A Marketer's Metamorphosis: A Q&A with Gabriela D’Arrigo, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, D’Arrigo New York

Growth happens on a continuum. Our personal paradigms, milestones, and lessons reverberate and propel us into various stages of motion. The beauty of hindsight is that it, too, impacts this continuum, giving us pause, recalibration, and a reset. For people like Gabriela D’Arrigo, whose strength and will are built from both vulnerability and fortitude, moments of reflection are opportunities for celebration as well. 

When I first met Gabriela, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, D’Arrigo New York, I was struck by how aligned she appeared. As if her intentions and aspirations were in sync with her actions. Not perfection, but a contagious self-awareness I still feel to this day.

Any moment I have to tease her brain is a gift, so thank you again, Gabby, for joining me for this conversation.

Jordan Okumura-Wright: Take us back to the very beginning. What was one of your biggest fears or challenges when you started out that you have now overcome? What has it taught you about fresh produce or even about yourself?

Gabriela D’Arrigo, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, D’Arrigo New York: The biggest fear I had was that I would not measure up to my own last name. Growing up, I was not truly aware of the stature my family held in the industry—or any knowledge of the industry, actually—so I added a lot of additional pressure on myself to make sure that I lived up to it.

What it taught me was that as long as you work hard, do less talking and more observing and learning, you will be successful. The competition with yourself is the only one that matters. Just be better than you were the day before.

JOW: I can imagine that if more of us thought this way, it could really impact how we show up during these immense moments of pressure in the industry. How do you manage the pressure of working in perishables, where every hour counts?

GD: You have to be proactive. You cannot just let things come to you. Be hungry to gain the knowledge, and just remember to be nimble and flexible. You cannot control Mother Nature, she is the one in charge at the end of the day.

JOW: What was an event that happened during your journey that changed your trajectory? How did you feel about it then and how do you feel about it now?

GD: I cannot say that it was really one event, more a culmination of events strung together. A lot had to do with the changing of personnel and capitalizing on opportunities that presented themselves. Although it can be nerve-racking to take educated risks, that’s what it takes. 

JOW: How has this journey shaped your approach to challenges in life?

GD: This journey has made me more confident overall as a person. Realizing that failure isn’t the end of the road and that you can take it on the chin; learning from it is the best lesson I have taken along with me—trusting my instincts.

JOW: I love that. There is nothing like learning you can take it on the chin, shake it off, and take the good and leave the bad. I imagine this is also something you have learned over time. How has your affection for fresh produce evolved? 

GD: For me, it is the understanding that this is a labor of love. There are days where I will complain about everything, but there are more days where I really love what I’m doing and, more importantly, I love the impact it has on the community around me. The ability to grow food and feed people—there is nothing like it.

JOW: What advice do you have for others finding a home and even a direction for their path in produce? 

GD: It’s not going to be easy, and you need to have thick skin. Above all, do not do anything to compromise your integrity and your word. That’s all you have at the end of the day.

JOW: What is one question you love to be asked? And what is one question you prefer to avoid?

GD: I love to be asked, “Who have been your biggest influences and supporters?” The answer is easy: My family. As for questions I could really do without? Well, I know this is very unpopular, but any questions around the topic of men versus women in the industry. I am a firm believer in the person qualified to do the job should do that job. Period.

A moment with Gabby is like sustenance, the kind you digest for quite some time to allow for the nutrition to make its way into your bones. Much like produce, would be my best guess.