Other Women's Jobs // A Day In The Life And Career of Maíra Wong

NAME: Maíra Wong

INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @theblondewong

JOB TITLE: Global Business Development Director

MOVED TO THE UAE IN: Currently living in the US but managing the MENA region markets. Visits UAE at least twice per year.

As one of the international leads at Sambazon, Maíra gets to do what she loves every day: grow a purpose-driven brand across the world, lead an incredible team, and make big-picture decisions that help the company hit their goals and spread açaí love far and wide. Over the past decade, Maíra helped expand their footprint across the MENA, APAC, and LAC regions — taking international revenue from $1 million to $30 million. It’s been a wild, rewarding ride!

Maíra was born and raised in Rio, where her love for food, travel, wellness, and sustainability started early, right alongside my obsession with açaí. That passion has shaped her career, giving her the opportunity to show people how their everyday choices, like what they eat or which brands they support, can create real change. She likes to think that she's not just growing a brand, but helping people make more conscious, joyful decisions - one purple bowl at a time.

As a woman in leadership, Maíra has learned that you don’t have to choose between being kind and being powerful. You can lead with empathy, build with intention, and still make bold, strategic moves. She wants other women—especially young women—to know that they don’t have to “fit in” to succeed. Bring your full self to the table. That’s where the real magic happens.

Let's discover a typical day in Maíra Wong's world:

8AM: Meditation & Work Calls. Most of my team and partners are spread across different time zones, so some days start as early as 7:00 AM and can go until 11:00 PM. Fortunately, we mostly work from home, which gives us the flexibility to take breaks throughout the day—especially on those long, irregular-hour days.

10AM: MENA Team Sync. I kick off the main part of my day with the MENA team, reviewing sales, key takeaways from customer visits, and any challenges they’re facing. We also dive into distributor business reviews to strategize growth opportunities. Around this time, I also connect with our Supply Chain and Finance Director based in Brighton, UK.

12NOON: Gym & Protein Break. I usually trade an early workout for a few extra minutes of sleep, so lunchtime is when I hit the gym. It’s a great mental reset and a chance to stretch, especially once the California morning fog clears and the sun comes out.

2PM: Strategic Focus Time. This is my window to step away from emails and focus on strategy. When entering new markets, it’s critical to plan the right inventory and pricing to build volume. I also use this time for calls with our Latin American team and customers—these hours work best across our time zones.

4/6PM: APAC Team Calls. Late afternoon is reserved for calls with our teams in Australia, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

8PM: More Calls (or Log Off). Depending on the day, I either wind down—or log back on. In regions where we don’t yet have local managers, I join our Marketing Manager, Valter, to speak directly with MENA and Asia-based customers, reviewing sales and marketing activations.

10PM: Unwind and wrap up the day with my husband—either watching a show or reading before bed.