Meet Rachel Farino

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachel Farino. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachel below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Rachel with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

At the age of four years old, my younger brother Brandon was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Unfortunately for Brandon, and many others, this is an incurable disability, with an uphill physical battle. Named for the lack of protein dystrophin, which is needed to hold your muscles together, all skeletal muscles begin to deteriorate, leading to paralysis, heart and lung failure, and most likely early death. This was a huge life challenge that Brandon faced, but in no way did he let it dictate his path, or prevent him from living his life to it’s fullest potential. It taught me to find a different type of strength from within and mental toughness, and has stayed with me throughout every challenge I have faced, both personally and professionally. My parents taught me work ethic from a young age, but Brandon helped me stay focussed and motivated to never give up on my dreams, and to persevere  regardless of the hurdles I encountered, as he did daily. Anytime something seems difficult or challenging, I think of him and how much he overcame in his life, and push through. Unfortunately Brandon lost his battle with Duchenne, and passed away at the age of 23, but would be super happy that Party On Brand incorporates his name in his honor.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

The company I founded, Party On Brand is an event staffing company that caters to a variety of event types.

I worked odd jobs for a number of years, living in NY and LA. Working those odd jobs allowed me to meet a number of new people in a variety of environments, all trying to pursue their own creative goals and gigging in the meantime. I loved being able to work in so many exciting places each day, which I strongly preferred to being stationary at a desk. I’d find jobs that focused on working with the public, where my role was to interact with strangers, either promoting a product or engaging with people at large events. I worked as a brand ambassador, waitstaff, bartender, promo model, you name it. After exploring so many different gigs over the years, I saw certain flaws in the industry and felt I had gained enough knowledge that I could start my own company, which I did. My expectations were to just have a side hustle where I could have the flexibility in my schedule to audition when needed and retire from physically working the gigs myself.

I never thought of my career title becoming a “business owner,” but after hanging up my acting hat and pursuing my entrepreneurial path 100%, I’ve learned the life change came at the right time. Almost ten years later, being a full-time mom and business owner, there’s a lot to juggle in my daily life, but I am so happy I made this pivot and am able to do both successfully.

POB primarily offers staffing like: waitstaff, flair + regular bartenders, brand ambassadors, promo models, coat check, etc. However, we also have an array of vendor connections in case you’re in need of other services, like catering, party entertainment, rentals, photography, and more. I like to think of our boutique agency as more of a concierge approach to throwing a party. Since so many of us work together regularly, it only makes sense to refer each other, especially when clients usually have a checklist or vision they are trying to accomplish. We specialize in VIP and celebrity parties due to the cities we are based in, and with that, is usually a desire for high-end decor, food, and a pulse on what’s trending.

I think what sets us apart is the caliber of people you’ll have working at your event. We cater to your event type, theme, brand promotion, and if you’re looking for a specific look or feel, we do our best to meet that criteria.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think the three life skills that contributed most to my success were my persistence, confidence, and motivation to remain productive. I thrive on productivity and having a plan , you can ask anyone that knows me, and they would say I need to stay busy and feel accomplished.

My persistence is part of my personality, but also comes from pursuing competitive careers throughout my life. I do not take no for an answer, which some may find endearing, and others may find annoying. While it’s never a sure thing, I find my persistence has rarely gone unrecognized, whether for the good or the bad, it’s a quality that people remember. I have confidently adopted the mentality of “fake it til you make it”, not just within my career, but other facets of my life as well. Whether that be putting on a brave face when I was told “no” countless times, or just getting right back at it when things seemingly looked discouraging, or the odds were not in my favor. I believe my success can be attributed to all of these qualities.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

We are always looking for new vendors and partners to collaborate with, as the event industry is always growing and changing, and we have to keep up with the demands and preferences of our clients. We currently work with multiple types of vendors, especially planners and caterers in the event and wedding industries, but are always looking for fresh talent to refer and feature. I encourage you to reach out to us by email (info@partyonbrand.com) with a bit about you or your company, as we are constantly building our roster, and love to be able to refer fellow entrepreneurs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.partyonbrand.com
• Instagram: @partyonbrand
• Facebook: PARTY on BRAND