Vanessa Vigil
Chief Brand Officer
NGLmitú
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-vigil/
What are three attributes that got you where you are now?
Curiosity, persistence, hard work.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to enter the market?
Be inquisitive and genuinely interested in learning everything around you. Ask for context around the tasks you perform (not to question it, but to understand it). Listen and observe. Finally, always think as a consumer first. We often become such industry insiders, and at the end of the day we are all consumers. Don’t overlook that perspective.
Pre-workday, what is your morning ritual?
I’ve trained myself to be an early riser and on an ideal morning, I do cross fit at 5am. It does wonders for my mood and energy throughout the day – namely, reminding me that “I can do hard things” (and that they all come to an end – eventually)!
What about your job keeps you up at night?
Wondering what cultural connection and a company/brand like mitú will look like for the next generation of Latinos in the US. We are increasingly US-born, which makes our children 3rd+ generation and I wonder if our cultural connections will remain as strong for those following generations. And if not, what’s the future of the consumer-facing brands we’re building?
In an industry brimming with information, what isn’t talked about enough?
Compensation inequities. We see the statistics all the time about how women make less than men, and women of color make even less. We need to move beyond stats and make inroads on compensation transparency. I expect there to be a shift in corporate accountability as this generation is connected, vocal, and will challenge the social norms of not talking about money. Women are enrolling in and graduating college at unprecedented rates, becoming the primary or sole breadwinners at home, and starting new businesses. We are a tremendously valuable part of the economy and should be compensated as such.
