• by Lisa Singer , Staff Writer, April 19, 2024

SOKO's Gabriela Rodrigues talks community, honoring her uniqueness, and opening the scenario.

I've had the opportunity to connect with and learn from executives of major brands at MediaPost's Insider Summits. In the process I've discovered some truly impressive women -- not only for the work they do, but their stories behind the scenes. With Brand Insider: BTS, I get to pull back the curtain on some of the most influential women marketers as they talk about their path to success: the twists and turns, obstacles, inspirations and the valuable lessons learned along the way.

“I'm Brazilian, as I said, but I'm also lesbian, and I came from a poor family here, so, in my case, my vision [of] innovation is having the courage to, I don't know, not stopping at the first no. So just keep going and keep going and believing in your dreams.” Gabriela Rodrigues certainly kept going. Early on in her career she encountered a lot of nos trying to get her first job in advertising, but undeterred, she persisted to become the VP of Impact at Brazilian ad agency SOKO. In this episode of Brand Insider: BTS, Gabriela shares, that as an orphan, she had difficulty believing in her future, but also knew she needed to succeed, not only for herself but her sister too. She talks about the responsibility she feels to be an example for younger generations, the importance of inclusion, and why a person’s uniqueness is their biggest power. You can watch the entire conversation here: