Today we’d like to introduce you to Tianna Curatalo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tianna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I help businesses successfully build their brands, and really, I help the people behind those brands bring their vision to life and give their brand a proper footing to grow. Utilizing my talents in social media, marketing, and design, I create and implement brand strategies for large companies and local small businesses in a variety of industries.
Now, in terms of my life story, there was, of course, my birth, which by all accounts was a huge success for me. That said, let’s fast forward past my formative years and go straight to my college education. I earned a degree in Merchandise Marketing from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, and went on to graduate from the Art Institute in San Diego with a B.S. degree in Advertising. The business and beauty of marketing and advertising always drew me in, and it was there, I learned the thread through it all was always people-focused creativity. To create a incredibly compelling brand story, you have to remember who you are working with but also who they are working for. Do that and you will always hit your mark. This has remained at the core of what I do.
After graduating in 2013 at the age of 27, I decided to establish my own business called Tianna Marie, LLC. For years, I freelanced my services, worked for local marketing and creative agencies and even became a Segway tour guide in Downtown San Diego… because sometimes you need to glide effortlessly while speaking about the city you love. I eventually made my way to a creative agency in San Diego in 2015.
In 2016, I got married and just one year later, I had twin boys. No big deal, right? Sadly, however, the first day I came back from my maternity leave at that agency, I was told that the company had dissolved and that myself and our team of four no longer had jobs. Yes, it was a bit of a blow, especially with all of those hormones raging! Nevertheless, I immediately went to LinkedIn to start applying for jobs and even landed one within a couple weeks. After much thought, I realized that it didn’t make sense for me to work for a paycheck that I would simply hand over to a nanny to take care of my babies. It made sense for ME to take care of my babies and try to work from home.
Because I have had so much experience in agencies and freelancing, I had all the tools needed to become successful working from home and that is exactly what I did. I have to say that I am very grateful for my husband who has supported me during this full-time transition. Because he has a stable career, I had the freedom to take risks. And that’s what I needed to take my business to the next level.
Since then, I guess you could call me a trifecta entrepreneur. I have great success with Tianna Marie, LLC, while at the same time co-founding Ramble & Rue and New Age Hound. You can visit our websites for the full story:
Boss Mom status achieved. I take care of my 2-year-old twin boys and run three successful businesses from home. My motto is “inspired by imagination, driven by results,” and I have applied that personal ethos to a broad range of professional experiences.
I always tell myself and so many others I have mentored over the years, Be consistent and persistent and you WILL succeed. Or as Dory would say, “Just Keep Swimming…”
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth, sure in comparison to off-roading in the desert on a 4×4. I would say my road was more like Garnet Ave in Pacific Beach… bumpy with some pot holes and maybe the occasional enchilada that made its way violently back out after a few too many drinks.
While working in an agency environment, there are ALWAYS obstacles. Whether it’s agency drama — someone getting promoted over you, upset clients, not getting paid enough, or process issues — you name it I went through it.
I found that losing my job three months after having twin boys was overwhelming. Being a new mom and worrying about finances, finding another job and an affordable nanny seemed impossible. But I knew I had all of the tools needed to really lift Tianna Marie, LLC off the ground… and in a way I really lifted myself off the ground. So with no room for failure, I HAD to make it work. And ultimately my greatest support and motivation was my FAMILY.
Main struggles taking TMM to the next level:
obtaining new clients
knowing what to charge them
charging too little
knowing your worth!
Admin work – this is the worst!
Chasing money from clients that haven’t paid
hiring a CPA
expenses
doing the marketing for yourself when you’re focusing on so many other clients
you’re the customer service
Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
Tianna Marie, LLC is dedicated to delivering beautifully designed websites and branding solutions for businesses big and small.
Most Proud:
I have created over 150 websites in less than 2 years and over 40 5-star reviews. I recently hired on a sales and project director to help me scale up my business.
What Sets Us Apart:
We provide quality work at a fraction of the cost with the ultimate customer service experience. WE LISTEN.
Ramble & Rue:
ramblerue.com
Ramble + Rue is a collaborative, which goal is to weave together goods and creative works from artists and companies that share our same aesthetic, humor and unflinching desire to enrich the creative lives of others, through products, stories and images that spark the artist within each one of us.
Most Proud:
I love having such a badass entrepreneur by my side – Jennifer Guerin is my inspiration and motivation for all things creative. I’m so proud of what the two of us have created and am very excited for what we’re about to launch soon.
What Sets Us Apart:
We’re purveyors of good shit. We only sell quality and unique hand-picked products
New Age Hound:
newagehound.com
Combined with over 8 years of experience in the pet care and marketing industries, we pride ourselves on empowering the client with innovative, one-stop shop solutions for starting your own dog walking/pet sitting business. Spend less time creating the foundation of your business, and more time gaining clients with our proven methods!
Most Proud:
Co-founder Kyle Greenberg and myself launched New Age Hound in 2018 and helped several other entrepreneurs launch their business using our proven platforms and methods.
What Sets Us Apart:
New Age Hound’s Founders Kyle and Tianna have over 8 years of passion and experience creating one-of-a-kind turnkey dog walking/pet sitting platforms for entrepreneurs. WE ARE NOT A FRANCHISE! We relish in seeing other entrepreneurs succeed using our unique startup model.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think San Diego is the perfect place to start. When I first moved here from Thousand Oaks, I was shocked to know how most people are NOT from San Diego. SD is a melting pot of people and that means there’s a lot of ideas floating around and plenty of niches to fill. SD can be the perfect place to set up shop for your business. All you have to do is find your entrepreneurial spirit and develop your craft around that. Plus, with co-working places popping up all over the place, it makes it easy to establish and legitimize yourself.
After all, they don’t call San Diego, “America’s Finest City” for nothing… come for the views, stay for the opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: tiannamarie.com
- Phone: 8054698202
- Email: tianna@tiannamarie.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/
tiannamariecreative - Facebook: Facebook.com/tiannamariellc
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiannamarie/
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.
