Paula Nadal is an account manager at Edelman Digital São Paulo. She worked as a journalist for many years and is now a digital content expert. Paula speaks five languages, plays the violin and has a fashionable collection of eyeglasses. She also has a unique personality, so we asked her some pretty straight-up questions. Here you go:
What do you carry in your backpack?
My laptop, two smartphones, a little book to take notes, a pen (to be “vintage”), a lipstick (essential to be stylish on hard days), my wallet (for sure!), usually a scarf and one umbrella, because I live in São Paulo where everyday could be a rainy day.
Do you have any weird habits?
I’m a little obsessed with organization. I need to align all carpets I see, combine colors in almost everything and identify standards and patterns that can be also be combined. My notebook is full of colored pens – one for each client, and so is my Outlook calendar. And, well, I like to jump into strangers’ conversations that I overhear on the street and imitate the artists on reality TV singing competitions.
What would you do if you won the Lottery?
I’d start travelling around the world, bringing all those I love with me. I’d choose one place for each person. Then, I’d make some real estate investments in the best places I visit. I could spend some years studying, learning new languages and cultures and working in a real network (yes, I’d continue to work, probably leading my own projects from wherever I’d be). And I think I’d sing more songs along my day. And write some books. And read, while I taste the best coffees in the world.
If you could chose to have one superpower, what would it be?
I’d clone myself to be like the “Wonder Twins”, so I can be where I need and want to be at the same time and make all I have to do using my magical powers to transform things.
When you were a kid, what did you respond to the question “what do you want to be when you grow up”?
I have been wearing glasses since I’m three months old and never had any talent for sports. So, ever since I was a little girl – at age three or four –, I started to read and write and told everybody I’d be a writer. I’d be a writer and a Brazilian singer, living in Paris (yes, I really was a little “nerd”).
What was the defining moment when you knew you wanted to work in PR?
I worked as a journalist for almost eight years before joining Edelman and I feel very passionate about my work. I consider myself a lucky professional and one of the best learnings I got from journalism is always to put the reader first. When you think about people’s lives, and when you think about what people need and love to know, you will certainly tell great stories. Transitioning to PR was a rational choice for my career. A challenging choice when I saw journalism changing and going downhill in some ways, while agencies where seriously thinking about communications marketing, branded content, digital culture and new ways to tell awesome stories. And, I confess, I never thought this could be so captivating! I’m proud to say I have made the right choice. I love my work, I love my team and I really love to discover the best stories from my clients and transform them into inspiring pieces of content that fascinate different audiences (and even help to generate business!). I love to be curious and I’m happy to keep caring for people’s interests, their causes and needs. When your work makes real sense to people, you can feel you can make things better.
How many pairs of eyeglasses do you have?
I have more than 30 eyeglasses. It’s almost like a pair of glasses for each year of my life. So, yes, I consider all my glasses a good collection that shows the evolution of my way to see the world. Nowadays, I wear at least 2 different pairs of glasses. For each outfit I wear, I choose my favorite one for the day.
What does classic music mean to you?
I’ve been studying music since I was 4 years old. I practiced in violin classes for 13 years and during and after this period, I played with several groups and orchestras. Music, for me, is my speech, is the way I choose to celebrate or to sublimate the problems and the pain. Art is the best way to say whatever you want and to overcome time and space barriers.
How did you manage to learn five languages?
Learning a language is a way to immerse yourself in a culture. And I am a person genuinely interested in understanding people and being able to communicate with them, understanding what makes each one unique. It is an act of respect. English, I learned from the school, as well as Spanish. The French I have always loved and learned when I was in college. The Mandarin, I studied a few years ago by curiosity to learn a new alphabet and to understand a little bit more about this ancient culture. And the Italian is my love language. My family came from Italy to Brazil and, for me, to learn this language has been one of the most delightful experiences I had.
This interview was conducted by Manuela Nogueira, a digital knowledge manager with Edelman Digital.