Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Mota.
Stephanie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story begins in the Dominican Republic about 5 years ago. My friends till this day call me to ask me where to buy or get something, It can be where to get a certain blouse or where to get the best deal on a car. My journey started because my closest friends suggested I should start sharing my recommendations or the places I go to have a good meal. I’m more a behind the scenes when taking a picture and front stage when talking to people.
My blog started as a creative outlet to share stories, my travel, my beauty products and also cars. I genuinely love cars but that’s for another day! It has been a trial an error for these 5 years, I’ve failed many times but I also have learned and evolved. Like people we evolve and so does our craft, our thinking and our way of seeing things. My feed is not cohesive, it will never be because I like to post either what I’m seeing at the moment or a photo shoot which usually I end up spamming my own IG.
I’m a talkative person, I also love to share where and how I got something. I think sharing is caring as cliche as it may sound, we grow by lifting others. If you want to know how I did a collaboration or who did I talk to please reach out, I would love for you to write your own story. This is how I decided to launch my own workshop/event project dedicated to fellow influencers called Parla Pineapple. This is where I want to take my brand, my knowledge, and my experiences. I want to help others grow, guide them and inspire them to not give up.
When I decided to start this project, I immediately started contacting people and after a lot of emails and hard work, I’m hosting my first sold-out workshop on July 14th. Hard work does pay off and I think everyone has something new or different to offer.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, moving to Miami 3 years ago felt like I had to start all over again. I didn’t know anyone, not a lot of people are willing to share information because they think you want to copy them, etc. Found myself giving up more than once and not wanting to get in front of the camera because I gained some weight. Not an easy thing to say but people are mean and this business is super competitive, that’s why we need more kind people that are willing to help and support you no matter what.
My advice to other women is to NEVER EVER give up and to be PATIENT, Life is a bumpy road and things will fall into place sooner rather than later. This is about trial and error, learning and improving ourselves. We never stop learning, there is always an update, a new app, a new emoji. If you are feeling overwhelmed take a break (it’s ok to be absent from social media, we need breaks now and then), rethink your purpose and start over.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mota Parla – what should we know?
I work in Advertising and my second job is trying to master the art of being an Influencer (it’s harder than it seems).
As I mentioned my new project, Parla Pineapple recently launched, and this is where all my focus is right now. I want to help others connect with industry professionals and share as much as I can along the way.
I’m known for being good at pitching brands (if you don’t try you’ll never know), I always tell my friends “la peor diligencia es la que no se hace”, this translates to the worse errand is the one that doesn’t get done (sounds better in Spanish but that’s the idea). I’ve gotten turned down by MANY MANY brands but that doesn’t stop me, we can’t fear rejection, because rejection is not a failure.
I’m proud of my accomplishments, working with big name brands has opened many doors. One collaboration leads to another, and it only gets better.
I think everyone is different, maybe what sets me apart is that I’m not scared of a no, I’m persistent and I try to accomplish what I set my mind to do (try really hard but sometimes my mind wanders and then reality hits haha).
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
I think that TODAY, barriers are non-existent when you put hard work behind something things happen. There will always be an excuse for not being able to finish a project or accomplish something because we are not willing to put in the work (myself included).
Women are as capable as men, I think we need to focus more on ourselves and stop making excuses or criticizing others. The world is big enough for all of us, we just need to work hard to stand out.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.motaparla.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motaparla/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motaparla/?ref=settings
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/motastephanie
Image Credit:
MediaByAnna
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