Some careers are carefully planned. Others are built on courage.
For Valeria Mares, growth has always meant movement — across countries, industries, and identities. From Milan to London, from Latin America to New York, her journey reflects one constant pattern:
When opportunity felt intimidating, she chose it anyway.
Today, as the founder of Upstream, Valeria is channeling decades of global agency leadership into empowering professionals and independent organizations with strategic marketing infrastructure — not guesswork.
From Global Agencies to Independent Vision
Valeria’s career began in the fast-paced world of global media and communications networks, where strategy functions as the “brain” of an agency — connecting creative, data, media, and business teams under one unified vision.
Strategy, in her words, is the beating heart that aligns:
- Brand challenges
- Consumer insights
- Data-driven decision-making
- Cross-market collaboration
Her leadership roles spanned Europe, Latin America, and North America. Along the way, she led multi-market pitches, helped establish Mediterranean coordination hubs, and trained regional teams on strategic marketing frameworks — even building strategy departments where none previously existed.
One of her defining chapters involved working across 15 Latin American markets, training both internal teams and clients to operationalize strategic thinking.
As an immigrant and female leader in male-dominated environments, credibility was never handed to her — it was earned.
“My work will speak for itself,” became her guiding principle.
And it did.
Leading Through Difference
One of Valeria’s most powerful leadership insights came while managing one of the most diverse teams she had ever encountered — spanning nationalities, religions, gender identities, and lived experiences.
Instead of treating difference as friction, she transformed it into fuel.
Diversity became not just representation — but innovation.
She built growth by leveraging individual passions:
- Sustainability interests turned into content verticals
- Advocacy work evolved into market offerings
- Cultural differences inspired new product thinking
Her philosophy is clear:
Growth happens when individuality is activated, not suppressed.
The Leap: Founding Upstream
On November 7th, after years inside major global agencies, Valeria made a bold decision: she stepped away to build something of her own.
Upstream was born from a single belief:
Strategic marketing should not rely on trial and error — it should be teachable, repeatable, and operationalized.
Today, she works primarily through:
- One-on-one mentorships
- Strategic marketing workshops
- Advisory for independent agencies
- Infrastructure building for smaller organizations
Her focus is helping professionals accelerate learning — giving them structured frameworks to move faster and smarter in competitive markets.
The Hardest Part of Entrepreneurship
Unlike corporate leadership, entrepreneurship removes safety nets.
Valeria stepped into this chapter in her 40s, as a single mother, during economic uncertainty. The external risks were obvious.
But the real challenge?
Mindset.
“The biggest challenge is not letting fear take over.”
For her, entrepreneurship is less about spreadsheets and more about inner clarity — trusting that alignment creates momentum.
She believes success begins with conviction:
If something feels deeply right, you pursue it with intention.
The Golden Circle & A Bigger Dream
Valeria frequently applies the Golden Circle framework developed by Simon Sinek — the “Why, How, What” model — not only for professional development but also for corporate marketing strategy.
Her ambition?
To build official strategic marketing bootcamps for brands — structured programs that:
- Standardize excellence
- Align marketing teams
- Translate purpose into operational plans
And yes — she has even reached out to Simon Sinek’s team with a partnership proposal: inspiring organizations to define their “Why,” then cascading that purpose into structured marketing execution.
For her, bold outreach isn’t risky.
It’s necessary.
Building Visibility & Growth
Currently, Valeria leverages LinkedIn as her primary growth channel, supported by referrals from her extensive global network. Her client base includes independent agencies and professionals seeking acceleration, clarity, and strategic depth.
As she expands, her goals include:
- Launching structured strategic marketing bootcamps
- Partnering with publishers and brand teams
- Scaling advisory work across industries
She is building deliberately — not hurriedly.
A Founder’s Reflection
When asked whether she feels certain about this path, her answer is deeply personal:
“You know inside yourself if something is right.”
Her journey — from a self-described “tiny Italian with a suitcase” to a global strategy leader — proves that courage compounds over time.
And now, she’s helping others build with that same courage.
