Today we’d like to introduce you to Bianca Peries
Hi Bianca, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Brisbane, Australia, but grew up in Los Angeles. Raised in a multicultural family in LA—my dad Sri Lankan, my mom Filipino—I developed, like most kids of immigrants, a kind of code-switching thought process. I think every Angeleno has that too without even realizing it though. I learned to see situations from different perspectives since my parents themselves were drastically different, and I was lucky to grow up with such examples. My dad, a risk-taker and entrepreneur who could talk about how anything worked, and my mom an accountant who provided a grounding influence with her patience and logic. Their duality shaped me: one taught me to take risks, while the other taught me to navigate those risks with care.
Growing up, I was more of an observer and a “doer,” than a talker. I think I get that from my grandpa who had a huge influence in raising me. I oddly didn’t care much for TV and would rather follow him around while he gardened, built things, or cooked. When my grandpa wasn’t around my mom would drop me and my brother off at our other babysitter — the Cerritos library. Slowly but surely I became an avid reader and my hyperactive mind learned to love three things: Legos, puzzles, and music. It cemented my love of building things, bringing order to chaos, and planting myself in a creative process.
Learning music, in particular, has played a bigger role in my life than I could’ve imagined. My dad, who brilliantly played piano by ear, made sure my brother and I learned an instrument, so I followed in his footsteps with piano. Though I stopped playing in high school, I came back to it in college, teaching piano for nearly a decade. It turns out, the thing that kept me teaching wasn’t just about piano—it was being able to see my students learn about themselves and what they’re capable of. Instead of focusing on “learning how to play piano” we focused on “learning how to practice.” Focusing on the process by default, you can grow in your skill without force, and apply that to anything else you want to pursue in the future. I didn’t use a standard mass produced curriculum for every student; each had a tailored one. That approach to developing people became the foundation for the work I love today.
Eventually, I wanted to translate that philosophy beyond teaching and found myself in marketing and artist management. What began as a summer side project—interviewing artists about what obstacles they faced in marketing themselves—snowballed into Panoramic Management, supporting a range of creatives: musicians, photographers, designers, DJs, and even a tech company in the education sector. Aside from Panoramic being a catalyst for my professional life I learned so much and really cherish so many of the relationships I made during that time. I learned that structure and strategy, when genuinely people-centered, can make all the difference in amplifying someone’s creative endeavors (hint: it’s not only about likes and numbers!). Who you are as the creator always comes first and informs the strategy. Some people want results so badly that they mistakenly get it backwards. The fulfillment I got from understanding people creatively and crafting a personalized roadmap that aligned with their goals and personality has really stayed with me.
Years later, I returned to school for Business Management at Cal State University Northridge. When I had downtime between Blockchain Management and Law classes, I would take “consulting” calls with creatives and business owners I knew, basically offering a sounding board for their ideas or challenges. What started as a fun side project became a sort of mini research lab to hone my strategy skills. That consulting work evolved into the creative agency I run today, Tough Pickle Creative. Now, I lead a small team to bring our clients’ creative strategies to life, blending everything I’ve learned—content management, team-building, design—into a single approach to bridge the gap between creative vision and practical execution.
It’s kind of cool to think that what I loved as a kid I get to do now in my career. Bringing order to chaos and being creative while doing it. I believe true, fulfilling business success isn’t only about hitting targets; it’s about the whole experience of growth, both for the owner and their team. At Tough Pickle Creative our motto, “nurture the vision,” has guided us through seven years of 100% client referrals and zero marketing efforts. It’s pretty amazing what can happen when you’re genuinely invested in helping others grow for the long haul.
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 think the entrepreneur choir would all sing a resounding “no” to this question! But I’m convinced the best roads are the ones with obstacles that shape you to be more attuned to who you really are, what you’re capable of, and what you truly value.
While it’s not my personal struggle, in high school my dad fell ill with bone cancer and struggled with it on and off for 10 years. It definitely affected my family as a whole and my decisions in my career. The traditional road of academics wasn’t something I chose, I made decisions that allowed me to stay close to my family while also finding ways to pursue things I cared about. That wasn’t always simple or easy but it led to opportunities like creating Panoramic Management and the work at Tough Pickle Creative that I cherish today.
Sometimes “struggle” has a way of becoming the best thing for your journey, relationships, and skill-set.
I think we all like to predict which path will have the least amount of struggles. Honestly, I used to think that’s a strategist’s job. But really it’s about predicting and creating the most rewarding path. Of course we’re biologically inclined to create safety for ourselves. But personally, I have let go of looking for the least amount of struggle and instead focused on creating a path with the most amount of spiritual satisfaction. I don’t know how else to put it. But I think other creatives or entrepreneurs will know what I mean.
Other more trivial struggles were in my professional life. When I started teaching music, I thought it would be simple and straightforward. Instead, it turned into a crash course on learning how to make the most impact with my students between the ages of 6-17, to meet them where they are, and to encourage them in ways that are actually impactful. Teaching people how to learn in a way that’s both effective and true to themselves. Educating students taught me that real progress isn’t about a rigid controlled curriculum; it’s about creating systems with flexibility, so they can navigate their goals with a mix of structure and self-direction. Those ideas became the foundation for what I do today, supporting creatives as they develop, expand, and create something meaningful.
The challenges of building Panoramic Management—and later, Tough Pickle Creative—were another chapter. Running a business is essentially like trying to hit moving targets, all while you’re assembling the plane mid-air. The process humbly exposes gaps in my understanding, guides me to make peace with my limitations, and shows me where I needed to grow (or delegate!) That process comes back around pretty much every year. (As it should.) There’s a fine line between having a vision and remaining flexible, and the only way to walk that line is to keep moving, adjusting, and recalibrating as you go.
But, paradoxically, every challenge has made the road smoother in a different sense.
Each one has strengthened my sense of self, resilience, and helped me refine my definition of what I’m capable of. I know this is true of every other entrepreneur. When you start seeing problems as a chance to learn and reconnect with yourself—rather than a roadblock—you stop fighting against the path and start flowing with it. Pretty much every past obstacle, frustration, and doubt have become teachers I can pull from now. And I honor each of those difficulties by drawing strength from them. When I look at the past and reflect, “Well, if I’ve gotten through that” and become better on the other side, then I can grow from the problem in front of me now.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Tough Pickle Creative ?
At Tough Pickle Creative, we help creators and business owners turn their work into sustainable, passive revenue engines.
We know the frustrations creatives face—big ideas stuck without clear paths, lack of time to stay consistent, and confusion in navigating the digital landscape. That’s pretty much what we show up to solve every day. Our mission is to partner with clients in transforming content into long-term income by building structured, efficient systems that give their ideas a real, sustainably profitable life online.
Our specialty is guiding clients from a place of overwhelm to one of clarity and growth. We deeply explore your goals and map out strategies tailored to your unique brand. Whether it’s identifying untapped revenue sources, repurposing your best content for maximum reach, or building sustainable systems, we focus on what will make a tangible difference. And our work isn’t one-size-fits-all; every client gets a personalized approach that matches their vision and goals. It’s also why we take the “Small Giant’s” approach and only work with 4-6 clients every month, and only renewing work based on their business cycles.
I’d say what sets us apart is we don’t do just one-off strategy support and say “good luck”! We create long-term impact through partnership. Our clients refer to us as more than a service—they see us as collaborators. We’re proud to say 100% of our clients come to us through referrals, a testament to the value and trust we bring. For those looking to elevate their creative work and turn it into passive revenue, our team is there to make it happen.
Any big plans?
Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue developing our creative agency to expand into a platform that not only helps clients build sustainable, revenue-generating content but also offers them clarity and empowerment in their work. Part of this means refining our services with design and AI, and exploring collaborations that align with the high-touch, strategic support we’re known for. I’m also planning to personally incorporate new content channels like Substack and a Discord community, to connect more deeply with our creative community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://toughpicklecreative.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/biancaperies
- Other: https://toughpicklecreative.com/work-with-us/
Image Credits
PJ Olay
