“God is within her; she will not fall.”
This is the verse that keeps Shana going every day, despite the tough times and trials she faces. She is standing tall because she knows that God is not only with her— He is within her.
Shana Mae Manzano is the Chief Operations Officer of Ripple VAs. She is 26 years old and graduated cum laude in 2014 with her degree in BS Hospitality Management. After that, she wanted to improve her skills more and took one year of Visual Design at Draft Academy.
Shana and her five siblings were raised in a Christian family because her father is a gospel preacher, which led her to view herself as nothing less than God’s creation. She knows in her heart that God has a plan for her life. “I view the world as a field wherein we are the seeds planted by God and that we have been planted with a purpose,” she says.
This endless love for God is also manifested in her favorite pastime and hobby, which is singing worship songs while playing the guitar. Her favorite song is “As You Find Me” by Hillsong, which sings praises to God’s love for humanity.
While Shana thrives being with herself and her loved ones, she admits that her most significant challenge is oral communication.
“I've always thought that with my personality as an introvert, I wouldn't be a good leader and a communicator,” Shana shares. “What I did to overcome it is I applied for a job in which the main task is to communicate. It was intimidating at first, but when I allowed myself to just go through it and not allow fear to take hold, I overcame my communication challenge and even unlocked new skills!”
Despite her initial self-doubt, the people around her already believed in her potential and capabilities. Shana shares that even before Ripple was officially established, Jez already convinced her to become a freelancer or a virtual assistant.
“When the time came that Jez received the vision to build the company, I was very fortunate to have been one of the pioneers,” Shana says. It also aligned with her God-given purpose, which was to inspire and positively touch people's lives through the gospel of Christ.
Ripple is such a big platform to spread the word of God, and by deepening the relationship of the employees and the community towards their faith.
Her work values are inspired by Colossians 3:23 that says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.
This is why Shana aspires to be the servant of God in all of her endeavors. Everything she does is for the glory of God, and this is what keeps her grounded despite everything she has achieved through Ripple.
“Ripple helped me in so many ways that I couldn't even count. Ripple helped me attain financial freedom. Ripple helped grow my confidence and leadership skills and many more,” Shana says, adding that she loves the company culture of uplifting everyone and celebrating each other's wins.
Shana says that she has been planted with a purpose, and it is apparent that her goal is planting seeds of it in people, in communities, and wherever she is.
Shana’s message to other freelancers is this:
“Do not be afraid to put yourself out there in the virtual world. Continue to grow and never forget that it is the Lord who gives us the ability to gain wealth.”
