From actors and athletes to musicians and thought leaders, Celebrity Publicist Danielle Sabrina can turn talent into a star. We talk celebrities, building a brand and the unique mindset that took her from a high school dropout to the head of one of Hollywood’s leading public relations agencies. Then, we countdown the Top 5 Kinds of Bread.
https://www.instagram.com/daniellesabrina7 (Danielle Sabrina Instagram)
https://tribebuildermedia.com (Tribe Builder Media)
https://www.facebook.com/daniellesabrinaofficial (Danielle Sabrina Facebook)
Interview with Celebrity Publicist Danielle Sabrina
Nick VinZant 0:11
Hey everybody, welcome to Profoundly Pointless. My name is Nick VinZant. Coming up in this episode, celebrities and bred,
Danielle Sabrina 0:20
a publicist can also help with like image and branding and like, oh, here, you know, why don't you polish yourself up a little bit here? Why don't you go to this party? Why don't you, you know, make an appearance here, let me get you on this red carpet. And you have to be in a space of receiving. And if you can't be receiving and you're constantly letting that flow come out, you're not you're like you're never replenishing yourself. And people can feel that and nothing comes to you, you have to go out and get everything.
Nick VinZant 0:48
I want to thank you so much for joining us, if you get a chance, like, download, subscribe, share, we really appreciate it really helps us out. So we're going to do something a little bit different. In this episode, we're going to have one guest but talk about two distinct topics. Our first guest is a celebrity publicist, who has worked with some of the biggest names out there, and really specializes in helping celebrities build a brand. But she also has a unique business mindset that has really allowed her to grow these businesses and have a good life outside of them as well. This is celebrity publicist, Danielle, Sabrina, what makes a good celebrity publicist?
Danielle Sabrina 1:36
Um, no, I think building relationships with people is the same no matter whether, you know, you're trying to just network sales, whatever it is, you know, you want to be as authentic as possible. I mean, I think it doesn't necessarily have to be like a good celebrity, it like just being a good publicist, having a strong handle on what it takes to move a person or brand, how to communicate effectively. And your ability to build relationships are is so important.
Nick VinZant 2:07
How is working with a celebrity different than like doing public relations or publicist work for, say, a brand
Danielle Sabrina 2:15
it's different in that, with a celebrity, you're not so much on, you're doing more like story control, a lot of times, you know, so you want to really help guide that narrative. Most of the time, you know, press are pretty interested in speaking to celebrities and seeing what's going on. So making sure that you know, when you are announcing something, or, you know, maybe that somebody is putting out a new product, or they're starting a business, that that narrative is there. And when you're working with a brand, you're really building relationships and telling their story, but also building them up as a thought leader. Whereas with somebody who's already kind of established,
Nick VinZant 2:57
why is that important with a celebrity to control the narrative of it?
Danielle Sabrina 3:02
Well, because sometimes, you know, what they're doing is really important and can have a big impact, but their, their status as a celebrity can outshine that. So they might be doing, you know, in an initiative within a nonprofit, or, you know, something that could have a tremendous impact if you want this spotlight to be on what that impact is, and not necessarily the celebrity themselves.
Nick VinZant 3:24
What do you think makes you good at it?
Danielle Sabrina 3:27
Um, I have a lot of different experience. So I used to be a trader, that I worked in the IPO space, and then I did business intuitive work. So and I've had my own businesses, this isn't my first business. So I feel that I have a like, a very, like vast understanding of the different components. And I, I built my own brand and marketed my own self, just to make sure that, you know, I'm not talking about something I haven't already done myself.
Nick VinZant 3:57
When did you kind of transition into working with celebrities? Was that something that you wanted to do? Or was that something that just kind of happened?
Danielle Sabrina 4:04
It just kind of happened on its own, I never set out to, you know, specifically work with celebrities or anything, it just happened. We have like an associate like a niche with people who are celebrities in particular, who are launching businesses or products. So that's, like, that's an area of ours. We're like, we just Excel really well. And I think that came from like my business development background, my marketing background. And then combining all of that together. There's not a lot of publicists that I know of that specialize in that particular area,
Nick VinZant 4:36
how kind of has the business changed since you started,
Danielle Sabrina 4:40
it used to be very much like, Oh, you get into this publication and it will drive your business forward. Like, you know, you get into the, you know, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and all of a sudden, like sales are flying in and, but there's so much content out there. Now. Brands really need to bring bring that back in house and think about how they're like going about their thought leadership instead in and be more creative and create pieces, whether it's like their own thought leadership pieces, or, you know, think about the expertise that they're sharing with the media. And it's less about what the company's doing. And it's more about who the people are, that are in the company, the challenges that they've overcome, how they can inspire others versus like, hey, look at me and what I'm doing.
Nick VinZant 5:27
Do you think the media in general is more important now? Or less important? Now, because people can kind of create their own? Right, like the celebrity or whoever the brand can just put out their own statement? Do they need the media anymore?
Danielle Sabrina 5:43
Yeah, it's still definitely has that external validation and the right. If you align with the right writer, the right publication and the right messaging, it can drive sales to your business. Absolutely. So you need to have those outlets that remain unbiased. And are, you know, their goal is to put out great content, because audiences follow that. And not many brands are willing to do that, that their content is going to be very much centered around driving business.
Nick VinZant 6:14
Are you ready for some harder slash listener submitted questions? Sure, person you were starstruck to meet.
Danielle Sabrina 6:24
You know, I might have been, it might have been Mike Tyson, because I feel like he's been such, like, there's been so many different perceptions of him. And I don't know if I was starstruck, but it was more just it was such an interesting experience meeting him, because it was so different than what I anticipated. So it was there's a lot, you know, there's people that I've met, like summaries or exactly how I thought they would be, you know, like, that's exactly how I would that they thought they were exactly, I wasn't surprised. But with Mike Tyson, I, I was just really surprised how connected to the university is how spiritual he is. And how insightful about life, he is, because I just kind of pictured this guy who
Nick VinZant 7:07
is, you know, while partying like fighter is what I had, thinking maybe was gonna be walking into, who is generally harder for you to kind of work with as a client, a person who is really famous, a person who is kind of famous, or a person who is just starting out and has like a little bit of fame.
Danielle Sabrina 7:32
There's many factors in that, but the client that is most difficult to work with, in general is one that thinks like that, is very controlling. And once you know, it's just like, this is what we want. And like this is this is how it's going to be done. And when you get someone like that, it's really difficult for the brilliance in a campaign to come out. Because everything becomes very tactical. And the creative starts getting squeezed out.
Nick VinZant 8:03
What do you do when someone isn't as famous as they think they are?
Danielle Sabrina 8:08
Um, it depends on how that's coming out, if that's coming out in their attitude towards press, in their entitlement towards press or, you know, like having, thinking that, you know, they deserve to be flown out in a private jet for an interview or, you know, some, something, you know, just outrageous requests. That has to be a discussion, because I'm not going to expose my relationship to people who I value and help support my business because someone might not be self aware enough to be like, it really comes back to like, it's not okay to treat people like that. That's really what it comes back to you. So do you think some things are more famous than they are, that's probably coming out in a way, I shouldn't have to do this, or they're lucky to talk to me or you know, like that type of energy. And that type of energy isn't gonna result in anything good. It's going to if anything upset the person on the other end, which is the writer or the reporter, most interesting campaign you think you worked on, there is one that we're working on, that I'm working on right now that I'm excited about, because the founder of the company is very forward thinking and he's just really cool. And we're going to do a series with him and his daughter. He has his eight year old daughter, and it's this like driving app. So it's not you know, it's an insurance driving habits. were producing a whole series based on like conversations with him and his daughter and the places they've been, and she's this just really cool eight year old when you're in the kind of the celebrity publicists world, is it a thing where they come to you. you recruit them, like how does that process and then generally work when you get new clients. Um, this already said it can come either way. Like, I don't really recruit celebrities at all. So I prefer that either find me on their own or they come in through a referral. Because I like to have some sort of trust established or something where like, you know, either competence or trust already established,
Nick VinZant 10:09
what is generally easy to manage easier to manage a celebrities rise or a celebrities fall,
Danielle Sabrina 10:17
I mean, it's obviously easier to manage the rise, it's a little more hectic, it's the Fall is something that is that if they did something like domestic violence or something like that, I think there's a better publicists out there that they can work with to help support them in that downfall. Because I just like, that just doesn't align with me, I don't care who it is. I don't think you really like if they're working with a publicist, they're probably not going to be going backwards during that time. It's probably they already went there. It's like, not like, on the way up, like, yeah, of course, if you're part of them, because you're building their brand, but they're, you're not gonna I would be like, if you weren't as a publicist, and your client is going down.
Nick VinZant 11:05
You're not a good publicist for very long, right. Like, what's happening that like? We wouldn't Would you say that in general, right? Like, not specifically you But in general, in that this kind of an industry? Can the publicist make someone a star? Right, like, this person would be a famous actor, if only they could get the right publicist.
Danielle Sabrina 11:29
I mean, they just, it depends on what the talent themselves are, like, what is happening, if they're a publicist can definitely start building up that, like, get that buzz and that momentum going. So if the talent is already there, they're already a buy, but they're, you know, they already have the whole piece. A publicist can also help with like, image and branding, and like, oh, here, you know, why don't you polish yourself up a little bit here? Why don't you go to this party? Why don't you, you know, make an appearance here, let me get you on this red carpet. Let me start building some stuff, and then show you how to leverage it. Like, let's make sure we're posting this on social posts that you're wanting to talk about this, like, so you are guiding them. And you can like, yeah, that can absolutely help you grow your whatever it is, if you're an actor, that's your business, you know, like, that's your craft. So but I mean, if you're not like, if the foundation isn't there, like you can't turn someone into like a star, if there are, but they're not a good actor.
Nick VinZant 12:26
So let's switch gears really quick. You have this remarkable story of going from a high school dropout, to working in a variety of different fields, starting your own business that was named one of the best PR companies, and you're a mentor with Entrepreneur Magazine, when people come to you for business advice, wondering how did you do this? What do you tell them?
Danielle Sabrina 12:50
I talked a lot about like energy, how to like utilize the energy of the universe, into your business, how to break like how to recognize when something is a limiting belief, and how to feel through something that like when to stop pushing through, because there's like resistance and how you can look at that. And like that can end up saving you a lot of money in your business, it can help you to not make decisions that you're going to have to go back and fix anyway, I talked about how like, I love talking about how important it is to just be your authentic self. And sometimes that's a process and like, how you can really manifest incredible abundance in your life, both financially and just happiness and joy. Like I had never worked fewer hours than I do now. And I've never had more money. So I've never had more as much joy and stability in my life as I do now than when I was grinding and like just work, work, work work plugging away plugging away. It was like, always such a force, you know, and now things just fall together. Like I barely have to like, I can just have the thought and it almost happens immediately. So I like to that's my passion personally, like that's trained my team. That's how like, when I hire new staff, we talk about all this stuff is way more important than any of the tactical stuff.
Nick VinZant 14:17
When you built your when you built your businesses, what do you think kind of really contributed to your success in that regard?
Danielle Sabrina 14:26
My ability to work with the universe, that's what made me successful, because, and I never really became like action definitely will get you there, but it's only going to get you so far. So you're going to find at some point, like, you're probably telling yourself like once I get here, then I can relax. Then I can have fun, you know, then I can do this. And everything like any of the abundance that you do have in your life that you're getting like is resulted in like, you know, probably way harder. work then and it's necessary. And I think a lot of people don't have any balance because of that. And then you just find yourself like very disconnected.
Nick VinZant 15:10
You know, it always seemed to be a thing for me like growing up, you could just work hard, work hard, work hard, keep your nose down, keep your nose down, keep your nose down, keep going. Do you think that's really successful and email,
Danielle Sabrina 15:20
you don't need to do that. That's what there's, there's literally everything is energy. And if you can align, it's like, if you want something, and it's right here and your energy is right here, you'll get it. But if what you if what you want is right here, and you are like either grinding too hard, or like down here, you're low vibing, like you will not align to it. So it has to be perfect. And you have to be in a space of receiving and if you can't be receiving and you're constantly letting that flow come out. You're not you're like you're never replenishing yourself. And people can feel that and nothing comes to you. You have to go out and get everything. And now like, I don't, it's been a while since I've had to like, anytime I find myself like I need to like, you know, do this, I have to work harder this like it's never resulted in anything that was great. The things that are great just kind of happen, organically.
Nick VinZant 16:23
To play lady, a little bit of devil's advocate, so to speak, do you think? Is it really the energy of the universe? Or do you think that at some level, you're just kind of, you're just following the thing that you really want to do?
Danielle Sabrina 16:41
Well, you can think like that, following the thing that you really want to do. If your heart center, if you are centered, and you truly are in alignment with that, it will come to you and it will be a great fun process. And that's how you know that you are in alignment to it. But if it's not a fun process, if it is extremely unpleasant, if it feels like you're just like, you know, on a hamster wheel, or it's a lot of work for not as much return, you know, like, how are you really in alignment with it? Or is that the only path that you know or that you knew to get you there?
Nick VinZant 17:18
When did you kind of figure out that this was the approach that you wanted to take.
Danielle Sabrina 17:24
When I missed most of my trip my daughter's childhood because I was working crazy, insane hours building this building someone else's business. But regardless of what I was doing, I reached a financial success point, I didn't feel any different, nothing changed, my house got bigger, my car got more expensive, my vacations, got more elaborate. bills were a little easier to pay, then nothing else changed. Except for I missed, like having fun. I was tired all the time. I was like burnt out all the time, I was just going through the motions a lot. And then looking back on that none of that stuff mattered. I don't even talk to that person who own that business. I don't even have anything to do in the financial space. Like none of it matters.
Nick VinZant 18:09
When I kind of hear that. It's like against my nature. I feel like the way that I was brought up. Mm hmm. Do you run into that more with men are more with women?
Danielle Sabrina 18:21
With exactly what you're saying for sure. with men with women, it's more guilt driven. So they're more like, I can't imagine thinking you know, living like because it feels like they're like they feel they have so much guilt. Usually guilt for not being with their kids, though for not working harder. Guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt, we're like, yes, men are like very provider driven. So they're like, work hard, work hard, work hard. I'm the provider. Like, that's what gives me you know, like, that's me fulfilling my role. So yeah, you're writing for sure, on that side. But people who really want to have like larger than life experiences, and people who know that there's something more for them out there. Even if they don't know, even if they don't quite understand what I'm saying, or they don't quite like, get it. They're open enough to realize like, okay, there might be something to this. And let me just, maybe dip my toes into it and start proving it for myself, which is what I always recommend, like, I always say like, it's up to you whether you want to listen to me or not. I'm going to share with my experience and what it's done for my life and people that I love that has chosen to like look at things a little differently. And the universe will deliver signs.
Nick VinZant 19:38
That's pretty much all the questions that I have what's coming. You think there's anything you think that we missed or what's coming up next for you?
Danielle Sabrina 19:45
I'm launching a music label. Pretty cool. I'm also going to be producing a feature film with an award winning director. So I'm really excited about that as well.