Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Rocio.
Hi Valerie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always had a very entrepreneurial career path. In 2018, at 24, I started a marketing agency in Dallas and grew it into a six-figure business. Building that company gave me hands-on experience in branding, client acquisition, team leadership and creating systems that could support growth.
Then, at the height of the pandemic, I started a luxury picnic company as a creative way to bring people together safely during a time when connection felt especially important. I built that brand from the ground up and eventually sold the business, which was an incredibly rewarding full-circle experience.
Today, I’m the COO of a residential construction company in Austin, where I oversee operations, marketing, budgeting, hiring and business development. Alongside that role, I also work as a freelance content creator and business consultant, helping brands strengthen their messaging, develop content and build more effective strategies.
Although my roles have evolved, the consistent thread throughout my career has been my ability to identify an opportunity, turn an idea into something tangible and create the strategy and structure needed for it to grow.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Building any business is difficult, and so much of entrepreneurship comes down to being willing to simply make it happen—even when you don’t have all the answers or a clear roadmap.
There have been plenty of mistakes, pivots and moments when I had to learn something quickly because there wasn’t anyone else coming to solve the problem. Every stage of growth required me to become a stronger leader, make difficult decisions and get comfortable adapting when something wasn’t working.
Navigating the pandemic added an entirely different level of pressure. Like so many business owners, I was trying to protect my livelihood while responding to circumstances that changed constantly and were completely outside of my control. That period taught me how to stay resourceful, recognize new opportunities and keep moving forward even when the path was uncertain.
The road hasn’t always been easy, but every challenge has made me more resilient, adaptable and confident in my ability to figure things out.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Today, the primary organization I help lead is New Edge Renovation, a residential construction and remodeling company serving the Austin area. We specialize in creating thoughtful, highly personalized spaces—from kitchens and bathrooms to full-home renovations and new construction.
What sets New Edge apart is the way we combine strong design instincts with the systems and communication required to execute a project well. Construction can feel overwhelming to homeowners, so we place a major emphasis on transparency, organization and creating a client experience that feels collaborative from beginning to end. We don’t simply want a space to look beautiful; we want it to function better for the people living in it and to reflect their individual style.
As COO, I work across nearly every part of the business, including operations, marketing, budgeting, hiring, process development and long-term growth. I’m especially proud of the brand we’re building—one that feels elevated and design-forward while still being approachable, trustworthy and grounded in the quality of our work. Our guiding idea is “Better Spaces, Better Living,” because we believe a well-designed home can genuinely improve the way someone experiences everyday life.
Alongside my role at New Edge, I also work independently as a content creator and business consultant. I help businesses clarify their messaging, develop content that feels authentic to their brand and strengthen the systems behind their growth. Because I’ve founded, scaled and sold businesses myself, I approach consulting from a practical perspective. I understand that a strategy has to do more than sound good—it has to be realistic enough to implement and strong enough to produce results.
Across everything I do, I’m known for bridging creativity and execution. I can see the larger vision for a brand or business, but I also know how to break that vision down into the processes, messaging and next steps required to bring it to life.
How do you think about luck?
I wouldn’t necessarily call it luck, but timing has played a meaningful role in my career. I started my marketing agency at a time when organic social media was still emerging as a serious business tool. The industry wasn’t nearly as saturated as it is today, which gave me the opportunity to grow alongside the platforms, experiment in real time and establish myself while the landscape was still developing.
That timing opened the door, but I still had to recognize the opportunity and do the work. Running the agency gave me years of hands-on experience in marketing, sales, client relationships, operations, budgeting and team leadership. I learned by doing, making mistakes and constantly adapting.
Ultimately, that experience created the opportunity for me to transition into my current role as COO. So while good timing helped me get started, the knowledge, resilience and skills I developed along the way are what allowed me to continue evolving. I believe luck may create an opening, but you still have to be prepared and willing to walk through it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.newedgeren.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valerierocio
