Who we are.

Founder, Nicole Balin

Nicole Balin is a seasoned PR and marketing veteran with over two decades of experience, countless media placements, and a slew of award-winning clients under her belt. Nicole got her start in journalism in 1995 at Time Inc. as an editor at Parenting Magazine in New York City. In 1997, she left the east coast to serve as an editor at The Source, the leading magazine of hip-hop music, culture, and politics.

While living in Beverly Hills in 2001, Nicole founded her own PR firm, Ballin PR, where she worked with many of hip-hop music’s most esteemed artists including the likes of Linkin Park, Public Enemy, Kool Keith, and Big Freedia. After two decades in the music business, Nicole moved back to her hometown of San Francisco and expanded her clientele to creatives and entrepreneurs. It was a return to her roots in many senses: Born and raised in San Francisco, Nicole grew up in a Julia Morgan home — dragged to Butterfields by her antique-obsessed mother from the time she could walk. She inherited the same love of design and the bug hasn’t left her since. Now, Nicole works with the best in the field — and design is at the core of her business. From landscape designers and architects to interior designers and artisan craftsmen, Nicole has a keen eye for talent and nose for a story. “I’m a storyteller first and foremost,” explains Nicole. “My job is to help my clients cultivate their unique brands and points of differentiation in the marketplace, as well as navigate and thrive in the fast-changing media landscape.” Ballin PR's roster includes some of the industry's top national talents, including The Wiseman Group, Jon de la Cruz, Holly A. Kopman, Charles Cunniffe Architects, Erica Tanov, Christian Douglas Design, and Julia B.

Nicole also serves as VP of Branding for Big Freedia and is the co-author of the critically-acclaimed memoir Big Freedia: God Save the Queen Diva! (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster 2020). Her writing has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and Marin Magazine.