Crafting Success with Heart, Strategy, and a Touch of Creative Magic
“Connect with your clients as people, create space for their struggles, and encourage them to take breaks.” Corinne Guirgis is truly defining success on her terms as she paves the way for a holistic approach to life and work. Having worked with the biggest brands in the world, she is the proud founder of Shai Media, where she defines that a woman can truly move mountains with stellar work done with diligence and assiduousness.
She is an accomplished strategic marketing consultant and coach with an extensive 15-year background in online media and marketing. Her expertise spans paid media advertising, magazine publishing, content marketing, and influencer and PR marketing. Having led digital strategies at Toronto-based PRAXIS PR and its Los Angeles counterpart Curium for the last five years, working with some of the biggest brands in the world, she founded Shai Media to support smaller businesses and creative entrepreneurs in developing their unique brand positions. She lives to tell stories and help ambitious creatives succeed, combining her professional acumen and vibrant passion.
Corinne’s journey in the business world has been a testament to her resilience. She has navigated the dynamic digital landscape and stayed ahead of rapid technological changes. Balancing creativity with data-driven strategies has been crucial for her. She believes, “While luck can open doors, it is hard work, perseverance, and strategic thinking that truly sustain success and drive innovation. Luck may offer opportunities, but it’s consistent effort and learning from challenges that lead to meaningful achievements and growth in business.”
Corinne’s passion stems into two branches – innovation and creativity. Not just her own but by the infinite amount of brilliant ideas that make it off the drawing board. She believes that we live in an incredible time to be creative, to be an entrepreneur and to bring your vision to life. However, not every creative with a great idea makes it into execution. And if they do, they still have to sell.
She says, “I have a very distinct set of skills that I’ve developed over the last 15 years, helping some of the biggest companies in the world go to market with new products and find their audience online using various technologies and tactics. I have made it my mission to apply what I know to artists and innovators who don’t have the budgets that big corporations have but have something that the corporations don’t – a desire to break the mould and try new things!”
She describes her greatest strength as being a big-picture thinker, always looking 100 steps ahead and understanding the full picture beyond her task, which in turn allows her to bring forward the best ideas for not just the brand but the business as a whole. She remarks, “Finding the right team to support and complement my weaknesses took time. Initially, I struggled to conform to traditional processes, but once I found my tribe, my strengths were optimized. My severe neurodivergence, addressed since 2019, also taught me resilience and the importance of taking care of my mental health.”
When it comes to leadership, Corinne has experienced true leadership from both her employers and coworkers through empowerment, guidance without judgment and the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them without consequence. She also learned humility and teamwork, which she feels is one of the biggest factors that has given her agencies one of the best track records of client and employee retention in the industry. She realizes that these lessons will be with her for the rest of her life since no task is too big or too small.
She finds inspiration and empowerment from true leaders who inspire her with their unwavering values and authenticity. As an ambitious career woman, she once feared that success required compromising her beliefs. However, role models like her grandmother, parents, and brothers have shown her that reaching great heights is possible without sacrificing humanity or morals, even when tempted. She feels it’s imperative to surround yourself with people who help remind you who you are.
On a Sunday morning, she loves to reset for the week ahead by dancing, which she feels is a cathartic thing to do. Dancing impacts her mood in a positive way. She also loves to clean her apartment, do pilates, write in her journal, and catch up with good friends. An artist by nature, she paints, writes, and produces music. She also has a passion for home design.
Corinne shares her poignant message with the readers and stresses the importance of managing one’s energy and not just time. She continues, “Success isn’t about constantly working but balancing work with self-care. Acts of self-care replenish energy, making you more efficient and effective. Appreciate the small joyful moments and lead with love and support within your community. This holistic approach fosters sustainable growth, development, and success.”
