Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Mora.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Andrea. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I moved to the US from Panama (I’m originally from Venezuela though! I’ve lived in about five countries now) in 2015. It was definitely tough moving to the US by myself. The culture shock impacted me a lot as I was raised in a very traditional home. I left my family to pursue my education here, and although I was very happy about my new journey it still hurts every day to be far away from them.
I studied Media Communications at Full Sail – which is an incredible program because you learn a little bit about each industry. I learned all things creative – from how to edit video to how to start my own business. It was fascinating to digest the creative world the way that we did at that program. In 2016 – things kind of went downhill. My parents were struggling financially and I remember standing outside of my college’s admission office and crying because I missed the last deadline for payment and I was going to get kicked out. It was a tough moment. My friends and professors were very supportive. The program director contacted the admission department and somehow, I was able to apply for a “break” without being withdrawn and hopefully by the end of that month my parents and I could gather the funds. This is when my “fight or flight” response kicked in and I decided to fight as hard as I could.
I started applying for any gig I could find. I even worked for one of my dream companies Adobe Systems as a photographer! It’s insane how much you can accomplish when you set your mind to. I then started writing for a social content platform and they ended up flying me out to LA as a producer to create content with macro-influencers at Vidcon. This is when I learned how passionate I was about content creation and marketing. Fast-forward a year later, I was graduating valedictorian with a bachelor’s degree at the early age of 19 – and two weeks after that, I was on my way back to LA to work with YouTube mega-influencers & celebs. I can’t really talk about who I worked with, but let’s say it was definitely a learning experience with its ups and downs.
I realized I wanted more. Less influence – more impact; people often confuse the two. Early 2018 I started working at a CEO & CMO community. I got to meet some of my biggest idols –– most of them being Fortune 500 CEOs or CMOs. I learned more about how these entities hold so much power and how, if led by the right people, could also create better impact.
I think 2018 & 2019 were the years of losing myself and finding myself as a professional and a person. They were full of growth. Late 2019 was when I started really believing in myself. I kind of always did – but it wasn’t until then that I was able to do things for myself and by myself. I then worked at an awesome viral marketing agency, in which I had the opportunity to spearhead major campaigns with industry titans like Tencent, and TikTok generating hundreds of millions of views. I just recently decided to part ways from that full-time role and pursue my own creative endeavors. I discovered my higher calling, which is why I started my own branding & marketing agency. In addition to my agency, I’m launching an online community this fall called “Growth Portal” to support small businesses and give them access to free resources and industry leaders. 2020 has definitely brought so many surprises with it, but I think I’ve never truly been this content with myself before. I’m making my inner child’s dreams come true and I just know little Andrea would be so proud. I hope I can inspire other Latin Americans to keep on pushing. We are so much more than the stereotypical dramatic Latinas that the media portrays. We’re powerful and strong business womxn.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nope – definitely not smooth. Being young in such a competitive and influential industry can get the best of you. I think the biggest struggle was not having clear goals and expectations for myself. I wanted to be and do everything I was inspired by – and realized how this was also what often set me up for failure. I needed to be specific and prioritize what I really wanted. As small as it seems, having a journal and doing vision boards really helped me get started. It’s the little things.
There were other things I couldn’t control – like my Abuelita passing away while I wasn’t home or not being able to see my family at all for nearly three years. Sometimes it would get to the point that my own emotions would get in the way. Eventually, you learn to control your reactions to the inevitable. Immigrants should get more credit for their journey. It’s not only the racism and xenophobia we experience. It’s having to leave your own HOME to help the people in IT. That should say enough.
Please tell us about We Shape This.
My company, We Shape This, focuses on purposeful branding and future-proof marketing campaigns. If 2020 taught us something – is that we should always be prepared for what’s next; hence the name ‘We Shape This’ meaning Gen Z shapes this new generation of consumers.
I’m proud to say that I don’t treat our clients as transactions. We like long-term relationships in which we can grow together. Most of my clients I still talk to almost on a weekly basis! Just to check in or see how their business is going. I don’t believe in general outsourcing unless you truly partner with or hire people with the same vision and core values.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Living in Punta Cana, Rep. Dom with my family. Coming home from school, dropping off my backpack and going straight to the beach was a dream. I definitely had an adventurous childhood!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://weshapethis.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreamorac
- Other: https://www.andreamorac.com/
Image Credit:
Andrekza [Lotus Visual Arts]
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