'About all of us': Norwich's Maria Miranda named Small Business Person of the Year for CT

Maria Miranda and her business, Miranda Creative, usually promote other people but she had her turn to receive accolades on Monday.

The U.S. Small Business Administration named Miranda the Small Business Person of the Year for Connecticut. She will be competing against other business owners for Small Business Owner of the Year nationally, as a part of the SBA’s National Small Business Week.

“I might be the person being honored, but it’s really about all of us at Miranda Creative,” she said about herself and her 30 employees.

Miranda Creative, located next to the Norwichtown Green, is a brand management agency. The company promotes a consistent brand identity for clients across multiple platforms, Miranda said.

The company has a wide range among its 75 clients, from state government programs like CT Grown and Connecticut Paid Leave to Parkville Market in Hartford, to local clients like CorePlus Credit Union, Thames Valley Council for Community Action, and United Community and Family Services, Miranda said.

What is the Small Business Person of the Year Award?

The award recognizes the hard work small business owners do. To win, a business needs to demonstrate growth, overcoming challenges, and commitment to the community, SBA District Director Catherine Marx said.

“In all of those categories, not only did Maria Miranda meet the mark, she exceeded every aspect,” she said.

Miranda is especially known for her commitment to the community, as she volunteers with SCORE Eastern CT to help other small businesses grow, Marx said.

As Connecticut has 354,000 small businesses, the award is a real achievement, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney said.

Part of the honor also includes traveling to Washington D.C. to represent Connecticut in the national competition, Marx said.

Women in Business: Sherry Pocknett is Connecticut's Woman of the Year 2024

How Miranda started Miranda Creatives

The 35-year-old business started out of an apartment above Miranda’s parents’ home, with one client, a medical supply catalog, she said.

Miranda learned most of her marketing skills from her Frito-Lay salesman father. Miranda used to box up stale chips with him while he gave her lessons about marketing, service, building relationships, and business, she said.

Miranda took graphic design jobs to pay for art school. One agency head was also her instructor at Three Rivers Community College. He was impressed by Miranda's marketing knowledge. He sold Miranda the contract with the catalog for just $1, she said.

Miranda Creative grows through relationships built with clients through respect and trust. As people move to different companies, they remembered Miranda Creative’s quality work, and sought the firm out for their new company, Miranda said.

“We’re not just doing the work just in front of us,” she said. “We’re doing the work over the next 20, 30 years.”

Social media, targeted ads: What marketing firms do

Technology has rapidly changed since the days Miranda drove to send faxes. Back then, the company would have to spend money on media, like billboards or radio ads, that would reach both people interested and not interested in a given product or service. Now, digital marketing, which includes search histories and social media, creates more efficient ways to reach the target audience, she said.

“From a small business perspective, it’s incredibly powerful,” Miranda said. “What used to only be available to large businesses is now in the reach of small businesses.”

Advertisers have always employed strategies to reach their customers. For example, sweet cereals are placed at a child’s height, and plainer cereals are placed at an adult’s height, Miranda said.

“We’ve known how to reach you for a while,” she said, “Now we’re just doing it better.”

What's her advice for entrepreneurs?

Miranda's success is a celebration of entrepreneurship. Whether an entrepreneur is 24 or 42, they should believe in themselves, and look toward local chambers (of commerce) and the SBA for guidance, she said.

In line with that sentiment, Miranda Creative will convert to an employee-owned company, as “nothing would make me happier to create a bunch of independent entrepreneurs.” When the ownership change comes, don’t mistake it for Miranda retiring, she said.

“I don’t think creatives ever retire,” she said. “We go on to mentor others and create for as long as we can.”

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich business owner named Small Business Person of the Year for CT