We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Medaglia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
As a collective, we are quickly realizing that setting our own schedules & building our own businesses is very appealing; no bosses, no glass ceilings, no one “telling” us what to do. What we don’t understand is that starting, building and growing our own business is one of the hardest things we’ll ever do, aside from raising a child. Similar to that of raising a child, your business needs a village to flourish; you cannot do it alone. Like many others, I’ve learned this the hard way. In school we are taught to cover our papers during exams, despise partner assignments and we are convinced that perfection is a must. So when we graduate to adulthood, most of us hold on to the mentality that we must do it alone & do it perfectly. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Much like anything in life, things take time, effort and practice. If we never fail, we never learn. In order to start any business, we must realize that we need a strong support system and the space to fail and fail again. Here’s some inspiration from a famous African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. I’m in the business of helping other business owners get their products & services to the right customers through education, empowerment & engagement. We support business owners in their marketing initiatives by helping them create a cohesive, highly-engaging, high-quality customer experience. When it comes to building your business, marketing is essential. The great thing about marketing? There are so many ways to market your products & services online and in real life! So many businesses are trying to break through the noise of social media and online selling strategies; it’s time to reach your target audience by thinking outside of the box. Strategies like sampling your product to real-life customers virtually or in real life (even during a pandemic), getting your social media up to date, going live consistently, partnering with on-target brands for giveaways and marketing campaigns, attending live events post-pandemic to connect with customers are just a few creative ways to reach your customers. However, you cannot do this alone. You need a VILLAGE to get you there. When it comes to starting, building, and growing your business you need to cultivate a village that can support you. Some will require financial investments and others will not. Getting creative and meeting new people that are already doing what you want to be doing in your business is a great first step! Get out there and start marketing creatively!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The idea of Con Amor Marketing came to me on July 27, 2018; two years ago. The idea came, like a fairy, out of thin air and I grabbed onto her. I got chills and immediately ran to my phone and started writing everything down knowing I had received an amazing idea: “A company that promotes and samples products for other startup companies in health and food. Pick our clients – have good coworkers – employ other moms and give them jobs. Part of proceeds go to scholarships & programs to fund women with dreams / Women empowering other women / Brands that we can trust, transparent, hire part time, flex jobs and even work from home, market for (brands), go to events, charge them a fee for the event to put it on + our fee.” That is exactly what I wrote down. I was so excited with this idea that I could’ve run around the whole house screaming. When my husband got home that night it was the first thing out of my mouth. I couldn’t believe it, it was the first scary idea that felt good in my bones, like it was meant to be for me. So I made the idea my new bestie and promised to see it through. And while that magic was happening a simultaneous shift in the Universe happened…I was about to embark on an incredibly amazing, frightening, vulnerable & uncertain journey that would shake me to my core and break down all of my walls and shine a light on all the things I kept tucked away, too embarrassed to show. I became a person with a business idea. For the next two years I would learn about myself in ways I’d never thought possible. Habits that no longer served me were realized and worked on, anxieties were brought up and talked about, lack of organizational skills showed me where I needed to become more accountable. I realized that I doubted myself…a lot. Starting a business takes an act of courage and is an ever-evolving journey. I am not nearly the same person I was two years ago. My challenges were of myself – my mindset, my level of self-awareness, consistency in my daily life, the ability to manage multiple things at once, and so many other things – and it’s been very challenging. But through every challenge, I’ve persisted until I was successful and that has made me a stronger person, more confident and healthy. And as you grow, your business grows. From the birth of that idea came Con Amor Marketing. A business that supports other businesses by helping to create amazing customer experiences. We help businesses with their branding, marketing, and customer service. It takes a village to grow a business. We are part of the village and help businesses connect with their customers more efficiently & creatively by creating unique marketing campaigns at real-life events and through online content creation. When the CO-VID19 Pandemic happened I pressed pause on the business and evaluated what I was doing. Over the last two years, I had been learning about the industry and my ideal clients. I had ZERO clients so far. All my work had gone into personal development. And then finally – my first (ever!) client signed the contract and 3 days later postponed the event of his grand opening indefinitely; quarantine started and I was heavily disappointed. After a few months of reflection I decided that I would donate my time to help small businesses during this time of crisis and uncertainty. Con Amor Marketing launched the #TOGETHERWETRIBE Small-Biz Initiative. We are donating 100 hours, equivalent to $4,000, worth of online marketing services to small-businesses. Many business owners have had to close shop or furlough/let go of employees because of the pandemic. And while I know I need to grow a profitable business, I knew that this is what the world needed more of – people helping people. And since I work a full-time job to pay the bills I can afford to donate my time (I do NOT advise this type of donation if you rely on your business to pay the bills). I am so proud of this initiative and am working with amazing business owners! Applications are now open and you can apply through IG @conamormarketing – I truly know that I am making an impact by supporting other businesses during this time. What sets us apart from other marketing businesses? I truly care about the growth of other businesses. I do not lie to get popular and I don’t hide my “weaknesses” or pretend to not know something. I have over 10 years of teaching & training experience and can help any business create fun & engaging educational content for their ideal customer that will foster an amazing B2C relationship – I can teach people how to sell naturally and effectively – I have over 10 years of graphic design & video editing experience and can help create beautifully professional social media content. We are one-of-a-kind and treat every client with respect and dignity. It takes an act of courage to start & grow a business and we want to help support you to see your dreams come to fruition. It takes a village to grow a business, we can be part of that village.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
South Florida is such an interesting & cultural place to live! There is so much art, music, restaurants, festivals, farmers markets, and things to do. Some of my favorite spots in the city will depend on the mood you’re in and what kind of adventure you want to have! If you’re feeling artsy & creative I’d suggest heading to Wynwood, a thriving & bumpin’ art district that is filled with colorful graffiti from artists all over the world, amazing food spots like The Salty Donut & Panther Coffee, and art/music events that are jam-packed with vendors and local shops. If it’s a rainy day I’d suggest heading to Aventura Mall that just got a multi-million dollar upgrade with its own high-end art pieces and a outdoor play area for kids. The eatery is upscale and beautifully decorated. Dozens of delicious restaurants and high-end shopping. There’s also a movie theater! Our personal favorite thing to do when the weather is great is to head over to the Hollywood Broadwalk for an early morning walk along the beach and breakfast with an ocean view at our favorite spot, the Marriott hotel’s restaurant Latitudes. The food is fresh & they offer an all-inclusive buffet and have unlimited mimosas on the weekend. I love eating there because they offer dairy-free milk (this is hard to come by for people that know the dairy-free struggle!). The Broadwalk is fun, filled with eateries, the Margaritaville resort and lots of yummy ice cream shops! You can have lunch and then walk 100 feet to jump into the ocean. You can’t beat it! If you’re looking for an outdoor date or family day head over to The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens. It is breath-taking and I don’t think I’ve even seen the entire park. There are bamboo forests, hundreds of plants & flowers imported from Asia, bonsai trees, art exhibits, walking trails and a cafe. My husband proposed to me at this park – I absolutely recommend it! South Florida is never short on outdoor activities and there are several spots that are beautiful and must-see like Oleta State Park in Golden Beach, Little Havana & Little Haiti, Zoo Miami in Homestead, Miami Design District, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Miami, Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, and so many others! Thinking of visiting South Florida? What are you waiting for?! Bienvenidos! Welcome!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It takes a village to build a business & a strong mindset; we cannot do it alone. Whether it is from the lessons of failure, hardship, mentors, support groups, books, or schooling, our journey is a myriad of various events and teachings we’ve internalized along the way. Most of my success has stemmed from the foundation my parents laid out for me as a young girl. They pushed me to ask questions, find my own answers, read lots of books, and work independently. This cultivated my love for writing, reading, learning and teaching. I am a quick learner and love to get my hands on anything that will push my ideas further or help me find answers. Over the years I have cultivated a team of leaders that have become my go-to mentors when I’m in need of help or motivation. I often imagine them sitting at a round table ready to give advice or direction as needed. They’re my Spirit Guide Hype-Squad, so to speak. My hype-squad includes Freddie Mercury, Bob Marley, Sara Blakely, Elton John, Rachel & Dave Hollis, Maya Angelou, my own mom, and my future self. These people have qualities I admire, qualities I work towards having in my own life. These people, to me, are masters of their craft or are wise beyond their years and can inspire me in an instant. They set my soul on fire to live life to the fullest. So, basically, whenever I’m in need of some encouragement or advice I look to them for answers and guidance. I’ll pick up some of their content, books, lessons, songs, teachings, etc. and find the guidance I’m looking for. If it is something more technical, I will specifically look at related material for whatever I’m needing in the moment. My Spirit Guide Hype-Squad is just one of the support systems that I have. My real-life support system are some badass women that I am absolutely obsessed with and have supported me without hesitation. My sister Chloe who has supported me since we were in the womb, my friends Andrea Jacobo and Arleen Senas whom have been in my life for over 10 years & have amazing accomplishment in education & public empowerment, Lauren Marsicano for believing in my passion and financially supporting my business, Christy Risco & Becca Marshall who are new friends but feel like we’ve known each other for lifetimes, my mother who has taught me some of life’s greatest lessons and continues to support me no matter what, Ana Aravena who included me in her beautiful vision of a mama-collective, Mpire., and has supported Con Amor Marketing without hesitation from day one. My best friends Brianna, Carden & Morgan who love me no matter what I do and will rush to my side in an instant. My beautiful friend Lindsay and her family who have become family over the years and have financially supported my business & work. Angie Morales, who has been in my life for a short amount of time but connected with as soon as we introduced ourselves to each other and continue to support and love each other! There are so many other beautiful women who support me in other ways and I love all of them! Also, a huge shoutout to my husband Enrique who supports every crazy idea even if he doesn’t see it clearly. He gives me the freedom & space to be myself and encourages me to grow in areas I’ve never even considered. There are so many who have supported me and continue to run WITH me throughout this journey – it really does take a village and I am grateful for every single one of them. So, a shout-out to our villages that are creating momentum for us to keep going!

Website: www.conamormarketing.com
Instagram: @conamormarketing | @emilymedaglia | @groundedsisters
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilymedaglia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conamormarketing/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXbVhyKIPfjo3eNFto475kg?view_as=subscriber