Génesis Miranda Longo is the head of industry marketing at Shopify, where she leads its go-to-market strategy for the consumer goods and diversified industries verticals. Not only have her efforts propelled significant growth for Shopify but also her guidance ignites creativity, growth, and collaboration across Shopify’s rich customer and partner network. She’s proud to drive revenue and foster a culture of innovation and excellence within the organization.
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
An accomplishment that stands out to me personally was being elected President of BLAZE, the largest employee resource group (ERG) at PROS Holdings Inc. (NYSE: PRO), dedicated to investing in the development of women by providing opportunities for skill-building and leadership in business and technology. I was a recent college graduate at the time, so it was an honor (and surprise) to be nominated and elected to lead this organization by and amongst the hundreds of women at PROS. At twenty-two, I led a committee of seven and reported directly to the CMO and CFO.
At BLAZE, we focused on five pillars: Personal and Professional Development, Advocacy, Mentorship and Sponsorship, Recruiting, and Celebration. When the pandemic hit Houston, I saw the challenges faced by the women in my ERG, especially those with children. I felt a deep responsibility to take action. I sent out a survey to understand their biggest challenges and created a new program: BLAZE@Home. This initiative delivered targeted and personalized content relevant to our members’ current reality, including remote mentorship circles, opportunities for parents with small children to connect, financial well-being discussions, mental health support, and more.
The impact of BLAZE@Home extended beyond the ERG to the entire company, influencing HR policies, overall company programming, and people’s lives. This experience not only honed my leadership skills but also reinforced my belief in the power of community and proactive problem-solving. It remains a defining moment in my career, demonstrating the profound difference that compassion (going beyond empathy), creativity, and collaboration can make in the workplace.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
Attending Cornell University is one of my greatest personal accomplishments because it changed the trajectory of my family forever.
Ten years ago, Cornell wasn’t even on my radar. Coming from a close-knit Mexican immigrant household with no experience in the US education system, leaving home for college seemed unimaginable. Plus, living in Phoenix’s 110-degree summers put Ithaca, with its negative-10-degree winters, in a different world.
But organizations like HSF and the Be a Leader Foundation paved the way for me. They equipped me, believed in me, and pushed me to seize the opportunity when I received my acceptance letter.
So I went, and it transformed not only my own life, but also others, as I’m now able to pull others up with me. In fact, my younger brother Christopher is currently thriving at Cornell, entering his sophomore year studying mechanical engineering.
And it’s not only my family I’m able to help but the broader community as well. Through the same organizations and nonprofits committed to Hispanic students that paved the way for me, I now pave the way for others through mentorship, volunteering, and sharing my story.
What do you do today to impact your community?
I am dedicated to making a positive impact in my community through radical hospitality. My husband and I open our home to people of every nation, tribe, language, and economic status, creating a place of peace and shelter for all—family, friends, and strangers alike.
I regularly host international students and asylum seekers, fostering a vibrant, inclusive community filled with laughter and diverse languages. Casa Marianella, a refugee shelter in Austin, [Texas], plays a significant role in my life. I find immense joy in spending time with asylum seekers from around the world, helping them practice English, playing games, and sharing meals at my home. As an enthusiastic “host mom,” I partner with organizations such as AMIGOS and the UT Austin Friendship Program to host and/or support international students during their transition to the United States. Through these programs, I have gained family members from countries like Uruguay, Iran, China, Japan, and Colombia.
Additionally, I volunteer at hospitals alongside my dog, Sunny, and actively serve my church in inner-city Austin. My husband and I also host free coffee shops at our house, open to all in the neighborhood, where tips go to local organizations or individuals in need. Financial support is a significant calling for me, and I strive to give more with every pay raise, seizing every opportunity to contribute to my community. I am also actively involved in local organizations like L500 and the ALPFA Austin chapter.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I see myself advancing my career at Shopify, continuing to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs, the world’s biggest brands, and everyone in between, including my own family’s business. This summer, I motivated my little brother to create a Shopify store to sell our family beans—yes, frijoles. For twenty-five years, our family sold beans in the USA but never online. Through my work at Shopify, I showed my brother how easy it is to digitize a business. He took it on as a summer project, and the site went live last month: Nova Farms USA. Watching my family work together and dream about the next twenty-five years of the business, powered by Shopify, has been incredibly fulfilling. I look forward to seeing this grow over the next five years.
In five years, I also envision supporting my scientist husband in starting a company to scale his PhD research on creating regenerable plastics and materials, changing our world, and addressing the plastics problem as we know it. Entrepreneurship truly runs deep in my family.
Speaking of family, I know that in five years, I will still be fostering community and connection. Who knows, I might even be on my way to becoming a mom or already be one!
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
One major issue I am determined to help with is isolation. Despite our hyperconnected world, people feel more alone than ever. That’s why I consistently strive to build and nurture rich, genuine communities where individuals can laugh, cry, and grow together. My mission is to ensure that everyone longing for such a community can find it. I actively combat isolation by opening my home and inviting strangers in, sparking a chain reaction that fosters a sense of belonging for all. Like the saying goes, “mi casa es tu casa.”
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
I realize the impact of my work when I see it scale and spark a chain reaction.
For example, when I joined Shopify, we had only two enterprise customer stories on our website. I made it a priority to change that. I came up with a plan to record customer interviews and turn them into engaging written stories with rich media. The project was a hit, and by my fourth month, we had over twelve new stories—featuring some of the world’s top brands—live on our site and promoted around the internet. This alone significantly impacted the company, but the real impact emerged when other teams and regions started replicating my strategy, sharing even more incredible stories. Now, it’s even becoming an official program at the company.
This principle extends beyond the workplace. I measure my success not by the number of people I directly impact, but by the number of people they go on to impact. Every week, I dedicate at least one hour to mentoring students or young professionals, offering career advice, résumé help, and more. While it’s rewarding to see them achieve their goals, it’s even more fulfilling to hear that they are also paying it forward, using their skills to benefit others.
Who inspires your leadership?
I draw my leadership inspiration from my past generations of fighters, farmers, and merchants—people who, despite having little, have given me the world. My parents, Guadalupe Miranda and Claudia Soto, epitomize this spirit and fuel my drive. My dad, a serial entrepreneur, started by selling chicles (gum) on the dirt streets of Mexico. His journey led to founding the bean business that brought us to the United States and that has sustained our family for twenty-five years. What I admire most about him is his character. He has made painful mistakes, yet he embodies the transformative power of repentance, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. My dad is my hero not because he is strong, but because he admits his weaknesses and grows from them.
My mom is a warrior. Her weapon is prayer. She has faced death head-on, defeating cancer twice even when doctors had given up hope. She is relentless, the kind of woman who prays for others in the hospital while being a patient herself. She is sacrificial, giving up her future for mine. From her, I’ve learned the importance of hope and faith, understanding that greater things await on the other side of difficult seasons and that miracles require miracle-needing situations. Through my parents, I’ve learned that leadership means breaking generational cycles, seeking God first, building community, and living generously.
What is a surprising hobby or interest that helps you stay creative and energized?
Hosting events and meeting new people energizes me. I thrive on hearing their stories and learning about their lives, cultures, and histories. My creativity flourishes through work I do outside of my full-time job, such as creating content for brands like Aerie and apps like The Nudge. These platforms enable me to support and explore the vibrant city of Austin, promote local businesses, and foster a sense of community through creative storytelling. By connecting with diverse individuals and sharing their unique experiences, I enrich both my personal and professional life.
(But TBH, my job also surprisingly keeps me creative and energized, especially when I get to do things like throw a party for Barbie’s sixtieth birthday with Mattel!)
What is your Latino background?
I was born and raised in Sinaloa, Mexico, the “Breadbasket of Mexico,” a state celebrated for its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and vibrant Banda music. Even the pueblo my grandparents raised me in revolves around agriculture and music, so it’s no wonder I went on to study international agriculture at Cornell and join a band.
Life in Sinaloa was simple but challenging, often messy, dangerous, and confusing. I eventually [immigrated] to the United States and settled in Phoenix. With my grandparents still in Mexico, I lived between both countries for years, constantly navigating between two cultures.
In December 2020, I became a US citizen while proudly retaining my Mexican citizenship. When asked where I’m from though, I still say Sinaloa, as it has shaped much of who I am. Plus, Sinaloa is to thank for my repertoire of Netflix-worthy dinner stories.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
“Montaña” by Salvador and “El Sinaloense” by Banda el Recodo. In “Montaña,” the lyrics, “Si tuvieras fe como un grano de mostaza, tú le dirías a la montaña muévete, muévete,” keep me dancing through life with faith and determination, while “El Sinaloense” grounds me in my heritage and connects me to the place I call home: Sinaloa.
