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She Took the Leap Before She Felt Ready and Built a Global Creative Agency
Featured Interview: Ciara De Guzman
Ciara De Guzman is redefining what it means to build a brand with intention. As the Chief Marketing Officer of LETTÉ Communications, she has helped shape the agency from its Vancouver roots into an internationally growing firm with teams across New York and Melbourne — with Paris marking its next chapter.
But her path into entrepreneurship wasn’t built on certainty or a perfectly mapped-out plan. After working in communications at Aritzia, Ciara found herself increasingly drawn to building ideas from the ground up rather than operating within existing frameworks. What followed was a leap into creating something entirely her own.
Known for her sharp strategic perspective and refined creative sensibility, Ciara approaches branding through emotion, resonance, and long-term cultural relevance — shaping not just how brands look, but how they are experienced and remembered.
Her story is a reminder that meaningful careers are rarely linear. Sometimes the clearest direction comes from trusting your instincts before you feel fully ready.
Follow Ciara on Instagram @loveciararose
What was surprisingly harder than expected when you went from in-house to founder?
What was harder than expected was learning how to separate your identity from the business. When you’re building something that feels personal, every win feels very validating, but every setback can also feel deeply personal if you’re not careful. Over time, I’ve learned how important it is to create emotional distance so you can lead clearly and make decisions from a strategic place instead of a reactive one.
What did working in communications at Aritzia teach you that you carried into LETTÉ?
Working at Aritzia taught me that brand is really about consistency of feeling. Every touchpoint matters: how something is written, photographed, experienced, even how a guest feels walking into a room. The strongest brands aren’t always the loudest; they’re the clearest in who they are. I carried that into LETTÉ. We think a lot about emotional resonance and long-term perception, not just visibility for the sake of visibility.
Was there a specific moment you knew you were ready to leave, or did you take the leap before you felt fully ready?
I definitely took the leap before I felt fully ready. I don’t think anyone ever feels completely prepared to leave something stable, especially when you’ve built a career you’re proud of. But I started realizing I was more energized by building ideas from the ground up than fitting within existing frameworks. That feeling became impossible to ignore. At some point, I had to trust that clarity would come through action, not before it.
How did you land your first few clients when you started LETTÉ?
A lot of it came through relationships and reputation. PR & Communications is such a trust-based industry. People want to work with people who understand nuance, taste, timing, and how to represent a brand thoughtfully. My first clients came from conversations, referrals, and honestly just putting myself out there consistently. I also think having a clear point of view helped. We weren’t trying to be everything to everyone, we knew the kinds of brands we wanted to support and how we wanted them to feel.
What did the early days actually look like—were there moments of doubt?
Always. The early days were a mix of excitement and questioning everything. Some days I felt incredibly aligned, and other days I wondered if I was making the most irresponsible decision possible. But I think doubt is part of building something meaningful. You’re operating without immediate validation a lot of the time. What kept me going was seeing small moments of momentum: a client trusting us, an event resonating, someone understanding the vision before it was fully formed. Those moments mattered a lot.
What’s something you had to outgrow to get to where you are now?
Seeking permission. Earlier in my career, I think I subconsciously looked for signals that I was “qualified enough” to take up space. Starting LETTÉ forced me to stop waiting for someone else to validate my ideas. I had to become comfortable backing my own taste, instincts, and perspective before there was external proof that it would work.
What’s something you don’t regret, but would do differently now?
In the beginning, I said yes to too much because I thought every opportunity mattered equally. I don’t regret it because it taught me a lot, but now I understand the importance of protecting creative energy and being intentional about alignment. Not every project is meant for you, even if it looks good on paper.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own agency?
Build your perspective before you build your service list. There are a lot of agencies that can execute, but what makes people remember you is your point of view.
Also, don’t underestimate how important relationships are. This industry moves through trust, reputation, and how people feel after interacting with you. And practically speaking, give yourself more runway than you think you need. Building takes longer than social media makes it seem.
"I used to believe ____, but now I believe ____"
I used to believe success came from following the most traditional or proven path, but now I believe the most meaningful careers are built by paying attention to what feels deeply aligned. Even when it doesn’t make sense to everyone else right away.
Big Ideas No Chills is an interview series spotlighting real stories of ambition and reinvention—everyday people pivoting careers, taking bold risks, starting new chapters, and chasing big dreams.