MY JOURNEY, AS TOLD BY CRISTY

Early on, I believed I would be a news broadcaster on TV. I enjoyed storytelling and hard news, the pace of the media industry and the idea of every day being different. I loved the idea of the job, but quickly learned the role that was closer to my heart was in PR & communications. I was still sharing stories, working with media and part of the news, but from a different side of the business - the side that afforded me control in the narrative.

I started my career at JeffreyGroup where I helped Fortune 500s connect with audiences in Latin America pulling from my language skills in English and Spanish, and my Cuban heritage. That eventually led to work with U.S multicultural audiences working on consumer engagement campaigns with Diageo’s brands including Johnnie Walker, Kettle One and Buchanan’s among others. This is really where I found my passion, helping company’s understand nuance and connect with Hispanic, Black and Asian audiences in the U.S.

As Pinta was launched, I joined the team and flourished while there, working on accounts like Amazon and T-Mobile, putting on events with Shakira, J Balvin and Bruno Mars and planning strategic initiatives for clients under the marketing umbrella. I found my voice, and built myself as the professional I am today. This is also where I became a mom. My Pinta family supported me welcoming my first son, Felipe into the world and championed my return as a working mother.

As my career grew, I joined global agency, Golin and was a thought leader and expert in driving opportunities with multicultural audiences in the U.S. and abroad. I built programs for Discover to give back to the communities they serve and a new program to expand market reach for Carnival Corporation. But what this time was really marked by was when I became a mom for a second time to Mateo. Coming back to work was harder this time. And, it wasn’t just leaving my kids at home that was the challenge, it was the logistics of it all. So when the pandemic rolled in, juggling work and life became hard. I managed for several months but in June 2020 took a step back to consider my options.

I pondered - perhaps I should be a full-time mom. I quickly learned I loved the communications field too much. And so, with a lot of pushing and support from family and friends, I launched my consultancy Pointe Connect. My consultancy was born out of a need to support the small businesses eager to survive and thrive despite the pandemic. I had skills - previously reserved for Fortune 500s companies - that small businesses and start-ups alike could leverage so I got to work.

Since the beginning, Alexis and I have partnered on work to bring the best to client service. I lean on planning and strategy to develop a program that supports client growth and Alexis makes it come to life taking care of each story a client can and should tell. Together, we’ve made great things happen. And though our paths are independent, our growth is shared and intertwined by a deep desire to communicate what matters.