Interview with Nicole Cifani, Head of VIP Client and Partner Relations at Mobile Roadie: The Geek Goddess Sings Us a Sweet Tech Lullaby.
Posted on by Rebekah Iliff
Geek is not a dirty word for Nicole Cifani, head of VIP Client and Partner Relations at Mobile Roadie, a mobile app platform that brings the joy of amazing apps to everyone with an iPhone or Android; the word “geek” is music to Nicole’s very sonically inclined ears. Nicole embraces the title with a “more-cool-points-for-me” gusto. As new media producer, content curator, DJ, and self-proclaimed all-around geek, Nicole wears many hats, but is passionate about creating compelling experiences through technology.
Before Mobile Roadie, Nicole worked as Director of Partner Relations at Yahoo! Music, served as Senior Interactive Producer at KCRW radio station in Los Angeles and held the title of Associate Producer at now-defunct (rest in peace) Ten Music doing everything from securing exclusive material, programming audio and video content, managing social media initiatives, producing original music for brands like Grey Goose and Mercedes, and working with chart-topping artists like The Black Eyed Peas.
Seriously, Nicole has enough cool points for all of West LA.
In her spare time – yeah, you’d think she didn’t already have enough to do, but you are wrong, oh so wrong – Nicole is a contributing writer for publications like Indie Shuffle and Laist, has also worked with sites like Flavorpill and Made This For You, and has a track record all over radio.
I got a sneak peak of Nicole’s take on innovating in the industry and here’s what she had to say:
RI: What is Mobile Roadie and who are your clients/customers?
NC: Mobile Roadie is a platform that makes it easy for anyone to build and maintain an app for iPhone or Android. Our platform is flexible allowing us to roll out new features often, with frequent updates that keep us on the cutting edge of technology.
Some of our clients include Madonna, the Dallas Mavericks, and Katy Perry. We recently released our first iPad app in conjunction with Cirque Du Soleil.
RI: What is your role there? Give me your day-to-day job duties.
NC: I handle VIP Client and Partner Relations. I work with our VIP clients to guide them through our toolsets, discuss best practices, and make sure they have a good grasp on our product in general. Because mobile technology is constantly evolving, it’s important that we communicate these changes to our customer base in order for them to get the most from our product.
From a business development aspect, I connect with existing and potential partners to explore mutually beneficial relationships. I also work with conferences and other organizations to secure cross-promotional opportunities.
RI: Outside your job, you seem to be involved in the world of tech, innovation, art, design..tell me more about this; how did you arrive here and what is your background?
NC: I lived in Boston for a couple of years. During that time I got my Master’s in New Media from Emerson College where I became totally immersed in media theory and production. I’ve always been interested in the arts and technology, and it was around this time when I’d wake up in a pile of papers that writing seriously came into play.
I’ve also been an electronic music DJ for a long time…since 1998. After awhile, some of these things began to intersect. For example, programming internet radio stations at Yahoo, developing online features at KCRW, or blogging for various websites.
And now instead of media publishing for the web I’m working with the next platform – mobile. I love it because the process is continually evolving.
RI: Mobile is continually evolving, kinda like a tech-version of Madonna. What or who do you find inspiring?
NC: Wow, that’s a great question…I’m inspired by so many things. I recently completed the Knight-Mozilla Learning Lab, a place for hacks and hackers to come together and brainstorm ways for innovating the news. So right now I’m obsessed with data visualization – how can we visually interpret information in new and interesting ways? The ‘Talk to Me’ exhibit at MOMA in NYC looks amazing – maybe I’ll go there to see it.
I’m inspired by entrepreneurs, artists, strong voices in journalism. Basically, folks out for good who don’t give a damn.
RI: What are some of the trends you see in L.A. around innovation and tech?
NC: I think there’s an incredible scene here and it’s not limited to one specific part of town. There’s Silicon Beach to the west where tons of small, scrappy software companies are setting up shop. There’s also many forward-thinking boutique design and interactive agencies out east. A trend we’re seeing here and abroad is the rise of the curated co-working space.
And of course being LA and all, we have networking events and mixers for everyone! It’s an exciting and encouraging time.
RI: Haha, it’s so true. LA just wouldn’t be LA without a few schmoozing and hob-nobbing mixer events. Ok, what are the challenges of being a female businesswoman? Any advice for the younger generation of females…and what are their opportunities?
NC: I’ve never considered myself to be at a disadvantage because I’m female. My first boss was a shrewd businesswoman and I was fortunate to learn a lot early on.
My advice is this: fight to do what you love the most. Fight hard. Do what makes the most sense for you and you alone – never let anyone tell you who you are or what your craft is. Invest in yourself – take a class, go to a conference, ask for meetings, connect the dots.
Once I flew myself to NYC to speak at a conference because I knew the connections I’d make would be worth it. And they were. They always are.
Building relationships and maintaining them is also really important. Always be kind and good to people, and consider ways to work together instead of strictly for your agenda or bottom line. People see that coming from a mile away.
When you do what you love or are trying to get there, it shines a bright light over everything you do. And that should also take precedence over a lot of the goofy social stuff. In LA it’s easy to get lost in that. If you want to be successful and if you want to compete, it’s important to be focused and have a clear head.
RI: Music maven and advice aficionado; amazing! Ok, I have to know; iPhone, Android, or Blackberry? Hmm?
NC: I’m on an iPhone. When it came time to switch to one, it was actually a really difficult decision to make! I was on a Blackberry for years. It just handled my contacts and calendar so well.
I got a first generation iTouch right away for syncing my music library, so I understood what that OS was all about. Then right around the time Android came out I got an iPhone 3GS.
What can I say, I’m a second-generation kind of gal!
Second-generation gal, geek goddess, and musical mastermind; Nicole Cifani is raking in the cool points.
Hear other great speakers at Biz2Beach: www.Biz2Beach.com.
Follow Nicole on Twitter at @cifanic.
Follow Mobile Roadie on Twitter at @MobileRoadie.
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