Her Story
About Tiara
I've been working in the creative and marketing space for over 15 years, though my journey into marketing specifically is more recent. I spent 13 years at Barash Media, where I started as an ad coordinator, moved into the creative director position doing graphic design, revamping the magazine to keep up with trends and laying out all the editorial content, and eventually became the general manager. In that GM role, I started doing behind-the-scenes marketing work because we didn't have the budget to hire someone dedicated to it. I'd meet with the team, give ideas, create reels, put together campaigns, and I just found it really intriguing. I enrolled in Google's digital marketing courses and realized I had a passion for combining both the marketing strategy and the creative execution. I don't think you have to be just marketing or just creative - I believe I can be a bigger version of both. A local company reached out to me about a marketing position, and after meeting with them and learning about their business model, I decided to make the jump. Now, as Director of Marketing and Creative at RVT, I'm essentially rebranding the entire company from the ground up - creating new catalogs, updating business cards and company folders, developing social media schedules, going out on the production floor to capture content, and really trying to understand our target audience and what the company needs to succeed. No two days are the same, but that's what makes it exciting.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tiara
01What do you attribute your success to?
I can’t pinpoint exactly where my drive for this field originated, especially since no one in my family works in it. When I first went to school for graphic design, most people around me didn’t even know what it was. However, during high school I discovered that I naturally gravitated toward the arts and computer-related classes. Many of my electives were focused on art and photography—back when photography still involved working in a darkroom, which was an incredible experience to learn.
Around 10th grade, I began to notice graphic design emerging more through computer software. I remember seeing professionally designed signs and realizing that creating something like that was actually possible on my own. That realization sparked my curiosity, and I dove into learning more about it. From there, I quickly developed a passion for the work.
People often ask me where that interest came from, and the truth is I’m not entirely sure. It simply clicked for me at a young age and has felt like a natural way for me to think and create ever since.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My biggest piece of advice is to keep moving forward and be willing to take on additional responsibilities wherever you work. At times, there can be a mindset of “that’s not my job,” but much of my own career growth came from being willing to step in, lend a helping hand, and take on tasks outside of my defined role. Those experiences often spark new ideas and perspectives that you can then apply to your primary responsibilities.
Another important reality, especially for those entering the workforce, is understanding that career growth takes time. Many graduates hope to begin their careers at the highest salary levels, but professional development typically starts with smaller steps. Just as we grow and mature over time in life, the same principle applies to a career. You begin as a young professional, and with experience, dedication, and persistence, you develop into a more accomplished and successful one.
Finally, it’s important to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. When I was a general manager, employees would sometimes come to me upset after making a significant mistake. My response was often to reassure them that mistakes are a sign of growth. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re likely not challenging yourself or learning. In many ways, mistakes can become some of your greatest accomplishments—they just don’t feel that way in the moment.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I feel like some of the challenges, specifically in marketing, is that it's just ever-changing. You really have to try to be on top of those changes. My title is Director of Marketing and Creative, so there are a lot of times where I'm trying to understand the marketing trends and follow those trends, but also keep up with the design trends and how to really get those call-to-actions and visual elements working - like the carousels on social media, what's working, what's not working. I'm trying to funnel marketing and creative into one aspect of my position. The biggest challenge is going to be just keeping up with the trends because of how fast the digital world is evolving.
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