We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maria Manautou a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Maria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Pittsburgh Latino Magazine connects, celebrates, and empowers the Latino community in Western Pennsylvania by showcasing its positive impact across the region. From driving innovation in business and entrepreneurship to enriching the arts and strengthening education, Latinos are shaping the future of Pittsburgh and its surrounding counties in meaningful ways.
Our platform highlights the entrepreneurs, professionals, artists, and leaders whose contributions fuel economic growth and cultural vibrancy. By sharing their stories, we recognize their achievements and create opportunities for collaboration, investment, and community development. Beyond storytelling, Pittsburgh Latino Magazine catalyzes connection—linking businesses with talent, individuals with resources, and organizations with partners with a vision for a more dynamic region.
By celebrating Latino success, we reinforce the economic and social fabric of Western Pennsylvania, ensuring that growth and opportunity reach every corner of the community.

Maria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For over 15 years, I worked in the marketing and communications industry, primarily in corporate settings. I began my career as a graphic designer, creating brands and promotional materials. Over time, I advanced to a Junior Art Director role at a major education company, where I developed innovative digital marketing campaigns.

Eventually, I transitioned into communications and became a marketing director, overseeing company-wide internal and external communications and multi-state advertising campaigns for a child education provider with more than 60 locations across three states. Each role allowed me to refine my marketing, communications, and design expertise.

When I founded Presente Pittsburgh Media, I was able to integrate everything I had learned throughout my career while pursuing a mission to serve the Latino community in Western Pennsylvania. In 2020, I launched Pittsburgh Latino Magazine, the region’s first bilingual digital news platform, and social media accounts dedicated to the Hispanic population. This effort expanded with the launch of a print magazine in 2023 and a podcast in 2024.

At the core of my business, I offer the connection to our community—clients place ads in our various media channels to promote their brands, programs, and services directly to our audience. My personal and professional growth in this journey has been exponential. I have built perseverance and resilience and sharpened my mission while embracing a secondary purpose: breaking stereotypes and showcasing the positive impact Hispanics are making in Western Pennsylvania.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn my perfectionist tendencies, which I developed at a young age and intensified during my career as a graphic designer, where precision and visual perfection are essential.
Before founding Presente, I pursued other entrepreneurial ventures but often abandoned them when I encountered challenges or when things didn’t meet my high standards. This journey taught me that progress is usually more important than perfection—getting things done on time matters, too. Quality and efficiency go hand in hand, and both are equally essential to success.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

Working alone can often feel isolating as an entrepreneur, especially without regular feedback. At times, I questioned whether my work was making the impact I had initially envisioned, and that sense of isolation made me consider quitting. But each time, I asked myself, “Am I ready to give this up?”—and the answer has always been no. Questioning and understanding my motivations has been crucial in these moments. That’s when I knew it was time to innovate, to approach things differently. Every time I’ve recommitted to my mission, I’ve been rewarded through awards, grants, or recognition. These moments have fueled my passion, reinforced my purpose, and pushed me forward to keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pitlatinomag.com
• Instagram: pitlatinomag
• Facebook: pitlatinomag
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamanautou
• Twitter: pitlatinomag
• Youtube: pitlatinomag

Image Credits

Maria Manautou