Hi, I'm Madeline Merced and as a first-gen kid raised by a single mom in government housing, I learned one lesson fast: If you can't afford it, you make it yourself.
That scrappy, figure-it-out mindset didn't just get us by, it became my superpower.
Back in 2006—long before "Influencer" was a career—I launched one of the very first lifestyle shows on YouTube.
I jokingly called it "Martha Stewart for Young Women."
My goal was simple: To show young women that they didn't need to hire a pro to live a beautiful life. Whether it was doing their own makeup or hosting a dinner party, I wanted to prove that with a little guidance, they could do it themselves.
That scrappy little show ended up getting featured in The New York Times, Glamour Magazine, and on The Rachel Ray Show.
My mission then is the same as my mission now: Resourcefulness.
I believe that if you give a woman the right tools, she can build anything.
I've always believed you don't need a big budget to create something incredible.
The website for my show was... well, let's just say it was "rustic." I didn't have the money to hire a developer, so I decided to figure it out myself.
HTML, CSS, JavaScript—I learned it all through late nights and a lot of trial and error.
To my surprise, I fell in love with the logic of the backend.
I decided to go all in. I went back to school to earn my BS in Software Development.
I joined a fast-growing company where "that's not my job" wasn't an option.
I wore every hat. I jumped into every department. And when our website needed an overhaul (three different times!), I was the one who rolled up my sleeves and built it.
Eventually, I worked my way up to VP.
I couldn't afford a developer, so I became one.
I know what it feels like to wear all the hats.
I started Mary Milagros because I see you trying to be the CEO, the Marketer, and the IT Department all at once. It’s exhausting.
You have the vision, but the tech is slowing you down.
I use my tech and marketing background to build the structure and systems you need, so you don't have to DIY the hard parts like I did.
My templates give you the "High-End Agency" look without the agency invoice. It’s the ultimate resourcefulness hack.
You bring the magic. I’ll handle the tech.
02 the solopreneur
01 the saints
04 the beauty
03 the tech