Meet Rachel Farino | CEO and Founder of Party On Brand

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

Hi Rachel, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
In general, I consider myself a very organized person, which helps me tremendously when I’m constantly juggling several events at once. I thrive on productivity, so I have a habit of staying on top of my emails so they don’t accumulate, otherwise it becomes overwhelming, It helps that I can’t stand seeing those little notifications on my phone all day. I strive to accomplish everything on my list, which is updated all day every day, and embrace a daily routine to keep me on task. I adhere to a work schedule, which allows me to have the structure in place that I need for somewhat of a work/life balance. I try and follow that same routine each day/week, so that I’m starting each day knowing what to expect, and plan to execute as much as I can based on my schedule. For example, I schedule my calls to be back to back in the morning, so that in case a curve ball is thrown my way and I have to be out of office, I can still manage from my phone, without worrying about missing anything important. Communicating efficiently and sometimes taking a beat before responding to an email, has also become a new habit of mine. I tend to react on emotion in the heat of the moment, and reminding myself to remain professional, and taking that extra moment to self-reflect before responding has carried over into my personal life as well, and something I continue to try improving upon.

Getting a good night’s rest is essential, since I am a mother as well as a business owner, and it’s important for me to perform at my best on both fronts. I also exercise 5/6 days a week, to keep my mind clear and to stay focussed, since it’s easy to get busy and curb my workout, I make sure it’s the first task of my day that gets fulfilled.

I’m also extremely self-motivated, which I think every business owner needs to be. You’re not always going to have that support system to keep you going, and there are going to be days you doubt and question yourself. Staying focussed on the why, and continuing the hustle is key.

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?
My original career path was to become a successful actor and ultimately have my own talk show. I began auditioning when I was in elementary school, and thanks to my father, (who was also a solo founder/business owner in the music industry), learned to deal with rejection very early on. I truly felt this helped shape the person I am today, because the audition world will make or break you in terms of how much you’re told “no”, and I am even more persistent for this reason. What goes hand in hand with pursuing acting? Working in hospitality of course! Through my plethora of odd jobs, catering, bartending, and promo modeling, I learned how much I loved working with people. Talking to people has always been my strong suit, hence the talk show aspirations, and working in hospitality for 20+ years, I was able to educate myself on the ability to sell products, problem solve on a whim, and work on a team.

The challenges I’ve faced over the years have included working in two different time zones (East and West coast), and having to set various timers so I know when my events begin depending on what coast I am physically in. I’ve also found half my battle has been educating clients on the proper flow of an event, which I credit to being very detail-oriented, and working so many of the events personally, so speaking from first hand experience. When I first started my company, I was a one-woman show and had to wear a multitude of hats. I was the saleswoman, the accountant, the recruiter, the brand and social media manager, etc. Performing almost every role daily can become exhausting, but I figured out my rhythm early on, and tried my best to stay on top of everything (lists on lists). Being forced to become a jack of all trades within my company, got me where I am today, but the hustle never ends. As we continue to grow and expand, I still find myself in various roles on the daily, but I’ve become more well-versed, since I’ve been put into so many different scenarios.

To this day, I’m most proud of our growing database of clientele, and the repeat business we have accumulated over the years. We have an array of both celebrity clients, and corporate professionals who reach out to us time after time based on our professionalism and ability to remain discrete. We have also connected with a roster of speciality vendors like event planners, aerialists, and flair bartenders to name a few, who attribute to making the events we are apart of that much more special and unique.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a self-proclaimed foodie, I would lead with the meals. Starting with breakfast, I’d either hit Republique for some morning pastries and quick bites to share, maybe even take a few to go to enjoy later. Another option is to go the breakfast burrito route, because there are so many good places if that’s what you’re feeling in the mood for. In order to get some activity in, we could either hike/walk Runyon, or stroll Abbott Kinney to people watch and peruse the shops. Lunch could be at a number of places, either poke at Sweetfin if you’re looking for grab and go, or seafood in some capacity since we are on the coast after all. An upscale dinner would be Maestro’s for a fancy night out, but more casually I love me some good Ramen so I’d head to Sawtelle or “Japantown” as it’s more widely known, they also have some super cute stores over there. There’s also First Fridays in Venice, which is the perfect mix of street vendors (all outdoors) to explore a variety of different types of cuisine.

As a mom of a 1 year old, we love to walk along Ocean Blvd by the water in Santa Monica, perfect for a stroller or if you have a dog. I love bringing our dog Milo to dog parks nearby, it’s a great way of meeting other young people, in addition to getting our dose of puppy snuggles in. We also love all of the outdoor entertainment that you stumble upon in Santa Monica, Venice, and Beverly Hills, as there are usually art shows, performers, or pop ups happening on the west side. Sticking with the west side vibes, Melrose Flea is usually a hit for all ages. It’s a perfect spot to kill some time, find some hidden treasures, and catch up with friends (with or without kids in tow).

Lastly, for dancing or a fun night out, West Hollywood has a bunch of good spots to hit. If I’m childless for the night and want a more low key vibe, then I might hit a pool hall, or Hollywood Cemetery for a movie night.

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?
I always believed in myself, but my younger brother Brandon was my biggest support system and a huge reason I decided to start my own company. He always pushed me to have confidence in myself, and gave me that extra boost when I was feeling stuck. He was my cheerleader throughout my life, and although he passed away in 2016, he was the driving force behind the idea to start my business. I wanted to incorporate him into this new venture, so I inverted his first name, and On Brand was born, it just took the addition of “Party” to fit the industry, and here we are.

However, I cannot forget my husband Paul, whose unwavering support really helped me get “Party On Brand” on it’s feet years ago. His background in tech helped me to learn the tools I needed on the back end of the business, and his constant encouragement made me feel like I was going to succeed no matter what. I was taking a big leap starting my own business without a real backup plan in tact, and between my brother’s uplifting spirit, and my husband ‘s conviction, I was in a good headspace to lay the foundation. I continue to grow my business each year, and did not have the foresight of getting to this point of success, but I know my brother would be proud, and think it’s soo cool to have my company named after him.

Website: www.partyonbrand.com

Instagram: @partyonbrand

Facebook: facebook.com/partyonbrandevents

Image Credits
@kristinburnsstudio, @monroefilms, @lauramollphoto