Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008 - (Page 61)

OUTLOOK FOR ENTREPRENEURS Basics Above All Santiago’s business philosophies are as straightforward and fundamental as her reason for success. “I’ve always held the belief that I’m not out there to get as many clients as possible,” she says. “Maybe it sounds cliché, but I don’t want to be the biggest, but the best. Success for me is measured by how well we do the job for which we’ve been hired.” Second, she believes in honesty and clear communication. “You have to live by that because people have to believe in what you do,” she says. “If we make a mistake, we own up to it and move on.” Third, she believes in using Hispanic-geared advertising for good, not detriment. For this reason, she’s turned away potential millions of dollars in alcohol and tobacco advertising. “We could probably be three times the size we are, but it’s just not something I believe in,” she notes. Fourth, while she’s an advocate of hard work, she also feels one must have fun at his/her job – seeing clients grow their own businesses. Finally, she’s a strong believer in giving back. Beyond the agency’s pro bono work for organizations such as the American Cancer Society and Heart Association, Santiago (who earned a MA in clinical psychology in 1999) offers counseling services at local clinics and to clients. “Though I’m very proud of all our achievements, I think I’m proudest of having been a pioneer and opening doors,” she says. “We helped grow the Hispanic advertising industry and set the tone for those who came behind us. We really had nothing to follow. I felt like Cassandra when we started out, and managed to convince many clients what a huge constituency the Latino community is.” Up Ahead? Where does Santiago want to see the company in the next five years? “I think we’re better poised for growth now than we’ve ever been,” she says. “I have an excellent management team, especially after hiring Ingrid Otero-Smart, a former competitor, as president. But, thankfully, I’ve also been smart enough to step out of their way and let them do their thing. So, while we’re going like gangbusters now, I think that will increase.” She also offers some advice to aspiring Latino entrepreneurs: “Don’t be afraid or discouraged; there’s opportunity for everyone. A lot more people say no than yes, but don’t allow that to hamper you. Especially with diversity today, young Latinos truly can shop around. It’s also important to network and make as many connections as possible; join clubs and organizations. Volunteer for pro bono work. And last, seize every small opportunity you come across; they can often lead to larger ones.”|dMBA| 61 daydreaming abut starting my own agency, and one day in the elevator got a stomach ache because I didn’t like what I was doing there any longer. It was probably the worst possible time to go solo – my marriage was failing and I had two growing kids, but I took a leap at entrepreneurship anyway.” On Her Own So, in 1987, Santiago launched The Hispanic Group with a staff of one – herself. But things happened unexpectedly. “One of our clients at Bermudez was Columbia Pictures, who had hired us to promote the film La Bamba , the biography of Ritchie Valens. Since I had done most of the work on it – attending meetings, sending out PR, and so on - the client said they wanted to leave Bermudez and come with me. Much as I wanted that, I told them I would only do that with Eduardo’s (Bermudez, CEO of Bermudez & Associates) blessing; I wouldn’t just take business from another agency. As I had had so much contact with the client, Eduardo felt they would be best going with me, and gave his permission. La Bamba turned out to be a huge crossover hit, and what put us on the map.” Not long after La Bamba, Santiago was contacted by another ads agency, Deoleufeu Wilson, who needed help with some Latino clients. She eventually split the cost of a receptionist and shared rented space with the firm in a Culver City warehouse. “We initially found that most companies didn’t want to listen to us about marketing to Latinos,” she says, “They didn’t understand the potential of the demographic, and we had a lot of doors shut in our faces. But we persevered, and the clients started coming. The rest really was history, and we eventually moved to our present location in Santa Monica.” Clients and Growth During her growth period, Santiago’s client list was almost a who’s who. The agency created a Spanishlanguage information kit and countertop brochure display for Blue Cross of California, and executed a Hispanic-oriented campaign for United Way. It revamped the California Milk Processing Board’s campaign using a departure from the noted “Got Milk?” tagline, because “Got Milk?” translated to “Are you lactating?” in Spanish. Other campaigns included opening the Hispanic market for See’s Candies, numerous bilingual and Spanish anti-smoking and drunkdriving campaigns, a Latino-specific revamp for Carl Jr’s restaurants, and a full compliment of Hispanicspecific print, TV, and outdoor campaigns for Wells Fargo Bank, including mortgages, small businessowners, and home loans. Anita Santiago Advertising has won more than 40 awards and has seven major clients. Its best-known client is likely retail giant Ikea, who relied on Santiago to develop an entire Latino-specific campaign and also create its Spanish-language web site. June 2008 Top 1 0 0 Unde r 5 0 D i ve rse Le ade rs

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008

Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008 Contents Letters to the Editor In Your Own Hands Editor's View Find Your Power Voice Business Briefs Off the Shelf The Fourth Annual Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Corporate Executives Negotiation: The Art of Persuasion or Zero Sum Game? Career Planning for Tomorrow's Hispanic Workforce Who's Who In Diversity Entrepreneur Profile: Anita Santiago: Doing It Her Way Businesses that Keep On Giving Rising Sun Going Global: Will An International Assignment Benefit Your Career Work-Life Balance and the C-Suite: An Oxymoron? A Call to Save Travel: Off the Beaten Path - Chile Drawing the Line – Latin Art Exhibit The New Taste of Latin Cuisine American Sabor: Exhibit Highlights Latino Influence in Pop Music Crafting Specialized Business Degrees Latest MBA Salary Suggests MBA Is A Safe Haven Gadgets & Gizmos Gone Phishing – How Scammers Mine Private Data From Web Surfers Advertiser's Index The Meaning of Sanctuary

Diversity MBA Magazine - Summer 2008

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