Five Minutes With Rachel Weingarten.⁣

Rachel Weingarten – freelance writer⁣

1. Tell us about your current occupation and how you landed such a fabulous job.⁣

I wear several hats. I'm a freelance culture and lifestyle writer covering topics including beauty, tech, shopping, career, food and drink, and some other hard to define topics. I'm also a content strategist/content creator and also an author of three award-winning nonfiction books (Ancient Prayer, Career and Corporate Cool, Hello Gorgeous!). I'm working on a mystery series set in my native Brooklyn. I'm also not telling you yet about the new book I'm working on just yet since it hasn't been announced yet (!!!!!). I'm also a media consultant for PR firms and a brand strategist for brands and ad agencies. I've written for or been quoted in pretty much every top-tier media outlet out there, been an expert on the morning TV shows and consulted for brands you use every day, shows or entertainment properties you love and celebrities you love to hate. I had a pretty circuitous career path and started working straight out of high school in the diamond industry while going to college at night. I also studied makeup artistry and became a celebrity makeup artist. I also once owned one of the first low-fat mini muffin businesses approved by the FDA. I always wrote, but in those days I was doing it under a pseudonym. Over the years my careers sort of met in the middle and I began doing marketing and strategy consulting and also owning my byline, though I still ghostwrite for some schmancy folks. Because of my deep understanding of both the corporate and agency side of things, I can often offer strategy advice to my clients that might not be immediately obvious to them. I'm also a beauty historian and lecture and keynote on the topic which is unbelievably fun.⁣

2. What's your best advice for PR professionals?

Take your time to get to know a journalist. I firmly believe that while standard pitches have their place, a slow-burn approach will often get you longer-term results. I get so many off-topic pitches about things I'd never write about. I also get pitches for outlets I haven't written for in years. Taking the time to see what works for a journalist, means that you're also probably going to pitch them more on topic. And for me, relationships are everything. I will pay more attention to the pitches of PR folks I know and trust than the aggressive repeated pitches of people who just spray my inbox with a blanket pitch.

3. What's a fun fact about you?

I used to have my own show on CNN Money. It was called Enterprising Women and was about female entrepreneurs.

4. Tell us about your favorite nonprofit and why.

The RWR Network which also happens to be the 501(c)(3) foundation my sister and I co-founded. We work with people who may be facing tough life circumstances through no fault of their own, and that includes caregivers, people battling unscrupulous landlords or property developers, and Holocaust survivors among others. As the child and grandchild of Holocaust survivors, I am appalled at the level of ignorance and misinformation out there along with Holocaust whitewashing. The rising antisemitism is also terrifying and dismaying. We create educational materials, try to connect people with resources and also have fun events for those who might have forgotten what fun feels like. We also randomly send out gifts and surprises to people who desperately need a lift.

We have a program called Blankets and Hugs where we match a crafter with children going through chemo and similar treatment, and they'll make them a handmade blanket to use during treatment to remind them they are loved. Just before the pandemic, we were planning on opening a drop-in center in Brooklyn, but obviously, that never happened. Right now we're grateful for any support, partnerships, and ways to get our message out there.

5. What's your favorite meal, movie, or vacation spot?

One of the more fun perks of my job is that I sometimes get to cook and bake with world-class chefs. While I love learning from them, I love mostly simple meals. For a while, I blogged as The Evolved Foodie, but I've now incorporated that back into my blog and newsletter. I'm fearless when it comes to trying weird new ingredients though I'm mostly vegetarian. You'd be amazed what I can do with almond flour, rice, or tofu!