What Life Was Like For Marysol Patton Before Real Housewives Fame
Marysol Patton, a star of "The Real Housewives of Miami" reboot, is a Miami, Florida native. She's from a prominent Cuban-American family with deep ties to the Miami social scene. Her mother, the late Elsa Patton, was portrayed as part of the city's socialite circles, attending events and gatherings with other well-known figures. She founded the Havana Elsa Coffee brand before she died in 2019. Patton's father, Don Patton, was a successful yacht builder who introduced his daughter to international travel at an early age.
Her parents' work ethic seemingly passed on to Marysol, who took her education seriously. After graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in political science, she went on to St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, where she graduated in 1997 with her law degree. After college, it doesn't appear she worked much in either field. Instead, she found her passion in event planning and public relations. Though she soared to professional heights that placed her in the limelight, life for Marysol Patton before "The Real Housewives of Miami" drama and fame was slightly different.
Patton started her own public relations firm by accident
Marysol Patton is the proud founder of The Patton Group, which launched in 2000. The company specialized in handling high-end events and media relations for top brands. During a May 2012 interview with Refinery29, Patton explained how she wasn't trying to get into the public relations domain when the opportunity came into her life.
"I fell on this accidentally while I was on the board of a charity as a volunteer, and the director of events left, and they asked me to take it. I didn't really have much of an idea on what to do; I just knew that I needed to throw some parties that people would want to buy tickets to. I did an amazing first event to start, which was at the Versace home, the first [party] since Mr. Versace had been killed, and everyone wanted to get into it, so it was very easy to sell out."
Unfortunately, it appears that the business was officially shut down in 2016. The reasons remain a mystery, and the company's official website has been shuttered. However, Patton's bustling filming schedule may have played a role. No matter the reason, The Patton Group seemingly accomplished great things while in operation.
Patton's company worked with major brands before television
Before The Patton Brand closed its doors for good, the firm achieved much success. The public relations company worked with major fashion houses such as Valentino, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, and Oscar de la Renta. Luxury jeweler Cartier has also been aided by the prestigious PR firm. While the extent of these partnerships is unknown, it would seem that The Patton Group was tasked with orchestrating campaign rollouts and events for these companies.
The Patton Group may be shut down, but Marysol Patton still puts her years of PR experience to good use. She is now the founder and host of the "Ay Por Favor" podcast. Together with fellow "RHOM" cast mate Alexia Nepola, the show covers a wide variety of pop culture, reality TV, and news topics. Though she may be a popular TV personality now, Patton never strays too far from her Miami upbringing and is using the skills she acquired before television to grow her brands.