Growing up in Mexico, Maria Tinoco often saw the joy her mother found in helping clients and managing her business. In those moments of watching her mother thrive as an entrepreneur, Tinoco began to dream of forging her own path, one that would blend her passion with the kind of impact her mother had on those around her.
Tinoco would go on to study business at a local university and later worked for the public, private, and non-governmental sectors. Seeking to know more and do more, Tinoco signed up for UBC Sauder’s MBA. It was a decision that changed her views on business and leadership and boosted her problem-solving skills. Through the programme, everything came full circle – transforming her into an entrepreneur of her mother’s calibre.
“The MBA programme at UBC Sauder was fantastic, especially the Tech Entrepreneurship course, which gave me real-life experience in entrepreneurship,” Tinoco says.
Being based in Vancouver, Canada gave Tinoco another edge: exposure to the importance of sustainability. This was where she first discovered ChopValue, a company that turns used chopsticks into eco-friendly furniture. Today, she is proud to be the Business Development Manager for ChopValue, supporting clients across Canada and the US.
Tinoco credits UBC Sauder and Vancouver for leading her career into this new field. Soon, she’s aiming to work towards a director or vice president role and help the company grow beyond the countries they’re currently in. “I am leveraging my UBC Sauder experience, not just in the theories I learned but also the pretty big alumni network I’m part of,” she says.