Meet Zel Rivera

We were lucky to catch up with Zel Rivera recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zel, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I found it in the middle of chaos.

What was meant to be a short visit abroad during the pandemic turned into something life-altering. I traveled from the Philippines, hoping to feel normal again after years of uncertainty. Instead, I found myself staying—not for myself, but to help someone else rebuild. I thought I was doing the right thing. But the person I tried to help ended up weaponizing love to control, manipulate, and abuse me. It nearly cost me my life.

As a domestic abuse survivor, I had countless moments where I planned to run. I always had an escape plan to return home, but something always stopped me. Eventually, I realized—maybe I wasn’t meant to run. Maybe I was meant to reclaim my story right here.

In Filipino culture, mental health is still heavily stigmatized. Therapy is seen as something only “sick” people need. Divorce isn’t even legal. These societal pressures kept me in a toxic cycle far longer than I should have stayed. But when I finally chose healing—when I reached out for support and stepped into therapy—everything began to shift. It felt like heaven sent angels to guide me. Strangers turned into blessings, offering unexpected help, compassion, and clarity.

I stayed—not because I had to, but because I chose to transform pain into purpose. I didn’t want this place to be remembered for the trauma. I wanted to rewrite the narrative.

That’s when Hey Maria, my virtual assistant, creative and marketing business platform, took on a deeper meaning. It became more than a service—it became a purpose-driven business built for transformation. A safe space for women like me—those rebuilding from the ground up. For the Marias rising in silence, reclaiming their voices, and stepping into entrepreneurship for healing and freedom.

My purpose is clear: to empower others by turning adversity into strength—and to create a platform where women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, and mental wellness can exist in the same brave space.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Zel Rivera, CEO and Founder of Hey Maria—a virtual assistant, creative, and digital marketing platform designed to support bold entrepreneurs and empower brave women. What sets Hey Maria apart isn’t just what we do—it’s the mission behind it.

Hey Maria was born from a deeply personal transformation. After surviving domestic abuse while living abroad—far from my home in the Philippines—I made a life-changing decision: instead of running away, I chose to stay, heal, and rewrite my story. That decision became the foundation of Hey Maria. It’s not just a business—it’s a movement.

We provide small businesses, startups, and founders with skilled Virtual Associates, executive support, and creative marketing services. But more importantly, we exist to uplift the “Brave Marias”—women who are rebuilding their lives, reclaiming their power, and stepping into leadership through entrepreneurship.

What excites me most is seeing the real impact of our work. We help our clients gain back time, scale with strategy, and experience the freedom to focus on what truly matters. We don’t just offer services—we build systems, multiply growth, and spark transformation.

I’m also excited to share the upcoming launch of my podcast, I Am Becoming Brave. This platform will amplify raw, powerful stories of resilience and reinvention. My hope is that it becomes a space of strength and encouragement for anyone navigating healing, entrepreneurship, or personal transformation.

At its heart, Hey Maria is a purpose-driven platform that transforms pain into power—and supports people who are building bold, brave new beginnings.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, the three things that shaped my journey the most were resilience, resourcefulness, and emotional intelligence.

1. Resilience
Resilience wasn’t a choice—it was a necessity. As a Filipino woman, I grew up in a culture where we’re expected to stay quiet, keep the peace, and endure. In many Asian societies, women are taught to sacrifice for the sake of family, to avoid therapy because “only sick people need it,” and to stay in relationships no matter how damaging they are—because divorce isn’t even an option. That mindset kept me stuck longer than I should’ve been. But breaking out of that cultural expectation—reclaiming my voice and asking for help—was the beginning of real healing. If you’re in that space, know this: you’re not weak for walking away. You’re brave for choosing yourself.

2. Resourcefulness
I’ve been in business for a long time, but starting over in a foreign country was a completely different challenge. I had to learn everything from scratch. I was literally Googling what insects I was seeing just to understand my new environment. But beyond that, I had to study U.S. business laws, the local market, and a completely different way of doing things. I built Hey Maria, a virtual assistant and creative business platform, in a place where I had no safety net, no family, and no roadmap. And that forced me to become even more resourceful and adaptive. To anyone starting a business in a new environment: embrace being a beginner. Curiosity and grit will carry you through.

3. Emotional Intelligence
Learning to understand my emotions—and not suppress them—was transformational. It allowed me to show up for my team, build honest relationships with clients, and most importantly, lead with empathy. Emotional intelligence is one of the most underrated skills in business. For women entrepreneurs, especially those balancing healing and leadership, this is key. You don’t have to be hard to be strong—you just have to be aware, intentional, and kind to yourself along the way.

These three qualities—resilience, resourcefulness, and emotional intelligence—were shaped by both my pain and my purpose. And if you’re still in the messy middle, I hope you know: this season is preparing you for something bigger than you can imagine.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Overwhelm happens when you don’t have a clear plan—or when you’re forcing something that isn’t aligned with your purpose. When I feel it, I stop and ask myself—and my higher self—Is this really for me? Then I pray for clarity and direction.

That’s how I create mental clarity and ground myself before making any decision. From that stillness, I plan with full intention—not from panic, but with purpose.

I also have a gratitude jar—a simple jar filled with handwritten notes of what I’m thankful for. It helps shift my energy from stress to appreciation, giving me emotional space to move forward with a clear heart.

Here’s my advice to anyone navigating overwhelm:
Slow down. Reflect. Ask for clarity. Don’t just act—align.
True stress management begins with self-awareness, spiritual alignment, and intentional living. You don’t need to do more. You need to move smarter—with peace.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heymaria.us
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heymaria.us/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heymaria.us/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zelrivera/
• Other: https://www.zelrivera.com