Oct 08, 2018 8 Questions with: Danielle Robles
I have been lucky enough to come from a world where many of the people I look up to in my life are women. Not just the women that you see on TV or in the magazines, but real life relatable BADASS women. I am also lucky enough to come from a world where one happens to be my best friend. Danielle Robles is an accomplished writer, creative content genius, and social mastermind. She has the ability to completely immerse herself in any environment and adapt as though she created the environment herself. On top of that she has worked with some of the greatest and most recognized brands of our time including Perrier, Bally, Forever 21 and has written for Live Fast Mag and Elle Magazine…just to name drop a few of her accomplishments. In this interview you will get to know and love a well rounded creative whose zest for life is as eclectic as her resume.
Who gave you your first break and what was the job?
I’ve wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember, but I never really thought it was a reasonable career choice. For some reason I always thought of writers to be either struggling artists or from aristocratic families, for whom making money was not a main motivator. Making a livable wage from writing was not something I could even fathom. It wasn’t until I met the badass Vivianne Lapointe, the mastermind behind Live Fast Mag (who gave me an assistant editor internship role) that I realized not only could I make a living writing about the things I love, but if I hustle hard enough, I can build something from the ground up.
When did you feel like you were successful and that your skill set was valuable to clients?
I don’t want to sound totally cliche, but I don’t know if you ever, as a writer, feel as if you’ve “made it”. I think that comes with the territory–always feeling like you’re a complete fraud, battling your inner doubts and demons. There have definitely been moments though, when I’ve seen my words on a storefront in Times Square or in the pages of a magazine, when I’m like “Holy shit. I did that.” It always feels so surreal.
What book or author inspired you to become a writer?
AH! That’s so hard! There have been so many. Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha has been one of my long-time favorites. I’m also always a sucker for anything Hemingway, Didion, Easton Ellis, Kerouac. I love the classics.
Where do you see influencer marketing going? Whats the next big thing for marketing?
I think media is going totally digital, and the way we consume information is changing at such a rapid pace. I am not sure where influencer marketing will be in 5 years from now, but I have a feeling it will evolve rather than disappear altogether. We are seeing a shift in marketing in general towards experiences, both virtual and IRL. Like Refinery 29’s 29Rooms. I’m pretty excited to see where
things go with that.
Who is your role model and why?
Anyone who knows me knows that Anthony Bourdain has been my longtime role model. He traveled the world in pursuit of exploring and appreciating different cultures. And he was fearless and crass and never apologized for anything.
What do you think your flaws are as a professional and how do you embrace them to make them an asset?
I’m a chronic overthinker, a perfectionist, and an idealist both professionally and personally which can be both a blessing and curse. I think for creative concepting it helps to think of everything from every angle, especially with marketing and advertising. You want to consider what the reader might think or see. My perfectionist and idealist tendencies I think are what keep me moving forward, always wanting more, always wanting to go bigger.
What was the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?
The biggest risk I have taken thus far has definitely been leaving ELLE Magazine, a well-respected top fashion publication, to work as the Head of Content for a marketing platform startup. I think everyone thought I was insane to leave such an amazing job at such an amazing company, but I was curious and wanted to try something I had never done before. While I miss the publishing world dearly, I have grown in so many ways and learned so much. There’s something to be said about starting from scratch and building from the ground up. It’s like a crash course in everything you thought you knew.
What is the next step for you?
Gah, such a hard question that I wish I knew the answer to. I’ve been working on a digital travel magazine (TRIPPER) with a few of my closest friends, we’re working on putting that in print. But I think ultimately it’d be really awesome to create a collective or creative agency with all of the amazing, talented females I know. I’m super interested traveling and exploring new cultures and telling stories through a female POV. If I could come even the slightest bit close to becoming the female (and more fashionable) version of Anthony Bourdain, I think maybe then I would finally feel like I made it.
