The Truth About Landing a Book Deal and Living a Plant Based Life | Karla Salinari
This week Victoria Jenn sits down with Karla Salinari, a nutritionist, educator, and cookbook author of Abuela’s Plant Based Kitchen.
Karla opens up about her journey from a 20-year career in finance to building a successful business around plant-based nutrition. She shares her family’s legacy of vegetarian living in Puerto Rico, the process of writing and publishing her cookbook, and how she turned her passion into purpose. Discover how Karla navigated business loans, assembled her dream team, and juggled the transition from corporate life to full-time entrepreneurship.
You’ll also hear real talk about the challenges of solopreneurship, investing in yourself, the importance of community, and how to take pride in your roots while paving your own path.
You’ll learn:
How Karla turned traditional Latin recipes into healthy plant-based versions
The realities of pitching and publishing a cookbook with a top publisher
Why investing in yourself and asking for help can transform your business
The unique entrepreneurial journey for Latinas and the power of community support
Steps to break into the wellness and plant-based space as a business
In this episode:
02:26 - Pioneering Plant-Based Food In Puerto Rico
09:17 - Plant-Based Business Ventures
14:53 - Pitching Book Idea To Author
29:25 - Embrace Uncertainty: Take The Leap
41:31 - Assessing Investment In Business Coaching
Full Transcript:
The community is ready for this. Our dishes are healthy and don't let anybody tell you Spanish food is not healthy. Can we normalize just eating healthy without being on dieta? So you've managed to build a career around plants and around food. When you produce something that is it's almost like like you give your business like your baby. I always say that. Yeah. Okay. So let's talk about fees. How much do agents take? I leave corporate America. you quit right where when the book is about to launch, right? Okay. What brought you to that decision?
What's up y'all? Welcome back to Banking On Cultura. I am your host Victoria Jenn Rodriguez and you know here on BLC we talk about all the vibrancy and complexity that comes with being Latino entrepreneurship e all the bon in between of course and today's guest I actually had the pleasure of meeting on a float at the New York Puerto Rican day parade and it was a vibe honey it was so so much fun and then when I got to learn more about her area of expertise and how she's just killing the game I was like oo I got to have you I'm being angura. So, I'm so excited to have you here. Go ahead and introduce yourself to the folks. Thank you so much. My name is Carla Salineri. I am a nutritionist, educator, cookbook author, and I specialize in the plant-based lifestyle. All things Latin style, all things nutrition, all things plant-based. And somehow we bring it all together. Yes. And I love that because I actually have your book. What's the name of your book? Abuela's Plant-Based Kitchen. Abua's Plant-Based Kitchen. I mean, hello. Because, you know, for I mean, I'm still on the vegan journey. I kind of go off and on and I was like, I need some recipes that coincide with the cultura and like food that I can make that people won't look at me crazy and it's not just lettuce and carrots and things like that. Um, so you created this amazing book that take our recipes, our roco gandles, our bakalao, and all that jazz, and you basically make it plant-based, so it's more healthy for us, right? which I think is pretty cool. Yes. And so these recipes have been part of my family for a very long time. We've been plant-based since plant-based was cool. My dad has been plant-based since the 70s. Oh wow. In Puerto Rico when it was not only not accepted, it was weird. people thought my dad was like doing all the wrong things and that it wasn't going to ever work out for him and you know and back back in the day and my dad was like no the future is plant-based like we're not meant to be eating all this processed food all this animal protein we're meant to eat more plants and he stuck to it and fast forward to now it's been 50 years and he's still plant very much plant-based and the rest of my dad's side of the family is we had one of the first vegetarian restaurants in Puerto Rico in Bayamong during the '9s. Um, it was a big deal, right? Because there weren't that many or at all uh vegetarian restaurants back then. It was beetiano. It wasn't plant-based. Plant-based is like no, which is okay. Like, we'll take it, whatever it is. And in that trajectory of time, right, we had to take our recipes and sa like take out the meat. And the recipes that are in this book, there's 75 recipes in the book. I want to say 90% of these recipes were from that time. The time where we had to recreate our traditional recipes in a way that excluded the meat, but still celebrated the flavors that we know, the flavors that we're used to, right? Because our dishes are healthy. And don't let anybody tell you Spanish food is not healthy. I don't know. Yes, meal is healthy. Well, we're we're not talking about pen. We're talking about like, right? These are all derived from plants. And back in the day, animal consumption wasn't what it is now. Right. Right. They're like pumping all types of things into these animals. Not only that, not only that spraying and trying to keep the life, you know, the shelf life longer. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff going on. There is a lot of stuff going on. But what I was referring to mostly is is that having meat was not available to all families at all time. It was expensive, right? And you couldn't have it in abundance the way that we have it now. So we would eat mostly plants, animal protein in moderation and only sometimes, right? So this movement where it's, you know, the protein protein protein and the plate needs to have meat is hasn't always been that way. So if you think about the way that we ate before, right, it was more natural. You're right. You're right. That is true. Now we just have too many damn options. Exactly. Too many options. Too many options. And we, you know, Americans, especially if you're here, there's they the convenience of it all, the pricing difference, it's like it pays to way. Meaning like, you know, it's very easy to be obese in this country. Yes. And if you notice, the foods that are the ultrarocessed foods, the foods that are not really helping us stay lean, stay healthy are the foods that are so accessible to our community and so many other communities, right? With the fast food, the ultrarocessed foods, they're cheaper, they're easier to get. Um, so unfortunately, we have all of that to kind of weed through as well. But if you think back at our aas and aos like back in Puerto Rico like what you know like cilantro and kulantro is a that's a weed and it's you know such an important part of our meals and if it doesn't have it then there's something missing right but but really it's just like that simplicity that flavor and those vegetables and those plants right that's what makes up our most of our dishes. Yes. So, you've been able to So, actually, you know, let's get into the segments of our show. I just like went ran in cuz I'm just so excited to have you here. Um, tell us, can we normalize just eating healthy without being on like why does it have to be [Laughter] like like why is that like the guilt that I get when I go out on dates, when I go out with my girlfriends and they're like that's it? That that's what you're eating. You're not gonna have no meat. Like what what's going on with you? Right? And it's almost like they they're more bothered by it than I am and I'm the one who's consuming the food. It is so interesting. But yes, I agree. I think like if there's a way I don't know if there's a way. I feel like because it is a complete lifestyle shift, but it doesn't have to be this all or nothing approach. And I think that's where the comment might come from, right? Thinking that because you at this said dinner with friends or on a date just decided not to have the animal protein doesn't necessarily categorize you as vegan or plant-based, right? You just decided not to have it cuz you want to have something that's a little lighter because maybe you want to, I don't know, have dessert somewhere else later for whatever reason. It doesn't have to mean that you are now this other person, right? And I think that a lot of the stigma around vegetarian, plant-based, vegan is that feeling like you have to pigeon ho yourself into one lifestyle. But what if you don't want to? Like what if you want to reduce the amount of meat that you're consuming because you just naturally feel better doing it, right? Lagosa and like you know that you don't need animal protein to get protein and you can have it through beans and you could do it through other sources, right? So, let's talk about this because you have cuz we're going to get into the whole tips and tricks on how to not be on a diet but still be snatched plant-based wise. But so you've managed to build a career around plants and around food and around educating the community um how they can fuel their bodies in different ways, how they can be healthy longer, etc. All the things. So talk to me about the business part of what you do because that to me is is really interesting and our audience here on Banging Alura, you know, they're in business. They're trying to get paid. They're trying to figure out, you know, what are different ways that they can think about uh creating additional income streams um and how they can really monetize their skill set because there might be folks in our audience and our listeners who are also plant-based who also love to cook who might want to figure out like what is that path? So, how did this get started? How did you actually build a business around this? Okay, so I was in corporate America for 20 years. I worked in finance for 20 years. Like I said before, this has always been my lifestyle. I grew up um mostly plant-based. And I say mostly because my parents split when I was young and we moved to Miami and I wasn't plant-based for a few years. Then I went back to it on my own and I've been ever since, right? But there was a time in my life that I wasn't. And but it was always the good old days. No, I'm just kidding. Actually, the days where I was the sickest really. But there's two ways to look at it, right? Is it because I hadn't had it and now I'm having it and my body needed to adjust it? That that could be like a whole other podcast, right? But I was always around it whenever I would go to Puerto Rico and be with my dad and my uncles at the restaurant and things like that. So, it's always been very much a part of my lifestyle, this whole holistic approach to nutrition, seeing food as medicine. Right. Right. I was um I came to New York to go to school and I just stayed here and I worked in finance and um Where in finance did you work? I worked for private equity. Okay, cool. Oh, okay. Okay, Miss PE over here. So, I was in that world for a long time and you know, I knew that my passion was nutrition. I've always been really interested in how food affects the body, the mind, um just so many things, right? Okay. And our power to decide on that, right? Okay. Wait, so you're 20 years in? 20 years in PE. Yes. PE. What happened that you was like, I'm done. During co I had this idea of writing a book. So I my side hustle was sharing on social media how to eat more plants. I started with like a blog. Um and I would like share recipes, healthier recipes and things like that. But it wasn't until pandemic that I decided I want to write a book. Like I want to put all of my family recipes, right? because we have all these family recipes scattered a bunch in a bunch of different places and it was a way of preserving my legacy, my culture from my family. Like so much work has gone into these recipes for so many years. And during pandemic, I had this crazy idea to write a book. And with mommy in Miami and Tada, my aunt in Puerto Rico, my dad, my stepmom, like everybody kind of involved virtually, we put together this proposal and eventually sold it to Simon and Schustster, which is one of the biggest publishing houses in the in the country, in the world. Right. Wow. Okay. Yes. And I'm like, "Go big or go home, bro." Yes. And I knew that because my agent and my publisher were like, "Yes." Like I I we presented this proposal in July. I signed my book deal December second. Like I'm like, "Okay, the community is ready for this. They want this and we're going to we're going to give it right." And I I said to my husband, Joe, I'm like, "I want to do this, right? I feel like I want to really turn this into a career where I share like these recipes and like help our community. Our community is the sickest it's ever been. And 80% of chronic diseases that affect so many people in this country, particularly the Hispanic community, is all affected by the food choices and the lifestyle choices that we make every single day. Like that is proven, right? 12% of the Hispanic community in this country has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Like this is all about the food choices we're making, right? So, how can I help? right to put this little grain of salt sand in here and do my part to help the community that because for so many years this is what my family has been trying to do through the restaurant through just sharing the knowledge right and I said to Joe I'm like I want to do this the right way like I feel like if I'm this if I'm doing this 9 to5 and then this on the side it's like it just deserves so much more attention Right. So, I decided to to do it that way. I'm like, "Okay, let's do it." So, we write the book, we get a book deal, right? How did we get a book deal? Listen up, Latinas. 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Get access to expert mentorship, an amazing community, and the tools that you need to thrive. Your financial independence begins right now. Join the movement today at fortuna latatina.net. Okay, so getting a book deal requires a two-step process for most people. You can get lucky and you can just pitch it directly to these publishers or and then get lucky and perhaps get published, right? Or you have to do it through an agent and then the agent becomes like your real estate agent. Like they help you shop, they pitch around. I happen to have one of my best friends, Javier. his husband is a published author here in New York. And I called him one day and he writes horror novels and he does all the Broadway stuff and like nothing to do with what I'm trying to do. And I called him one day and I said, "Hey, I have this idea to put together this book and I'm working on it and I have this proposal and this is what the goal is and this is what the market research has shown me, right? So, I really did my due diligence on this. Like, you have to like really get in there. Like, do everything. Don't like tell me, give me two things you were searching for. Okay. Other other Puerto Rican Caribbean and Latin inspired plant-based cookbooks. Okay. There was like two. Okay. Um, like books that were not only unresoio, like were not only just a cookbook, but also a nutrition guide cuz my book is both, right? Okay. Mhm. And there weren't any. Got it. Okay. So, you saw a gap in the marketplace. And these recipes were accessible. They were cheap. They were easy to make. And they told a story, right, of how you two can do it. And it doesn't have to be all or nothing. And all of these recipes can pair with meat if you want them to be. So, it's not this like you're going to go vegan and this is how you're going to do it. It was more of like an inclusivity. Let's celebrate the recipes. Got it. And I said to my friend Eric, Javier's husband. I said, "This is kind of crazy, but do you think your agent would be interested in talking to me?" And I just went for it. I'm like, "I don't know. Maybe she's not going to think cuz it's not part of what she deals with." And and we got on a call and she says, "My passion spoke." I can feel it in your I feel it right here. So, yes, for sure. I get goosebumps sometimes when I talk about it. And as if I think about it enough, sometimes I get emotional because my family has worked so hard at doing this and I'm just continuing the legacy, right? And my dad always said like, we can put these recipes, we can write a book, like we can celebrate this and we can share it with the world, right? And she believed in me and she took a chance on me. And I I think I'm one of her only clients that is Borigua, that is doing a cookbook. like it's not what her roster is. And she took a chance on me and she's like, "Let's sell it. Let's do it." And when she called me, I will I'm still corporate America at my desk in, you know, 42nd Street and she's like, "I think we I think we got a book deal." And I'm like, "What? Wait, I'm going to the bathroom. Hold on. You remember that? Like when you're like trying to work on like your side hustle and your dream." and she's like, I think I think Simon and Schustster is interested in in this and it happened. We manifested it and we and it worked. Amazing. Okay, so let's talk about fees. How much do agents take? Am I supposed to be saying these things? I have to check my contract. Well, on average on average. So, so yes. So, so the way that it works is, and I'm going to be I'm going to I'm going to be real. I'm going to be real. Let's talk the real here on Begging Al. Yeah. So, if you were like, I don't know, like uh Bobby Fle Mhm. you get massive or I would think, right, or I've heard um you get book advances like big people get book advances, but I'm this like Borigua from Brooklyn that's like putting together a book and they were like, "Okay, like we're going to take a chance on you, but the book deal that we're going to give you is going to be this." And I was like, I do that, right? Like what am I supposed to do? But but my agent was like, "Listen, they're taking a chance on you. You're not like a famous chef. You're not like, you know, and but they believe in your story and they believe in your in your work. Now, we have to prove to them that this is going to be the real deal and that you're going to sell this and it's going to be wellreceived with the community." So, you know, I was like, "Okay, I'm going to figure it out." cuz I always say whether it's good or bad advice, I don't know, Victoria, you tell me. But I'm like I'm like I say yes to everyone and then I just figure it out. And I think that's a great mentality to have. It may or may not get you in trouble sometimes, but just say yes and then you just figure it out. And I'm like, okay, fine. We're going to do it. We're going to sign the deal. This is what we're going to do. And thank God for loans, like business loans, like you know, and and then that's the way that we decided to do it. like I don't have this like cash flow that you know but so that's the way it works you have to be able to have the funds to produce this project the funds to produce meaning like what host build the book to build the book to build the book like an editor you mean or like the photography the editor that jazz I had a team right who was phenomenal okay so I had somebody that edited my so I wrote everything Right. And then she edited, right? The work. It was different because it's a recipe book, so there really isn't that much to edit and but there's also stories in there and things like that. Okay. Then you have to rent a space. Then you have to hire a food photographer. Then you have to hire a food stylist. Then you have to hire a project manager and someone to direct the shoots. Yes. You know what? I I didn't even think about that. Like writing a novel does not take the same like investment that it does to do a cookbook. You're right. Cuz you got the pictures, you got the rest. You're ask. Wow. I didn't even think about that. Yes. So I had what I called the dream team. Like these women and I all it were all women. Um and we were and I'm like, "Okay, we're going to do this." Okay. Wait, hold on. Sorry. Sorry. You got to take it step by step. So they said, "Yes, you got the book deal." So I got the book deal. So, the book deal is what? They're going to help you with distribution. Like, what? What is the deal? No, they're just going to put their name on it. They're just going to put their name on it and they're going to print it for you and they're going to bind it for you. They're going to print it and b and they cover those costs. Yes. They cover the printing and the binding. Okay, got it. The printing and the binding they cover. Yeah. And they put their name on it, but everything else was up to you, right? Meaning to actually create the work of art that is this book. Okay. So we had to build the we had to build out the book. So I reached out to my friend who happened to have great connections and together we built So you got your squad team. Mhm. Got it. Okay. Then they give you a certain amount of time. By they I mean the publisher. They're like can you put this together in 6 months or 3 months or whatever. So we started production um in March, right? And then I had to submit everything by August. March, April, May, June, July, August. Yeah. So, I was still working full-time. I'm a mom and I'm also a wife. Mhm. And we were doing this on the weekends. So, what we would do is that my mom and my aunt will al would alternate weekends to come and help because we cooked every single recipe from scratch at home. So Fridays we would go with a list to the grocery stores to get all the ingredients. Sometimes my aunt would bring things from PR. Sometimes my mom would bring things from Miami. So it was like a family project. It was a family project. There's so many great stories around it that in the moment when we were in the trenches, I was like in tears like how are we going to do this? This is crazy. Like I would fall asleep on the floor of my kitchen. Like things like that. But that is also such a special part of this project. And then we would bring the food in. The stylist would style it. They would shoot. They would And it takes a long time. It's a whole work day, you know. And of course, you have to take care of your team. You have to feed your team. You have to get your team coffee. You have to make sure they're hydrated. That's where the business loan came in. Oh, yeah. Okay. So, we took a business loan to the book. To put together the book. So, we put together the book. Mhm. Publisher loves the book. publisher love. Oh, I mean, we did my team did a phenomenal phenomenal work. Publisher loves the book. They're like, "Oh my god, yes, we definitely want to put our name on this." Yes. So, they put their name on it and then what happens? So, then they print it and then they're like, "Okay, have fun promoting it." And that's usually what the ad So, usually the advance for books, and I've seen different ranges. I've seen like um low five figures, six figures. I've seen seven figures. It really does depend usually on your name and like what they believe you can actually sell. And usually having like a brand or some type of community or following helps with that gives you some leverage and usually the advance is used to to do this right to do this kind of stuff and also pay to host the events and do all the things. Okay. So now it's like okay you got to host the event. So we got so we got the book but now we have to market the book. Mhm. So then I had to scout marketing teams. So I had I did I started with a book I started the book tour here in New York. Okay. And we had almost 200 people and that was it was amazing. We had like a panel discussion. We we my friends I have amazing friends that are like great at putting events together and I just called everybody that I knew for everything. I'm like please help me. This is what I'm doing. So this is after CO when we're allowed to go back outside. Yes. Yes. Yes. So this is after CO. This is 20 April 2023. Okay. Got it. Okay. Yeah. The book was released April 4th, 2023. Like physically like it was like in all major bookstores across the country. Oh, that's something that the publisher does. Like they put it out there like they'll put it on Amazon, they'll put it at Barnes & Noble. They'll put it. But we are responsible. at least me what my contract was was that like we're responsible of doing it. Yeah. And you know, we can ask questions. They're very nice and they're willing, but it wasn't part of my deal that they would put together this huge book tour kind of thing. My agent does say that things have changed a lot in the in the publishing world. Whereas before it used to be this like elaborate event that would happen after your book is published. Now it's just different. Like you know the economy is different, things are just different and they don't do that anymore. And also people are choosing to like self-publish, right? Exactly. Exactly. But you know something like I'm so grateful that I get to say that this publisher published my book cuz that believe it or not like it opens so many doors for you and it does. Okay. It does. It does because you throw the name around as much as you can, right? You might as well. You might as well, right? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if they've got their name on it, you got to use it to push it. Yeah. And they were, you know, just so happy at the work that we were able to produce and, you know, just offered so many great suggestions and things like that. So, we do the book launch and then I hire a whole marketing team to do the book tour. So, I had I started here in New York, then I went to Miami, then I went to PR, then I went to Chicago. Okay. And then I came back here to New York. And that was like what the book tour was. Um, and then anything else that I wanted to do outside of that, I relied on my IG community, Facebook community, and just me doing it on my own. Like I would take Garolina, my daughter, um, to knock on doors with me. Like I would go to all the bookstores in Brooklyn and I'm like, I published this book. She would open the door for me and be like, "Mommy, let's go in here." And I'm like, "Girl, yes." like we want every bookstore to see our work. You know, sometimes people would get would be like so excited other people would be like ah send an email and you know when you produce something that is it's almost like like you give a baby your business is like your baby. I always say that. Yeah. And then you go and you try to market it and then they're like, "Eh, send an email." I'm like, "Whatever. I don't want my book in here anyway." But I'll still send the email. send an email just in case. Yeah. So, okay. So, we did a lot of that. Yeah. From the moment of conception when you decided during co that you were going to do this to the actual execution and then you actually market like we're out there. It was like what two years? Two and a half years. Yes. Well, so we started production in 2022. Okay. But the idea the idea of doing the book the idea was co 2020 2020 and then you started the production in 2022 and then you out in the market by 2023. Yeah. I'm out in the market by April 4th 2023. Okay. The reason why I wanted to highlight that timeline is because you can change your whole life. Yeah. Like within a year, two years, three years and literally reinvent yourself. Oh yeah. During that period. Okay. So, we're out to the market and we go on the tour and then what happens? And then the tour ends and you're like, "Oh my god, what am I going to do with my life now?" And you're still working at this time. No, no, no. So, I I I leave corporate America. You quit. Right. Where when the book is about to launch, right? Okay. What brought you to that decision? Well, I didn't want to I felt like I would be halfassing both things if I didn't choose one thing. Mhm. And I remember one telling Joe, my husband, I'm like, I really want to do this the right way, and if it doesn't work, I'll go back to work. I still have my degree. I still have my 20 year experience. I could dust off my old resume, and I could go back to work. And I said to him, you know, I'm going to give it every single bit of me. And if it doesn't work, I will never say it's because I never tried. And I know that it's so nerve-wracking because you're like, but insurance but 401k bonuses and you know the sweet bonuses, especially in finance, those bonuses it baby. I miss those bonuses. I miss those bonuses. December rolls around and I'm like, ah, I know. I miss them. Um, but you know something, it's a very scary thing, but and I don't know how to translate that. I was just going to say for my Spanglish folks, can you translate that? Um, it translates into I don't know. It just translates into like you'll figure it out. Yeah. like something will always work out. Like it will work out. And for so long I was so scared for all of the reasons that I just said because it's our safety net. But then you're always going to wish you could have done that thing. And when I have these like conversations with people like I'm having with you and you're like, "Well, what would you tell someone that's like thinking do it because you're setting an example?" First of all, you're doing it for yourself. You're doing something that you wish you you could have done and you're actually doing it. And that's such an amazing feeling. And then you're setting an example for other community members, for your family. Like that's why I get all crazy emotional when I talk about God coming with me to like knock on doors of bookstores because and I talk to her. I'm like, "Mommy, look like when you want something, you work really hard. We put this book out. We did it as a family. We did it together." And she's like, "We wrote a book. I wrote a book." And she takes it to school and we do Hispanic Heritage Month. And she's proud of that, too. And like your little ones are watching. Your family is watching. And it's almost like you paved the way also for like other Edmanas to do it too or other community members to do it too. And going back to how I took the plunge. I'm like I'm just going to do it and then I'm going to figure it out and if it doesn't work I'll just go back to work. Yeah. Same when I had left corporate 15 years in the game and I was like you know what same thing that you thought. I was like I have this you know if I need to I can always go back. I can finagle. I can talk to someone. I can go on an interview. like I have a skill set that I know I can monetize. Um, so worst case scenario. Exactly. We do it. Okay. So now you've been doing this full-time how long? Oh my goodness. So I've been doing this full time since 2023. Okay. I've been doing it for a lot longer because I went to nutrition school while I was still working. I was already starting to help people while I was still working. So I was kind of slowly doing this anyway. I just would have never imagined that it would turn into what it has turned into now. But this has been something that has been in the making for almost 10 years because I started this right when Kado was born and she's 10. And when people are like, "Girl, like I see you on TV. I see you. You're doing great." I'm like, it took a long time. And there were so many times where I would think to myself, I'm like, what am I doing? like I'm spending all this money and there's no return on investment. At least I don't see it yet. And you question everything. The solopreneurship is hard and it's lonely and you question everything because you don't have people around you all the time, right? that get it that get it that and and yes you you you know us here sitting together but on the daytoday we spend a lot of time by ourselves and we question everything and if we are not laser focused like that doubt and insecurity is real and I don't care what you see on social media you get everybody's best on social yes and the struggle is real and there are days when you're like, I'm on top of the world. Like right here, I'm on your podcast. I'm like, this is like I thank you. Like I feel like, oh my god, okay. When she reached out to me or when I'm like on Telmundo or on NBC, like but there are other days where I'm just like crippled with anxiety and nervousness like the holidays are coming like I need to secure the bag and I need to do something. Yes. You know, absolutely. I always say entrepreneurship is like first of all you're paying for your own development literally and this type of development you can't get working for somebody else. It's the only type of growth that comes when your back is up against the wall when you just have you and nobody else and where you are solely responsible for where your checks come from. 100%. And the hustle is different. Yes. Because I think and I'm sure you can relate to this. You're hustling because it's your like when you're at work. I don't know if this happened to you, but like you're hustling, right? But you know you're still gonna get paid every two weeks and you know you're still putting money into that 401k and you know you still have bomb health insurance and you're like you hustle but it's like it's not the same. It's not going to work. That's what I'm saying. Like going out on your own is a different type of growth. um that can't be compared to anything else. You won't know or truly understand what it takes or how you grow or uh how you begin to develop into a business person until you're like in it. There's no other way to do it. Yeah. Because you know that if you don't do it, it doesn't get done. Exactly. you know, and for me personally, and I don't and I only speak for myself, like my house like, you know, it's a twoperson bud, like budget, like I have to hold my part of the bargain and the deal, you know. Um I'm not like this, you know, where it's like, okay, well, if I don't bring in the money, then, you know, we've got like a a cushion or whatever. No, like we both have to bring in the money and get the bills, you know. M um so it's a different hustle. Yes. And this is where like a really strong mentality also has to come into play too because it could take you down sometimes if you don't stay laser focused. So what are some things that you did do to kind of help you get out of the quote unquote black hole when you found yourself in it? Mi I've got the perfect freebie for you. So, I just dropped a 17page workbook to help you get your mind right, especially in this climate of so much uncertainty. So, if you are an aspiring or current entrepreneur and you're just feeling stuck, you're not feeling too good about what the future holds and all the turmoil, the politics, all of it is just throwing you off your game, this workbook is actually going to act as a journal for you. It covers goal setting, efficiency tips, how to manage your time, financial management tips, strategies on how to wrap your head around the next big thing that's coming down the pipeline to bring you consistent revenue in your business. It covers what you should be doubling down on in terms of your well-being. And it is just my favorite jam-packed journal full of marketing and sales strategy to help you get clarity, but most importantly to help you secure the good bag. So, make sure to tap on the link in the show notes. I've linked it there so that you guys can get really clear on the top hacks that you can put into play to set yourself up for success. I hope you love it. So, I actually finally decided to start asking for help. Okay. And paying for help. Yes. Because before I had this mindset that I'm not there yet to pay somebody to help me market this this part of the business, right? But I also was doing a shitty job because I really didn't know what I was doing, you know? So, but but then it would I would say I would research and then I'm like, "Oh, this is too expensive. I can't do it. Oh my god, this is thousands of dollars. like I can't like and then I finally decided to do it. I finally decided to reach out and get help. And I'm starting to see the fruits of that now. Like I'm starting to see the benefits of that. And that's also scary, right? Because you think you're we're so hard on ourselves, right, to begin with. And then you're like, "How can I hire a marketing team to help me? How can I hire an assistant to help me? How could if I haven't made it yet?" But like, who says you haven't made it? That's like something that it's a scarcity mindset that we carry with us, especially if we've been preconditioned to believe what success looks like. Like working for somebody else, not yourself, paying money to actually in you're actually making an investment in your business when you do hire the help. And that takes some time for you to make that shift in mindset because you've been so preconditioned to believe that you need to work the 9 to5 and that's what you know that's what you have been uh taught right but when you go out on your own it's like you're learning on a women I think there's also this element of like we think we could figure it out on our own so we don't need nobody so we do the research and we waste so much time doing the research when we could have just paid somebody who has done the research to just get it done to actually help you get to the next level. I have a story for you. So, I was in a meeting one time with a potential client and I was asking her to give me six figures and I had my whole proposal. I had my pitch. Pitch ended. I thought I killed it. The first question she asked me, she said, "You know, Victoria Jen, this is a really interesting proposal. You're asking me for six figures. Have you ever invested that amount in yourself or in your business before?" And I literally had just started my journey. It was maybe I was like six months in. And I was honest and I said no because I had never invested that amount of money in myself before. And she said, you know, I always question when people ask me for any type of investment, especially at six figures if they made that investment in themselves. Because how can I trust you with my investment? and you're going to execute if you don't even trust yourself enough to make that investment in yourself. That's so good. And I was like, "Wow." Immediately after that, I hired a coach. Yeah. My first coach for $15,000. And I was like, "Let's get this party started. Home girl is right." Because I never want to be in a position where I'm sitting in front of somebody asking them to make an investment in me that I wasn't willing to make in myself. Right. And I see that play out now like when I in my coaching programs and when I'm charging people $15,000 to spend some time with me now I'm more confident in making that ask because I know that I made that investment in me. Yeah. So it just is it's an easier sell in that way because you know a what comes with that type of investment but b if you did it then you should be able to do it too and if you can't do it then you're not my client. Right. Yeah. I think that a good way to think about it in another way that I think it's easier to digest is if you're considering right reaching out to a coach or whatever marketing or whatever it is, break down the amount of money that you need to invest in order to hire said company and and ask yourself or really detail like what do I need to do in my business to be able to make that money back? Because $15,000 as a $15,000 number just feels like a lot. But if you think about it in this way, we keep like signing up for like virtual things or we keep following so and so and getting their like $97 like self guide or whatever. And while I'm not saying that those things are not helpful, if you tally all of that stuff up that you've spent over X amount of time and what you would then need to do in your business in order to pay that back, it's easier to digest. Totally. Yeah. I always say that like if you if you're going to spend $15,000, then how many sales do you need to make in order to bring in that $15,000? And then you just focus on bringing in that amount of sales and then you have it covered. Boom. Right. Right. And then your return on investment just feels less overwhelming, right? It feels like, okay, I could do this. Like if I focus and if I apply what I'm learning through this, then I can. And I'm slowly starting to open myself up to that because now I feel that I'm in a position in my career where I'm partnering with universities, I'm partnering with doctors, I'm a regular on TV, I want to write another book. I need a team. Like, I need help because my goal is to reach as many people as I possibly can through my work as a way of helping, right? How am I going to do that? How does that look? And then who am I going to get on my team to help me execute that plan? Right? And then that's where I feel like I'm like, "Okay, I'm going to do it." And I did it. And it feels great. I I almost feel like, why didn't I do this before? Yes. When you have somebody holding your hand, it's like, okay, I'm not sure, but I know this person is going to have an answer for me. Totally. So, it makes you feel a little bit more at ease and less alone. And less alone and like you have someone to ideulate with. You have someone to brainstorm with. I mean, that's really what you're paying for. You should be paying people who are doing what you want to do, first of all, or have an expertise that you don't have, right? will that will help you get to the next level that you trust that you can go to them and be like, "Hey, I have this idea. What do you think or how should I do this?" How? Instead of you trying to figure it out on your own or trying to go to YouTube University, like they're not giving you strategy. They're giving you what you should do. They're not giving you the how or the behind the scenes that is not on the video. Like there's little things that come with this game that you have to invest or be mentored or something who's giving you the playbyplay that's behind the scenes that people don't really talk about, right? Especially in a public setting. Like there's a lot of things that come with this stuff that people are not even willing to say on camera. So you could go to YouTube University, but you're not going to get you're not going to get the beef of what it is that you need in order to really take this thing to the next level. Yeah. and what you need for your business. Right. Exactly. I come from a business of teaching, right? So, I teach my community how to eat more plants to help improve XY condition, right? Or whatever that is. And and the way that I market my one-on-one coaching is I will be your guide on the side holding your hand. Well, it's the same for us, right? when we're running our business, it's just, you know, from it just looks different because it's not a nutritionist, it's like a marketing professional or like a business coach, right? So, seeing the need for that personalized approach to help you get to the next level is really important, especially as a way of scaling your business. Totally. And it just saves you time and ultimately it saves you money because you leave money on the table. Exactly. You're leaving so much money on the table with you trying to figure it out on your own. Like pay the experts, y'all. Pay the experts. It's like when you go to the doctor, you're going to the experts so that you could get the answer quick, fast, rap, so you can go on to the next thing. Like stop taking so much time. Like you're wasting time. Anyway, Moer, tell the people where they can learn more about you, connect with you, all the things. Yes. So, you can follow me on social at the Latina Health Coach. Same name for all other social networks. So, Twitter and I don't go on Twitter. Um, in sorry, Instagram and Pinterest and um Tik Tok and all of the things. Um, my website is carlasalinerary.com and I am available all the time to our community as best as I can. Um, I work a ton and I do it with a lot of love and passion. Our community needs this. The community is the sickest it's ever been and they um, and I do it coming from a place that celebrates our cultura, right? Just because you want to be healthy does not mean that you need to give up on the foods that we grew up with. foods represent tradition. It connects us to our ancestors and that's worth celebrating and that's worth keeping together. And it's possible to do it in a way that is also aligned with your health goals and promoting longevity and just feeling better. So, um, yes, your book, where can they get the book? You can get the book at all major bookstores across the country. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, online. It's everywhere. And if it's not in your community, tell them that they need to put it there. Um, and you can just communicate with me through that. I love it. Remind them of the title of the book, Abuela's Plant-Based Kitchen. Abella's Plant-Based Kitchen. You heard it here, y'all. Thank you so much for tuning in to today's episode. We learned a lot today. Yes, we learned about how to take the leap from your 9 to5. We learned about nutrition. We learned about how our community is the sickest it's ever been. Um, we learned about the significance of infusing your cultura into what you do and how that can actually bring so much pride and liberation and happiness to your life. I mean, ever since I decided to make the decision to infuse more of my Latin dad into every aspect of my entrepreneurship journey, it has just been so revitalizing and so dope to embrace my community in that way. Especially when we were influenced to put our cultura to the side and adapt to everything else. Like when you're able to really hone in on who you are, where you come from, it just changes the game. So, thanks so much for tuning in y'all and I'll see you in the next episode. Besitos. Listen up Latinas. It is time to take ownership of our dino because if we don't, who will? Did you know that only 45% of Latinas have a savings account? And 83% of Hispanic millennials have no retirement savings whatsoever. Damn. And what's even more alarming, Hmanas, is that even though we're the second largest ethnic group in the United States, there's a $200 billion blending gap between Latino owned businesses and their white counterparts. This is why Foruna Latina exists, a free program designed to help Latinas build wealth, manage money, and secure their financial independence. This is about controlling your future and letting go of your money trauma. Mi, the wealth gap isn't shaky. It is growing and unless we take control of our finances right now, we risk passing down struggle instead of security. So don't hesitate. Join Fortuna Latina, the only financial literacy program designed specifically by Latinas for Latinas. Get access to expert mentorship, an amazing community, and the tools that you need to thrive. Your financial independence begins right now. Join the movement today at fortuna latatina.net. Hey guys, if you enjoyed this video, I'm pretty sure you're going to love the next one. So, make sure to click right here and tap in to the next episode.
Get Karla’s Book: Abuela’s Plant-Based Kitchen, available at all major bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart.
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Website: https://karlasalinari.com/
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