{"id":55936,"date":"2021-07-09T18:45:06","date_gmt":"2021-07-09T18:45:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lovehappensmag.com\/blog\/?p=55936"},"modified":"2021-07-09T20:02:57","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T20:02:57","slug":"empowered-women-empower-meet-veronica-speck-vhs-ventures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lovehappensmag.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/09\/empowered-women-empower-meet-veronica-speck-vhs-ventures\/","title":{"rendered":"Empowered Women Empower: Meet Veronica Speck & VHS Ventures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In this edition of Empowered Women Empower<\/a>, join us for a peek inside the inspiring world of Veronica H. Speck, founder of VHS Ventures, a global communications consultancy. Dedicated to the needs of its international luxury and lifestyle industry clients, VHS Ventures provides strategic advisory services, affinity partnerships, branding, business development, public relations, and special events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally from San Diego, CA, Veronica Speck began her career in New York City at publishing houses including Cond\u00e9 Nast and Hearst. After honing her skills with Christie’s, Vogue<\/em>, The Whitney Museum, and The Met, in 2020 Veronica established VHS Ventures. Located in New York and California with international operations in Asia, Europe, and South America, today her clients range from Ferrari and Fine Art to Fragrance and Fine Jewelry. In addition, VHS is a founding partner of luxury fragrance brand Maison d’Etto<\/a>. And a member of the Female Design Council<\/a>. Read on and be inspired by Veronica Speck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Be Empowered by Veronica Speck, Founder of VHS Ventures<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Love Happens: As our name, and the tagline of our published KOKET<\/a>, denotes we are firm believers that you cannot achieve any level of success without love. When did your passion for communications begin? And how did it make you feel?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Veronica Speck:<\/strong> I couldn\u2019t agree more. My original love is for art and history, which began with an AP course in high school. And then a \u2018grand tour\u2019 of the European capitals with my grandmother. This was solidified during graduate school in New York City when I had the opportunity to work at Christie\u2019s auction house during the fall season. And Vogue <\/em>magazine in the spring assisting with the Metropolitan Museum of Art\u2019s Costume Institute Gala. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I combined the two with my first roles in PR, Marketing, Special Events, and Strategic Partnerships at The Whitney Museum, amfAR, and Bernardaud where I promoted partnerships between contemporary artists like Jeff Koons and the 19th-century porcelain maison <\/em>from Limoges. Essentially, communications comes down to storytelling and I love to creatively tell stories and establish a brand’s ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hosting the T Magazine “Greats Issue” with Rachel Weisz, Jennifer Connelly, Nicolas Ghesqui\u00e8re at Casa Perfect gallery by The Future Perfect in NYC.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lh: Since the beginning of your career your focus has been on the luxury, lifestyle and creative sectors, what sparked this direction? And what led up to your decision to pursue the publishing industry for your first job?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Veronica:<\/strong> I am an absolute aesthete and have always been attracted to art history, design, fashion, jewelry, photography, and other cultures. I grew up reading classic literature and watching classic films. This instilled an admiration and affinity for creative pursuits, but from an amateur perspective. It seems so ancient now in our digital age, but I remember a salesperson coming to the door in San Diego when I was a teenager selling magazine subscriptions. My father kindly succumbed when I asked for Vogue <\/em>and I have been devouring it ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I knew I wanted to move to New York City, the epicenter of media, from a very young age. Originally, my plan was to be a writer, editor, or creative director. I studied Journalism and took screenwriting and photography courses in college. And when I landed my dream internship at Vogue <\/em>at age 19, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was through Vogue <\/em>that I came to know the team at The Met. And fell even more in love with the art world. During graduate school, I interned at Christie\u2019s auction house. My first role there was at The Whitney Museum in development, communications, and events. Even though I do not work directly in the publishing industry, most of my close personal and professional colleagues and friends are writers and editors at Cond\u00e9 Nast and Hearst, and I interact with them constantly. Today, I ensure my clients and partners are comprised of an even mix of my creative interests in art, design, fashion, jewelry, hotels, restaurants, food, wine, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hardware by VHS Ventures client Christina Z Antonio<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lh: Tell us about your decision to start VHS Ventures in 2020? How has your first year been? Mid-pandemic and all!<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Veronica:<\/strong> Prior to the pandemic, I was the Head of Communications and Marketing for Michelin-Starred Chef Daniel Boulud and his global hospitality group. When the restaurants and hotel properties closed during Covid-19, I decided it was time to diversify. And with DB\u2019s blessing, I began my own consultancy agency, VHS Ventures, with him as my first client. The PR agency I had hired to manage his communications also represented Ferrari. They released their new Roma model over the summer so they became my second. Before I knew it, I had 10 clients and growing ranging from fine art galleries and interior design studios to luxury fragrance and high jewelry brands to wineries and vineyards to beauty, wellness, and tech companies. I am in the process of expanding into luxury hospitality and travel next. Eventually, I would love to operate or invest in hotels, restaurants, and vineyards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lh: What is your favorite part of your job?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Veronica Speck:<\/strong> My clients! They have become more than business partners, and truly intimate friends. I have the freedom, luxury, and ability to carefully select who I work with and the projects I take on. I am personally invested in each and every one, and I want them to succeed professionally and financially. Currently, I am representing interior designers, art galleries, jewelry designers, fragrance brands, and more. I am curious by nature so it has been very rewarding to learn what inspires each of my designers and artists and to work with such a diverse portfolio of talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lh: Is there one project that stands out to you as your biggest accomplishment to date? Or just your favorite! Tell us about it and why it stands out to you.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Veronica:<\/strong> Fortunately, I have been blessed with many favorite moments! Especially those that contribute to the greater good. I.e. producing the Whitney Museum Galas to raise funds for the museum or amfAR Galas, especially Cannes, benefiting aids research. Or more recently the annual City Meals on Wheels gala at Restaurant Daniel with Chef Daniel Boulud supporting aging and less fortunate New Yorkers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some other fun career moments include the Jeff Koons x Bernardaud collaboration and the launch event with Bloomberg. I arranged for Jeff to host an event at the boutique and sign the limited-edition porcelain Balloon Dog. He was kind enough to draw me a tulip sketch, which I have displayed at home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Casa Perfect NY Opening (Photo by Douglas Friedman)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The black-tie opening of Casa Perfect gallery by The Future Perfect was also quite exciting. The New York Times<\/em>, Wall Street Journal<\/em>, Elle D\u00e9cor<\/em>, and Architectural Digest <\/em>were clamoring for the exclusive and Martha Stewart showed up unexpectedly. I also partnered with Ruinart, my favorite champagne Maison<\/em>, to pour the libations, and arranged for some dear friends (and founders of the famous Los Tacos No. 1) to serve their delicious Tijuana-style street tacos to celebrity and VIP guests in ballgowns. A true high\/low moment and an incredible evening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lh: You also have a fabulous looking luxury fragrance brand! What led to your decision to start Maison d\u2019Etto?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Veronica Speck:<\/strong> Why, thank you! I can\u2019t take credit for starting the brand\u2014that is all Brianna Lipovsky. However, I am a Founding Partner. I met Brianna through Olivia Song, an incredible interior designer, while I was working with a contemporary design gallery called The Future Perfect. I fell in love with her and the brand within minutes of meeting! She is an equestrian and aspiring dressage rider, and the first collection was inspired by horses and the journeys they have taken her on, including my favorite fragrance Noisette, which is inspired by the scent of lavender fields in the hills of the Pyrenees in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n