We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Talia Manzanares. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Talia below.

Talia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

Entering college during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the natural reaction for me was to get involved at my school, San Diego State University (SDSU). As an emerging business major, I was drawn towards Women in Business (WIB) for their emphasis on a female community that shared common professional goals. I worked my way through the executive board up to co-president my senior year and the organization received accolades that I couldn’t imagine – we were selected Most Outstanding Organization at SDSU, and became the largest academic organization sitting at 900 members. It was clear there was a need for a motivating, safe space for young women to access business development tools.

My fellow executive board members Kayla Cunanan, Kendra Landi, and I set our sights on creating a national organization to grow and connect the current WIB chapters, and empower the next generation of brand new chapters to be created. We initially thought of a national organization when we received messages on messages from other universities, other young women looking for a way to get involved in the movement we were building at SDSU. Amid graduation and navigating the first months of post-grad, we took the leap to create Women in Business Collective.

Late-night Zoom meetings. Constant brainstorming of start-up concepts with Kendra and Kayla and through a viral word-of-mouth marketing buzz helped the birth of WIB within three months after graduation with our marketing degrees.

Signing myself up for something with so much responsibility was intimidating, however: we knew we had a great concept, the education background, and the experience, and we wanted to make a mark for the community of young women in our same position.

It’s been a learning process, but with so much shared passion around the cause of creating a large-scale network for female business students, the work is fulfilling. I am a Co-Founder and serve as the Chief Executive Officer for Women in Business Collective. I live and breathe this movement every day – after all, I am a woman in business, and I would have appreciated this guidance as well. That mindset keeps me going.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Talia, and I am a born and raised San Diegan. Whether it is work, spending time outdoors, or playing the guitar – I love the feeling of being busy. Along with that, I love putting a touch of my creativity in my work. When it comes to my marketing career, I thrive with the opportunity of being a brand builder and getting to tell a story and see it through from beginning to end. Throughout college, I began doing freelance content creation for fashion and beauty brands like Rare Beauty, Steve Madden, and Youthforia. It was a great fit: the perfect outlet for me to bring out my creative side, document my routines as a college student, and be able to work in social media without a following. On the viewer side, I find that content resonates best when it showcases a relatable routine, so I strive to create authentic stories for my brands. I also work as a Sales Supervisor at a sustainable clothing brand – I love the fast-paced structure of the environment and of course, the creativity that comes with styling my clients!

My marketing journey hasn’t been linear, I’ve dabbled in sales, content, social media analytics, agency work… but I tend to gravitate back towards that content creation side as it blends in my passions – which has been a huge priority for me. My work as Co-Founder and CEO of Women in Business Collective has no doubt been my biggest challenge thus far. Sometimes a blank canvas can be hardest to work with. When building our brand, we had a big vision, but also knew that it needed to be done realistic and authentic to us. My team and I gave it our all – it has been fulfilling building our website, merchandise, social media, etc. all from the ground up. Having the option to work as a freelance social media content creator has given myself flexibility and a great outlet for my life!

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I’ve found that many challenges in managing a team come from navigating diverse personalities and handling situations differently. In my experience, building personal connections with my team has been an invaluable opportunity. At the same time, I’ve also learned that setting clear boundaries and striking the right balance between personal and professional relationships is essential for long-term success. My ultimate goal is to set my team and myself up for success, ensuring that nothing detracts from that mission. While personal connections can boost morale and foster collaboration, they can occasionally lead to distractions if not managed carefully. That’s why I prioritize maintaining a positive and motivational environment while staying focused on our goals.

I also remind myself and my team that while our work is important, my work is not life or death. This perspective helps us stay grounded and enjoy what we’re doing, which, in turn, enhances productivity and creativity. I need to enjoy what I am doing, sometimes spreading positivity and keeping morale high are just as important as meeting deadlines when looking at the team’s overall success.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Through my content creation and my various involvements in college, I have prioritized my authenticity, which I think can speak volumes to your work and your character. When growing my college’s Women in Business Chapter up to 900 members, we became the safe space on campus when girls didn’t have anywhere else to turn to. I led with empathy and authenticity, reminding students that we are their peers – while helping them grow in a social and professional way. If I didn’t know the answer to a question, I would run to help them find that answer. If someone leaned on me for extra support, I did everything I could to make sure they were at that next meeting whether it was saving a seat for them or driving them home. I found that going the extra mile was the best way to grow and find success in this endeavor, and our message resonated with so many of our students. I pride myself in my self-awareness, which overall has led me to successfully juggle my personal and professional side in a tailored way to build my reputation with my colleagues.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wibcollective.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wib.collective/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taliamanzanares/

Image Credits

Kayla Cunanan