Gina Mariko, CEO & Pinayista founder: Launching the 1st POC Wine & Food Fest, Profit-First Model, Overcoming Cyclical Burnout

Gina Mariko Rosales is the founder of Make it Mariko and Pinayista, as well as the Co-founder of UNDISCOVERED SF and Balay Kreative. As a Filipino Japanese American entrepreneur, events enthusiast, efficiency nerd, dancer and nonprofit advocate, Gina is looking to create magical, meaningful moments that help remind us of the beauty and interconnectedness of life. In this episode Gina challenges the idea of “doing it all” as a business leader. The episode gives insight into the very real struggles of POC entrepreneurship, burnout, and the obstacles faced when scaling a company. Gina talks about accepting success and the mindset surrounding money. Exploring the thought provoking idea of finances in an echo-chamber of scarcity. Through Make It Mariko, Gina is curating an event that encourages Communities of Color to recognize that a beautifully curated event is inherently deserved. 

Find out what Gina’s plans are for the future! Don’t miss out on the POC Food & Wine Festival presented by Make It Mariko! Use code FOTRFAM for 20% off tickets. The Filipina on the Rise Team looks forward to seeing you there!

In this episode, we cover:

• Gina’s personal journey of embracing her Filipino identity and leveraging it to create empowering and uniting multicultural event spaces, like the Undiscovered SF Night Market and initiatives supporting Filipino women and entrepreneurs.
• Gina’s approach to event planning that balances community needs with business viability, promoting a ‘profit first’ model for sustainability.
• Gina’s philosophy on embracing opportunities, the value of a diverse skill set and her experiences at Google X, stressing authenticity and the importance of bringing one’s whole self to work.
• Challenges of scaling a business as a person of color and a woman
• The strategies for overcoming burnout, nurturing growth and setting realistic goals for success in entrepreneurship.
• Gina’s commitment to building a multicultural community, her involvement in the POC Food and Wine Festival, strategies for longevity through real estate and empowering Filipino women to pursue their passions authentically.

Sponsors: Passion Planner. Passion Planner helps you identify your dreams and build toward them every day. Find Passion Planner on Instagram or the Passion Planner website and discover the right planner for you. 

Elaine Dizon is a mindset and life coach, writer, and recipient of AT&T's highest DEI award at a corporate level -- the Spark Award. She leverages her experience in conscious parenting, performance management coaching, and neuroleadership science to support continuous learning towards outcomes and results.