Meet Lisa Pellegrene | Author, Publicist, TV/Film Professional and Animal Welfare Advocate

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

Hi Lisa, how does your business help the community?
I do work that spans from continuing my work in TV/FILM to include working as a producer and as talent, writing books such as my books “Be Epic, Choose Love,” and “A Glimpse Into the Sunshine,” and publicity management for clients who are artists, advocates and entrepreneurs – the one element all of that has in common is to inspire hope while creating opportunities, and taking a stance for what I call “responsibility in media.” I’ve always felt a strong responsibility to encourage perseverance and more love in this world – that includes seeing the value in others inspiring work and translating that value in the media. I perpetuate work that is authentic and inspiring. Also, I am a firm believer that every single person has gifts and talents, and an ability to work hard to refine these abilities to make a positive difference in the world. This is definitely a focus of my work, to also help others to do more of the work that they love to do. The way I do publicity management is to help clients to have a voice in the media, as that brings more opportunity. I am always seeking and finding the inspiring elements of their work and who they are as people; it’s why I refer to the way I do publicity management as “publicity with purpose.” This work not only extends the reach of my clients, it helps their work and for their story to be known. It also often brings more opportunities for them, and inspires the readers.
I’m also a long time (and always will be) animal welfare advocate, so when one supports the work I do, one also supports the welfare of animals.
My book “Be Epic, Choose Love,” was written after waking up one morning after feeling a responsibility wanting to help others to always persevere and seek the good. I just started writing that morning, and wasn’t aware that I was in fact writing a book until I was about 60 pages or so into it. Many describe it as a healing and one that inspires hope, and a reminder that love exists in this world, as that starts with each of us.
“A Glimpse Into the Sunshine” I wrote to “cheer myself up” during the isolating times of the pandemic, remembering some of my inspiring stories, going back to when I first started my business, often carrying my computer, papers, and phone to the rooftop pool of my apartment building in Hollywood, where others would say “oh I see you are in your office,” a pretty good office for writing if you ask me. 🙂 That book has some pretty miraculous stories in it as well.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always felt a strong sense of purpose, and also have always felt a strong need to live life authentically and to truly live life in a way that it most resonates with me – seeking and perpetuating the good and the inspiring – most definitely always persevering. Starting my business in LA was anything but easy, yet it was right. There has been a lot of divine intervention and I thank God for that every day, I think it’s why, no I’m sure it’s why, my path is so unique. If I needed to learn something to better assist my clients or myself, I just did. Early on, I started a strategic consulting practice where I helped to build others business models and to fill in the gap to make a business viable – based upon a person wanting to make the work they were most passionate in the areas of their gifts and talents, their full time work. This takes a lot of creative and analytical ability, and truly I implement both to everything I do. I did (and do) the same thing for myself. It was back in 2015 that I realized I had developed more reach from just doing the work I felt most passionate about – animal welfare, developing my strategic consulting firm and my work in TV/FILM. I was on an episode of “World’s Best Beaches,” in the Catalina Island episode which ended up airing for 10 years. I realized a few years later that I could utilize my reach and abilities at that point to help others also share their inspiring work and that is how I decided to become involved in publicity management. I also think from truly living life, and always being a writer, that I have a natural storytelling ability due to a lot of perspective and real life experiences. It’s definitely why I am able to translate the value of others work too, and why working in publicity management (in addition to my own work in TV/FILM, animal welfare advocacy, and writing my books) makes a lot of sense. A lesson I’ve learned which is pretty innate as to who I am as a person is to always persevere, and to seek the hope and the good, when we do, that expands, and more opportunity presents itself.

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?
I definitely have some favorite vegan restaurants, as I have been vegan for 11 years. Real Food Daily near the Beverly Center is amazing, and I also love Veggie Grill, and a place on Pico Blvd. called Bodhi Thai. Also, Plant Power Fast Food is now open in Hollywood – amazing also. LA has many great vegan restaurants. If a best friend was visiting, I would also need to take them hiking at Runyon Canyon, followed by a shopping trip at Crossroads Trading Company and some other shops in West Hollywood on Melrose, and on Robertson from West Hollywood to Beverly Hills. Going to Crossroads is something I have done since my early years in Los Angeles, so much so that when I was living outside of LA for a few years and returned, the first thing someone said to me when I walked in the store was “Where have you been?!” – I have always loved searching for unique things there, I remember finding a rare Betsy Johnson coat there that I just loved. Also, what I like to call my “de-stress” drive is driving on Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica through Pacific Palisades to Malibu – it’s such a beautiful drive.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I started my business after working for an ad agency in Santa Monica, which was a good experience, yet I knew that I had so much more to achieve, and I also knew that I would not reach my full potential staying there – so that is why I decided to take a major leap of faith and start my own business. As a child it was instilled in me, that the sky is the limit and truly there are no limits to what we can achieve. In my book, ” A Glimpse Into the Sunshine” I also share a short story called “Coffee with June.” This was the year I started my business, and June was the apartment manager at my building in Hollywood. Going into her office and sharing a cup of coffee there was always inspiration to be found.

Website: https://www.officiallisapellegrene.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisapellegrene

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

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/lisapellegrene

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LisaPellegrene/about

Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2505762

Image Credits
Photo of pit bull, Rain Schwartz and me is photo credit Melissa Schwartz of Schwartz Studios.
Joshua Tree as indicated is correct photo by Monica Obczernitzki.