Venessa Riojas- Furlong

I attribute my success to a blend of discipline, creativity, and an almost stubborn refusal to accept “good enough.” I’m wired to organize chaos, build structure where there is none, and push teams toward outcomes that actually move the needle. But I also bring a creative lens that lets me see opportunity where most people only see roadblocks.

I surround myself with smart people, I listen, and I execute. And I don’t shy away from rolling up my sleeves, whether it’s solving an operational bottleneck, rebuilding a digital strategy from the ground up, or jumping in on the creative side to elevate the brand.

At the end of the day, my success comes from staying relentlessly curious, treating challenges like puzzles instead of problems, and holding myself to a standard that forces everything around me to level up. It’s not magic. It’s mindset, work ethic, and consistency.

The best career advice I’ve ever received was to learn to say no. It sounds simple, but it completely reshaped the way I operate as a leader.

For most of my career, I was the person who could take on anything, fix anything, and carry more weight than I should. And while that made me valuable, it also made me a landing pad for everyone else’s responsibilities. Learning to say no taught me how to establish boundaries, protect my time, and focus on the work that actually drives results.

It made me more effective, not less. Saying no isn’t about being difficult. It’s about being strategic. It’s about reserving your energy for high-impact decisions, not distractions. And honestly, once I started doing it, my productivity, clarity, and leadership presence all leveled up.

I tell young women entering this industry one thing right out of the gate: own your value from day one. Don’t wait for permission to take up space. This is a fast-moving, highly competitive field, and the people who rise are the ones who combine confidence with competence.

Second, build boundaries early. If you don’t protect your time and your expertise, someone else will happily consume both. Learning to say no is a power move, not a personality flaw.

Third, learn the business end-to-end. E-commerce and digital sales reward people who understand the full ecosystem; product, logistics, marketing, margins, customer behavior, and the data that ties it all together. The more you understand, the more indispensable you become.

And finally, never lose your voice. Speak up in the rooms you’ve earned your way into. Challenge assumptions. Ask better questions. Bring solutions, not noise.

This industry needs more women who lead with clarity, strategy, and backbone. Step into it boldly.

Right now, the biggest challenges in my field come down to margin pressure, rising acquisition costs, and the constant need to cut through noise in an oversaturated digital marketplace. Customer expectations are higher than ever, supply chains are still unpredictable, and brands that don’t evolve fast enough get left behind. But on the flip side, the opportunities are just as big. AI, data, and smarter digital architecture are transforming how we personalize, target, and convert. Emerging markets, new commerce channels, and elevated brand experiences are opening doors for companies that are willing to innovate instead of cling to old playbooks. The teams that win are the ones who use technology to sharpen strategy, streamline operations, and build real loyalty instead of chasing one-off transactions. In other words, the field is tough, but the upside is huge if you know how to operate with focus, agility, and a little creative fire.

The values most important to me are continuous improvement through the philosophy of Kaizen, creativity in painting, dedication and joy in caring for my pets, and maintaining balance and wellness through swimming.