We had the good fortune of connecting with Ricardo Baca and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ricardo, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
A good idea is just that: good. But I’ve always had a habit of wanting to make a good idea great, and making a great idea even better. It’s not about one-upping, rather for me it’s always been about: “You know what would be even better?” As a kid, this habit inspired bigger forts, more entertaining games of freeze tag and longer bike rides; As an adult, it’s a constant challenge to learn something new every day, and to apply those learnings to ensure that I’m incrementally improving my personal and professional lives on the regular.

What should our readers know about your business?
Grasslands is a journalism-minded public relations and marketing agency that is fluent in the complex business language of natural products and wellness CPG, which includes the food and beauty, cannabis and supplements, and beverages and psychedelics industries. Unfortunately PR agencies have a PR problem, and I started Grasslands with the mission of bucking that trend; We acknowledge where other PR and marketing professionals have gotten lazy, and we show the difference of working with an agency partner that is accountable, communicative and over-the-top strategic from the jump of every engagement. There are enough mediocre PR agencies in the world, something I know all too well after a 24-year career in professional journalism, where I witnessed the deterioration and erosion of the Great American PR Agency. When I hung up my media badge and jumped to the comms side, I knew I wanted to create a different kind of agency–one that shows its work, sweats the details and prides itself on outstanding partnership.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a Denver native, and I’m super-passionate about this thriving city. For food, it’s all about the green chile, and I’d recommend stops at El Taco de Mexico for Colorado green chile and Little Anita’s for New Mexico green chile. For shopping, I love Baker’s stretch of South Broadway, La Alma’s stretch of Santa Fe Drive and East Colfax. For art and music, I’d recommend two cultural festivals I started: Biome: A Queen City Biennial is one of the best places for diverse, curated and singular fine art experiences, and the Underground Music Showcase (or UMS) is the best music festival in the region.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
For every Team Meeting at Grasslands, we reserve 10-15 minutes to live up to our core value of “sharing the win,” and so I’ll share this win with the best damn team in Natural Products PR and Marketing, a.k.a. all of my colleagues at Grasslands, who have helped create an award-winning agency and its renowned culture.

Website: https://www.mygrasslands.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bruvs/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruvs/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@grasslandsagency

Image Credits
Headshot by Paul Miller

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