Marlena Ortiz

Marlena A. Ortiz is a Business Consultant & Instructor based in Chicago. Marlena is resilient, dedicated, and compassionate. Her superpower is shapeshifting because she’s able to wear whichever hat anticipates and supports entrepreneurs’ needs and ambitions.

Marlena is committed to supporting the economic development and inclusion of small, minority-owned businesses that create jobs and generational wealth. She brings extensive experience from her work as a community lender for an international nonprofit micro-lender, where she eventually transitioned into business coaching. As an advisor for the MBDA business center in Memphis, TN, she refined her advising and resource networking skills to support her portfolio of businesses. Her own entrepreneurial journey with Consciente Consulting Group gave her firsthand experience with the challenges of starting a business, particularly in marketing and building a solid client network.

Marlena was drawn to work with Uptima because she was looking for new opportunities to challenge herself as a small business advisor and is excited about unlearning information she’s been taught to be more inclusive and supportive of the entrepreneurs she serves. Her advice to entrepreneurs is powerful: No one can do what you do the way that you do it. Don’t compare your value proposition to the next business. Give your customers your authenticity and passion, and they’ll keep coming back.

Marlena holds a B.A. in International Studies and Anthropology from Loyola University Chicago and is a GrowthWheel Certified Professional Business Advisor.