check. It’s a new way of listening to my gut, so to speak.

This kind of balance requires daily work and optimization. My approach is to keep trying, keep learning, and keep being better than the day before.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

When I was studying to be a journalist at the University of Miami, we were often told that we had to be jacks of all trades and masters of none. That was THRILLING to me. Now, I fully acknowledge—with the hindsight of experience—that this approach to life can be both a superpower and a weakness, but I’ve fortunately found ways to positively channel it into my professional and creative career.

If there has been anything that has set me apart, it’s been my propulsive love of learning and wide net of interests, and an incredibly resilient social battery. This is how I’ve wound up learning guitar, singing, drumming, poetry writing, and songwriting in my personal life, and how in my marketing job I’ve provided services like blog writing, video editing, social media marketing, ad buying, graphic design, web design, and project management. These were not thrust upon me; I sought them out because I was curious and wanted to learn to create as much as I could for the sheer love of bringing ideas to life. All while trying to meet and support as many creatives and professionals as possible.

This is reflected pretty directly in my career trajectory.

I like to say that my very first job was co-founding and co-running my high school newspaper. I wanted so badly to be a reporter, but by the time I got a job at the Miami Herald’s digital department, the journalism industry was in peril and I was let go in a round of budget cuts. A newspaper colleague helped me get a job managing a fitness magazine’s website and doing some marketing work, which was great for a year until the publication unfortunately also folded. (RIP SOBeFiT Magazine!)

I was despondent until I stumbled upon a tweet for a PR & marketing agency called rbb Communications that was looking for social media marketing support. I didn’t even know that was a real job! I applied and this agency became my work home for the next 11 years, where I received an absolute metric ton of experience and made lifelong friendships. I rose through the ranks from a social media coordinator to a director of digital production, which provided me the springboard to go in-house at Subway corporate—a possibility I could’ve never dreamt up.

All the while, I’ve released music singles, played large and small venue shows with my cover and punk rock bands, and produced horror parody and comedy videos. I am now working on a poetry book too.

For all of this, there have been unbelievable highs (e.g., the brands I got to work with, the video equipment I learned to use, the places my work was published) and subterranean lows (eg., impossibly long work hours, hospitalizations for stress). But these were all learning opportunities that forged me into a stronger professional and person.

Until this day, I go to conferences to talk with high school journalism students, many of whom are nervous about their future career prospects with so much uncertainty in their industry. I tell them how I was—and in some ways still am—just like them, but that there’s hope if you passionately pursue your interests and really throw yourself into learning.

I’m a big believer that every single experience you have, personally and professionally, stacks up to make you better. Even if you fail at a company or a personal project goes under, you still learned something that you can apply next time. If you change your thinking to be learning-centric, you can survive—and thrive through—so many obstacles.

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.

Miami is the kind of city that has so much to offer, but you have to go LOOKING for it. And what you can find are often incredibly diverse activities.

Personally, I like the outdoors and more laid back experiences, along with live music. Sometimes that’s right in the heart of what’s happening; sometimes that’s off the beaten path. Buuuut because I also like to move around a lot, we’d probably go all over the city. Like so:

Morning:
Before heading out, we’d pop by Aguacate Sanctuary for a hearty, healthy lunch (and cow feeding to boot), because who knew you could do that in the suburbs of Kendall?

Then we’d drive to South Beach and bike alllllll up and down South Beach’s waterside route, stopping to dip in the water along the way.

Afternoon:
We’d stop by home to freshen up a bit, and then make our way over to Wynwood, because as commercial as it’s gotten the art is still amazing. We’d grab a variety of plates to electrify the palate courtesy of the vendors at Smorgasburg. Then we’d tackle an escape room at one of my favorite spots, Exit Escape Room Miami.

Evening:
The possibilities are endless, but I’d aim to see some live music—ideally at some place like ZeyZey, Bougies, Lagniappe, or the Gibson Room.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I dedicate this Shoutout to those who help me know better, and then to do better.

My wife Adriana is my soulmate in so many ways—a twin spirit who constantly encourages me to pursue my passions and be my best self. She’s endlessly empathetic, meaning she is adept at creating a safe space to learn from failure, be vulnerable, and find ways to rebuild. The two of us are creatives at heart—she’s an artist, I’m a musician, and we’re both writers—so we ride the same high and low wavelengths together. Her partnership is an oxygen to my bloodstream.

And my family—my mother, father and sisters in Miami, and the extended family in the Dominican Republic and beyond—is a bedrock of support that never buckles. Their unconditional, unwavering love, alongside their own stories of struggles and success, inspire me daily.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/raphsangiovanni

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafaelsangiovanni/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fighthefoo/

Other: My cover band: https://www.bandsuo.com/ My punk band: https://www.mindyouband.com/ My alt rock band: https://instagram.com/currentpastmusic My horror parody short film series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLraaVaRo1TPnkaQj1ziBcIg2zuJ9cus7s

Image Credits
Herspective Photography I’m Super Afraid of the Dark Productions