Exploring Life & Business with Marianna Correa of Latinx Marketing (MKTG)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marianna Correa.

Hi Marianna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was introduced to entrepreneurship by my parents. One cleans houses & the other is in construction. Typically, these roles are not seen to be categorized as entrepreneurs. Regardless, over time after our daily dinner preaching and broken record speeches, it was engrained in my brain to become an entrepreneur.

But in what?

I had no idea.

As a typical first gen student, I did the thing. I went to college. I graduated and was expected to provide or at least make some sort of money. I thought I wanted this perfect corporate job like all the white Americans who I graduated with. I had lied to myself that that’s what I wanted but deep down, I knew it wasn’t for me.

So as I continued to lie to myself and hunt for jobs, I landed temp jobs that were “marketing” related. I bounced back & forth until I landed a position as an assistant at a small business. Let’s just say after two years at the job, I hated every single second I was there.

BUT, I am also grateful that I endured the experience because I wouldn’t have realized my own potential. That my drive to lead and make something of myself was always there. That job was entrepreneurial experience to say the least. No one was guiding me. I had to make the decisions. If I didn’t do it, no one would.

Anyways after two years of enduring this horrible workplace, I packed my bags & said adios. Now you may think this is the part where I broke free and started my business.

NOPE! I continued to lie to myself. I actually applied and applied to corporate jobs because now I had “experience” and I was able to show that I could do this. Well let’s just say in summary, no matter if I created an entire campaign for them, they still said no.

I was devastated. What the heck am I supposed to do NOW! But see, this time around, my mindset was different. I had matured & I had finally found a community I belonged to.

Wait, what? What are you talking about?

So let’s rewind to my favorite part of my story.

As I was stuck in this dead-end job (yes, the same job I despised for two years). I found out that Latinas could become entrepreneurs. You’re probably thinking, well no shit, anyone can.

Well for me, a Latina who grew up in white America, this was something I had NEVER heard about. (this goes back to the ignorance of having Latinx parents who are entrepreneurs, I know *facepalm*)

This brand was called Hija de Tu Madre. The brand brings light to Latina culture in apparel, stationary & so much more! I finally saw myself being represented in a brand. Like HUH?! This is a thing?!

Anyways I found out about them, but not only that, I found out about the community that came with the brand. Imagine this, I hope you have seen the movie Coco, but when Miguel looks out at the city in awe, that was me! Here’s a reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/movies/coco-pixar-dia-de-los-muertos.html

As I started making my way into the community, I found other Latina-owned brands like Shoplatinx & RizosCurls. I was the happiest woman on this planet. Finally, seeing an aspiring version of me!

So in January 2020, I decided to make myself known in this community. I went to pop up shops, speaking events, conferences, you name it! If it had Latina or WOC entrepreneurs, I was there!

At one of the events, I was able to meet Jax, Co-Founder of Diosa Leon. She and I started talking, and she had stated she was looking for a social media manager. Looking back, I had no real social experience, but I saw it as an opportunity & regardless, I was going to take it. So I got the side internship & skyrocketed their social.

I was so inspired & moved that I even tweeted that by 2021 I would have my own business. Did I know in what? Nope! But I was going to figure it out just like these Latinas did!

But then, the pandemic hit. Fuck. I just set this goal. What am I supposed to do now?

With social, I was able to connect with more women than I could possibly had by attending events. I started to brand myself as a personal hype queen! Regardless of who you were, I was hyping you UP! I didn’t care about what you thought or anyone thought, I had one goal & that was to be known in the small business community.

Okay fast-forward to when I was all sad and simply had no direction. Well, as we all know TikTok blew up over quarantine. Well one night as I was scrolling away on TikTok & ran into Marketing Tiktok. I had studied marketing in my undergrad & I had just completed a certificate program at UCLA in digital marketing. So as I was scrolling, I kept seeing the same marketing videos giving the same advice & then it clicked.

In the middle of the night, I decided to start a business that would bring marketing to the Latinx community that I loved so much! If you think I’m kidding, I’m not. I opened an account, I created a vague logo & tadaa!

I announced it on my personal page at 3:04 am.

There, I had done it. Now what?

Well, I figured it out. At beginning, regardless of my interactions with so many small businesses. The account was dull & had less than 50 followers.

What was I to do to grow my business? It started with a small idea. The idea was to partner up with these internet friends I had made over the past year to create a series of small businesses. They would have the chance to share their story & their expertise as well. Well, let’s just say my account BLEW UP! I had done it.

Now four months later, we are on series 4 of the same series, I am at 1300 followers with daily engagement & love from my community.

Over time, my why became more clear. Community was really what started this all and now I’m taking that community to the next level. Juntas, nada es impossible (Together, nothing is impossible). This is my mission. To establish a community that encourages everyone to work together. As a minority, the Latinx community is much more powerful together than we are apart. The bond among Latinos is one of the most powerful things we have always had. I mean the minute someone crosses the boarder, they usually arrive at a tio or tia’s or friend of a friend’s home to start. Competition doesn’t exist in my community. Every person on this planet has their own journey & they own purpose so why compete.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I thank god and the universe everyday, but thus far my journey has been epic. I haven’t had a lack of income or lack of blessings. I honestly owe it all to the universe who guides me daily & I think also that I am constantly providing to my community.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Latinx Marketing is a marketing agency that provides Latinx & WOC entrepreneurs organic marketing services. These services include Instagram Management, Strategy Consultations & Email. Marketing.

What set’s me apart is the community I serve. Everyone goes into marketing with intent to serve a larger community. As of 2019, the Latinx community is the largest group of people growing in entrepreneurship roles.

I’m most proud that I am able to see businesses that I love to flourish & grow through organic tactics.

I want them to know that everyone is welcome. If you’re a Latina, woc or an ally, you’re welcome as long as your intentions are for the betterment of the community.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Both. Badluck that I got stuck with this horrible job. Goodluck that the community had been so receptive to my offerings.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.latinxmktg.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/latinxmktg
• Facebook: facebook.com/latinxmktg
• Twitter: twitter.com/latinxmktg

Image Credits
Nayeli Sanchez Photographer