Meet Patricia Vila | President of Patty Vila Media

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

Hi Patricia, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
When I think about my career I think about certain risk I have taken and how that has impacted my life. Some risks I took were scary and even though some risks did not go as planned it felt exhilarating and I always learned something from the experience that I was able to take to the next job. When one takes risks you learn more about yourself. I always knew I was a old soul with an adventurous side. This is why in mid-twenties I accepted my dream job as a Producer/Bureau Manager for the CNN Havana Bureau. I was living my dream. I was able to experience the communist country that my parents and family members fled. This 3 year 8 month experience inspired so much creativity in me as well as showed my inner self to have no fear. The years I worked for CNN it was all about risk taking traveling to places in the world where I would find chaos. I covered a hostage crisis in Peru for a few months, several Hurricanes in the Caribbean, a coup d’e-tat in Haiti and traveled to Pakistan after 911 to cover the news during that tense time in the world. Moving to another country increased my confidence and I was able to learn more about myself and the woman I wanted to be.  After 13 years of working in television I made the decision to take my talents and drive right into public relations, marketing and community relations. This led me to work for two boutique public relations firms as well as a non-profit that feeds and houses the homeless. Now, at the age of 54 I am the CEO and Founder of Patty Vila Media. Starting this next chapter of my life as a single woman has built resilience, new opportunities and most importantly no regrets.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
For many years I had been thinking about my own business but never took that leap of faith until one day in May 2022 that I received a call to plan a charity event, I had seven weeks to put it together. I took on the project and it was such a success that from that moment on I started getting calls and requests to manage ribbon cutting ceremonies, events, marketing, public relations and strategy for a list of companies in Miami Dade.

My approach is that old school mentality with a twist of a modern attitude.  I have ziploc bags with business cards from people I have met up to three years ago. I never throw a card away. When I meet a person I write on the business card something that will help me remember them. I think technology is great but when you have 4000 contacts in your phone it can be hard for anyone including myself to remember a specific contact. With the business cards I quickly go to the ziploc bag and voila I always find who I am looking for.

I have learned you must always be humble. We have all worked with not so great and kind humans and we all know those are bad experiences that show us what we don’t want to be like. How I overcame working with bad managers is that I knew it was not going to be forever. In the past I would drive to work and manifest that the end would be near and that a new opportunity would present itself and it always did. It might not have been right away but change always came.

What I want people to know about me and my brand is that I am here to help you and your business get to the next level. I love people to people interactions,  I believe in order to make things work the energy needs to be aligned. I have worked very hard to be where I am. Nothing has been handed to me. It all came through hard work and experience.

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?
So many wonderful places that I love about Miami, we are home to some of Florida’s beautiful beaches, plenty of museums, vibrant nightlife and we are one of the cities in the United States that has a strong Cuban influence. We are so spoiled in this city. We are so multicultural and I absolutely love it.

In Miami we would get on a jet ski boat and explore the beautiful bay after a day of fun in the sun. No visit would be complete if we did not go and discover millionaires row. This row is home to celebrities and sports figures.

We would then go and explore The Art Deco scene starting with Ocean Drive because it is one that can not be missed. We have so much history in Miami and the art scene is just precious.

Exploring Little Havana is a must, eating that Cuban cuisine and dancing to the music in the street would be a night to remember. People in this particular neighborhood are very friendly. It certainly has a lot of flavor.

No visit would be complete without going to see Everglades National Park. Riding an airboat through the heart of the Everglades and admire the wildlife in their natural habitat is amazing.

Visiting Wynnwood Walls which is one of the world’s most incredible outdoor street art museums is a must. It is the perfect backdrop for so many cool pictures.

Lastly, Key West, it is a three hour drive and a city that can not be missed. We have to eat the famous key lime pie and visit the home of my favorite author Ernest Hemingway.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The first person that deserves a shoutout is my Mom. My mother from the age of 14 on a daily basis would say that I needed that “white piece of paper.” The white piece of paper that she was talking about is the college degree. It did not matter to her what I studied, she just wanted me to have it since she did not have an opportunity to pursue her college dreams. I majored in communications and when I made the decision to move to the country that she fled she was incredibly supportive. My father also played a key part in my life. He always made me feel that I could go after every crazy dream and idea that I had and give it a go.

I also would not be where I am if it was not for my mentors. John Zarrella who was the Miami Bureau Chief for CNN gave me my first opportunity in TV. I started as a secretary right after graduating from Barry University and worked my way up. Some of the best professional experiences of my life was with CNN. I did not make a lot of money but you can’t put a price on experience. I also would have to thank Charles Eisendrath from the University of Michigan. It’s because of him that I was awarded a journalistic fellowship at a time when I needed it the most. I was able to take a time out from my career for nine months and immerse myself in reading, learning and community. Finally, I would like to thank Todd Templin, Vice President of Boardroom Communications. He gave me my first job in Public Relations and I am so grateful. All these experiences have led me to where I am right at this moment.

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Image Credits
The credits were taken with my phone.