Mariz Brown Runs A Supportive Community For Professional And Entrepreneurial Women

Mariz Brown was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to California when she was 12 years old. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Business of Administration and has been an entrepreneur in the Los Angeles area for over 10 years and in the corporate world for almost 5 years.

She is happily married to her high school sweetheart with four young boys ranging from 5 to 12 years old. She now lives permanently in the the small town of Redding, northern California.

What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?

I’m an entrepreneur at heart. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to start a woman empowerment movement in the small town of Redding, CA. I was motivated to do this because as a woman, I felt that women with dreams need support and encouragement from other women. I felt that if I had a supportive community growing up, I would’ve been a lot more successful than I am now.

Tell us about your business.

Women of Vision is a movement that facilitates women empowerment to the town of Redding, CA. It is for professional and entrepreneurial women who are already empowered and already have goals, but want support from other empowered and driven women.

Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?

We are live on Facebook every Thursday 10am PST; Women of Vision Redding. We also have a Podcast that is live in iTunes and Soundcloud; Women of Vision Podcast.

Where is your business based?

Redding, CA.

What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?

Before launching the business, I wanted to see if Redding was in need of a woman empowerment group. I put together an event to see if people would show up. The event drew over 30 people and women were excited to join.

Next, I put together a Facebook Group for those who wanted to join and facilitated the online group. From there I put up events that helped women be aligned with their goals and more events to get the women in front of each other instead of just online.

The rest just snow balled. The need for a woman empowerment group was much needed in our small town. I am honored to be able to facilitate it.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?

The most effective way of raising awareness has been through Facebook, Instagram, and putting on live events that women enjoy.

What have been your biggest challenges so far?

The biggest challenge has been dealing with members who are in the group for the wrong reason. There has only been two incidents of misconduct and usually those members weed themselves out.

How did you overcome these challenges?

I have been able to overcome these challenges by staying professional and having open communication with the members.

How do you keep motivated through difficult times?

There are three ways I stay motivated when difficult times arise: being with family and my husband, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and hiking trails and mountains.

How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?

I am a creative in my approach to marketing as well as my events. I do not advertise the group as a leads group. I help the members achieve their goals by working one on one with them through a variety of projects geared towards the success of their business.

Not only do I have meetings for the members, I also have them do Facebook live sessions to share their stories, run the Women of Vision Podcast, host a website with a member’s directory, and run a YouTube channel that captures the events and Facebook live sessions.

What is the best advice you have received recently?

Focus on your own journey, don’t worry about what others are doing.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?

Be you. You are unique. Your uniqueness is what differentiates you from everyone else. There is no one else out there quite like you. Utilize your uniqueness in your approach to business.

What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?

Social media is my favorite business resource because social media works for you even when you don’t feel like it. Social media connects you to your potential clients/members.

What is a good article or book you have read recently?

“How to Win Friends and Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie. It’s an older book, but still relevant to this day.

What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?

I need help spreading the word and opening chapters in different locations. My niche is in small towns and rural areas, supporting women who lack the community and support to achieve their dreams.

What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?

My goal for the next few months is to attract more quality members. I am achieving this by implementing a yearly membership fee. So far it has been successful.

What social media outlets do you use? List them below.

Instagram @women.of.vision.movement
Facebook @Womenofvisionreddingcalifornia
Facebook Group @womenofvisionredding
Website www.womenofvisionmovement.com
Email women.of.vision.redding@gmail.com