Thais Eliasen is the founder and CEO of t.pr, a PR firm.
Thais Eliasen is the founder and CEO of t.pr, a global boutique public relations agency headquartered in Southern California. The firm is currently celebrating five years of providing brand awareness and recognition for entrepreneurs and corporations across a wide variety of industries, including film and media.
This year, t.pr is representing the Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival (LABRFF), which will take place from October 23-26 in Culver City, LA. Founded by Meire Fernandes, the LABRFF is celebrating its 16th year with the U.S. premieres of Halder Gomes’ feature film Red Monet and My Name is Gal, which stars Sophie Charlotte as Brazilian singer Gal Costa. The full lineup includes feature films, shorts, animated films, and networking sessions.
In addition to running her own PR firm, Eliasen is also the founder of Entrepreneur Heart, an organization that hosts networking events for women entrepreneurs in Southern California. The objective is to help women of all ages, industries and backgrounds to connect, support each other, make friends, and have fun while journeying through entrepreneurship.
Eliasen is a business woman and mother to four children.
Last but certainly not least, Eliasen is the mother to four children ages seven through 13. “My career is one segment of my life,” she said in an exclusive interview with me. “Motherhood has always been my biggest dream come true and where I learn some of the biggest lessons. I am a multitasker. Finding a good rhythm between motherhood, leading my team, serving our clients, practicing jiu jitsu, doing community work, traveling and attending endless events can prove challenging. Some days are more successful than others. I try to remember to keep my priorities straight and give myself grace.”
Eliasen has known from a young age that her life purpose is to serve others because this is what she finds most fulfilling. She is also committed to her faith and “strives to honor God,” she says. Her father helped her believe that anything is possible, while her mother taught her the value of a strategic mind and work ethic. “My parents taught me that perfection isn’t the goal, but excellence is – and there is always room for grace when we fall short.”
In her current career, Eliasen loves helping make other people’s dreams come true. “Public relations is about creating healthy, strong relationships and expanding horizons. Every time I onboard a new client, we create new ways to achieve their goals, and that brings me satisfaction,” she says.
Eliasen enjoys the challenges that come her way at work. She explains, “A true entrepreneur’s mindset is a beacon of positivity that lights the path to success. It is a steadfast commitment to seeing opportunity in every challenge, and a refusal to let negativity or discouragement take root. I see adversity as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. There is no rainy day that takes away the infectious optimism that fuels my endeavors. When tempted to give into a setback, one can always choose to see it as redirection. With redirection comes endless opportunities for innovation and achievement.”
As a mother, Eliasen hopes to teach her children the value of being other-oriented. “Community is a blessing and a huge part of my life. From the Stone Age to now and onward, it is giving and receiving that makes the world go round.
Duda Nicolodi, Tuco Menezes, Thais Eliasen, and Amanda Menezes are the employees of t.pr.
To those looking to align their career with their life purpose, Eliasen offers this advice:
1. Prioritize. Don’t compromise on your convictions. Set your priorities and guard them wholeheartedly.
2. Work hard. There is honor in every kind of work. Many times, we need to make choices that will be a step towards our dream, even if these steps aren’t the dream job just yet. To get to the dream, you must work until the work is done. When needed, take a rest. Then go back to work.
3. Give back. Get involved in your community. There are thousands of organizations, churches, and groups whose sole mission is to improve the community in different ways. Partnering with them will expand your heart, your mission, and your business – and help you hone in on your life purpose.
4. Keep learning. Albert Einstein said it better than anyone. “Commit yourself to lifelong learning.” The most valuable asset you have is your mind.
5. Enjoy the ride. Learn to appreciate the small things in life. Most of our joy and hardships happen on the road to achieving a goal, and not entirely just upon getting there.
