Name: Nicolle Camarata
Age: 33
Location: Portland, Oregon
Education: Bachelor’s of Science from Portland State University
Job Title: TV, radio, and Web personality
What She Does: More importantly, what doesn’t she do? Seemingly awake, bubbly, and ready to go all the time, Nicolle is a morning host of Portland radio’s 105.1 The Buzz, a lifestyle and fashion reporter for BETTER TV (a nationally syndicated morning show), and the creator of nicolleshopsportland.com, a guide to fashion and local shopping in Portland, Oregon.
How She Got Her Gig: Nicolle got her start in radio advertising sales, making valuable connections in the business before attempting to make her dream of on-air writing and reporting a reality. With her great personality, persistence, and style she soon had a gig as a shopping expert on a local TV station. She started her website because she was getting hammered with questions from women who wanted shopping advice and fashion answers. “It wasn’t possible to write them all back, so it made sense to launch the website and start posting information about cool, locally owned shops and boutiques,” she says.
Super-Scheduled: Nicolle is making coffee at 4 a.m. (yes, 4!) and arrives at the 105.1 The Buzz radio station at five. The show is live, five days a week, from 6 to 10 a.m. As one of three hosts (and the only woman), Nicolle trades jabs, offers witty quips, and reports on fashion and entertainment. Once she’s off the air she heads directly to the BETTER TV station where she tapes two segments, one in the studio and another in the field. Nicolle reports on shopping, fashion, and home life, covering everything from closet essentials to how to buy a boat. After all that, she shifts into mom mode and picks up her 9-year-old daughter, Kaden, at school. “My daughter is the love of my life,” says Nicolle, a single parent. “I only work this incredibly hard to provide for her and be a great example.”
Zip It!: Since Nicolle is basically on radio or TV all the time, flubs can be common. “I have those ‘I can’t believe I said or did that’ moments all the time,” she laughs. A favorite occurred when she served on a panel of fashion experts and jokingly introduced herself as Lola Bigcups. “Everyone thought it was funny, but it probably wasn’t that appropriate. But I don’t want to take myself too seriously,” she says, adding that her job is to demystify fashion while promoting local businesses. And that means acting like a real girl (food-in-mouth moments and all), not a snobby fashionista.
It’s All in the Memories: An excellent memory. Nicolle doesn’t take notes or keep files, but seems to possess a superhero’s ability to remember names, faces, and locations. “Having a good memory has been extremely important when visiting shops, meeting new people, and making connections,” she says. “Everyone represents something, and if you can pinpoint what they care about it will help you to remember who they are.” Case in point: When I approached her for an interview, Nicolle remembered meeting me briefly at the winery I work for nearly two years ago. Amazing!
This Job’s for You if: Simply said, “You love people and you hate to sleep!” Which means being a radio, TV, and Web personality may not be for everyone. But with Nicolle as a role model, it may be worth a try.
