We recently connected with Monica Miranda and have shared our conversation below.

Monica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

I grew up in a business environment. My father owned multiple businesses and was always coming up with new business ideas. Naturally, when I graduated from business school, I knew I wanted to own my own business. I decided to integrate what I had studied and worked on for 10 years into my business. I developed a fairly new concept in Puerto Rico: a store focused only on educational toys. I spent a full year working on my business plan, scouting locations, finding vendors, and conducting market research. During that time, I moved in with my mother to launch the business, and we would often travel to toy shows in Puerto Rico and NYC to learn more about the industry. As December approached, I set my goal to open a few weeks before Christmas. The store was a success, and the following year I participated in numerous trade shows in Puerto Rico, was featured in the local newspaper, opened two locations, grew my Facebook page to 21,000 followers, and hired sales representatives across the island. Unfortunately, after two years, I burned out and realized that it was not the place I wanted to be in the long term. I felt incredibly disappointed in myself because I had invested so much time, effort, and money, and despite the success, I was not happy. The realization that the business I had poured my heart into was not fulfilling in the way I had hoped made it feel like a failure. This emotional toll, coupled with the relentless demands of running the business, led me to the decision to close the shops. Despite its external success, it failed to align with my personal aspirations and well-being, ultimately guiding my decision to move on.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Initially, I joined LinkedIn with the intention of offering my services as a virtual assistant. However, I soon developed a passion for graphic design, particularly in designing carousels. It caught the attention of others who, upon viewing my profile, sought my help with their own profile optimization. In response to this demand, I expanded my services to include profile optimization. A few months ago, I decided to narrow my focus, dedicating my efforts to assisting female entrepreneurs with their online presence. This transition was influenced by common pain points, both from my own experience and what I observed in others. These include the struggle to stand out in a crowded market, the challenge of attracting and retaining ideal clients, the difficulty in consistently producing engaging and relevant content, and navigating LinkedIn’s features effectively for personal branding and networking. My goal is to help these female entrepreneurs increase their visibility and be recognized as authorities in their niche, attract higher quality or more clients, establish a strong and engaging LinkedIn profile, and build valuable connections and collaborations for effective networking. I achieve this by creating visually appealing graphics and stories that not only captivate and resonate with my audience but also work with them to make a similar impact on theirs.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Throughout my 20-year career, I’ve encountered numerous pivots, each time embracing the opportunity for change when I found myself seeking more. The most recent of these pivots occurred last fall when I transitioned from my role as a virtual assistant to that of a brand strategist. This shift coincided with my decision to embrace a digital nomad lifestyle, making plans to relocate back to Europe from the US. The idea was to blend remote work with the joy of traveling, accompanied by my dog, Archie. This transition marked a new chapter in both my career and personal life, reflecting my continuous search for growth and fulfillment.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The driving force behind my creative journey is the empowerment of women. My goal is to help women carve out their unique space in often crowded fields, enabling them to stand confidently and use their voices with authority. I enjoy helping women with their personal brands and enabling them to share their stories with confidence. I create personalized designs that reflect their unique identity, helping them stand out and speak authentically to their audience. Every project is an opportunity to highlight the incredible contributions women make and to support them in sharing their authentic selves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://monica-miranda.my.canva.site/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamiranda-creative-personal-brand/