At Food Shelter PR, we’re lucky enough to work with a number of creative and talented influencers, whose social media platforms reach thousands of followers throughout the Philadelphia area and beyond. We sat down with Camille Mola (@camille_mola), a Philadelphia-based blogger behind Positive Publicity Blog, a lifestyle blog that strives to inspire others to create, go after what they want in life, achieve their goals, and, of course, be positive. In addition to blogging, Camille works full-time as the PR and Communications Manager at an Opera Training Academy in Philadelphia, a position which combines her two biggest passions, Singing and PR. She is a proud Penn State alum, where she studied public relations. Below, Camille gives us an inside look into the creative life of an influencer!
● How did you get your start in the influencer realm?
○ I actually began blogging initially to record memories while studying abroad in college. Fun fact, Positive Publicity was first called An American Girl in London (a very clever name!). And as a PR major in college, blogging was a frequent topic in many of my classes. After graduation, I really got the blogging bug; I began learning as much as I could, started joining online communities and began meeting and collaborating with other bloggers. Receiving that first email in your inbox of a brand wanting to work with you is the most amazing feeling! Seeing the growth of this blog has made me want to work that much harder.
● What do you think is the biggest draw to Philadelphia?
○ Where to begin? I truly believe that Philadelphia has everything you could want in a city. From dining and sports, to history and culture, Philadelphia has it all. Being a Philadelphia-area native (shout out to Delco), I might just be a little bit biased. After speaking with people who have moved to Philadelphia, I noticed a common theme about their favorite thing about the city. It’s that Philly has a small city feel while being in a major city. It has a nice balance of having everything you could want in a large city, but not having the overwhelming hustle you may find in other cities. I have a series on my blog called Philly Finds, which focuses on things around Philadelphia I’ve recently checked out or am looking forward to. Each time I work on one of those posts, I’m reminded just how amazing this city is.
● What advice do you have for bloggers who are trying to get their start?
○ This is a question I’ve actually been getting a lot recently! My advice is always to be your authentic self, collaborate and engage with others, and don’t compare yourself to what others are doing. Don’t get discouraged if things aren’t moving at a pace you’d like them to be; keep working hard and that hard work will pay off. And if you’re unsure about how to start your first blog post, begin by writing what you know. Pick that topic you know you’re an expert in and just write that first post. Everyone is knowledgeable in a certain topic; be excited about sharing that knowledge!
● What’s your favorite neighborhood in Philadelphia, and why?
○ So many to choose from; they’re all so unique! But I love South Philly so much, specifically the East Passyunk area. It’s a food paradise! In the summer, it’s filled with people dining on the sidewalks, and even in the winter the streets are filled with people admiring the holiday lights. It has that old-school Italian Philly charm, which reminds me of home and my family.
● What advice do you have for brands who are trying to work with you?
○ Whenever I work with a brand, I strive to be as communicative as possible. I love working with brands that are clear in what they’re looking for, can provide a unique and interesting experience that my readers will enjoy, and communicate well – these are things I also aim to do when working with bloggers in my full-time job. A brand collaboration is that much more successful when everyone is on the same page. Food Shelter PR is the best at this ;)