Her Story
About Mariel
Mariel Malahias served as Executive Assistant to the Global CRO at Condé Nast for six years, operating at a high level to support executive leadership, manage complex priorities, and help drive business operations in a fast-paced global environment. During her time there, she helped create a new role for herself as Manager of Business Operations, an experience that taught her the value of advocating for growth, creating opportunities, and leading beyond the boundaries of a title. In that role, she managed the commercial team associates, led onboarding and training initiatives, and supported their professional development and career growth.
Mariel later made the intentional decision to step away from her corporate career for a year to focus on her family and be fully present with her two young sons. During that time, she also invested in herself in a different way, earning her barre and sculpt certifications and beginning her journey as a fitness instructor.
What started as a personal passion quickly evolved into something more. Teaching reignited her love of leadership, wellness, and helping others feel strong and confident, ultimately inspiring her to begin building her own fitness company.
Today, while continuing to teach and grow that business, Mariel has returned to the executive world as Executive Assistant to the CEO of Run-A-Muck, a next-generation media company creating culture-driving worlds across fashion, music, sports, and entertainment. There, she once again works alongside the former Global CRO of Condé Nast, bringing together her experience in operations, people development, entrepreneurship, and brand building.
Personally, Mariel is an only child who was raised by an incredibly strong single mother after losing her father at a young age- an experience that instilled resilience, independence, and ambition from the start. She is a proud Virgo, fiercely loyal to her close-knit circle of friends, and happiest when she's in motion- whether traveling somewhere new, teaching a packed fitness class, building something from the ground up, or chasing after her two boys.
Mariel believes careers don't have to follow a straight line. Whether she's helping scale a business, building community in a studio, or creating opportunities for others, she's driven by growth, connection, and the idea that reinvention is often where the best stories begin.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mariel
01What do you attribute your success to?
Honestly, I think my success comes from a combination of resilience, curiosity, and not being afraid to take risks. I've never viewed my career as a straight line. I've created roles for myself, changed industries, stepped away to focus on family, started a business, and then returned to the corporate world with a completely different perspective. I've learned that some of the biggest growth happens when you're willing to embrace change instead of fighting it. That, and being raised by a strong single mom who taught me that hard work and determination can take you pretty far.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received was from my very first boss in fashion: 'It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.'
It's a mindset that's served me well throughout my career. I've never been someone who waits for the perfect timing, the perfect title, or someone else's approval before taking action. Whether it was creating a new role for myself, pivoting careers, or starting my own business, some of my biggest opportunities came from being willing to take initiative and figure things out along the way.
I've found that growth usually happens just outside your comfort zone, and sometimes you have to make the move before anyone else sees the vision.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give to young women in general is don't underestimate the power of taking initiative. Raise your hand, ask questions, build relationships, and don't wait for permission to grow. Also, don't compare your timeline to anyone else's. Careers evolve, priorities change, and success doesn't always happen in a straight line. The goal isn't to have a perfect path—it's to keep learning, adapting, and moving forward.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is pace- everything is moving faster than ever, especially in media and culture. But the biggest opportunity is also that pace. It’s opened the door for more creativity, more entrepreneurship, and more non-linear careers.
The people who win right now are the ones who can adapt quickly, wear multiple hats, and connect ideas across industries instead of staying in just one lane.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, resilience, and growth are the values I come back to in everything I do. I care about showing up consistently and doing things the right way, even when no one is watching. I’ve also learned to really value resilience- life and career rarely follow a straight line. And growth is what keeps me moving forward. I’ve never been interested in staying in one lane or one version of myself. For me, it’s about evolving, learning, and staying open to what’s next.
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