That leap of faith was my most vulnerable moment since everything rested on my ability to win clients and provide them with worthwhile services. It sounded crazy, but I was constantly reminded of my mother’s words: ‘If you have faith in the work, just carry on.’ So, I did.
By J.M. Lee
Maria’s entrepreneurial journey began at the age of eight, when she assisted her mother in managing her small furniture store. “I wasn’t just dusting shelves; I observed how she attended to her clients like family: masterfully and with unmatched zeal,” Maria recounts. “Each detail was crucial for my mom; she handled all components of the business single-handedly. If a shipment arrived late or a product was damaged, my mother was never one to give up—she would come up with a solution. Her store had taught me how to pivot, breathe, and keep my promises throughout the years. It brings me back to those long nights when she was closing the ledgers while sipping her nightly tea: using the tea to remind me that we could be tired as long as we met our goals. That is how business was instilled in me, and my mother taught me a life-changing lesson: that there is no defeat, but rather a struggle, and that in every struggle, a battle is fought.”
Eventually, Maria found her passion in marketing, public relations, and communications. She learned that whether it is a global corporation or a small local business, branding has the potential to change a person’s life. However, after holding several corporate positions, she sought to move beyond rote advertising objectives. She took a leap of faith that she hadn’t taken before: resigning from a secure position to create her marketing agency.
“That leap of faith was my most vulnerable moment since everything rested on my ability to win clients and provide them with worthwhile services,” she recalls. “It sounded crazy, but I was constantly reminded of my mother’s words: ‘If you have faith in the work, just carry on.’ So, I did.”
Maria began her agency with a clear objective: to develop personal brands for women. In the early days, a few male peers were skeptical, asking whether personal branding for women was even a thing. They thought it was a little too specific.
“It was shocking to me how many women were stagnant in their careers because no one acknowledged their skill set,” she says with passion. “I set out to change that.”
Eventually, she encountered opposition from men of higher rank, especially when she attempted to establish herself as a strategist in communications. Yet, she discovered that if she showed up ready and was honest and consistent with her efforts, she earned the respect of most of them. The few who didn’t respect her marketing expertise were far more prisoner of their prejudices than she ever thought possible.
It was shocking to me how many women were stagnant in their careers because no one acknowledged their skill set. I set out to change that.
Empowering a female plastic surgeon from Eastern Europe to help her excel in a male-dominated industry is one of Maria’s proudest achievements. “We worked hand in hand towards creating a brand strategy for her clinic that brought to the forefront her surgical skills, paired with her compassion for patients. Her clinic is now recognized as one of the top clinics in that region. We battled against preconceived notions—some people genuinely refused to accept that a woman could operate as the head surgeon—and we showcased her medical publications, the patients she cared for, and the shocking reality of how much she valued the clients she worked with. Her evolution into a much-in-demand figure is the reason I care so much about personal branding. ”
Mentoring has gone past being just client work for Maria. It is now an essential part of her leadership strategy. In contrast to the average mentoring approach, she does not simply take on every person who wants to be guided. To earn her commitment, one needs to show her ambition, intellectual curiosity, and an honest readiness to work. “Personal branding is not merely an aggressive social media marketing stunt,” she says. “It is the endorsement of one’s guiding principles by one’s actions throughout the professional spectrum. And yes, I love to say that one of my guiding principles is helping other women succeed.”
On an individual level, motherhood has transformed Maria in ways she had not anticipated. “It increased my compassion, forced me to learn how to schedule my day with laser focus, and made me value my mother’s endurance even more than I did before. There is no perfect science to juggling a business and a family; I have learned to draw the line, be kind to myself when I’m not able to do it all, and enjoy the times when I can. Seldom do things warm my heart as much as observing my daughter now studying business at UBC’s Sauder School of Business—carrying on the family tradition of starting small but dreaming big.”
Last but not least, diversity and inclusion are integral to everything Maria does. “The stronger the businesses and communities become, the more unique perspectives we invite to the table. This is why I am incredibly proud to share my story in Drishti’s special edition for inspiring women. Celebrating differences among people is not about justice; it is about innovation. My mother instilled in me the values of honest perseverance and empathy. Hence, to all young women wondering if they can go further, the answer is clear: you can keep moving forward, stay rooted in your values, and let yourself shine.”
