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

Hi Alphonso, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process behind me starting my own business was the fact that when I worked for and with different agencies I noticed that there were not a lot of opportunities for the “underdog”. What I mean by this is that it seemed to be almost impossible to be a part of the industry without having some sort of connections. There are those occasions where people get lucky, their hard work pays off, and they get their big break. However, I did not see that too often.

The idea behind ARPR Agency is that I would start a Public Relations and Talent Management company that would give people who are not ordinarily exposed to the industry an opportunity to be in this world. For several projects that I have worked on I extended opportunities for interns to join my team so that they could get the exposure as well as the experience of what it is like to work as a stylist, MUA, assistant, etc. I wanted to be intentional about my efforts to give back and pull others up along the way.

I am always looking for people who are hungry to grow and learn. Currently I am on the hunt for a photographer/videographer who may be looking to gain more experience and build their portfolio. By doing things like this, I believe it helps to build the necessary confidence and etiquette skills that are needed to interact with high profile clients. I even encourage my clients to give back in some way to people who might not otherwise have certain opportunities afforded to them as well. For me, being able to put others in a position to excel is really one of the many driving forces that push me to keep going as a business and a brand.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
ARPR Agency is a “one stop shop” for clients. We offer a plethora of services ranging from event planning to client representation. What sets us apart from other agencies is that we are passionate about what we do. Yes the money is great, however, we believe in our clients and their projects. This makes us work harder for their best interest. I literally started this company in my aunt’s dining room in Philadelphia, PA and after hard work, consistency, and dedication I am now based in Los Angeles, California and have a team of people who have the same mindset. The main lesson I have learned along the way is to take nothing personal and maintain boundaries. ARPR Agency has a lot to offer the world…stay tuned!

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.
The first place I would have to take my friend is to Malibu Wine Safari. This is such a great experience. I would say for tourist purposes we would definitely need to take a trip to Rodeo Drive just to be in the atmosphere. For a great food experience, I would take them to II Pastaio, EP&LP, and The Ivy. These are my top favorite places to eat in LA. We would also go hang out at historic Griffith Park and do some rollerblading at Venice beach during the sunset. The rest of the trip would be spent hanging out at various beaches and a night or two with a personal chef.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom, Mary Owens-Reed aka my biggest supporter.

Website: www.alphonsoreed.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arpr.agency/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arpr_agency

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

Other: Personal Instagram: @alphonsoreed Email: contact@alphonsoreed.com

Image Credits
Photo Credits: 1. Alphonso Reed By: @niqfilms ARPR Agency Work Photo Credit: 1. Taylen Biggs and Lil Wayne By @brixks 2. Faith Stowers and Alphonso Reed By Miles Diggs/MEGA 3. Young Thug and Jerrika Karlae By V FILES 4. Corey Clement By Cool America Magazine 5. Taylen Biggs By Barbie 6. Martez Malone Yekim Store Grand Reopening By Frazer Harrison/Getty Images 7. Keke Palmer By PIMP The Movie 8. Christina Milan By John Lamparski/Getty Images

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