Mariana Humberg
Company: El Toro
Title: Director of Ad Operations
Age: 25
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Resides (city or neighborhood): Louisville
Education history: M.S. in Economics from the University of Louisville, Master of Science in Business Analytics from the University of Louisville
Hobbies: Tennis, soccer, and hanging out with friends
Twitter/Instagram/other social media handle: Instagram — marianahumberg
Favorite tech gadget: iPhone
How did you get into the career you have today? As of this month, I’ve been at El Toro for three years. Before my last semester of undergrad, I interviewed at El Toro under a referral. I quickly became very passionate about the digital advertising world and fell in love with the company culture. Because of this, I knew that I wanted to work for them. While Ad Operations is not what I thought I would be doing after college, I’m glad it’s what I do today.
What’s one thing Louisville can do to improve its tech and/or startup ecosystem? Build more awareness around companies and initiatives. Before I interviewed at El Toro, I had not heard anything about them which I attribute to a lack of awareness around the tech/startup ecosystem in the city. Personally, I wish that I had learned more about companies like El Toro during classes and been a part of more networking events/meetups.
Who has been one of your top mentors? Why? David Stadler, one of the founders and my boss at El Toro. He’s smart, motivated, and an incredible leader. He constantly challenges those around him and during my time at El Toro, he’s pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and trust myself. He’s been an amazing mentor and I’m excited to keep learning and working with him!
What’s your best piece of advice for companies and individuals looking to be more innovative and disruptive in their fields? Be willing to make mistakes, challenge yourself, try new things, and get out of your comfort zone.
What accomplishment are you most proud of? I’m very proud of where I’ve gotten professionally thus far. In three years, I moved from an intern to a mid-management position at El Toro. I’m proud to be working in the U.S., as a foreigner and for a company I believe in.
What innovative company (other than your own) do you admire and why? I wouldn’t necessarily call them a “company,” but I admire what Code Louisville has done for the city of Louisville. Working for a tech company, I have a much better understanding of the development side of things and the importance of programming. Code Louisville offers students the ability to better their skills and switch career paths entirely if they’re interested in getting into coding.
