Meet Samantha Contreras | Marketing Executive

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Contreras and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, how do you think about risk?
Taking risks has played a pivotal role in shaping my life, career, and business. From a young age, I felt the need to take risks in order for me to experience the life I see for myself, especially the level of freedom I want to feel. Growing up in Los Angeles as a Latina immigrant from a humble background in low-income neighborhoods, everyday felt risky. As a first generation college student, putting myself through college felt risky. Moving away from home to Sacramento to achieve my dream of working in the State Assembly to make a difference in public policy was risky. Making the decision to put myself through business school at UC Davis was one of the most risky things I have ever done. Bootstrapping my business has been the MOST risky decision I have ever made.

All of these risky decisions are the BEST decisions I have ever made for myself. Has it been easy, absolutely not. However, every time I bet on myself I have been blessed with the opportunity and the people to help me succeed. It’s also when I experience the most amount of growth in every way possible. I find measured risk taking extremely rewarding and satisfying. With every risk, one must remain grounded in purpose to yield the highest results. Throughout every role I have held in my career and business, my purpose has always been to have a positive impact on people’s lives and to experience the highest level of freedom to enjoy life on my terms.

Risk taking is a must for anyone wanting to fully live their dream life, especially women entrepreneurs.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My Growth Marketer is an integrated marketing and communications firm specializing in strategy, content, digital marketing, and public relations. What sets My Growth Marketer apart from every other marketing agency – me. I am a well-rounded creator and expert in business, product development, labor relations, government, public policy, marketing, and communications. Additionally, my background grants me the opportunity to connect with diverse audiences and executives.

I am proud to champion business growth for start-ups, women-led businesses, and established enterprises across technology, public policy/law, and wellness industries. It is a pleasure to partner with clients to support their missions to impact lives and our environment in a positive way.

As a first generation legacy builder, I’ve overcome many challenges to be where I am today. Many of those challenges I overcame with creativity, mentorship, friends, changing my daily habits, and strengthening my spiritual practices. I have too many lessons learned to share in this publication but I do often share my knowledge and lessons with the executives I partner with through coaching sessions. I have developed my own coaching framework and plan to share my lessons more broadly in the future.

My Growth Marketer is an integrated marketing and communications firm specializing in strategy, content, digital marketing, and public relations. What sets My Growth Marketer apart from every other marketing agency – me. I am a well-rounded creator and expert in business, product development, labor relations, government, public policy, marketing, and communications. Additionally, my team, my network, and my background grants me the opportunity and ability to connect with diverse audiences, industries, and executives.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We’d cheer my favorite Boys in Blue at Dodger Stadium with pre-game drinks at The Shortstop in Echo Park. Get outside to enjoy the gorgeous view of the City of Angels with a hike at Griffith Park followed by a picnic at the Griffith Observatory before enjoying a magical show in the planetarium. We’d also ride bikes on the Santa Monica Beach boardwalk, lay out on the beach, and make some friends playing beach volleyball. We’d get dolled up to grab drinks at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel to hopefully catch sight of some of LA’s talented celebrities. We’d enjoy a gorgeous and fun outdoor concert at the Hollywood Bowl listening to one of our favorite artists and dancing the night away under the night sky. Lastly, we’d soak in the beauty and creativity housed at the Los Angeles Contemporary Art Museum (LACMA) and finish off the afternoon with Jazz and bubbles before heading to grab dinner in a delicious restaurant on Melrose Avenue.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a heartfelt thank you and shoutout, first, to my family who has always supported and believed in me. Second, I want to thank every community-based organization and leadership program who helped me to grow professionally and shared opportunities that seemed out of reach for a young Latina immigrant like me. I especially want to thank the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, the Capital Fellowship Program, the Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy, the Graduate School of Management at UC Davis, and the National Association for Women Business Owners (NAWBO) for the opportunity to learn, develop, and have a positive impact in the world. Third, I want to thank my dearest friends, confidants, and cheerleaders – my incredible group of girlfriends who have uplifted me during every downturn and who have celebrated with me during every victory. Finally, I want to thank every single one of my clients who has granted me the privilege to partner with them to bring their ideas to life, grow their brand and impact on this planet.

Website: https://www.mygrowthmarketer.com/

Instagram: @mygrowthmarketer

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-contreras-barrera/