Today we’d like to introduce you to Cierra Desmaratti.
Hi Cierra, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I never imagined that a vulnerable TikTok video would change my life and lead to features in global publications like Business Insider and the Financial Times. Being highlighted locally by Voyage Miami now feels like a full circle moment.
The past two years, I took the biggest risk I ever have in my life, and I owe it to the 23-year-old girl who was unhappy at her first job at Deloitte and struggling with her confidence but decided she did not want to play small in her career or life. As a Black woman working in STEM, specifically in the rigorous and prestigious field of actuarial science, I was trained to assess risk, forecast outcomes, and minimize uncertainty. On paper, I had a great job as an actuarial analyst at Deloitte making a 90K salary, living in a beautiful Chicago high-rise apartment, and college friends nearby with a full social life.
However, I was very deeply unhappy, and I lost touch with my passion of public speaking. I was lacking a creative outlet in my life, and I had an intuitive nudge to start posting on TikTok in December 2022. It was uncomfortable getting on the camera at first, and I had to work through my fear of being seen and some of the backlash that came with social media, such as dealing with people you know seeing your videos and also the negative comments people leave online. I had to learn not to internalize or seek validation externally from others online. My videos were not performing at high numbers at first during the first year posting on TikTok, but I had fun sporadically posting and kept up with it.
During my first year at Deloitte, I also realized that I wanted to leave Chicago and move to Miami because I was always drawn to the city, and at some point, I started seeing a lot of TikToks with people moving to Florida. I decided why not me. I loved the colorful nature and people of the city, and Miami has a feminine energy that is vibrant and slightly chaotic that Chicago could not mirror.
Did I know, though, that my timeline to move to Miami in fall of 2023 would be altered and so would my whole career trajectory? I got laid off at my job in September 2023, and that pushed back my timeline to move to Miami until February 2024. I didn’t give up on my dream to move here, even though it seemed like all the cards were stacked against me. I stayed with family in Mississippi and as soon as I landed another job in a similar corporate role, I booked a one way ticket and never looked back.
In March 2024, I decided to post a TikTok that I didn’t know would change my life and career, about how I got laid off at Deloitte and the challenges I went through, and why it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
The biggest risk I took wasn’t just getting on camera – it was choosing to publicly share my layoff story and why it became the best thing that ever happened to me. That choice, that act of honesty, is what changed everything.
That TikTok ended up coming across a Business Insider journalist’s feed, and she reached out to interview me. The story was released in September last year during the week of the presidential debate. The article ended up garnering over 2 million reads, and I was overwhelmed by the amount of support I received from around the world from men and women. It even landed me in publications in different countries like El Tiempo in Colombia and the Hindustan Times in India and Economic Times there.
I was overwhelmed by the amount of impact I had, and I realized that because I took a chance on myself and did not allow Deloitte or anyone who maybe made me feel small to define my worth, my dream manifested in a powerful way I couldn’t ever have predicted.
Allowing yourself to be seen, loved, and celebrated loudly is daring, bold, and the best and the most powerful thing anyone, especially women, can do.
My own personal brand blew up this past fall when I was featured in Business Insider. My story garnered over 2 million reads through Business Insider alone during the presidential debate week because I was vulnerable about the challenges I faced while I was at my first job at Deloitte out of college. I shared that I was laid off but ultimately stepped into my authentic self in confidence and built a happy, beautiful life here in Miami.
Many people reached out to me, telling me how they struggled with feeling valued in corporate America and honoring what was authentic to themselves and their careers. When I realized that my story touched so many people and had such a significant impact, I saw that many individuals were seeking advice on how to use their voices authentically to tell their own stories. They found inspiration and hope in my content to create a life for themselves where they could also be true to who they are, just as I did after I got laid off at Deloitte.
I realized I had a unique gift – my voice and ability to speak the truth to help people cut through the things weighing them down so they could stand in their power. That is why I started Cierra, The Confidence Guru. The Confidence Guru brand began offering coaching calls and created a guide on how to build a personal brand.
Personal branding is everything, and everybody has a brand in all areas of life, whether it’s dating or especially their careers, which is what most people think of when starting a business. But it could also be how people see you and know you in your community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I did not come from an easy beginning. As a young Black woman who came from a lower-income family, I left home to be independent at 19. I had to go through many difficult years where I was healing and battling my own shadow side in order to become the woman I am today.
During my time at Deloitte, I briefly lost touch with my public speaking spark. But the moment I picked up my phone and posted my first TikTok, something reignited. Ever since, I have found my own rhythm and voice again. My personal power has blossomed through the content I create.
As I grew more confident in my voice and purpose, I also had to confront the ways I was expected to shrink myself in my personal life, especially around romantic validation and the idea that success had to be tied to a man. Reclaiming my voice professionally also forced me to reexamine the ways I was taught to measure my worth personally, especially around romantic validation and societal expectations.
Truthfully, my greatest gift in life is that I have never fully committed to being in a relationship with a man. This is one of the main reasons I am so fulfilled in my purpose and so deeply embodied in my success. Many women are taught to believe that getting a relationship title or reaching marriage is the ultimate life goal, without being told that true love starts with healing your wounds and learning to fully love yourself. A great relationship is meant to be an addition to a great life. You love what you have built because you love who you are.
One of the biggest lessons that has come with choosing myself and loving myself is learning how to let go of friendships. I had a long history with friends who were no longer serving me in a positive way. Some of my friends back in Chicago were used to a smaller version of me, one that had not fully stepped into her power the way I have here in Miami over the past year.
It is important to understand that when you are on a path of self-love and growth, you will naturally shed friendships with people who are not healing or evolving. If you continue growing and others stay stagnant, it causes dissonance on a deeper level. A few weeks before my Business Insider article came out, two of my closest friends from college fell out of my life. When I look back, I realize those relationships were comfortable, but they could not meet me at the level of power and confidence I was growing into. They were not meant to stay. This has even happened in Miami, where I’ve had to release friendships with women who became resentful once I refused to shrink myself to be more palatable to men or prioritize romantic validation the way they did.
Many of the women I used to be close with had centered their lives around marriage and receiving validation from a man – often one with money, status, or perceived social capital. In doing so, they lost themselves. Over time, some of them grew resentful toward me for not living the same way. But I chose myself, and I stepped into my own power.
But I want women to know that the journey is always worth it. What came into my life after choosing myself has been so much more aligned, fulfilling, and safe. The people who have stayed love me on a soul level, and I am no longer being drained by low-vibrational friendships that could not see or celebrate me. The greatest love to know is the one you give yourself. I am proud to say that I now see myself clearly, I celebrate myself loudly, and I only surround myself with people who do the same.
Allowing yourself to be seen, loved, and celebrated loudly is daring, bold, and the best and the most powerful thing anyone, especially women, can do.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Personal Brand Strategist and Storytelling Expert known for helping ambitious people build magnetic brands rooted in confidence, clarity, and truth. My brand was built on a single moment of truth, a video I posted on TikTok that led to features in Business Insider, Financial Times, and other international and local publications. It became clear that I had a message people were craving.
At 25 years old, I have organically attracted over 2 million reads through my viral feature in Business Insider, as well as a feature in the Financial Times, and articles in global outlets like El Tiempo in Colombia and the Hindustan Times in India. I have also been featured on the Harvard website and locally in Shout Out Miami and now Voyage Miami. I attracted this level of media and social visibility in less than a year without a publicist, without paid press, and without chasing anyone down. That is the power of an authentic brand.
What sets my brand apart is that I do not just teach strategy. I embody it. So many people focus on launching a business, but they fail to build a strong personal brand. They push products or services without letting people fall in love with who they are. That is why their message does not stick. Honestly, they end up sounding no better than a washed up promoter in Miami. You are so busy flashing your business in people’s faces that you forget people are overwhelmed. Especially in a city like Miami where everyone is either trying to scam you or aggressively sell you something. People are tired of being sold to. What they crave is realness. That is why I have organically attracted every global and local media feature without chasing anyone. I show up authentically. I tell stories. I lead with truth. People love to buy, but they hate to be sold. And when people love you, they keep coming back for more.
Now, I offer one on one confidence coaching and personal brand strategy for anyone who is ready to stop shrinking and start shining. Professionally, personally, and even romantically. My content blends emotional intelligence and storytelling with the corporate insights I have gained from my background as an actuarial analyst. I spent four years working for Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare and life and annuities space at prestigious institutions such as Centene and Deloitte. I give powerful insights about how to build your intellectual power to be more magnetic, not just in your career or business, but also in your love life. I teach people that personal branding is not just about business. It transcends into every area of your life, including your personal relationships and romantic prospects.
In addition to coaching, I created an eleven page guide designed to help people overcome corporate trauma and build a powerful personal and career brand. This guide is perfect for anyone looking to level up their career or business by building a brand that reflects their truth, values, and long term vision. Whether you are rebuilding after a setback or simply ready to become more visible and confident, this guide offers a strong foundation.
My background in STEM gave me a lens for precision and analysis. I now use those same skills to help people take aligned risks, build bold visibility, and own their narrative unapologetically. I am proud that my brand was born from truth. It is not performative. It is powerful. And it is real.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can support my work by engaging with and sharing my content across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Every comment, repost, and save helps amplify the bold, empowering message behind my brand. I deeply value this kind of support because it helps me build an intentional and magnetic community rooted in truth.
I love collaborating with brands, media outlets, and aligned individuals who value creativity, bold storytelling, and confidence. Whether it’s through content collaborations, podcast features, brand partnerships, or speaking engagements, I am passionate about co-creating experiences that reflect both elegance and authenticity. I am especially interested in working with fashion and beauty brands, media platforms, and thought leaders who understand the multidimensionality of modern self-expression and want to align with a legacy brand that is rooted in vision.
You can also work with me directly by booking one of my clarity sessions or digital products through my website www.cierradesmaratti.com. My signature 11-page guide on overcoming corporate trauma and building a magnetic personal brand is perfect for anyone seeking to grow their career, business, or influence. For collaborations or media inquiries, I can be reached directly through my website, Instagram, or by email.
My handle across all platforms is @CierraDesmaratti. Follow me for content that fuses empowerment, intellect, and authentic self-expression. I am building something global, legacy-driven, and aligned with truth. If you feel the same, I would love to hear from you.
Pricing:
- 1 Hour long Coaching Calls @ $100
- Personal Brand Power Guide @ $30
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cierradesmaratti.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cierradesmaratti
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cierradesmaratti
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@cierradesmaratti
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cierradesmaratti
