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

Hi Sarissa, how do you think about risk?
Much of my career, and my life in general, has been defined by my willingness to take calculated risks. People often overlook the importance and necessity of being adaptable, which is a trait that is intrinsically linked to one’s tolerance for risk.

My dad used to say that the only guarantee in life is change, and something I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten older, along with being able to confirm he was telling the truth, is that our willingness to embrace agency and intentionally disrupt our own comfort on occasion can lead to profound personal growth and unexpected opportunities that never would have occured otherwise.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’ve been a communications practitioner for over two decades, and have done this work in a variety of ways and in various settings: with clients at agencies big and small, in-house at various companies, and now through my own firm as a consultant.

I’ve had my consultancy, Suite Number Nine, since 2017, and the same thing that drew me to the profession initially is the same thing that intrigues me about it now: I love media (the internet, magazines, journals, books, TV shows, etc.) and the creativity that is required to make great media. I have also always innately understood that we as a culture and a society are at least partially responsible for the messages we receive, accept and amplify through these mediums.

I see this as a huge personal responsibility, and it’s been incredible to be able to do to this work for as long as I have. As the media landscape changes, though, so too must our understanding of it. One of my core business goals with any project I take on is to offer people the opportunity embody the message they’re trying to share with the world, in their own way, with their own voice.

Being able to do this effectively is important for a number of reasons, but it always starts with a deep understanding of audience, and the relationship someone has to their audience. Having this knowledge enables us to enact meaningful changes in our environment, and that’s something I try to help people understand that when I’m working with them.

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?
We’d start with a casual, low-key breakfast at, in my opinion, one of the most underrated diners in LA: Swingers on Beverly. After that, I might take them on a hike I picked out from one of my favorite city-specific books, Secret Stairs by Charles Fleming. Then, we’d head to dinner somewhere in Koreatown — maybe The Boiling Crab; no reservations needed, but if you time it right, it works out great.

At some point during the week, we might do happy hour at Cafe Triste, grab a great italian meal at All’Acqua in Atwater, or perhaps venture over to Culver City for dinner at Akasha, and then afterward head to Tea at Shiloh’s for some tea (obviously) and conversation.

If they were up to it, I’d have them come to a morning hot yoga class with me at Y7 in Silverlake, and then we’d go to Angelino’s Donuts on Sunset afterward for a coffee and a breakfast sandwich (balance, right?). If the timing lined up just right, we’d wrap up their week with a quick dinner at the Conrad Hotel, followed by night out at General Lee’s in Chinatown (maybe for Sade night?).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
“If I am tall, it’s because I stand on the shoulders of giants.”

So much of my successes come as a direct result of my community; my friends (especially Chrystina Train, Cecilia Sandoval, all my group chat girlies (they know who they are), GaMaur Landrum, and so many more), my family and my husband, Willis.

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

Other: I do a podcast about PR and risk mitigation with an anonymous co-host — it’s called “We’re Still Spinning” and you can find it on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/were-still-spinning/id1657816258

Image Credits
Personal Photo: Credit Aaron Jay Young for DASU Studios
Group Photo: Credit Texas Isaiah

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.