Eric Diaz
Nativa
Phoenix, AZ USA
"The best way to make a name for yourself is to have a niche and just really go for that niche."
Career Roadmap
Eric's work combines: Business, Entrepreneurship, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
When I went to tell my boss that I was resigning in order to pursue my MBA, I was sweating. I felt bad because my manager had just supported me through a two-year program to become a management trainee. When I told him, he said, "That's great!" If your manager really cares about you, they'll be supportive of the things that are best for you.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Associate's Degree
Economics, General
Columbus State Community College
Bachelor's Degree
Supply Chain & Marketing
The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business
Graduate Degree
Finance
D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
My entrepreneurial ventures started early—I would host baseball card sales at my house when I was around twelve years old.
2.
I earned my degree in supply chain and marketing and got a job in supply chain development for Staples—through Staples, I got the opportunity to work in Massachusetts, Arizona, and China.
3.
I earned my graduate degree and decided that I didn’t want to work for someone else anymore, so I started a web design company.
4.
I quickly realized that web design was too saturated and we weren’t great enough at it to stand out, so we pivoted and narrowed in on doing social media in Spanish for clients.
5.
As social media started to become more saturated, we rebranded the company as Nativa and transitioned into a multicultural marketing and advertising agency.
6.
I also work as an adjunct professor at Phoenix College, where I teach a variety of courses—my favorites are the two social media classes I teach.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Should I really quit my job and get my MBA? I'm letting my manager down. I feel so bad.
How I responded:
When I went to tell my boss that I was resigning in order to pursue my MBA, I was sweating. I felt bad because my manager had just supported me through a two-year program to become a management trainee. When I told him, he said, "That's great!" If your manager really cares about you, they'll be supportive of the things that are best for you.