Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Mattia.
Hi Monica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and grew up in San Diego. My mom raised my sisters and me on her own, often struggling financially. Watching her overcome those challenges motivated me early on—I knew I wanted a different path, and I committed myself to building a successful future.
After graduating high school, I put myself through college, working two to three jobs at a time and taking out student loans. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Development from San Diego State University in 2001. Soon after, I chose to serve my country and commissioned into the U.S. Air Force, graduating from Officer Training School in 2002. For the next ten years, I served as a Missile Officer, managing part of the nation’s nuclear arsenal.
When I transitioned out of the military, I entered the corporate world and became an Operations Manager with Walmart, overseeing all operations in a grocery distribution center. Over the next decade, I was promoted five times, ultimately earning the opportunity to run my own e-commerce fulfillment center in Davenport, FL. I led a 1.2-million-square-foot facility with 400 employees and 35 managers. After years of long hours and increasing demands, I began feeling burnt out and made the move to PepsiCo, where I served as Director of Supply Chain Operations for the Southeast Region. In that role, I oversaw 11 warehouse-attached fulfillment centers from Virginia to South Florida.
After 3.5 years, my position—along with thousands of others—was eliminated. That difficult moment became an opportunity to pursue something I had always wanted: building my own business.
Today, I’m the proud owner of Digital Universe Marketing and Advertising, serving businesses from west of I-4 to Groveland. Entrepreneurship has brought its own set of challenges, but it has also been the most rewarding experience of my life. The relationships I’ve built with local business owners and community members have been more meaningful than I could have ever imagined
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but every challenge has taught me something valuable—and that growth has been the most rewarding part of the journey. Most of the struggles I’ve faced didn’t come from the business itself, but from my own insecurities, perspectives, and inaccurate beliefs about myself. I often questioned whether I was truly capable of building something on my own. I hesitated, felt lost, doubted that I belonged, overcommitted myself, and battled feelings of imposter syndrome on a daily basis.
Those internal struggles showed up in my work. They led to awkward client interactions, uncertainty when talking about my services, and missed opportunities for intentional, authentic conversations. At times, these doubts and feelings even hurt my business. But they also pushed me to grow. I learned that having a clear strategy and a strong support system isn’t optional—it’s essential to building something sustainable and successful
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Digital Universe Marketing and Advertising LLC?
At Digital Universe Marketing & Advertising we’re passionate about empowering local businesses to thrive in the digital age. We understand that in today’s competitive digital landscape, effective marketing strategies are essential for your success.
Our journey began with a simple yet powerful idea: to harness the potential of indoor digital billboards and help local businesses reach their full potential. With a focus on innovation, creativity, and results, we’ve become a trusted partner for businesses across Clermont, FL.
While our indoor digital billboards is what sets us apart from the competition, our expertise extends far beyond that. From Website design to robust multichannel campaigns, we offer a full suite of services designed to elevate brands and drive results.
The thing I’m most proud of about my business is the relationships and partnerships I have been able to create, build, and sustain in a short period of time. My mission is to bring unity to our community and through the use of the indoor digital billboards, we have been able to help businesses grow through cross-networking and collaboration with one another. We have also been able to serve the members of our community in various way through volunteerism and donations. More importantly, we have been able to connect small businesses with one another and provided a platform where they get to step in and meet the needs of our local community.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people are surprised that I was an officer in the Air Force in charge of the country’s nuclear arsenal. They are also often surprise that I led big teams in the corporate world and was responsible for millions of dollars in annual budgets with Walmart and PepsiCo.
I’ve also been told that I’m a great public speaker and always look comfortable and at ease when speaking in front of a crowd.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://digitaluniversead.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitaluniverseclermont/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573717096566#
