It’s essential, especially in today’s current climate, that we prioritize exploring the means of social media and the undeniable opportunities it has opened. Which is why we’re proud to introduce The Select 7, a curated website which explores some of the world’s most interesting entrepreneurs from fashion pioneer Sarah Easley to Danish-born designer Anine Bing, as well as everything from beauty, to fashion, travel, and wellness.
Pamela Schein Murphy, the founder of The Select 7, is a woman of many talents. Drawn to the exciting pace and constant innovation of the media world, she has successfully worked her way through the ranks, from production to digital publication, whilst juggling her family life as a mother of two and wife to successful chef Marc Murphy. Pamela has an undeniable eye for beauty and fashion, which makes her selection of recommendations just that much more special and not to mention fascinating. Scroll down to find out Pamela’s major inspirations and life-goals.
AG: Hi Pamela, thank you so much for taking the time to chat to us, I know you must have a jam-packed schedule! So to start, and introduce yourself to our fellow readers, could you tell me a bit more about your career in the communication industry and how you came up with the concept behind The Select 7?
PSM: I’m honored to be here! Thank you for having me. My career is not quite as linear as I might have l wanted it to be, but it got me here, so I can’t complain! The truth is that when I graduated from college, I wasn’t ready for my education to be over, so I went on to study Magazine Journalism at NYU Graduate School. I loved writing, but knew I didn’t want to be a creative writer and also knew I didn’t want to write hard news, so feature writing felt like the perfect option for me. I went on to work at a few women’s magazines before starting my own magazine, Madison, in 1997. We published for 4 years and after that, I went on to work in film production, which was surprisingly similar to magazine publishing: They both require mad organizational skills, extreme creativity and a ton of patience.
But a few years into my film career, my husband opened his first restaurant and I joined him to help with branding and marketing, another job with the same skillset. I did that for years, but I was missing writing and having a more creative outlet. Fortunately for me, I have really smart friends and while on a girl’s trip to Paris, one of them suggested I start a blog. I didn’t love the idea of a blog, because I’m a freak for aesthetics, but I did love the idea of taking all of the research I’d always done and creating a hub to be able to share it. And so The Select 7 was born, although to be fair, it was my then 11-year-old daughter who started the site for me.
AG: Who is your target audience and what are you hoping to achieve with The Select 7? Do you usually pick your recommendations with a reader in mind?
PSM: My target audience is literally anyone and everyone. The idea behind The Select 7 is information sharing, and everyone has interesting information to share and everyone wants to hear those thoughts and recommendations. It’s about creating a community and getting to know new readers every week.
AG: New York City is one of TWC’s favorite cities, it’s full of culture, art and a definitive hub for the creative industry. Do you think that having been born and bred in the city has influenced your point of view of the world? And how have you used it to your advantage?
PSM: There’s nowhere on the planet like New York, and while I do have a love-hate relationship with the city (love most of it, hate the traffic and the weather), I’m proud to be a native New Yorker. New York keeps you on your toes, it lets you be you and it doesn’t judge. I credit the city with keeping my mind open, my curiosity intact and my desire to learn always present.
AG: There’s no denying it, your interviews on The Select 7 are absolutely captivating, do you go through a specific selection when choosing your next interviewees? Do you look for skills in particular?
PSM: There’s no real rule when it comes to choosing a Select Guest, but it helps if they’re active on social media, as that’s how we get the word out. Basically, I let my gut tell me who will make the most interesting subjects for our readers.
AG: I know that you strongly believe in the power of social media, could you elaborate a bit more in the ways you think the platform has both benefited and hindered the world of communication?
PSM: For The Select 7 it’s an amazing way to push information out every day, sometimes more than once a day. But I also think it’s made it more difficult for people to take the time to sit and read what we write on the site. Social media gives you a quick bite, but I think a real meal can often be more satisfying.
Make sure you stay up to day with The Select 7 captivating interviews and articles, and follow Pamela and her team on her social media.