Hellllllo 2020! Hope yours is off to a great start. I’m really excited to get back into the groove, and I’m even more excited to bring you incredible profiles and interviews this year as part of my interview series. If you’re new around here, along with my podcast interviews, I also do written interviews on my website featuring kick ass women and men. You can see past interviews here (some highlights: Artist Robyn Blair, Professional Organizing Expert Jen Robin of Life in Jeneral, Darling Magazine Founder and Editor-in-Chief Sarah Dubbeldam, Maks Chmerkovskiy of ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ Celebrity Fashion Stylist Dani Michelle, among others!).
Today I’m thrilled to introduce you to Sabrina Marzaro. She is the Founder of Graphite & Ink, which is a branding, copywriting, and translations company, a Marketing Professor at FIT, and Author of the book “Swiping for Prince Charming.”
“Clearly, I’m not drawn to the idea of fitting inside any one box,” said 28-year-old Sabrina. And I could not agree more. I love the way this girl lives her life, and her story is inspiring and will make you want to go after whatever it is you want.
Keep on reading to get to know Sabrina and enjoy her insightful nuggets of wisdom!
Julie: Growing up, what did you want to do? Did you always know you’d end up developing your own company, specifically in the branding space?
Sabrina: As my father worked in luxury Italian footwear most of my life, I developed a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and beautiful pieces early on. As a result, my dream was originally to become Global CEO of Chanel… A little ambitious, sure, but I find that fighting to achieve these sorts of crazy, colossal goals is what makes us feel alive.
I began pursuing a career in fashion at the age of 17 with internships, then jobs, at various firms such as Rossimoda (LVMH), WWD, Net-A-Porter and more. I wanted to understand each element of the production and marketing process – from conception to consumer.
I had moved to Paris straight out of school, where I worked as Product Manager for a fine leather goods firm. It was when I chose to relocate to the south of France for personal reasons that my present company was born. I’d been doing translations from Italian/French to English on the side, and I thought I’d develop this, the time it would take me to find a full-time job in Nice.
During an endless series of cold-calling agencies and brands, pitching my services, one agency tested my work and loved how I wrote. They explained to me, however, that they weren’t looking for a translator, but rather an English-speaking copywriter. I’d never technically done this job, but I seized the opportunity and learned on the go. Since that (very fortuitous) day, I’ve developed a wide range of clients spanning the beauty, fashion, hospitality, consumer goods industries, and more, for whom I serve as a brand consultant or copywriter through my company, Graphite & Ink.
Julie: You are also a marketing professor at FIT, how did that come to be?
During one particular chapter of my life, one of my entrepreneurial projects involved opening and managing an Italian restaurant here in New York City – Bigoi Venezia, located on the Upper East Side. Each 3-4 weeks, I’d fly from Paris to New York to tend to both my branding/copywriting work and the restaurant, simultaneously.
On one of these trips, I encountered a lovely woman, Elizabeth Hunter, a professor at FIT who has since become an invaluable mentor to me. She believed that I had the potential to be a great addition to the University and asked me to send her my resume. A few rounds of interviews later, I’d officially become a professor. It all felt very surreal, and I can’t tell you how enriching and exciting this experience has been thus far.
Julie: And (!!) you wrote a book, “Swiping for Prince Charming” – what was the inspiration behind that?
Oh la la, where to begin? Well, after stepping out of a 6-year relationship, I entered the dating scene for the first time… And I certainly could not have foreseen all that would unfold. I think I went through every single emotion possible over the course of a few weeks: reluctance to use an app, excitement of the endless possibilities, the joy of feeling a first spark, unrealistic hope that he’d be the one, the inevitable demise of this little fairy tale inside my head… Then having to brush myself off and start all over again. And I know I’m far from alone in experiencing these things.
That being said, the entire text of my book came about in a somewhat unbelievable way:
Several months had passed since I’d seen a certain ex (for whom I still had very strong feelings). So finally, at one point, he invited me over for lunch in about a week’s time. The days leading up to it, I was ridiculously anxious, stressing over every minute detail: what to wear, what would transpire, etc.
Finally, the big day arrived… And I woke up with a horrible fever. I was SO infuriated that I had to cancel, I can’t even tell you. So I was journaling (an indispensable habit of mine), writing out all of my frustrations about dating and men, and the next thing I knew, my words began pouring out in this poetic manner. I kept writing and writing in my feverish state, and when I got to the end, I looked down at the page and thought, “Oh my God. I have something.” I instinctively knew I had to transform this – which was nearly the entire text as it was later published – into an illustrated book. To share my story in the hopes of making women laugh and smile, while reassuring them that we’re all going through similar challenges.
My hope is that it can serve as the perfect pick-me-up, just like after a long, tough day when you want to go home, turn on ‘Sex & the City,’ pour yourself a glass of wine and do a spa night with your girlfriends. It’s light, fun and frivolous in tone, but the message behind it is much deeper and more meaningful.
Julie: You, like me, do a lot of different things! How do you typically structure your days? I imagine no two are the exact same.
That much is certain! My days are very much defined by the projects I’m currently working on, the meetings I have scheduled and the events I may be organizing for my book. Generally, though, I like to get up early and get a good workout in to start my day feeling my best. I then usually spend my time tending to my copywriting work before going to meetings in the afternoon. I try to divide the week into doing primarily copywriting or book-related tasks 4 specific days each week, and preparing/presenting my FIT lectures the other 3 days. Of course, nothing ever falls into that seamlessly, but it helps to try to organize accordingly. And naturally, since this is New York, I regularly have dinners or events to attend in the evenings that often mix work and pleasure.
Julie: What’s your favorite thing about everything you do?
Feeling like I’m constantly growing. The endless possibilities of where they may lead me. The freedom it provides me to pick and choose what I want to do. The sense that I’m building something all my own, while being lucky enough to be surrounded by such inspiring people and working with them to bring their visions to life, as well. In essence, I just love being a creative entrepreneur and collaborating with others.
Julie: And what about your least favorite / most challenging?
With this freedom comes the need for self-imposed discipline, as well as accepting a career which is anything but linear. You’re never guaranteed to have X number of projects coming in each month, so it requires you to be constantly on the lookout for new opportunities. It’s an entire job in itself, really. But that’s also what makes it so rewarding when you do obtain new projects.
Julie: Have you had any “pinch me” moments in your career, thus far? If so, can you tell us what that moment was and what it felt like?
So many! I find that I frequently experience an overwhelming sense of gratitude and near disbelief that this is all real. One recent example was at my book launch party at the Williamsburg Hotel in Brooklyn. The entire thing came together in just 4 days, thanks to the help of two very talented DJ friends of mine, Farrah Sabado (AKA Miss Sabado) and Alexis Barbosa (Alex B of Lundi Bleu). Over 100 people came out for the party, including some I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. The venue was exquisite, the music was fantastic, and I was so honored, touched and humbled by the show of support. It was one of the most incredible nights of my life.
Julie: What do you do to combat writers block and / or a creative rut?
Maybe I’m not supposed to say this, but if the words won’t come, I just don’t force it. I think it’s important to develop a great deal of self-awareness as a writer, to know how to read your energy levels and utilize them efficiently. If the words won’t flow, I’ll go out for a walk or run. That’s where my thoughts tend to become disentangled and some of my best writing arrives. Inevitably, when I return to the blank page, the words find their way back, all on their own.
Julie: In a sentence or two, how would you describe the main differences living in Paris vs. NYC?
Paris has a much softer rhythm, and I find that beauty and poetry permeate the streets and every aspect of life. New York, on the other hand, is electric, fast-paced and – if you’re willing to hustle – can present you with the most unbelievable opportunities.
Julie: And what about dating? How would you describe dating in Paris?
It’s hard not to feel predisposed to finding love when you’re in the most romantic city in the world. And when it comes to charming a woman, I have to say that French men really have mastered this art. I think it’s because, unlike in America, philosophy, art and more esoteric subjects are integrated into their education early on. This encourages them to be more in touch with this sensitive side, instead of feeling the pressure to be perceived as a “total bro.” Of course, there are exceptions, but being the hopeless romantic that I am, it’s hard not to be swept off my feet by their poetic expressions or romantic gestures: bouquets delivered to your door, tours of Paris by night on a Vespa, picnics along the Seine, and certain grandiose, out-of-this-world surprises that I can’t even list here without certain of them inevitably knowing to whom I’m referring…
Julie: What advice would you give someone currently on the dating scene?
Sometimes, we’re lucky enough to meet someone with whom we have true chemistry, and because we’re so excited about where it may potentially lead, we almost feel this urgency to make it go faster. That can be by attempting to put a label on it (“boyfriend/girlfriend”), or by showing all our cards a little too soon.
The thing is, many, if not most of us, maintain some reservations when entering a new relationship. We’ve all been disappointed or wounded in some way in the past, and it takes time to truly get to know someone and build trust. So, by wanting to accelerate the process – either out of excitement for where it may lead, or a subconscious fear that if we don’t ‘officialize it’, it’ll disappear – that may actually have the adverse effect and push the other person away.
I find that it’s important just to be mindful of this, and give the other person a little bit of space and time to slowly let those feelings for you evolve. Just enjoy each step of the journey – especially the early courtship, which is often filled with the greatest excitement and anticipation.
Julie: What advice would you give, in general, to your younger self?
Know that everything you need to succeed is already inside you. Have faith that the struggles, the challenges, the moments where everything feels like it’s falling apart at the seams… Those are the very situations that will bring you the greatest growth and allow you the gift of discovering your strength.
Julie: What’s next for you / your agency / your brand?
Right now, I’m focusing on further expanding my client base for my copywriting/branding work, as well as preparing to teach an entirely new course this spring, Creative Strategy. I’m also organizing numerous initiatives to promote my book, such as co-branded events.
This past year has been, professionally and personally, one of the most fulfilling of my life. I finally feel as if I’ve fully come into my own, and I have a feeling that 2020 has even more adventures in store for me.
Thank you SO much, Sabrina! So excited for you and all that’s to come.
Follow Sabrina on Instagram @sabrina.marzaro | Buy her book here.
Read previous Interviews here.