Meet Nicole Rosales

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Rosales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Oftentimes, fear cripples us from exploring opportunities. We examine the risks and play out scenarios of what we think will happen. If we give in to negative self-talk and doubt, we become victims of complacency. Whether it’s in a career or in a relationship, we learn to get comfortable, and eventually stifles our personal growth. That’s why risk-taking is paramount. It means we understand our decision could have an outcome we’re not going to be happy with, but we do it anyway. We do it because there’s an equal chance that things can go right. It’s a lesson I learned early on.

Just before I graduated from the University of North Texas, I was offered a reporter position at a small TV station in Georgia. Within three days of walking the stage, I had packed up my entire life into a suitcase, a pick-up truck and a tiny U-Haul trailer, to move 800 miles across the country. My family and friends were no longer just a short car ride away, I was completely alone, figuring it out as best I could. It was a risk I knew I had to take if I wanted to make it in the industry.

The first six months were challenging, I even contemplated if I had made the right decision, but I kept pushing forward and eventually, I got into the rhythm. I fine-tuned my skills, made amazing connections, and even gained a life-long friend in the process. It ended up being one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I proved to myself that I can be challenged, that I am a risk-taker. I’ll always cherish that stage of my life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Stories connect us all, it’s the thread that weaves communities together. It’s why I chose a career in the news industry. I spent time in Austin, Texas and in the small town of Albany, Georgia, where I shot, edited, and wrote my own stories, which consisted of mostly breaking news and feature pieces. Although I loved the creative process, meeting people, and sharing how they’re making a positive impact, I was looking for a change.

PR felt like a natural transition, I still get to tell stories, just in a different format. I began working in healthcare PR, shooting and editing videos of surgeries for educational purposes. I also wrote for the hospital’s magazine and blog where I interviewed physicians and patients about life-changing diagnoses and overcoming obstacles. But the itch for more diverse stories came just a few years after. Today, I work for a small creative agency that touches a variety of industries, allowing me to hone my skills in restaurant hospitality, non-profits, and education systems. Since moving to PR, I’ve earned the Public Relations Society of America Pegasus Award of Honor for my work with a nonprofit client, and as a team, the DCEO Healthcare Award for Achievement in Community Outreach. The road here wasn’t easy, it took persistence and willingness to explore new avenues (not being afraid to try the unknown). It’s important to fuel your curiosity, it’s only then that you’ll learn what you’re capable of.

But my work doesn’t define who I am. I’m a passionate traveler and lucky to have visited 17 countries so far, with new ones added to my list every year! I love sharing my experiences, so, I developed a travel blog, nicolerosales.com, (I also share on Instagram!) to give insights into trips in hopes of inspiring and empowering others to travel smart and invest in themselves. It’s a fun, visual way to make memories and if it helps someone else, even better!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Dallas has grown exponentially over the last decade, with new restaurants and shops, you won’t run out of choices anytime soon.

I’d start off with coffee and pastries at Village Baking Company, antique shopping near the Design District, photos by the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, then go down the road to Dealey Plaza for the JFK exhibit (sure, it’s a touristy thing to do, but that’s exactly who we are catering to) and Dallas Museum of Art. For lunch, if we want to stay nearby, we’d stop by the Farmer’s Market for food tastings and souvenirs or go to Bishop Arts where they can choose from BBQ, Tex-Mex, or Italian. We would linger a bit to grab a cocktail at Bar Eden (they have such a cool vibe).

Hitting the outer parts of downtown, we’d take a trip down Lower Greenville Avenue to eat at Goodwins, catch a show at Granada, and wander around Mockingbird Station. If we wanted to get a bit of nature in, we would take a visit to Lakeside Park to snap photos of the statue teddy bears and sit by the pond.

Going a little further outside Dallas, I’d take them horseback riding at a Southlake ranch and the Meow Wolf exhibit in Grapevine. Needless to say, it would be a fusion of activities to keep us on our toes!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Throughout my career, I’ve been incredibly lucky to have the support of my mother and my dear friend of 21 years, Alanna Quillen, both have encouraged and inspired me. I couldn’t be more grateful.

Website: https://nicolerosales.com

Instagram: nicole_rosales