We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raices Media Valerie Diaz y Gelsandra Guzman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raices Media below.
Raices Media, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
We feel very proud about what we offer at Raices, and here’s why: our approach breaks the mold of industry standards by drawing inspiration from our very name—Raices, which means roots. This concept emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself in the digital space. We’re not just a creative collective; we offer tailored packages that yield tangible results. But there’s more to us than meets the eye. Unless you’re part of the Raices family (wink wink), you might not know that we customize every aspect of your content plan, strategy, engagement, and execution specifically for your business or brand. We take great pride in dedicating time, effort, and creativity to every detail. This involves our team engaging in initial research and development to deeply understand your industry. This enables us to represent you authentically and effectively. Why is this important? Our experience in the industry has taught us that while anyone can manipulate tools and algorithms or seize various opportunities, true success comes from organic growth—being authentically you and embracing your roots.
Raices Media, 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?
Here’s a bit about us at Raices: Valerie Diaz and Gelsandra Guzman, two sisters-in-law with different backgrounds but a shared passion for helping others achieve their dreams and build legacies. Valerie, who studied Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and a minor in Marketing at Clark University, never imagined she’d one day be the CEO of her own company. After college, she became a Fulbright scholar and worked in Mexico City, designing and executing marketing strategies for a women-led accelerator focused on impactful investing.
Gelsandra, or Gelly as we call her, studied Fashion Merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She spent a decade in corporate America, honing her skills in styling, merchandising, and buying.
Our paths merged in 2020, the year of the pandemic, which turned out to be our defining moment. We were stuck at home, craving creativity and a break from the everyday dark hole, which led us to tap into our natural talents and start Raices Media.
Raices Media is all about building community through authentic connections and impactful digital presence. Our services range from social media management to crafting social strategies, directing creative projects, organizing real-life events, and public speaking. We pride ourselves on helping our clients connect with their roots—sus raices—and authentically present themselves on social media.
What really sets us apart is our personal approach. Valerie originally started with just a few close friends as clients and together we have now grown entirely through referrals, which speaks volumes about the strong relationships we’ve built.
Four years into our journey, we’ve partnered with over 30 impact-driven businesses and brands. We’re thrilled to announce that our website is now live, offering a glimpse into who we are, our passion for creativity, and how we nurture the creative culture, one root at a time.
How did you build your audience on social media?
This message truly comes from the heart: At Raices, our focus has always been on nurturing community and building meaningful relationships. As co-founders, we’ve made a point to stay engaged with our community, staying true to ourselves and responding to what our community members want to see and hear from us. In this industry, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the pressures of social media, whether it’s feeling intimidated, caught up in comparisons, or experiencing imposter syndrome. That’s why, from the beginning, we committed to being authentic, confident in our own skin, embracing our unique identities, and celebrating everything that makes us who we are. This authenticity is what has helped us build a loyal following on social media. Our followers truly engage with our content and feel seen. For those just starting to build their community, our advice is simple: focus on nurturing the community you have, no matter its size. Listen to them, reply to them, and engage with them. This natural interaction not only shows your content to more people but also encourages your community to share your content with others. It’s a ripple effect powered by authenticity!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Our journey as business owners has truly been a rollercoaster, marked by highs of great celebrations and lows of tears and sleepless nights. We’ve come a long way and are in a much better place now, largely due to a pivotal decision we made: to invest in coaching and consult real experts to help elevate Raices. Initially, we tried to be everything to everyone, offering over 25 different services. We were the go-to place for what we knew—and even for what we didn’t. However, after participating in two comprehensive coaching programs, we embraced the philosophy that ‘less is more.’ This led us to pivot and streamline our business model to focus on just four core services. These services are designed to deliver strategic solutions for businesses and brands, both in real life and digital spaces.
This shift might seem simple, but it had a profound impact on our mental well-being and the quality of service we provide to our clients. By concentrating on fewer areas, we were able to enhance our expertise and deliver better results. This focus also opened up new opportunities for collaborations and partnerships with businesses that offer complementary services, further enhancing the value we bring to our clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.raicesmediaco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raicesmedia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raicesmedia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/raices-media/
- Other: Book Raices to speak at your next event: https://www.raicesmediaco.com/public-speaking Subscribe here: Our Digital Magazine coming soon! https://www.raicesmediaco.com/digital-magazine
Image Credits
@janelkilnisan @misaelbencosme