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Listen to this articleBy: Karla Amador
Before becoming the founder of Encounter Marketing and Public Relations (EMPR), for eleven years Sandra Garcia Lowery strategized media sales and marketing plans for brands including Toyota, L’Oreal, Almay, Estee Lauder, SnapChat, Apple, Verizon Wireless, Sephora, Pepsi, and American Express to name a few on behalf of media partners. Early this year, Lowery took a leap of faith and stepped away from Corporate America to pursue her vision as a female founder, something she had longed for.
When asked what it’s like to be her own boss, Lowery responded that “there is no playbook for being an entrepreneur, but I find fulfillment in being able to help my clients drive sales, increase productivity, and elevate brand presence. Success is living a life on your own terms, in a way that works for you, doing what you enjoy and being able to sustain yourself doing so.
Originally from Honduras, the impact of being bilingual and Afro-Latina influenced her ability and drive to relate to people, which she later transferred into her leadership and entrepreneurship strengths. One of her business services is to help her business owner and corporate executive clients grow their brands, generate leads, and drive sales: “A lot of business owners are working on their love for something, which is their brand. Knowing your audience is essential to establishing a connection, a culture, and a colloquialism [for] driving a marketing campaign [that] reaches that market.”
“Gaining confidence in my cultural identity as an Afro-Latina, I realized that I’m not alone in this journey. Now as a founder, woman, and entrepreneur, I hope to use my voice to inspire confidence in other individuals both personally and professionally.”
As the current New York Chapter President of the National Association of Multi-Ethnicity Communications (N.A.M.I.C), a Forbes 30 under 30 2016 nominee, and a Latino Leaders Magazine top 25 Future Latino Leader, Lowery has clearly made her mark. When asked how she felt about her accomplishments so far, she responded that accolades are not something I work for, I am just doing what I feel I need to do for me and the people around me. As a woman of color in 2018, Lowery believes that it’s a magical time to share your story with people who may be able to identify with you.
