Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Rodríguez.
Hi Melanie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I can say that my life has been a mix of very calculated and very spontaneous decisions. So it was only fitting that after a hectic and very irregular year, I took the plunge and decided to change things up. Due to the pandemic and personal growth goals, by the end of 2021, I relocated from Puerto Rico to Orlando.
I started my college career pursuing a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering where after just a year and a half, I found myself changing my major to communications and marketing. Once I completed my bachelor’s degree in General Communications, and after several jobs within the entertainment industry, I participated in a local tv reality show. Once my 15 minutes of local fame were up, I decided to pack my bags and move to Orlando to complete my Master’s Degree at Full Sail University.
After completing my entertainment business masters’ degree, I found myself moving back again to the island. After almost two years of working at a life insurance agency, I landed a job at Chat Agency as a Digital Account Executive. Fast forward to 2022, and I’m the Account Director at this very agency, working remotely and traveling between Puerto Rico, Orlando and Miami.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life is never a smooth road, but I think that’s the beauty of it! To me, every decision, every mistake, or even your success defines you. No regrets, just learning experiences. I’m lucky to have a great support system within my friends and family! Whether it’s a personal or business struggle having their feedback and support has always pushed and helped me overcome everything.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve had the opportunity to work in different areas of the entertainment industry, from local TV channels to radio stations, events, promotions, to marketing and PR firms. I think all these experiences have helped me be successful in the advertising industry.
To be completely transparent, I never pictured myself working in advertising or even an agency, but here I am; account executive director of the digital advertising agency, CHAT Agency, based in Puerto Rico. It has been ten (10) years full of learnings, experiences, campaigns, clients, and stress. Nevertheless, having the responsibility of managing my agency’s top clients, creatives, influencers, and peers makes me feel accomplished.
Like in any other field, some days are better than others, but the satisfaction of a job well done, hitting goals and KPIs, recognition from your coworkers, or good feedback from a client makes it all worthwhile.
During the past ten years, my work has allowed me to travel, develop my management skills, learn how to prioritize, boost my creative side, explore trends, and even gain lifelong friends. I’ve also had some incredible experiences! For example, in 2016, my team was invited to Facebook headquarters at Silicon Valley, San Francisco, to work on a joint case study for one of my client’s success stories using Facebook’s media tools.
I’m constantly motivated to continue developing my skills and grow professionally. I truly take pride in being loyal to my company and giving 100% to everything I do!
What were you like growing up?
I like to say I’m the middle child without the syndrome. Although, I don’t even know if it’s true cause I don’t mind the attention! [laughs] I’ve always been a very outgoing and caring individual. When I was little, I made family members watch me perform entire concerts on visits. So I like to think this is where my love for karaoke and performing started. Loved movies, music, and books!
Always a good student and a bit of an overachiever in school (that hasn’t changed much). At one point my dream job was to be a cashier, a dream that was over as soon as I started working as a cashier on summer and holiday vacations at my dad’s company.
I seriously couldn’t have asked for a better childhood, and yes that was without tablets and the internet. LOL!
Contact Info:
- Email: itsmelanierodz@gmail.com
- Website: www.chatagency.com
- Instagram: @itsmelanierodz
