Meet Adrian Armenta | Marketplace eCommerce Leader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adrian Armenta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adrian, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?

I feel my inability to accept the status quo is most responsible for making me successful. Most people are okay with doing the bare minimum, and not taking enough risk to have a real impact.

I have never wanted to just be another normal or average person. Aspirations of wanting more for myself have been inside me since I was a child. It developed while I was watching my single immigrant mother raise three boys. She had no financial opportunity for college, divorced, and still cared for her children with a tremendous amount of love. She had to grow up fast, working since she was able to support her mother and family; I admire the call to action she took there. I also know that the same hunger is inside of me. I feel that same tenacity of wanting more for myself and unfearful of hearing the word “no” either. Whether I am participating in a board game, sport, or at work, I give the same full-fledged effort. I am as competitive as they come, and I know that my inability to accept circumstance, like my mother, will help propel my career forward. I have proven that in my track record and in the corporate positions that I have now held, plus in what I have accomplished. All made possible because of my mother as well.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

Definitely was not easy…especially as a first-generation American Citizen of two Mexican-born parents. Luckily, my mom prioritized our education at a very early age and reinforced its importance to me throughout my childhood. Additionally, I met my first mentor through sports while playing lacrosse for Dos Pueblos High School. Lucas Martinez, one of our coaches, also Teva the sandals brand’s marketing leader helped get me a job at the parent company Deckers Outdoor Corporation (a.k.a. UGG, Teva, Sanuk, Ahnu, and Hoka One One). I quickly moved to corporate once my potential was realized and helped lead projects from a company-wide hack recovery to business & investment reviews as a 20-year-old with a corporate desk and position. Due to being offered that role, I held off on transferring from my community college to university, but a year later I knew it was time and got accepted into San Diego State University (into one of their most impacted majors as well – Business Administration Management Specialization Entrepreneurship). On top of being admitted to their nationally and globally recognized entrepreneurship program, the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program. One of the many business programs I was a part of during my tenure there, including the Venture Capital Investment Competition team, the Zahn Innovation Platform, Startup San Diego, San Diego Miramar College’s Regional Entrepreneurship Center, ToastMasters International club, and Entrepreneurship Society on top of sitting on the Lavin Entrepreneurship Student Committee. Now sitting on the Customer Experience Advisory Board for the University of California Irvine’s new program due to my professional success.

I helped an agency as about employee intern 3 or 5 scale to 15+ employees and over 50+ clients since. We managed over 300 Million in Amazon Sales and 30 Million in Ad Spend for both startup-small brands and globally recognized brands as well.

I also assisted a small breaking even mower shop in my hometown to turn a 30% profit increase in less than 6 months of starting out with them. Their Amazon channel grew to over 4 million dollars since I joined them as an eCommerce Manager.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I always have to take friends to my hometown, Santa Barbara that is. Being born and raised there I just know the hidden treasures too well and it has a little for everybody’s tastes as well.

Great restaurants to start brunch with at Jeannine’s in town. And for a further trek European-styled city, Solvang, is just a short drive away.

The beaches are to die for…whether you want to tan out in Montecito with an unbeatable view of Butterfly Beach (also where No Strings Attached filmed their wedding hotel drive-up scene) or get an ultimate surfing session in at one of the many the area has to offer…

Great dinners for both a date night out at “Jane”‘s restaurant or just for super great casual food as well in Rusty’s, Habit, Los Agaves, or many other great locally owned businesses too.

I take the nature lovers up the 154 for a great hike in the town’s mountain and canyon views as well, finishing off at Lizard’s Mouth…the absolute best view of all time. Can’t change my mind about that. Overlooking everything from the Montecito Hills to the natural Gaviota Wind Caves.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

My mom, Maria Armenta

Dos Pueblos High School

San Diego State University
Lucas Martinez, my mentor
Daniel Tejada, Amazon Mentor
Ad Advance’s Joe Shelerud and his podcast “The AD Project”

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Website: https://linktr.ee/adrianarmenta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrian_armenta3/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianmichaelarmenta/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/81Adrian

Image Credits
Rohan Tandon https://www.lucidstarfield.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lucidstarfield/