It’s in the name. Pedro Ruiz of @miamitimes is a Miami native who brings the people what they want. Staring out with restaurant reviews in 2016, this local celebrity now focuses on the Miami food scene as a whole. Be sure to check out his page at miamitimes.us after reading how he got started!

Where are you originally from? How has Miami your home?

My parents are originally from Venezuela, but I was born in Minnesota. I moved to Miami when I was only 6 months old. Miami has been my home ever since.

Name some places you take friends who are visiting

I don’t have a preferred place, I feel like every neighborhood in Miami has its essence. I enjoy taking them around Downtown, Edgewater area, Wynwood and even Little Haiti. There’s just so much to explore in our city!

What are some of your favorite local brands/businesses that you worked with?

I’ve enjoyed working with all of my clients, from Sloan’s Ice Cream Shop to Menin Hospitality Group, Coconut Cartel, and our very own Sobe Seafood Festival.

How can local businesses gain more exposure on social media?

With social media constantly changing, it’s imperative that businesses stay active across all platforms and this does not only meaning posting once a day, they must also engage the audience by commenting, liking and getting their attention with giveaways and promos for example.

Tell us your biggest challenge

One of the biggest challenges is coming up with new ideas in order to create content that is appealing, innovative and doesn’t become monotonous, thankfully that challenge has never stopped me.

How can creators engage better with their audience?

I feel that we as content creators must focus on what really drives us and must stay true to ourselves. Doing things organically, where everything just feels real and not forced upon is, in my opinion, the best way to captivate a loyal audience. Once you know your niche, you stick to it.

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

Anthony Bourdain has always been an inspiration to me in ways I never imagined. I’ve actually been told that my reviews sometimes remind others of Bourdain himself due to them having a sarcastic under-touch, similar to that sarcastic and honest touch Anthony Bourdain was known for.

Now tell us your best skill

My strongest skill I would say is my ability to talk to people and come up with innovative ideas on how to continue growing their businesses.

What book are you currently reading?

Ha!! I think the last book I ever read was Harry Potter back in Middle school. WOW! That was a long time ago.

What equipment do you use?

Usually my iPhone, but I do carry around my Sony A6 when the iPhone just doesn’t do the job.

What are your most used apps?

I don’t use many apps to be honest, but my top ones are:

  1. Snapseed to edit my photos.
  2. Canva, it’s great to create invitations, media kits, and practically everything.
  3. Videoleap, it’s a video editing app for your phone, that’s super easy to use and has a bunch of fun features.
  4. Obviously Instagram, but that’s a given.

Anything you’re currently working on?

There’s a couple of new things coming your way, but we can’t spill the beans just yet.

Be sure to follow @miamitimes on Instagram and head over to their site miamitimes.us! 

Read about all the other badass influencers in the Miami area here. Who knows you might see a friend or even get a shoutout ?