Meet the Member: Solenne Vervisch, Founder, V.I.P.R Agency

In our latest Meet the Member feature, we spoke with Solenne Vervisch, Founder at Vervisch International Public Relations Agency (V.I.P.R.)

V.I.P.R Agency is a full-service communications concierge agency, offering press relations and events management. V.I.P.R is headquartered in New York City with deep connections in leading international destinations like London and Paris. Specialties lie in representing lifestyle, food & beverage brands, hospitality and personalities.

Keep reading to learn more about Solenne’s journey in Public Relations & Luxury and her entrepreneurial success story.

FACC: V.I.P.R Agency is a consulting firm providing full-service communications, public relations, and brand development. Your work is based on the principle of elevating brands and telling meaningful stories. You are the founder of V.I.P.R Agency but also a co-owner at Frevo, a restaurant serving contemporary French cuisine in New York City. How do you manage those two important roles?

SV: Both of my roles are very important to me. They are also combined; I don’t see them as separate. Our agency works for several different clients and Frevo is one of them. My role for Frevo only concerns the communications.

FACC: After graduating in Paris with a master’s degree in both Advertising and Communications, you began working as a communication executive at the Dorchester at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris. You continued to develop your expertise in luxury hospitality by moving to London and working for The Dorchester, 45 Park Lane, and Coworth Park. What attracted you towards the luxury public relations industry?

SV: Unlike a lot of people, I was never attracted to the glamour of the luxury industry. However, I was interested in the know-how, the creativity, and the extraordinary craftsmanship that you find in this industry. Passion is something that drives me every day, and in this particular industry, you meet a lot of passionate people. It can be a Pastry Chef who is going to explain how he creates his unique desserts, or a jeweler who is going to explain the gemstones, the high jewelry savoir-faire, and the styles that bring about the birth of a jewel. When you work in public relations, it is because you love people and being able to meet people with different talents while learning something from them, which is amazing to me!

FACC: After moving to New York, you decided to launch your agency, V.I.P.R agency. What made you decide to start V.I.P.R Agency? Was having your own PR agency something you wanted when you started your career or did the idea come along the way?

SV: Coming from the hospitality industry, I always valued the notion of services, and after two years in America and working with several agencies where I was the client, I realized the difference between services in France and in the United States. That’s how I decided to start my company. I knew I wanted to bring the notion of services that I learned from my experiences in London and Paris.  The agency began with the idea of a concierge. A concierge is someone who displays the utmost dedication to their guests, the highest quality of service, and the “savoir-faire” to guarantee customer satisfaction.

FACC: After working in Paris and London, you moved to New York and became the in-house PR consultant for a TV personality and one of the most successful inventors in America today. Can you tell us about this time and what were your key learnings from that experience?

SV: Being a personal publicist for an American celebrity was definitely an amazing experience. It allowed me to be immersed in the American culture, and it connected me with a lot of different high profiles in the US. It also inspired me in terms of business and inspired the kind of business I wanted to run, which is now VIPR Agency.

FACC: What advice could you give to our readers who are willing to start their own business?

SV: You don’t have to jump off a cliff to get going. Believing that you have to take a huge life risk is a false impediment to success. There are plenty of ways to pursue a life of hope and creativity just by starting small.  I also learned from a successful business woman to take everything one step at a time—don’t think about the end point because it can be overwhelming. Instead, focus on the next step you need to take to keep moving forward!

FACC: How did you hear about the French American Chamber of Commerce and what are you most looking forward as a member?

SV: I first heard about FACC from a French friend. The French community in New York always has good recommendation. I look forward to meeting new people in business that face various challenges.

Interested in connecting with Solenne? Log into the FACC Member Directory to send her a message.