We’re looking forward to introducing you to Maria Laura Ruiz. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Maria Laura , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day start off quite intentionally. I ease into the morning with breakfast, my favourite meal of the day. I really enjoy taking that moment slowly, especially these days. After that, I usually move a bit. Right now it is a brisk walk, which is just right as I am very pregnant with my first, a baby girl. Then I sit down and officially start the day by checking my task board. I have it split into personal, work and long-term goals. It helps me keep a sense of balance and clarity beyond the usual project trackers l use for work projects. This clear snapshot before diving into the rest of my day is really important to me. I like to align my personal and work objectives with my long-term goals, so I can make sure that what I am doing day-to-day actually supports the bigger vision I have for the future.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am María Laura Ruiz, an expert in digital marketing and brand strategy with extensive experience as a co-founder of an agency in London, where I led innovative projects for clients across the UK and Europe. I have also actively collaborated with marketing and business media, primarily in Spanish. I have contributed as a judge for industry awards and as a facilitator in professional workshops, sharing insights on trends and best practices. Currently, I am expanding my work into the U.S. market, combining my international experience with a multicultural approach to help brands connect authentically with diverse audiences. Currently, I am working alongside Bryan Wisotsky and Sky SEO Digital in Miami, a top local SEO and website development agency. Together, we focus on delivering tailored digital strategies that help brands enhance their online presence and connect authentically with diverse audiences through effective SEO and website solutions.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a dancer.
I grew up in Buenos Aires, surrounded by music, rhythm, and a deep connection to movement. From a very young age, the language that best expressed who I was wasn’t made of words, it was made of presence, motion, performance. Dance was how I communicated, how I explored the world, how I inhabited it with authenticity.
That was my first passion, a version of myself deeply attuned to the sensory, the spontaneous, and the present moment. It was simply the desire to create and express through movement.
Over the years, I built other versions of myself. I studied marketing at university, moved abroad, co-founded an agency in London, and worked with international brands. Today, I specialize in digital strategy, branding, and digital product development, and I actively collaborate with impact-driven projects. But I always return to that root. Because that first version, the dancer, is still very much alive within me. She reminds me that everything I do, even in the world of marketing and strategy, comes from the same impulse: to create with intention, to connect from a genuine place, to find rhythm in the midst of challenges and complexity.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I wish I had known to be more confident and to trust the process. Early in my career, I used to think that outcomes were straightforward, either success or failure, right or wrong. But over time, I have learned that most things unfold in the grey area. Growth is rarely linear, and every step, even the uncertain ones, is part of the journey. I would have liked someone to tell me that some things take more effort, time or attempts than expected and that is not a sign of weakness, it is part of the path. When setbacks happen, and they will, what matters is how much you want it. You need to stay agile, shift perspectives, and when a door closes, look for the back door. There are always opportunities, you just have to train yourself to spot them and be bold enough to go after them. And perhaps most importantly, I have learned that if you don’t take risks, you don’t grow. The magic really does happen outside your comfort zone. Every time I have stepped into uncertainty, taken chances, and exposed myself to new challenges, I have found the richest learning and that is where happiness, drive, and real momentum emerge. It is within that cycle of trying, adjusting, learning, and trying again that I have found not only progress, but a deeper sense of purpose.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies the marketing industry tells itself is that more data always leads to better outcomes. We have become obsessed with precision through micro-segmentation, hyperpersonalization, AI-driven predictions, as if human behavior could be fully anticipated through algorithms. But in chasing optimization, we often forget that people aren’t just data points. They are inconsistent, emotional, layered and that is what makes them real. Another lie is that reach equals connection. We measure success in clicks, impressions, and views, but forget to ask whether we are actually building meaningful relationships with audiences. Social media campaigns may look effective on paper, but in reality, we are seeing growing backlash with screen fatigue, trust erosion, and users questioning how their data is used. The same platforms meant to bring people closer often make them feel more fragmented and exposed. In the rush to integrate AI and automate everything, we risk losing the very thing that makes marketing powerful, which is genuine human insight. Not every interaction needs to be personalized to the point of intrusion. Not every campaign needs to be predictive. Sometimes, what works best is what feels authentic, not what is perfectly targeted. Marketing tells itself it is becoming more efficient, but often it is just becoming noisier. True innovation will not come from deeper micro-targeting, but from pausing, listening, and connecting in more authentic ways.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes, and I think that is a very human experience. Often, when we are chasing a goal or a project, we become so focused on the end results that we idealize what it will feel like once we get there. But once it is achieved, it quickly becomes the new normal or yesterday’s news. And almost instinctively, we begin asking ourselves, “What’s next?” I have learned that this is part of the cycle. Sometimes, the satisfaction we expect at the end isn’t as complete or lasting as we imagined. That is why I try to remind myself to stay connected to the effort, the work, and the passion behind every step. The real value often lives in the process and not in the outcome.
Achieving something meaningful changes you. So it is important to pause, acknowledge that transformation, and give yourself space to reframe before choosing the next goal to pursue. For me, fulfilment comes less from crossing the finish line and more from how I evolve throughout the journey.
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