MENTOR SPOTLIGHT: ALLISON LAGUARDIA
How did you find out you wanted to take an entrepreneurial path?
For me, the path to entrepreneurship wasn’t really a conscious decision at first. I was just really passionate about my work and the value I could provide to other companies. I had this vision of how I could truly help businesses succeed with my advertising strategies I learned in the past, and that fire just kept burning brighter the more I immersed myself in it.
At a certain point, I also realized that working for someone else was limiting my ability to fully pursue that mission on my own terms. I knew I had something special to offer, and I wanted the freedom to blaze my own trail without being constrained by someone else’s roadmap.
It wasn’t an easy choice, believe me. Stepping out on your own is always a risk. But I had conviction in what I was doing, and I had amazing connections which is my strongest asset. I had confidence that if I stayed laser-focused on delivering real value in my area of expertise, the rest would follow. And you know what? Trusting that inner voice and taking that entrepreneurial leap ended up paying off in ways I could have never imagined at the time.
Was it a smooth ride the whole way? Absolutely not! There were plenty of bumps and bruises along the road. But staying persistent, keeping my blinders on, and not getting distracted from my core mission is what allowed me to turn my passion for helping small brands into a successful business. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Tell us about your venture/work.
As an entrepreneur, I founded my own advertising agency that specializes in working with small to mid-sized consumer brands. We’re really focused on being that secret weapon for up-and-coming products and companies looking to accelerate their growth.
The reality is that big, established brands have massive marketing budgets to throw at advertising. But for the smaller players trying to make a name for themselves, standing out is an uphill battle. That’s where my agency comes in. We level that playing field.
Whether it’s leveraging the latest digital channels, negotiating killer broadcast deals, or just coming up with disruptive creative places to advertise where no one else is, we have a knack for helping brands rise above the noise in a smart, cost-efficient way. We’re not about the flashy million-dollar ad buys. We’re the scrappy underdogs who can make a modest budget seem like a fortune 500 war chest.
Our whole mission is turning unknowns into undeniables through strategic, measurable advertising that moves the needle.
What do you enjoy most about being an impact entrepreneur? What’s hardest about it?
The role of being the unsung heroes moving the needle for these underdog brands – that’s where I get my fuel. There’s an art to taking even a modest marketing budget and stretching it farther than anyone could imagine through smart, calculated media investment decisions.
When I can find that hidden podcast played by a brand’s core demographic and lock in an early sponsorship deal before it blows up. Or uncover some clever placements on niche digital platforms competitors are sleeping on. Or even just doggedly negotiate and bargain for premiere ad spots that should be out of a small brand’s price range. That’s the rush.
Because at the end of the day, I get to be the catalyst that helps turn passion-fueled startups into household names through sheer media performance. Knowing I played a pivotal role in amplifying those first whispers into a deafening roar that consumers can’t ignore – that’s incredibly gratifying.
It’s not easy by any stretch. The media landscape is constantly shifting, pricing is volatile, trends rise and fall. Staying on the cutting edge and maximizing every dollar for my clients is a never-ending hustle. But that’s also what makes it so rewarding when we hit on those game-changing plays that generate unbeatable ROI and brand exposure.
How do you navigate the space of being a founder and also being a POC/women/non-binary person?
For all the challenges and obstacles, I actually feel incredibly empowered and energized being a woman founder and entrepreneur. This path has allowed me to truly blaze my own trail and rewrite so many outdated narratives about what women are capable of achieving.
Yes, there’s still undeniable bias and institutional barriers that try to keep us sidelined. But I see that as added motivation to charge forward with conviction and prove the naysayers wrong at every turn. The chance to shatter those glass ceilings and defy restrictive expectations – that’s an incredibly galvanizing force.
And honestly, I’ve found that bringing an authentically female point-of-view and experience to the entrepreneurial realm is a massive competitive advantage. So much of business success hinges on insightful thinking, savvy people skills, ambitious grit, and multitasking. Those just happen to be intrinsic superpowers that we as women possess!
More than anything though, I cherish the opportunity to be a trailblazing role model for the next generation of girls and women. Seeing someone who looks like them daring to take up space unapologetically in male-dominated spaces, that inspires ambition and self-belief. With each success, we’re helping to reshape the narrative around entrepreneurship.
The reality is, the businesses and ideas that will be defining our future need the voices, visions and leadership of women entrepreneurs. I couldn’t be prouder to play a part in not just promoting that message, but embodying it every single day.
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