Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Mongiardo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Maria. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am twenty-three years old. Currently, I am getting my masters of public health at Boston University’s medical school. I am concentrating in epidemiology and biostatistics and hope to be able to do chronic disease related research when I am finished with my studies.
Growing up on the north shore I have always had a passion for blogging, social media, and pop culture. Back in high school, I created my own Tumblr blog that eventually reached 20,000 followers. Over time, my blog and the posts I made were getting noticed by celebrities. One celebrity in particular, Lady Gaga, reached out to me about a fan video I made for her. She tweeted about the video, followed me on twitter, and invited me to meet her backstage at the TD Garden back in 2014. I remember being so honored to meet someone I have looked up to for years. When I met her, I was working for a non-profit called “Lupus Chick” (and I continue to work for them to this day). This non-profit centered around helping those who have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease known as Lupus. When I met her we both did the “L hand sign” in a photo for Lupus awareness. It was an honor and a privilege to be able to spread Lupus awareness to many people around the world. After meeting Lady Gaga, I became a channel kindness reporter for her Born This Way foundation. I reported on stories of kindness in my community and interviewed several different people and organizations.
Fast forward to my senior year of college, I decided to pursue a master’s in public health. I loved epidemiology related research and knew my career goals were centered around this. Throughout college I had worked for several non-profits and even did social media work for them. Heading into my first year as a masters student I had five or six non-profits/ businesses I was consistently doing social media work for. Today, I have anywhere between 10 to 12 businesses and non-profits I do social media work for. My side hustle as a social media manager truly grew over the last year. I have a wide range of businesses I manage social media for including non-profits, skin clinics, chefs, hair salons, and even fitness trainers. Within the last few months, I have gotten into growing my own social media brand and becoming an online influencer. I started being asked to promote skin products, clothing, technology and even toys. It has been an amazing journey so far as an influencer and I am so excited to see what the future holds.
Has it been a smooth road?
When I was in high school I was teased and bullied quite a bit. I did not have many friends and was considered the “quiet and shy girl.” I channeled a lot of what I was going through into blogging. I am very thankful for the strong family support I had in real life and the online community from my blog to get me through high school. College was an easier time for me as I started to find my place and make lifelong friends. In general, my advice for women is to find your passion in life and continue to do what you love despite what others think. People may have wronged you in the past but they should not determine what you will do in the future. A year after my own high school experience, I received apologies from those who have bullied me in the past. For the most part, people grow up and mature after high school. If you are struggling to get through high school or college know you are not alone and there are so many people out there who are just like you.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into your story. Tell us more about the business.
Over the last six years I have done social media work for various small businesses and non-profits. It has been a learning process as technology and social media is constantly changing. I attract audiences to my clients’ social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn). I am most proud of helping my clients get their businesses noticed by the general public. One of my clients, Tanya Thomas Skin Clinic, is a skin clinic in New York City. Over the last year, her client base has grown astronomically and she has grown over 17,000 Instagram followers. Another client, LupusChick, started with 3,000 Facebook likes and has grown to over 30,000 Facebook likes. LupusChick is an incredible non-profit organization led by Marisa Zeppieri looking to spread awareness about the autoimmune disease known as Lupus. I think what sets me apart from others is my passion, drive, and my attention to detail. By understanding my client’s needs I have the ability to help them succeed.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Communicating and reaching out to as many people you are interested in is incredibly important. You need your voice to be heard. Going through different job websites, career fairs, and networking classes at school is crucial.
I come from a long line of strong independent Italian women. My grandmother immigrated from Italy on her own with just a distant family relative to sponsor her. Women like her have been trailblazers in my life. My mother is my strongest supporter in my life. She has given me the ability to explore my passions and keep me grounded. Of course, Lady Gaga is also a woman that inspires me. She is a fearless confident woman that does not let the media or anyone tell her who she should be. Without these two leading ladies I would not be the woman I am today.
Contact Info:
- Email: mariamon@bu.edu
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maria.mongiardo/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/marialikespasta
Image Credit:
There is a photo of me in NYC. There is a photo of me promoting headphones for a headphones company called “Riwbox”. Photo of me and Lady Gaga. Photo of me and lady gaga doing the “L” hand sign. Photo of me promoting earrings. Photo of me promoting a romper for a company called “beblessedcreations” Photo of my mother and I.
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