New gems, oh yes, they are so very hard to come by. But so sweet once found. Cyndi Ramirez is more than just a certified hustler, she's the epitome of Wonder Woman - a do it all and most importantly, she's not quitting anytime soon. Cyndi is an NYC native, raised in Queens through her late teens and moved to Manhattan at the age of 17. As a teenage model turned adult actor, she even had the pleasure of gracing her presence on an episode of The Sopranos with Lady Gaga. We know, she's uber cool.
After attending college at LIM with a major in Fashion Marketing, she had every job imaginable: retail, PR, marketing, events, styling, casting and production, waitressing, bartending, consulting, etc. Almost anything she could do to stay busy. By early 2013, she launched (TTS) Taste The Style, a personal style blog that would later become something bigger and more. By that same year, she launched her first company with her boyfriend, an influencer agency called The Eclective and spent nights working on the second business, DAILĒ (a newly launched skincare brand.)
Her resume speaks volumes of her character, but her personality boasts even more.
Describe yourself in 3 words:
CR: Dreamer, Doer, Determined.
I absolutely love Taste The Style! What inspired the concept behind such a genius idea?
CR: THANK YOU! I actually just wanted to say I was my own inspiration. I worked in fashion and in restaurants my entire life. I started the site so that I could explore and write about what I loved most. Something a lot of people don't know is that TTS started off as a restaurant review blog back in 2009 -- and so did the idea to fuse both categories. Life got in the way, so I put the site on hold (as well as the fashion component) and revived it in 2013, finally getting everything I ever wanted and more.
Aside from Taste The Style, what else are you involved in?
CR: I'm also the co-founder of DAILĒ, a newly launched skincare product that acts as a youth-preserving serum + moisturizer. We just launched a retail exclusive with Urban Outfitters, so I'm pretty pumped about that!
In addition, my boyfriend and business partner is the owner of a hospitality group that currently owns 1 bar (The Garret) with two on the way. I'm the self-proclaimed "first lady" so I help out with any matters relating to events, social media, promotion, whatever! We like to keep things in the family.
As a Latina on the rise, how would you describe your work ethic? Most importantly how do you stay focused?
CR: As someone who juggles two growing businesses and wear many hats, staying focused is definitely a challenge I deal with regularly. There's ALWAYS something inbound, making it pretty hard to factor in your big picture work in the middle of the day. I try to write and edit when my mind's sharpest which usually is around 10am, directly after I've chugged a green tea. Aside from that, I have a similar approach as Mark Cuban. Basically, I try to do the work I have to do during the day (posting, emails, calls, managing the team, social media, etc.) during the day. The rest waits until night, basically anything that doesn't deserve my immediate attention gets handled on Sundays.
I really like cranking out work Sunday night...right before the Walking Dead, that is.
Going back to when you were first starting out in the industry, did you feel that you had to prove your self more than others, and why?
CR: Totally. I didn't finish up my college degree which gave me a bit of an inferiority complex in my early 20s. It definitely left me feeling like no one would hire me. Every career opportunity said "Bachelor's degree required" which really ticked me off. What if I had everything it takes? What if I was the next big marketing genius? So you just completely deny me before I even get a chance to apply? This was partly a burden on my career but also a huge blessing. The people that actually took a chance in me believed in me so at the end of the day, what a cosmic hurdle it all was because the proof is in the pudding.
If we could raid your closet right now, what three recent purchases would we find?
CR: I've been on a bit of a sneaker kick lately! I'm currently really loving my New Balances and these Adidas originals. My boyfriend also got me the coolest coat from Asos this Christmas. It's ombre!
Who do you admire in the hispanic community? Anyone in particular you aspire to be?
CR: I admire my girl Laura Zapata, she's the Fashion Editor at Cosmo for Latinas and is quite the go-getter. I also admire how immersed she is in the hispanic community. It's inspiring to watch!
Who I aspire to be? Carolina Herrera! Woman is a serious BOSS and does it with so much class.
What goals or achievements do you wish to accomplish this year?
CR: Without divulging too much, I'd really like to start taking the TTS name/brand offline (*wink, wink*)
With DAILĒ, really just growth. Bringing the brand to new markets, making people fall in love with our first product as much as I am. Then, who knows? Maybe more products down the line? You'll have to stay tuned to find out...
What advice would you give to other young girls wanting to conquer the world?
- Wake up every day with a plan.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help.
- Try to build some work relationships that'll last a lifetime.
- Always show up to a meeting prepared.
- Surround yourself with people that make you HAPPY.
- Be kind to everyone.
Last, give us your secret recipe to success.
CR: I do all of the above.
You can follow Cyndi on Insta via the handle
@cyndiramirez on Twitter and Taste The Style
*Latinas on the Move is a series by WST documenting the lives of entrepreneurial and business savvy latina women.*