About
TL;DR
Cassia Marina, is the visionary behind From Basic to Branded Consultancy, working with clients across America, Canada and the Caribbean region. With roots in Trinidad and Tobago and offices in New York, her journey from adversity to expertise is nothing short of inspirational. Armed with a wealth of experience in design, marketing, and storytelling, Cassia empowers entrepreneurs through her strategic insights and engaging workshops.
As the host of Tea Time with Cassia Marina, she shares valuable tips on branding and wellness, resonating with audiences worldwide. Her transformative impact is evident through collaborations with esteemed clients, including those featured in publications such as Forbes, Caribbean POSH, and recognized by industry giants like Google and CaribBizNetwork. With a focus on personal development and empathy, Cassia is redefining the entrepreneurial landscape, one brand at a time.
The Full Scoop
Cassia Marina is the founder and Lead Strategist at From Basic to Branded Consultancy. She is a Black-Caribbean woman from Trinidad and Tobago. With offices in New York and T&T, her main focus is to assist women-led small businesses in creating a comprehensive online business system.
While proudly born and bred in the beautiful twin island of Trinidad and Tobago, she spent all of her childhood years growing up between Trinidad, Tobago, New York, Michigan, and Canada. This exposure has heavily influenced her work, her desire to operate globally and digitally, and her perspective on her identity as a global citizen.
She dreamed of attending the prestigious School of Visual Arts (SVA) in NYC to pursue her passion for art. However, due to her upbringing by a pensioner, this was not possible. Instead, she unexpectedly became an understudy to a Creative Director and Ad Agency owner. In this role, she gained experience in design, copywriting, marketing, and the agency world. It was also here that her passion for corporate-level branding was ignited.
What most people don’t know about Cassia Marina is that she worked on the copy for many corporate press ads. Little did she know how that skill would become useful in today’s digital marketing world where storytelling is key. Eventually, she was able to attend a local college part-time to get formal training in the field of graphic design.
Photo Credit: Devon X Scott
Bringing a wealth of multinational experience, her collaborations extend to remarkable high-profile women across various ventures. In addition to working with women-owned small businesses, she plays a pivotal role in designing, developing, and launching their brands online.
As a creative person, school was not something that came natural to her. Her passion for learning emerged after high school when self-teaching revealed her talent for teaching. It’s been a full circle journey where today, she’s facilitated engaging workshops on branding and online business, and authored a comprehensive branding workbook. Recently, she ventured back into the classroom, achieving a Certificate in Women's Entrepreneurship from Cornell University.
Speaking of teaching and the classroom, she is the creator and host of the podcast Tea Time with Cassia Marina. The podcast originally focused on branding and online business tips, but now covers productivity and wellness. It aims to help individuals find meaning and purpose in their work.
In the creative world, the success of any project relies on effective project management. Cassia, in particular, developed a strong affinity for Asana as a tool for managing creative projects. Her passion for Asana led her to become an Asana Certified Pro Consultant.
Driven by a deep passion for personal development and mental health, she proudly identifies as a mental wellness advocate. Raised without her parents, she has navigated significant challenges, earning every stride.
As an INFJ personality type and empath, it's her unique story and empathy that has made her the creative entrepreneur, a master of her craft and small business owner she is today.
Speaking Engagements
Cassia is available to deliver engaging talks and workshops on Personal Branding, Building your Business Brand, How to build an Online Business, etc across various platforms and events, including webinars, corporate trainings, school events & more.
APPROVED HEADSHOTS
(click the image for hi-res)
PHOTO CREDITS: Kyle Archibald Photography