We recently had the chance to connect with Maria Teresa Sequeda and have shared our conversation below.
Maria Teresa, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
A recent moment that made me incredibly proud and gave me a huge motivation boost happened just a few days ago. I was driving my daughters to summer camp, listening to a podcast featuring some of my favorite online mentors talking about entrepreneurship. My 9-year-old, Hanna, suddenly chimed in and said, ‘I think I know what I want to be when I grow up. If I can’t be a singer, I want to have my own online business.’
She then got super excited and said she wanted to either continue with my brand, Colorful 4U, or my other business, Women Biz Academy. She even started brainstorming new products for Colorful 4U, like colorful t-shirts and cute keychains. It made my day. Not only was I proud to see a little entrepreneur in the making, but it was also so touching that she wanted to follow in my footsteps. It was a perfect reminder that sometimes, the biggest ‘why’ behind what we do is right in front of us.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Maria Teresa Sequeda, a proud Latina mom of two, wife, and entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been a straight line — years ago, I made the bold decision to leave my home country and a successful corporate career to start a new life in a different country with my husband, Edgar. It was a leap into the unknown, but also one of the happiest choices of my life. That change forced me to reinvent myself, and in the process I discovered the path of entrepreneurship.
Today I run two online businesses that reflect both my roots and my purpose. With Colorful 4U, I share handcrafted accessories made by women artisans from Colombia, giving them a platform to reach the world while preserving culture and craft. And with Women Biz Academy, I mentor aspiring women entrepreneurs — especially those seeking to build a side hustle or business that truly aligns with their lifestyle and strengths.
For me, entrepreneurship has been about more than just business. It’s about embracing change, creating impact, and showing my daughters that you can design a life that balances passion, family, and purpose. That’s what makes my journey so meaningful, and it’s what continues to inspire the work I do every day.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped how I see the world was when I left Colombia—and the corporate career I had worked so hard to build—to move to another country for love. It was one of the scariest decisions I’ve ever made. I had to start over from scratch, in a new culture, with no professional safety net. At first, it felt like I had given up the ‘one right path’ I always believed in as a child: study hard, climb the corporate ladder, and never deviate. But that leap into the unknown completely changed me.
I realized that success isn’t about fitting into a mold—it’s about creating a life that aligns with your values, your strengths, and your happiness. That shift in perspective shaped how I approach everything today. Through Colorful 4U, my e-commerce business supporting artisan women, and Women Biz Academy, where I help women build businesses that fit their lifestyle, I carry that lesson forward. Challenges don’t scare me the way they used to—I see them as opportunities to reinvent myself, and to show other women that they, too, can write their own definition of success.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely. Back in 2021, during the pandemic, I felt like I was at my breaking point. On one hand, my e-commerce brand, Colorful4U, was thriving — online sales doubled almost overnight. At the same time, I had just launched my very first coaching group for Latina women entrepreneurs. We were meeting twice a month for masterclasses and Q&A sessions, diving deep into digital marketing, email, Instagram, SEO, and paid ads.
But while both businesses were growing, I was overwhelmed. I was also trying to be fully present as a mom, and the truth is, I was exhausted. After 10 very intense months, I made the tough decision to end the coaching membership. Around that same time, I also discovered that I had ADHD — something I had unknowingly lived with for over 40 years — and realized that one of my daughters had inherited it as well.
That season forced me to stop and truly understand myself. I read more than a dozen books on ADHD in women, explored natural ways to support my daughter, and started hiring help to keep up with Colorful4U. Then, in 2023, another big challenge came our way — we moved for the fifth time to a new country because of my husband’s work. Each move had already stretched me to rebuild my life, family routines, and business from scratch, but this one in particular pushed me to fully reinvent my e-commerce brand and gave me the courage to finally unpause Women Biz Academy.
Today, I see my ADHD as one of my greatest strengths — my “superpower.” I use it, along with AI tools, to run both businesses in smarter ways while embracing the most important role of all: being a present mom. Looking back, I almost gave up on Women Biz Academy, but that pause was exactly what I needed to return stronger. Now, I’m rebuilding not just for myself, but to inspire and empower other women who may feel like giving up too.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
For me, it’s a lifelong commitment to helping women — especially moms and Latina women — reinvent themselves through entrepreneurship. I believe that no matter your age, whether you’re starting at 40 or even 50, it’s never too late to build something of your own.
What I want most is to empower women to create businesses that fit into their lives — not the other way around. Businesses that allow them to generate extra income or even financial freedom, without sacrificing the precious time of motherhood. To me, success isn’t about working endlessly or chasing someone else’s definition of achievement; it’s about designing a life where you can feel proud, happy, and present while doing something you love.
In today’s fast-changing world, with AI transforming everything around us, it’s more important than ever that women don’t feel left behind. I want them to see that they can learn new tools, discover their strengths, and take control of their future — at any stage of life.
Even if I’m not their mentor, my hope is that through Women Biz Academy, or simply by sharing my story, I can help women believe in their own potential and find the guidance they need. This isn’t a short-term goal for me — it’s a lifelong mission. Because I’ve seen how, when a woman believes in her potential and builds something of her own, it doesn’t just transform her life; it creates opportunities for her children, strengthens her family, and inspires her community.
And for me, this mission is deeply personal. I want to model this for my daughters, so they grow up knowing they don’t have to choose between motherhood and their dreams — they can create a life where both thrive.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people will say that I was someone who made women believe in themselves again. That I showed moms — especially Latin women — that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, that you can build something meaningful for your family and yourself without sacrificing who you are.
I don’t need the story to be about big titles or achievements. What I’d love is for people to remember that I helped women feel seen, supported, and capable of creating a business and a life that truly fit them. That even in a fast-changing world, with challenges like moving countries or navigating ADHD, I turned those struggles into strengths and used them to light the way for others.
Most of all, I want my daughters to say: “My mom showed us that we didn’t have to choose between being mothers and following our dreams. She taught us that with courage, creativity, and persistence, we could create a life where both thrive.”
If that’s the story people tell about me — that I inspired women to step into their power, and I left my daughters with the belief that they can shape their own futures — then I’ll know I lived my purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: Womenbizacademy.com , Colorful4u.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenbizacademy , https://www.instagram.com/colorful_4u
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-t-sequeda
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenBizAcademy , https://www.facebook.com/Colorful4UAccessories/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenbizacademy , https://www.youtube.com/@colorful4u
Image Credits
My photo studio (pictures of me and with my laptop): Devynn Leanne Photography https://www.devynnleannephotography.com/
Photo of the Model showcasing the colorful4u camera/bag strap: Rebecca Rinaldi https://www.rebeccarinaldi.it/
Pictures with Colorful4u Bags credit Colorful4u.com
