Lissette Rios is a first generation bilingual, bicultural Latina who was born and raised in Miami. She worked at some of the world’s largest PR agencies with major global brand clients including Procter & Gamble, and Unilever, before founding Chic Influence, which she said was born out of passion and necessity. Her unique and strategic approach to developing, managing and delivering high-profile results-driven public relations strategies and branded campaigns makes her a true expert in the industry.
I recently had the chance to sit down with her to talk about everything from running major marathons, to becoming and now being Lissette 2.0!
On her morning routine…
I’m a major morning person, so I love waking up early. I like to be out of my bed between 6am and 6:30am and my two favorite things that are a must to be ready to take on my day is spending time with my dog and enjoying a cup of coffee. I love my morning walks with Tego, my French bulldog as it allows me to think through my day and set my day’s intention. Then I sit for about 15 minutes with my cup of Nespresso coffee, writing out my to do list from scheduling in my workout, to plotting out priority work items and important quality time with my husband.
On why she created Chic Influence…
I created Chic Influence out of passion and necessity. I spent 10+ years in Corporate America, specifically in multicultural marketing roles, and it was frustrating to me how brands couldn’t grasp the concept that diverse groups are the mainstream in the United States, and that they always wanted to put specific communities into a bucket instead of leading with diverse insights. At Chic Influence we work with minority owned brands on mainstream marketing campaigns and a diverse group of content creators who work on national initiatives. We essentially do the opposite of what traditional marketing campaigns do and we break through the clutter of redundant brand campaigns, messaging and talent.
On her vision for it and multicultural women going forward…
My vision for Chic Influence is to keep doing what we’re doing. Everything we do is led with passion, integrity and diverse insights. That passion, integrity and expert knowledge spills over to the caliber of work we do, the way we service our clients and the growth of the company overall.
My vision for multicultural women is to champion what you believe in, be it in the workplace or in your personal passions. If you feel that your seat at the table still isn’t enough, create your own table. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
On becoming and being #Lissette2.0…
The biggest lifestyle habits that have led to me being the best version of myself are a few things. I believe in the power of “no.” Many people find it to be selfish but unfortunately, as humans we can only take on so much, and as a business owner my time is stretched very thin. Once I learned that I can’t be all things to all people and created boundaries around myself, I learned to take control of my schedule to create pockets of time for what needs to get done for me personally and professionally.
The other thing that drives me is to never stop learning and to throw myself into things that make me very uncomfortable. I get bored very easily and my brain never shuts off, so I like to tackle things that seem impossible. Last year, I tackled the TCS NYC Marathon. I never really ran before 2017. I did one half marathon in 2018, and had a YOLO moment to sign up for the full marathon in 2019. Everyone thought I was crazy, but once I was in, I trained for 8 straight months. The journey of training for a marathon changes you, in a way that carries over to all aspects of your life. I am truly living as Lissette 2.0 right now because training and completing that marathon taught me one epic life lesson – anything and everything is possible if you’re willing to put in the work. Also, now I can’t stop running!
On her biggest lesson learned last year…
Definitely running the 2019 NYC Marathon was the biggest life lesson. During the 8 months I trained for the marathon, people would ask me what is it like? And the truth is, it’s hard, so hard. Training for a marathon, breaks you physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. But yet, when you commit to it, you get up every day and do your scheduled workout and run and know that the end goal will be so worth it. It is a beautiful journey that taught me two things – it made me love my body (no matter what shape or size it is or will evolve into it), because my body got me through 600+ miles of training runs, and through the hardest marathon course in the world. And it taught me that literally ANYTHING is possible, if you put in the work.
On what she’s currently reading…
I have two books on my shelf that I want to finish in the coming month – “Girl on Fire” by Cara Alwill and “Maximum Momentum” by Mike Berland.
On how she’s staying centered during this time of social distancing…
I’m staying centered during this pandemic/quarantine by aiming to keep my regular schedule as if I was still going to the office, and by staying as active as possible. I’m practicing responsible outdoor running, but it’s getting a little tricky as NYC is the epicenter of the pandemic. I’m not as comfortable running outside anymore. I recently downloaded the NEOU App and doing daily on-demand workouts at home.
On what’s next…
Up next are a few things, but with this pandemic, it has put so much on pause. I was scheduled to run the SHAPE Women’s Half Marathon in NYC on April 19, but that was cancelled. I’m scheduled to speak at the We All Grow Summit in July in Palm Springs.
Show Lissette some love in the comments below!
#5Minuteswith Lissette of Chic Influence
