From Manchester to LA: How Nicole Farah Built a Purpose-Driven PR Agency Across Two Continents
Nicole Farah is redefining what it means to lead a global communications agency in today's rapidly evolving business landscape. As the Founder and Managing Director of Americana Communications, she has built a full-service PR powerhouse with offices spanning Manchester and Los Angeles, specializing in some of the most challenging and dynamic sectors including cannabis, health and wellness, and emerging technologies.
With over nine years of integrated experience in global communications, Nicole has secured placements for her clients in prestigious outlets like BBC, Forbes, CNN, and Bloomberg—no small feat in highly regulated industries where credibility is everything. But what sets Nicole apart isn't just her impressive media wins; it's her unwavering commitment to purpose-driven storytelling and her ability to build authentic connections across continents and cultures.
From navigating the complexities of male-dominated industries to fostering a mission-driven team culture while scaling internationally, Nicole has learned that true leadership requires adaptability, vulnerability, and the courage to build new doors when existing ones remain closed. Her involvement with The EmpowHer Global Cannabis Society, which now boasts over 800 members across 36 countries, exemplifies her belief in the power of community and collaboration.
In this candid conversation, Nicole shares the leadership lessons she's learned from managing across time zones and cultures, her strategies for establishing credibility in traditionally challenging sectors, and how she maintains Americana Communications' personal touch and values-driven approach while meeting the demands of global growth. Her insights offer valuable guidance for any woman entrepreneur looking to make their mark in emerging markets and build something meaningful along the way.
Nicole, Americana Communications operates with offices in both Manchester and Los Angeles, which is quite unique in the PR world. With over eight years of integrated experience in global public relations, internal communications, investor relations, and brand partnerships, how has this dual-continent perspective influenced your approach to building and leading a global team? What leadership lessons have you learned from managing across different time zones, cultures, and business practices?
Having a foot in both the UK and US markets has been one of the most rewarding parts of running Americana. Working across borders really forces you to adopt a global perspective when it comes to how you tackle communications strategies for clients. You have to think about how different media cycles work, how people do business depending on the countries they operate in, and most importantly, how they communicate with their audiences. It's helped me build a truly adaptable team that's sensitive to what's going on both within and outside of their own locales.
One of the biggest leadership lessons I think I've learned is that you can't lead everyone the same way. What works for a team member in California might feel completely off for someone in the UK or Germany. So I've had to get really intentional about communication and creating space for different perspectives and ways of working. You've got to stay flexible, especially when it comes to time zones. I live and die by my calendar and world clock app.
But whilst it's important to know what's going on in all the markets you operate in as a leader, I don't think that hustle culture is necessarily sustainable. I want my team to feel like they can breathe and encourage them to focus on the clients and stories that resonate most with them.
Americana Communications works with clients in diverse sectors including regenerative agriculture, consumer wellness, and other emerging markets, and you've secured placements in major outlets like BBC, Forbes, CNN, and Bloomberg. These industries often present unique challenges and regulatory complexities. As a woman leader in this space, what strategies have you developed to establish credibility and drive results in traditionally male-dominated or heavily regulated sectors? What would you tell other women entrepreneurs considering entering these markets?
Credibility comes from consistency and doing your homework. I don't look to operate in a space unless I understand the science, the policy and the landscape. And if I do my homework and still don't feel like I (or my team) have a grip on it, we network in that space and try to learn from the best! Highly regulated industries are layered and constantly changing, so it's important to gather as much information as possible. You never know what you'll find out if you don't ask.
Our agency mainly works in the global cannabis space, and yeah, sometimes that can feel very male-dominated. As a woman in the space, I've kind of just stopped waiting for permission. If the door isn't open and I can't find a window, I'm probably building a new one. I'd tell anyone considering entering industries like cannabis to trust your own voice and find your people. It's so important to find like minded folks in this space because they will be your support system when/if you feel burnout creeping in.
I joined an international platform last year called The EmpowHer Global Cannabis Society, a grassroots movement that brings together a huge network of industry professionals committed to empowering women in the cannabis sector. We have over 800 members across 36 countries now, and being part of this community has been massive for me both personally and professionally. I've met so many incredible women in the cannabis space that lead with curiosity, kindness and collaboration and I couldn't be more grateful for the support I've found there. Cannabis is an industry that thrives on education and connection, and you don't need to necessarily know everything to get started, you just need to be bold enough to show up!
Your company's mission statement emphasizes that "our mission is more than just business - it's personal. It's about forging connections, sparking conversations, and igniting change." This suggests a very purpose-driven approach to leadership. As you've scaled Americana Communications globally, how do you maintain this personal connection and mission-driven culture while also meeting the demands of business growth and client expectations? What systems or practices have you put in place to ensure your team stays aligned with these values as the company expands?
My business partner, Cassandra Dowell, and I built Americana with the belief that storytelling has to mean something. It's not just landing clients in gift guides or creating crisis communications plans (although these PR activities are part of our day to day, to be fair!). As we've grown as an agency, we've been really conscious about keeping our purpose close to our chest. That means being quite picky about the clients that we take on, building real relationships with journalists around the world and creating a culture where our team feels connected to the reason why we're doing this work in the first place. We're working to tell stories with purpose.
To make sure we stay connected as a team, we've set up weekly team check-ins and we celebrate client wins together whether they're big or small. We also try to be really open with our team, especially about the messy stuff. Vulnerability builds trust and I'd rather have a team that feels personally invested in the stories they're telling than one that's just going through the motions and collecting a paycheck. It's what lets us scale without losing what makes our team special.
Resources:
Website: https://www.americanapr.com/
Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americana.pr
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/americana-communications/
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoledfarah/
Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukcannachick
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