Today we’d like to introduce you to Mariko Bennett.
Hi Mariko, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I am a master manifester and an architect of strategies to help executives, organizations, corporations, and individuals achieve their goals and objectives and manifest their dreams.
I attended Clark Atlanta University, and I am a graduate of the University of Maryland Global Campus with degrees in communications and business. After college, I began creating a career in public affairs. I didn’t start there. I worked my way up through a variety of positions. In 2005, I became the Political Action Committee & Compliance Manager for CH2MHILL. From there, I went to Baxter International, Inc., where I started as the Political Action Committee, Grassroots, Compliance, and then served as the Manager of Government Affairs.
I didn’t have the traditional educational journey of Yale, or Harvard, or work at the White House. Instead of creating bills to be introduced on the floor, I was creating children to be introduced into this world, real talk. I was raising a family, working, and going to school. I was making it happen. The way I needed to at that time in my life. It wasn’t always pretty, it wasn’t always productive, but it gave me grit and taught me grace. And grit and grace will get you far on the Hill and around the world.
In this journey, I have worked with some of the most powerful companies and the most impactful individuals in the world. I would not change any aspect of that journey because walking through that journey in that way led me to this day. Today, I am the proud founder and CEO of Coco. B. Productions a strategic consulting firm that has clients that may be familiar to many of you – Walgreens, Amazon, Aflac, and more. For more than five years, I have grown a business that began as a thought – a dream – and now it is a million-dollar company that has team members across the country. I come from a family of amazing businesspeople. In fact, I am blessed to say that I am able to work with my mother, my father, and my sister through our work at Coco B. Productions, the company that I founded five years ago.
I built the company from an idea to a million-dollar company that has team members across the country. We amplify brands through Event Innovation and Production, where we curate the rights rooms with the rights people where missions align. We create impact in our communities through our Fundraising Strategy, Coalition & Strategic Alliance Building. We assist in policy creation and implementation with our Grassroots and Advocacy Campaigns Development. We build global brand awareness through our full-scale marketing production services, offering video production, brand development, virtual event production, outreach, and media awareness.
In addition to Coco B. Productions, I am an international speaker, author, and coach. The strategies that helped me get here today are the same ones that I use to create successful outcomes for my clients. They are also the same ones that I outlined in my book, “The Blueprint to Manifest Your Dreams.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Those first couple of years were lean as far as manpower, and there were a lot of late nights and wearing multiple hats, which I’m sure all of us can understand. I made the decision to scale up when demand for Coco B. Productions was so great that I was working 24 hours a day, and I knew that I could not sustain that and be successful long-term. Since then, we have been able to work with the most powerful companies and the most impactful individuals in the world.
I faced a multitude of challenges. Those that come with being a woman-owned business, those that come with being a minority-owned business, and honestly, the challenges that come from being a Black woman-owned business. From staffing to raising capital to growing in a sustainable way, I found a way to overcome these challenges and others to make Coco B. Productions what it is today.
As you know, we’re big fans of COCO B. Productions. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We are based in DC, but our client reach has expanded to a worldwide portfolio. The majority of our client partnerships began through relationships. Those relationships have been cultivated through years of working in the DC area. We have been able to develop and provide services that meet the critical needs of our clients, amplify their brands and create exceptional experiences that meet their business goals. As such, many of our new client inquiries come from word of mouth, recommendations, and referrals from current and past clients, and I am very proud about that. Having those types of referrals mean the world to me because that is a type of advertising that you can’t pay for and one that means the most to potential clients. It’s also a great feeling for the team because they know that the work they are producing is making a difference and making an impact.
What does success mean to you?
I am a master manifester, so for me, success has to be something that I visualize, something I can create a blueprint for and work towards making that blueprint a reality. I truly believe that your dreams won’t work unless you do, and that is a mantra that has helped Coco B. Productions grow to the successful company that it is today.
Through my work with clients, I help them define success in 7 Life Focus Areas.
1. Physical Body: You look good and feel good
2. Spiritual: Your walk with God is closer than ever before. You are spending time praying, meditating, and you are centered. You feel as though you are living out your purpose.
3. Professional: Your career and business are both excelling beyond belief
4. Financial: Finances and Investments growing exponentially
5. Social: You are traveling the world, enjoying blue water and white sand, you are creating unforgettable moments
6. Relationship: Your relationship with family and friends your bond is stronger than it ever has been before
7. Mindset: You are positive and clear, your energy is infectious
When you can clearly see what success looks like on your terms, you can create a plan that gets you there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marikolabennett.com
- Instagram: @mariko_bennett1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariko.bennett.1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariko-bennett/
- Twitter: @Mariko_Bennett
- Youtube: @Blueprinting.Experience
Image Credits
Coco B. Productions
