Mimi San Pedro
Chief Strategy Officer, The Venture Center
About me: I am the chief strategy officer for The Venture Center, whose immersive accelerator programs are designed to accelerate the growth of early-to-late-stage companies and help validate their solutions for real-world problems. With more than 30 years of experience across information, technology and strategic marketing industries, I help galvanize The Venture Center’s growth, driving key initiatives that serve the entrepreneurial and corporate innovation sectors.
I have been a leader in the communications and technology industries with a strong background in building and growing businesses. Most recently, I served as the chief marketing officer for NLC Products, a national e-commerce company, where I led the company’s digital marketing strategic plan. Prior to that, I held leadership roles in marketing, strategy and corporate development at Hortus, Acxiom and Stone Ward.
Lives/Works in: Little Rock
Best Career Advice: Find a “tribe”! Your tribe can span across your entire career and blend into your personal life. Build your contact list and focus on building relationships, not just contacts. Networking is an investment. It takes time and when done correctly can yield great results personally and professionally.
Lesson Learned the Hard Way: My father always said, “You work to play.” We don’t work to acquire material things, we work so we can experience life.
Proudest Moment of Impact: When I realized the importance of mentorship. I have been blessed with the best mentors whose primary goal was to see me achieve personally and professionally. Learning to be an effective mentor rather than a manager was my turning point in being a good leader. Providing guidance, direction, connections and a good ear made the most significant impact on the lives of those who worked for me.
What Keeps Me Motivated: My desire to touch someone’s life in a meaningful and impactful way.
TOP 100 WOMEN OF IMPACT IN ARKANSAS 2023
A Women’s Foundation of Arkansas Initiative