Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayra Alcaraz.
Mayra, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Since I was little, there was a certain life I desired and I knew that the only way to get there was to work hard for it. The way I fell into my career was because I could draw. Artist didn’t make a lot of money so I searched for a career that allowed me to be creative but that also allowed me to live a comfortable life. That’s when I learned about Graphic Design. When I started, I knew nothing about Graphic Design except that I could make a clothing line by putting drawings onto t-shirts. I was one of the few 21-year-olds that didn’t party and I really hadn’t traveled anywhere yet. I wanted to land my dream job first and I knew that everything else would follow after. I graduated college and began my career at one of the top agencies in San Diego doing work for Rolex for a few months. I felt accomplished but I didn’t necessarily feel fulfilled. I had to dig deep inside myself and ask what I truly wanted out of life. I had to find a WHY. A strong why that wasn’t based on materialistic things. One thing I’ve always wanted is to be financially stable so that one day I can take care of my family, so that my wife can go after her dreams, and to one day be financially free. That’s when I began learning about investing. Investing has led me down a path of self-improvement. Through this journey I have acquired a new growth mindset.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Life is never easy, many times life throws challenges that one has to overcome. Throughout my own life I struggled with the fear that I wasn’t good enough. That there was always someone out there that was better than me. After reading the book Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, I learned that I was living my life through a fixed-mindset. Life is about growing into the best version of yourself and that’s an ongoing process. Just because I had reached success, it didn’t mean that there was no room for growth. In my growing process, I had to learn how to value who I am, without comparison and without losing focus on my why. I put so much time and energy into proving others wrong. Trying to prove that I was worthy and that I can make something of my life but all it did was cause unnecessary pain. I think that as human beings we seek approval and care about what others think, especially in a generation of social media. A few things that helped my growth was reading, listening to podcast, and writing down what I’m grateful for every day. Everyone sees these lavish lifestyles on social media, but no one sees the countless hours of work that it took to get there. Things don’t happen overnight. Everything takes time but it’s important to be consistent. Everyone’s process is different, and everyone’s definition of success is different. Also, many people give up when they start something new because they think it’s hard, but nothing is hard, it’s just new! The more you do anything in life, the easier it becomes.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’m a graphic designer for a food company based out of Illinois. I also freelance and invest in stocks and forex. I’m mostly known for my graphic design work. I help businesses with branding solutions, print, web, motion graphics, etc. but when I’m not designing, I’m trading in the forex market. What sets me apart from others is my willingness to learn new things and help others. That’s why I love what I do. I help brands find a voice through marketing but I’m currently focusing on teaching people financial literacy. Investing can be intimidating but with today’s technology you can invest with just a few clicks on your phone with very little money. I believe that if people had just $500 dollars more at the end of every month, that would relieve a lot of financial stress for most.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I am fortunate enough to work on an all woman’s marketing team. My boss has created an environment where women are the leaders. It has given me the ability to be valued for my skills and not my sexuality. I believe that women empowering other women can create confidence and overall growth for women to be seen as leaders. When women join forces, they are unstoppable.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 16197882444
- Email: mayraalcaraz3@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayra_alcaraz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayra.alcaraz.50
Image Credit:
Eliza Greed https://www.instagram.com/elizagreed/
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
