New businesses often have a higher likelihood of failing, especially in their first year, but that didn’t stop a local entrepreneur and UNM instructor from taking that chance.
Kristelle Siarza, a communication and journalism instructor, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of her company, Siarza Social Digital. The company specializes in offering marketing strategy and consulting, social media, email marketing, website strategyand development and online advertising.
Siarza said UNM started to focus on providing entrepreneurial training is huge. She said often people get settled into a career and don’t have the opportunity or comfort level to step out and start a business until they feel it may be too late.
“UNM started something called the Innovation Academy, where they are teaching entrepreneurialship to college students and the general public,” Siarza said. “If you don’t teach entrepreneurialship, people won’t think of it until later when they can’t become one.”
Siarza Social Digital’s office is located in FatPipe ABQ, a collaborative workspace that brings business professionals together. One of the idea exchanging forums is a project called “one million cups”. The meetings, which are held at FatPipe ABQ, allow startups to ask their peers questions to help their business thrive.
Siarza said the feedback owners get from other people in the business is invaluable. She said she remembers receiving the advice to treat herself like a client when she was first starting the business. More recently, when she asked how to balance time and creativity, it was suggested she start coloring.
“The idea behind that is that taking time to create helps you be more creative, and in turn, be more productive,” Siarza said.
Jason Griffin, CEO of Internet Crossroads, said that being creative is something that occurs naturally in the office space. He sits next to Siarza in the office and said he learned quickly that the people sitting next to him are not competitors, but valuable resources. He said they all do something different and they are often able to refer or hire each other for work when one’s skillset is something the other can use.
He said Siarza has helped him in teaching how to interact with clients, grow business, and learn from mistakes. Griffin started his business about six months after Siarza Social Digital launched, and he said she’s always going to be willing and able to pass along advice as they progress.
He said Siarza’s commitment to her company’s success lies in her leadership skills. He said he’s worked in the corporate world for over 20 years and leaders that show that level of commitment and passion to their employees are rare.
“I’ve never heard her talk about her company’s success without it being framed in terms of her employee’s individual successes,” Griffin said. “It’s something I don’t think I’ve ever heard a new business owner talk about in that way.”
Griffin said the most unique thing about Siarza might be characteristics that are overlooked, because he’s never thought about them as something that defines her. He said the business world is still very patriarchal and she is not just a woman, but a Filipino woman, a minority that is extremely rare in Albuquerque.
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Auri Vigil, an online account executive, started working for Siarza Social Digital in June and became a full-time member of the team in September. She said there was a great deal of excitement as the team approached its one-year anniversary.
At the anniversary party, a representative from the mayor’s office read a letter conveying how Siarza epitomizes the entrepreneurial spirit of the city of Albuquerque.
Vigil said part of that spirit is being a strong mentor, and that Siarza frequently gives students the opportunity for internships at the company. She said it’s important for young people to get that chance and rare for a new business owner to be in position to do so.
She said Siarza was very intelligent in finding a niche in marketing and forming a business plan that will keep her company viable for years to come. She said it’s inspiring that, in a male-dominated industry, Siarza has shown you don’t have to settle or compromise your goals.
“Kristelle is able to wear so many different hats because she is that strong willed,” Vigil said. “She doesn’t have to choose.”
Robert Maler is a reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @robert_maler
