On Business Growth And Professional Collaborations: Clarisa Ramirez
Leading up to our Summer '18 iteration of WORK, we'll feature select interviews with some of our conference's speakers and thought leaders. In this interview, Small Coffee founder and principal Clarisa Ramirez discusses business growth and collaboration. Click here for the full conference schedule.
Who: Equipped with a Media Management certificate and an MS in Interactive Publishing from Northwestern University, Clarisa has been helping small businesses grow their brand awareness and customer loyalty since 2013. Clarisa grew up in Indonesia and Qatar and started her career as a freelance journalist for local and national publications. She was Yelp’s first employee in Texas, served as Community Economic Development Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica, and worked in the marketing department for a global nonprofit in Chicago before moving to Austin to break out on her own as a publicist. In 2015, Clarisa launched Small Coffee with the intention of connecting authentic brands that care about community with businesses, organizations, and influencers who share their values. She serves as a board member for the Girls Empowerment Network and the Austin Symphony BATS, and volunteers with the Heart of Texas Peace Corps Association and Women Communicators of Austin. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Austin’s green spaces with her husband, cycling, and managing a monthly Article Club.
What she's currently working on: "Professionally, I'm excited to say I'm planning on taking on my first employee this fall. I'm also working with a couple of coaches that are helping me budget and develop a five-year plan, that includes coming up with a cool content strategy for Small Coffee. Personally, I'm planning a trip to Japan in August!"
How would you describe your work?
A combination of all of my interests in 5th grade.
How do you approach concepts of "work/life balance?"
You have to take care of yourself first and foremost or else your work suffers. You cannot do a good job work-wise if you aren't taking the time to exercise, eat well, rest, and feed your soul. It's crucial to pay attention to your own mental health above all else, and then things feel a bit more balanced.
Could you describe a moment in your career in which you experienced growth? How do you approach that growth?
I am currently going through that moment right now, and what I do is a a ton of research on those who have gone through similar growth. I interview people, consult my mentors and friends who are more established and just set up as many internal processes as I can stay organized and do a quality job.
What is your ideal working environment?
50% at home, 40% at a coworking space, 10% at a cafe. I HATE working in the same space all of the time, and as I grow I'm going to try and see if I can maintain this balance.
What do you look for in a leader?
Someone who listens and treats people with respect. A certain dose of professionalism is a plus. My pet peeve is when leaders complain about their customers or clients, yell at their colleagues, and gossip—and that's far too common.
About WORK: WORK is a biannual pop-up space, designed for sharing new ideas and approaches to creative and entrepreneurial work. The event's panels, workshops and speaker sessions explore personal and professional development, marketing, business management and entrepreneurship. Our next conference pops up on July 14 from 10 AM to 5 PM at Rowling Hall in Austin, Texas. ✨Click here for more information.
