Her Story
About Aurora
Aurora Pascua is an independent business solutions manager operating Aurora Pascua Consulting and Management. She spent 25 years in the banking industry, working in frontline branch operations as well as back office roles in card services, human resources, and information technology. Her 10 years in IT, include six years as a department manager with project management responsibilities. These roles helped her develop a diverse foundation in operations, technology, people, process workflows, and project management. In December 2013, Aurora was unexpectedly laid off, marking a pivotal turning point in her career and ultimately opening the door to entrepreneurship.
Aurora began working independently in January 2014, intentionally creating a flexible work arrangement that allowed her to travel and increase her volunteer involvement over the following several years. Since then, Aurora has built a successful practice helping small businesses with back-office operations. Through word of mouth and referrals, she has supported approximately 20 clients, many of them through long-term, fractional engagements. Her longest client relationship began in 2018 and continues today.
Aurora completed an executive certificate in Technology, Operations and Value Chain Management through the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, MA. Although she has not completed a traditional college degree, she has built her expertise through professional experience, continuing education, and hands-on problem solving. She attributes her success to adaptability, relationships, and a willingness to keep learning, noting that colleagues in banking saw strengths in her and clients have driven referrals through trust and reliability. She believes integrity, trust, and respect are the foundation of meaningful relationships. Her advice to young women is simple: stay curious, ask questions, keep learning, and step outside your comfort zone—even when you don't feel completely ready.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Aurora
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to adaptability, relationships, and a willingness to keep learning. Throughout my years in banking, I was fortunate to work with people who saw strengths in me that I didn’t always recognize in myself. Their trust and encouragement gave me opportunities to grow, step outside my comfort zone, and discover what I was capable of.
As a business owner, my clients have also been an important part of my success. Many have trusted me with their businesses for years, and their confidence in my work has led to referrals and new clients.
But success isn’t just about the business I’ve built. It’s also about the life I’ve been able to create and enjoy. Working independently has given me the flexibility to build a career while still having time for the things I value in life.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be flexible and adaptable. When I started working independently, I knew what I wanted to achieve, but I didn’t have a clear roadmap for how to get there. Over time, I learned that the path becomes clearer as you move forward. You just need to be willing to take that next step, learn from the experience, and adapt along the way.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You don't have to have all the experience or all the answers to get started. Be curious, ask questions, and keep learning. If surrounded by people who know more than you, use it as an opportunity to learn from them, rather than a reason to doubt yourself. Be grateful for and show respect to those that are willing to mentor you. Give yourself permission to take on opportunities that challenge you, even when you don't feel completely ready. Experience comes with time, and confidence grows when you’re willing to keep learning.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities right now is that there’s so much technology available to small businesses, but having multiple applications doesn’t automatically create organization or efficiency, especially when the right processes and workflows haven’t been defined. That’s where I come in. I take the time to understand the business first, then help coordinate the right processes and workflows to meet its needs.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and building strong relationships through trust and respect. I believe that doing the right thing is important, even when nobody is watching. I hold at high value the trust that my clients place in me. Many of my client relationships have lasted for several years and the majority of my referrals come from clients and professional connections.
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