We recently connected with Sylvia Merino and have shared our conversation below.

Sylvia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.

When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). I was in my 2nd year at a community college. This kept me from continuing my education for a while, at least until the medication kicked in. I continued my studies one class at a time, while working at the college. After 5 years, I received my Associate of Arts Degree. I never went on to a university and regretted it ever since.

I continued working at the college as an administrator to the International Studies Dean. I was also working at a car dealership in the evenings and taking Mexican Folk dancing classes and performing on weekends. I didn’t let the arthritis hold me back, but I grew up feeling insecure and never thought of what was beyond the college job for me. After six years of working at the college, the dean, asked his Administration Assistant to refer me to an open position at IBM. I was so naïve at that time, that I didn’t know what IBM was nor how big of a company it was, so I had no fear when I was asked to be interviewed. I was hired on the spot in March of 1980 and began my career as a secretary to developers and programmers.

After 15 years, I had climbed the ladder to a Commission Analyst, supporting a team of 100+ sales representatives and their directors. Ten years later I became the analyst for global commissions leading the Business Analysts and Sales Operation Managers in each of the countries that had sales representatives present. I was not their manager, I only led them in new processes and trained them how to use the new global commission programs. I remember one time, one of our local commission analysts commented shortly after I was chosen to lead the global teams with, “Wow, she does great without a degree.” That hurt, but only for a second. I’ve always thought back to not having a degree and the fact that I had to take special reading and math classes in high school, yet my career was working with numbers.

Most of my career was in Colorado. Then because of my husband’s job we returned to Tucson in 2001. I was the first one allowed to work remotely in our department only because they knew my work ethics. As a joke, one day I sent my manager a picture of me working in our pool, with a wine bottle close by. Of course, it is not something I would ever do!

With many obstacles along the way, I still got to the place I never dreamed of, and it was only because of a dean that saw something in me, that I didn’t see. I also love to read, and perhaps that is why I love to write.

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.

I am a writer and a painter. This is only after having worked 30+ years in the corporate world and ending up at a small medical company during my last six years of employment. I became a workaholic that eventually affected my health. I stopped exercising and eating healthy. I gained weight and felt miserable. I was finally forced to quit via a layoff from the corporate world. I wanted to keep working, so I found a medical company looking for someone with my skills, was hired on, and went right back into a workaholic mode but at least at this company we had fun. We had Halloween costume contests; we had potluck days and celebrated birthdays.

I come from a family of eight including our parents. I am the second child of the three girls, with three boys following. Mom is from Mexico (Rayon, Sonora) and my dad was born in Tucson, Az. My parents married in December of 1953. Growing up, when we had something to say and both parents were present, we talked to Dad in English then turned to Mom and repeated it in Spanish. We grew up bilingual and sometimes that hurt us outside of our home.

Being the second child, I always felt like I had no voice when competing with my siblings. As we got older, I compared myself to my “smart” older sister, and the “cute” younger sister. I noticed how a family friend gave my older sister dollars for good grades, and I would get quarters or sometimes pennies for my effort. I grew up thinking I was dumb and sometimes even ugly, after all, family and friends bullied me. Even Mom told me one time, “If you smile, you’ll look prettier.” Today, I know she didn’t mean it to be critical but back then, it hurt. It hurt when I was bullied for wearing glasses. It hurt when I was bullied for having big lips. Today people pay to have big lips!

I always wanted to have a trait that I was good in, something I could be proud of. One summer during our middle school break, I found an advertisement in a magazine that was for a sketching contest. I sketched the dog they included for the contest. I mailed it, never telling my parents. One day the phone rings and it is the salesperson of this advertisement. After Dad hangs up, he tells me that they liked my drawing and tried to convince dad that I enroll in the art program. Dad’s salary was enough to feed us and to pay the mortgage, and Mom’s seamstress earnings were put aside for our Catholic schools’ tuition, so there was no play money. I remember his sad eyes when he told me he couldn’t afford it. I moved on to painting with crayons and markers. After retirement, I began acrylic painting on pots and whatever I could put my hands on.

It was during the time I was working at the college that I decided to take a children’s writing course. It was via snail mail. I paid for it since I was working and could afford it. This is when I thought that one day I would write and publish a book. I took the course until the first session ended. I became too busy with work, school, and dancing classes and during the summers I went to Rayon, Mom’s hometown. This is the place where I felt freedom from bullies and from feelings of being the least amongst my siblings and freedom from my chores. Although, my grandmother did have chores for me, but somehow the way she asked was different than Mom asking! Because I spent so much time in Mexico, I was included in their summer festivities and even became the queen one summer. It was all for fun. My name was just drawn out of a hat. Eventually, I learned to stop comparing myself to my siblings who received their bachelors’ degrees and in my older sister’s case, her doctorate. I carried these feelings for many years and finally poured them out into my first book.

I am thoroughly enjoying painting and writing. Most of my paintings are sold at our church’s annual craft sales with 100% of the profit going to the school. I donate my painted pots to organizations for their silent auctions at charity events. I have sold pots to people who request one or two. I prefer to give them away. Painting is my therapy. As I paint quietly in my craft room, I am thinking of my next story.

Later in my years, I was chosen to be Mom’s caregiver. This was a new challenge. Learning to care for someone is not easy. Mom’s sister, my aunt, stays with her normally. I schedule her doctor appointments and take her to her appointments. Then on the days/months when my aunt goes to Mexico for doctor appointments, I am left in charge. Fortunately, I do have the support of my siblings when they have time. Caregiving is exhausting and so I praise all the professional caregivers and those who are struggling through it as I am. When writing the story about caring for Mom, it was an emotional journey writing it, editing it, and re-editing it. Part two will come when Mom leaves us.

My first book was not written as if I were a doctor, nor a counselor and it is not a “how to”. There are stories that are meant to help young readers who are deciding whether to continue their education. The stories are for those who grew up with less than their peers, for those who are bullied, for those who have lived with insecurities. I speak of my insecurities growing up, not finishing college, one incident of being assaulted at one of my jobs, I speak of being the peace maker at home especially when Dad would get angry and sometimes verbally abusive. I speak of when he changed his ways for the best. It’s a book of becoming successful because I had people who saw my potential, and when they opened a door, I entered it with determination.

My stories are relatable to others, as I’ve been told by my readers. At first, I thought I was writing to my Mexican American audience, but many American readers have said the same. I was in a “How to Market your Book” session and the moderator said he would love his young daughter to read it. I didn’t want to get personal, so I thanked him and left it at that. One of my former employees, told me her young children, grade school ages, have read my Mexico experiences that are included in the first half of the book. She brought her book to one of our monthly lunches so I could autograph it. The book was tattered from all the small hands handling it. Many have asked I elaborate on those stories, so I did. It is my first fiction based on true events (not yet published).

I may never become the award-winning author or painter, but in my heart, I have already won my award for going over and beyond the challenges I faced in life.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

With my books, I make the announcement on Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram. I have multiple author friends. We tag each other when posting our books. When we read each other’s books, we post something on social media regarding the book and we tag the author. In addition, I have a Website where I keep my books and any event, I attend that promotes my book or a workshop related to writers. I also post the bookstores that have accepted my book, or who invited me to be part of a group of authors to market our books. I also held a book promotion party at my home. I invited family and friends. I had enough books to sell at a slightly lower cost than what is on-line. I gave out small journaling books as a party favor for the adults, and larger booklets with templates for children to write their own story. The party was a success.

For my art, I created a Facebook page to post anything creative, such as my pots, paintings on bottles, paintings on recycled fan blades, rocks, and whatever I find to paint on. I’ve received orders by a few people who have browsed my page.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect in my writing and art is the freedom of writing about anything I feel comfortable with. I can write from a prompt given by one of our writing group members, resulting in a story I didn’t expect. It’s fun to see what comes out from the depth of my heart and onto the paper.

My writing coach once told a group at a writing retreat, that he preferred to work with writers who never took a writing class because they worry too much about grammar and errors while writing. When we write our stories, we literally write a story in a weekend (Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon). Then it takes a few weeks to go from paper to a manuscript, editing, design and publishing it. Professional authors, and those who are considering writing their story, look at me as if I am not telling the truth when I tell them I write my stories in a weekend. Everyone has stories that want to come out. Go to a quiet place and write. The rule is to write on a sketch pad, no lines. Just write without going back to check your grammar and spelling. I guarantee that you will have your story in a weekend. During the editing period of my last book, I started the thought process for my next story. It’s amazing how one story leads to another.

With painting, I know that something colorful and beautiful will result with each stroke of the brush as I apply the paint onto the pot, or whatever object I choose to paint on. If I make a mistake, I create something that was not originally intended but fits in with the original design. It always works out. While painting, my mind travels to another world where my new stories begin to unfold. So, I am multi-tasking by painting and creating my new story. I only wish that I had started both earlier in my life.

With both my books and my art, it is a great feeling when I receive positive comments and being able to accept the compliment with a sincere, “Thank you.”

Contact Info:

• Website: sylviarmerino
• Instagram: smerino90
• Facebook: sylvia.merino and sylvia.s.creative.cositas
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/smerino0620