Doing Hard Things: Healing, Finding Purpose, & Starting Over ft. Hady Méndez

Oct 14

In This Episode: Victoria Jenn Rodriguez, kicks things off with love, reassurance, and a moped mishap in Rhode Island (spoiler: she’s okay and still serving looks!). She reminds us: You can do hard things, ask for help, and always keep it cute—even with a wrapped leg.

Special Guest Spotlight: Hady Méndez,Meet Hady Méndez, (she/her), founder of Boldly Speaking, newly minted author, and living proof that you can absolutely reinvent yourself at any age. Hady shares her journey from corporate America to entrepreneurship and dives into her upcoming move to Spain (¡sí, the whole country!), proving it’s never too late for a bold new chapter. She opens up about:

How loss and life’s curveballs can spark deep purpose
Saying “yes” to missionary work in Bolivia and what living with less taught her
The uniqueness (and sometimes loneliness) of being a Latina in corporate—and how that led her to bet on herself
Building lasting community and the real power of women supporting women
Why she’s committed to authenticity over likability—and encourages us all to “stand on business”
Her new book, “No More Calladita,” packed with wisdom, refranes, and journaling prompts
And yes, real talk about dating (or not), being visible at every age, and why we need both community and celebration

Keys to Cultivating Community: Hady drops major gems on community:

“Today for you, tomorrow for me.”
Serve selflessly and trust in reciprocity
Shine the spotlight on others—especially our fellow Latinas
There’s enough space at the table for us all

Entrepreneurship: The Real Tea If you’re considering a leap from corporate to entrepreneurship, Hady gets real: finding consistency is hard, especially for women of color in their 50s, but betting on yourself is always worth it. Her advice: keep building, stay adaptable, and don't be afraid to pivot when the universe nudges you.

Let’s Get Loud: Hady’s book, No More Calladita, is a must-read for anyone ready to own their power, ditch limiting beliefs, and make their voice heard. Whether you’re early in your career or rewriting your story at 50+, there’s wisdom for you here.

Your Takeaway This Week:

Step into your power—don’t wait for permission.
Authenticity is a superpower, not a setback.
Build and nurture community—celebrate yourself, celebrate others.
When life gets tough (or throws you off a moped!), ask for help and keep moving forward.

This week Victoria Jenn welcomes Hady Méndez, CEO of Boldly Speaking and newly minted author, to talk about ageism, living boldly, finding your purpose after 50, and making big life transitions without losing yourself.

Hady drops tales from her new book, "Calladita No More," that helped shape her into a powerhouse corporate tech executive turned entrepreneur living life on her terms and celebrating cultura out loud.

In this episode:

11:33 - How Missionary Work In Bolivia Transformed Her Life
22:05 - Redefining Success For Women 50+
29:04 - Pivoting To Entrepreneurship After A Layoff
34:27 - How To Create Community As A New Entrepreneur
47:15 - Finding Purpose Through Connection
53:09 - Shutting Limiting Beliefs & Embracing Authenticity

Full Transcript:

Welcome back to Banking on Cultura. I am your host, Victoria Jenn Rodriguez. How are you, Lord? Every day I wake up, I feel like there is something trending. There is something new to roll my eyes up about. So, I just want to send you guys love and to tell you, listen, you're not alone. Whatever you are feeling, whatever you are desiring, whatever you are yearning for, if you're in a funk, if you're like, h, I don't know what tomorrow's going to bring, or you're just finding yourself in unchartered waters. You are not alone, okay? You are not alone. And I want to share a story with you guys real quick before we get into today's interview. We have an amazing guest on today's show, Pero. If you've been following me on the social media streets, and if you're not, I am Victoria Jenn, your girl got a big boo boo this past weekend. So, this past weekend was Labor Day weekend. When this show drops, it should be close enough where you guys can still remember what you did during Labor Day weekend. Uh, but I went to Rhode Island. Rhode Island is absolutely gorgeous. By the way, if you have not been, definitely encourage you to visit. The water's beautiful. The towns are so quaint. Everybody's so nice. We went on a walk, my friends and I, and literally every single person we passed by said good morning. And you know, growing up in New York City, you get the nod. You get the nod. You maybe get a cracked smile. You normally don't get good morning unless someone feels chipper that day. But not in Rhode Island. Everybody was very chipper. Everybody was very welcoming. It was just a vibe. It was beautiful. And so one day we went to Black Island, which you have to take a boat to um from uh the mainland of Rhode Island. And so we go and it's super cute. It's a super small island. So my friends and I, we see these mopeds and we're like, "Oh, let's take the mopeds to get around the island so we can see everything." So we decided to make a reservation for the mopeds. So I arrive for my reservation. I get on the moped. So, I have this dude who's telling me, so first of all, I was not impressed with the moped. It looked like it was beat up. They had these Vespas. I really wanted a Vespa, but it was with another company. So, I had to go with this moped that I wasn't really impressed with. So, I get in the moped and he's like telling me everything I need to do. And he's like, "All right, you're off." And I'm like, "Um, don't I need to wear a helmet?" And he's like, "Oh, yeah, yeah. Go get yourself a helmet." I'm like, "Okay." I'm like, "All right, let me go get myself a helmet." I go, I get myself a helmet. Now I have a different gentleman who's explaining the bike to me who had a very thick Jamaican accent. And I'm explaining to him, I was like, "I need you to slow down. Like, I can't understand what you are saying." So, I was getting frustrated, he was getting frustrated. So, he's like, "Look, why don't you do a little trial right here before you go and let's test it out." So, I'm like, "All right, cool. I could do this." So, your girl gets ready. She goes, "Y'all, within two minutes, I had ran into a parked car. I basically rode the moped into a parked car and it was man down." Okay, man down. And thankfully, I had that helmet on because if not, my head would have hit the car and then it would have hit the floor. Okay, and I probably would have gotten scratched up because my right leg is done. It's all wrapped up right now. And my arm got bruised up. It was just a hot mess. Didn't break any nails, though. God said, "I got you." And didn't break any bones either. But it was an extravagana, y'all. The ambulance came. I was like front and center. And the EMT folks were so nice. They were like, "Let's bring you inside the ambulance cuz everybody's watching." I was like, "Yes." I do not want to end up on Tik Tok cuz you know they love to put people on Tik Tok that have embarrassing moments. Um but they were super sweet and super nice. But what that taught me was a uh I'll never get on a moped again. So that's numero uno. Uh I'm more of a Vespa girl anyway. Let's keep it cute. Let's smaller machine, you know, something a little slower. That's more my vibe. But two, what it taught me was that I can do hard things. Okay, I'm in recovery mode, but I'm dealing with it and I'm going through the healing process. And you just never know when life is going to throw you these curve balls. And so, you just have to show up anyway, which is why I'm here in the studio. We're still recording. We're still doing all the things. We're doing the whole wardrobe changes because I can't show my leg because it looks crazy. Um, and then the third thing that I learned is don't be afraid to ask for help. You know, when these EMT volunteers came, they were like, "Do you want to go? Do you want us to help you?" I'm like, "Yes, absolutely. Please help me. Like, wrap me up, clean me up, do all the things." Right? There was no pride in that moment. There was no ego in that moment. I was like, "Help me." So, in this time of so much uncertainty and there's just tons of ambiguity and there's just a lot going on that you might feel a little insecure about things or you might feel like you're not 100% or you don't feel like yourself, don't be afraid to ask for help. Ask. People are willing to help you if you ask, but they don't know you need help unless you let them know. So, those were my key takeaways from uh my accident this past weekend. If you saw the story time on social media, let me know. Shoot me a DM. By the way, shout out to everybody who was sending me good wishes and all the healing vibes because it was it was quite the show, darling. It was quite the show. But we survived. We are survivors. Now, on to my amazing guest who is also a survivor, who also has an incredible story to share. She is here because she just dropped a book. So, we're going to talk about her new book. We're going to talk about her latest adventures on the entrepreneur trail and we're going to get into some bon as always. So, without further ado, I have the pleasure of welcoming Hady Mendez who is the CEO of Boldly Speaking. She went from corporate to entrepreneur. So, we're going to get into that. And now she is an author of the soontobe best-selling book Gayarita Noar and we love that. Yes. So, welcome Hady. Welcome to Banking on Cultura. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. I'm excited to be here. That was a good story with that was a girl. I'm glad you survived. Thank you. You're brave cuz I would I would not have gotten on a moped with or without a helmet. I got on a moped. You would need to give me a bodysuit. Couldn't tell me nothing. And literally within 2 minutes, I was like head-on collision with the car. The car is what stopped me cuz I couldn't stop the damn moped. And everybody's like, "Why didn't you press the brakes? Why didn't you do this? Why didn't you do that?" And I'm like, "In the moment, everything goes really fast." I don't know. I thought I was stopping. Exactly. But the car is what stopped me. No, seriously, God. Shout out to God because it could have really went a whole another direction. Lord. But yeah, it was it was good times. Good times. Good times. Good funny times. But enough about me. We're here to talk about you. So tell us some. All right. Well, um again, I want to introduce myself to the audience. I'm Harti. Harti Mendes. Pronounce she her aa. And um for those of you who don't know me, I'm a like native New Yorker, Puerto Rican, Moriqua, the all the things. And um my chinche that I'm going to just kick us off with is that I am leaving the country girl. And I know that that is something that a lot of people talk about and a lot of people have been talking about a lot more lately, but I am talking with lawyers. I have paperwork in progress and um very very Latina of mediocre um in the new year. Wow. Where in Europe? Uh my target is Spain. Okay. So I'm trying to go to Madrid. Okay. That's my going to be my first uh stop. Okay. I want a a city vibe because I am a New York City girl and I feel like I need to be in another city. Um, and you know, a lot of people ask like, "Hey, have you been there?" I have visited Spain a couple times. I had a niece who studied in Madrid, so I actually have visited Madrid. Okay. Um, I didn't like particularly like fall in love with it uh, per se. That's not the reason for the move. It's kind of a means to an end. Like I'm thinking a lot about like I guess my third chapter and where I want to be and what kind of life I want to have. And I feel like Europe is going to be more affordable. There's more options. I think there's going to be especially from like like medical point of view, I think it's going to be much more affordable. And yeah, so I'm just like thinking I'm planning ahead. I'm pl I'm thinking about like what happens as I'm easing my way into retirement. And I really want like a little bit of a more affordable, slow, fun kind of life. And I feel like Europe is going to take me there. Wow, that's a big decision to make to literally move across the globe. Yeah. To a whole new country, continent. I've done it before. Oh, you have? Wow. Yes. So, um about 10 years ago, I moved to South America for two years and I lived in Coachabama, Bolivia, where I was a missioner. So, I actually was working with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women for two years. Wow. And I went with the mission organization. So, it's not like I went by myself by myself, but I mean like I didn't know anybody there. I had never been to Bolivia. I just signed the contract and said, "My boy." And I went and I had like an amazing, very transformative experience. I write about it in the book. Okay. And um yeah, so it's like um I feel like it's not something that I can't do. I've already It's not too foreign to you. Yeah. To your point, we can do hard things. That's a hard thing, but I think it's going to be a hard thing that's going to lead to a lot of payoff in the future. And so I'm willing to kind of navigate that maybe risky time that feels a little bit uncomfortable so I could get to the other side and maybe have a really nice retirement. So what was going on in your life that made you want to do the missionary work? That's a such a good question and I actually do write about in the book so I'll share a little bit here but I had lost my mother and my sister within a few years of each other. They both passed and after that I moved to Florida. So it was like my mother died, two years, three years later, my sister died and then I moved to Florida. So all of this happened like in a within a very short window. And I would say by the time I got to Florida, I was like, you know, it was kind of like that yolo moment where I was like, I really have to be very intentional about my how I live because I don't know how long I'm going to live. You know, when other people die, you start thinking about your own mortality. You're like, what mark am I leaving? Like what impact have I made or like you know, if I die tomorrow, was there any evidence that I was here? you know, so I kind of was really thinking about like, well, what's my purpose? Why did God bring me here? What am I supposed to be doing? And I feel like that really led to um thinking about going on mission and really giving back in a more meaningful way. And so, yeah. So, I went overseas for two years. It was really fun. What was your biggest takeaway from that experience? Um, I think part of it is definitely the I can do hard things part because I feel like you're starting from scratch. Like, you have no friends. You don't even know how to call 911. Like if I fell down the stairs, I wouldn't have like I'm like uh I remember because someone tried to break into where we lived. We lived in a in a center. Okay. It was a community center and in the during the day had offices and at night we were the only ones there, me and the other missioners. And someone broke in that we had like a breakin in the first floor and we like who do we call? We're like we don't even know how to call the police. We we like literally have no idea how to do that. So you're starting from zero. um you don't know like everything like what to buy, what brands to buy, where to get something. Like here you're like, "Oh, I need toilet paper, I go here. I need lipstick, I go there." Like there you're like, "Um, I don't know. Do I go to the Merc or am I going to the Centro or like where do I go to get these things?" So, and like it's really weird, but like the post office was like I was forever in the post office. It's like I don't spend this as much time in the post office in the States. I don't know why it's such a like a big thing here, but like it was like oh, I forgot how to say post office in Spanish. Do you remember how to say that? I don't know. Oh, Elo Elo Po. I'm like really like everything was at Cororeo. But anyway, um so I definitely learned that I could do hard things and I learned that um I learned what I would be willing to do for free because I was doing it for free. I was just going to ask missionary work free. It's free. All they do is they put you up. Okay. And then they give you a little stipen. So I was making $200 a month. Okay. So, I mean it does go a longer way there, but still $200 to $200 for a month. Yeah. And you have to pay for your own flight there. Your own flight? No, they pay for they pay for the flights. So, they pay for the flights, they pay for the visa, like anything to do with the work itself, they pay for, but like you got to your living expenses are yours. And so, yeah, I learned to do like to do a lot more with less, to be generous with people that didn't have because I had money in the bank. I had worked in corporate for like 20 years by that time. So, I have money in the bank. So, it's like, we want to have fun tonight. I'm buying three bottles of wine and we're having fun tonight. Like, I'm not even going to think about it. So, it was nice to be able to give and be generous with people. And also, I learned that like just like here I would do any day right now. When I got there, I was like, I want to work with women. I want to work with children. Those were the two things I wanted to do because I love empowering women and I love working with the next generation like young people and like making sure that they're getting like that they're being prepared for whatever experiences they're going to have. And so it was like very on brand like I did the things that I was already doing but like I leaned into it and I when I was in prison it was very interesting too because I didn't have a speaking career at that time but nevertheless I have done a speaking intensive when I was in Bolivia in order to kind of get a little practice my Spanish more and then I ended up bringing a speaking intensive which was a course a speaking course into the prison. Wow. Which was random. now now that I have my career shadowing. Yeah. Now that I have my career, I'm like, "Oh, well, of course I would do that." And then I actually when the women I was like um a life skills instructor for them. And so when they got out of prison, they would take this life skills workshop and I did a speech class with them. And I would say, "Okay, tomorrow we're going to talk about, you know, what are the things that you want for your future?" And they're like, "But Jo, I just got out of jail. Like what do you what do you I don't know when you what I want for my future." I'm like, "Oh, you got to think about it." Mhm. And yo, those were some very, very powerful speeches those women would give. Very powerful. They were not they were not speakers, but the things that they said came from the heart and they were so deep and so profound and so vulnerable. It's beautiful. I could see how that would be a transformational experience for you. Totally. Total. Uh, do you have children? No. Was that an executive decision you made on your own or Yeah, I never really I don't like kids. Okay. Okay. And that's coming from someone who I was a community school director at an elementary school in the South Bronx for three years. Okay. But I like those kids. Like I do like some kids and I guess I like kids once I start getting to know them and they're like little people to me. Yeah. But I don't like kids that cry and like are spoiled brats. Like I don't like kids like that. But I like kids that are curious and eager to learn and like respectful. Like when I worked at the school, I love those kids and they would like be like, "Miss Hottie, you know this, that and the third. Miss Hottie, can I have a Skittles or can I have like a little fruit candy or whatever." I used to have like snacks in my office. And once the word got out, all the kids would come knocking and be like, "Miss Hottie, can I have a a granola bar?" And I'm like, "Yes, of course. Come in." And I would give them the like I loved having like little people and having little conversations with them. That was I loved it. But but yeah, I didn't really want kids. I never really enjoyed children. And then I don't know if I made a conscious decision, but it was never a priority for me. And then the time passed, I'm like in my 50s now. It's just like, you know, not possible. And I'm okay with that. Like, so as a Latina, not wanting kids, that's like a sin, right? Like culturally. Yeah. We kind of are groomed. Yeah. To like, you know, have children. Yeah. So, a couple things. I'm the youngest, so all my other sister is very fertile. They gave my parents lots of grandchildren. So, like there was no pressure for me. So, so that was taken care of because all my sisters got a bunch of kids. And then I would say also I actually don't remember people like I think maybe I'm guessing I won't pay people like oh you want kids like once I got married or whatever. I'm twice married twice divorced. So okay I'm guessing that people like asked but I don't remember. So it was like I was like no I'm not that interested and I just kept it moving and I think eventually people stopped asking. Interesting. Yeah. How is are you dating? No, I would like to date. Girl, I haven't been on a date in like 10 years. Don't even 10 years. Wow. Yeah, this could be my ad. Wait, this interview might go in another direction. But I'm 50 plus. I'm looking forward 10 years. 10 years. Wow. Yeah, that had to be by choice cuz you're a beautiful woman. Like, I'm sure somebody want to take you out on pain. But but not really. Are you not on the apps? Are you not outside? No, I'm not on the apps. I don't I don't So you're not discoverable. Well, not that way. I mean, I feel like I'm present. I'm very visible in spaces, but yeah, like I don't know if it was intentional, but I I do feel like even if it's not intentional consciously, it's probably intentional subconsciously. Like I've prioritized other things and like you know, like right now I'm moving and I'm like that's my priority. Like focusing on that. My book is my priority. You're about to bag you a Span. You're about to get you a little There's a lot of beautiful people in Spain. Yeah. Well, I don't I don't know if I want a Spaniard. I won't talk [ __ ] about them yet, but but um I want someone who's smart. Yeah. And who I've actually I write on Subsac and I wrote about this. Okay. So, I did write about this. It needs to be no fuss. No, I don't need any extra work. I'm not trying to raise a man, you know, kind of. So, heal, you know, like comes packaged already. Yeah, like ready to go. And additive, meaning like I got my life, I got my book, I got my career, I got my business, I got all my things. If you see a way to fit into that, great. If you're going to try and take that away from me or like get in the way of that, I'm not really interested. You know what's really interesting for me is, you know, on threads, that's like my favorite thing right now. And I constantly see women share these stories of how they go years celibate and years no dating. And I'm like that is so interesting because I'm starting to hear more and more women like share that information. And I'm just like is that a good thing or a bad thing? Well, I'm going to tell you one more thing, and you don't know this yet because you're young or you're you're definitely younger than me, but after a certain age, women get invisible, and I'm definitely in that age. Invisible meaning to other people. Yeah. People Men don't notice us anymore. Really? Yeah. So, that I think is more than anything what has happened to me. Cuz you're right. When I was in my element, even into my mid-40s, Joaba, hey, how are you? I was like everywhere smiling. F I'm I would meet people everywhere and it like after a certain age it was like I'd be like making the same eye contact and they'd be like I don't even see you. I'm looking over here. That's interesting. So that happens and I feel like maybe that's why it's more common and maybe it's more common after a certain age is because women become more invisible after a certain age. It's like guys my age are looking for younger women. So who's looking at me like that? I'm like not really. Well, I don't know. Not really. Not Not them either. No, it's a little bit different cuz when I was in my 40s, you're right, the younger guys would look at me and it it was like probably in my late 40s, early 50s when the tide changed, which is consistent with the what I'm telling you. What's interesting is that the women the age group is all over the place. Like women in their 20s, women in their 30s, women, I can't explain that. Now you're sharing in your 50s. It's like interesting. It's like it is interesting like they're making the decision to not engage. Yeah. That I'm not I don't think I've I'm there that I've made a decision. It just hasn't happened. It hasn't really been my conscious decision. Not at all. But like I'm okay with it. So I think I've kind of accepted it and said, "Okay, you know, that's cool because I got other things going on anyway." And like I said, if when the right time comes, if the right time comes in benido and if not, you know, I got friends, I got family, I got projects, I'm happy. I live a full life, you know, and and uh I can say that with a lot of sincerity and you know, yeah, I mean that like I have a full life and if there is a partner, someone out there for me that could, you know, make my life even better, I'm open to it. Yeah. It's just so interesting to me because I wonder like, you know, when I watch documentaries and they talk about people living well into their like late 90s and how actually they're able to do that and what were the trends, one of the trends is like community and companionship. And I'm like, I wonder if we're leaning more towards a society where we are almost forced to find these things to fill up empty spaces so that we can be okay with being alone, you know, and be okay with, okay, this is my reality. This is what it is. This is how I have to cope. This is how I have to manage. And I I just wonder if that's like healthy for us as like a people. Well, we definitely need people in our lives, but I don't think it has to be romantic, you know what I mean? So, I do have healthy communities that I'm part of, which I talk about in the book. I have a whole chapter called um what is it? It's like I'm trying to think now. I'm like, wait, what is it called? I don't want to um get it wrong, but it's a chapter on community and it says first build communad. And that's about how you, you know, when you're um striving for success and striving for a full life and a good life, make sure that you build community along the way and you find your community and your people. So, I don't know. I don't know if it has to be romantic, but I definitely have communities and and they serve different purposes. Like, not every community is the same. And you know, a f a friend like a platonic friendship is not going to fill the need of a romantic relationship ever. Like those are two different things. But um but I've you know like again it hasn't really exactly been by choice. It's just been by circumstance. But but I've have found ways to still be happy and you know live a full life and have things that I'm really excited about. You know, you and I just came back from Puerto Rico and we were at the Bad Bunny concert and girl and it was lit. You're living a full life when you're like that concert. I looked around and that feeling I had, I hadn't had a feeling like that in a really well. Listen, I actually shared this on Tik Tok and it went viral because honey, I had an expectation, you know, when I go to Puerto Rico. I'm like, did you get to the palong, by the way? The what? Did you go to the balcon? No, I did not. Uh, I was like, you know, going to flirt a little, going to have some fun. And honey, no, no, no, no, no. on that island. It was nothing but a single woman, gay men, and couples. That's it. And I I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. I was like, "What is happening?" I never have that expectation of Puerto Rico ever. Well, now I won't anymore. You know, and and I have been proven right. I'd be like, even in Costco, I'd be like, "Hey." And it's like, "No, they're not interested." Crazy. And I was like, "What?" So, I thought I was being cute. This was my first time staying at an all adult hotel. Okay. Right. I've never stayed at one before. And I was like, "Yeah, cool. No kids. Cool." Like, I'm thinking there's going to be like single men there. Like, you know, have some fun. No. At the all adults hotel, this is what I've realized. And what I find out, yes, there's tons of single women, a lot of women who are into other women. Okay. Uh couples, gay men, and swingers. I was like, I am in the wrong. They need they need to put that in the fine print. What is happening now? You know, you need all adult single females looking for a man hotel. Listen, I mean, and if you think about it, you know, Benito, he attracts women. Everybody though, couples and gay men. Like, that's his audience. Yeah, for sure. You're not going to see like a group of single men go to see him. That's true. That's true. Yeah. Actually, now that you talk about it, when I went, it was my cousins here, a gay couple here, and then this gay guy here that was having such a good time, and I was having a good time like with him and for him. like he was just like he was in the zone. Yeah. He was I don't know why he had before he came but he was like como like I don't know why he had [ __ ] algoapurya and he just had his eyes closed and he was dancing and but he was happy. Everybody was happy. That was the that was the common theme. Everybody was happy in that place. The energy the vibe the soullessness of it all. It was just it was beautiful. It was beautiful. And the energy on the island was super dope. It was just like, who I got all these two outfits for? I could be here looking like a straight up like bum and I'll be good. But see, I think that's when like I also, you know, um want to I want to look pretty. And I remember when I was um younger, I always was like, I want to be I don't want to be the the the person who's the frumpiest in the room. That was like always my goal. So, like I remember a lot of times my ex-husband would be like, "Why are you getting all this stuff?" I'm like, "Cuz I do not want to be underdressed. Be cute." Yeah. Yeah. So, but but now I don't always think about it like that. I want to look cute. And I'm like, "Oh, I I look cute." But I don't think to the next level of like, "Oh, and is a man going to notice me or like will someone now come and ask me for my number?" Whatever. Like, I just be like, "Oh." Cuz I I ended up getting like cute red Adidas and I bought them in Puerto Rico to go with my outfit. And I had like a red top and a little white ruffle skirt. It was very cute. The outfit, I was very happy with it at the end. I love it. Yeah, but I was but it was for me, you know. I was just like, I look ready for this concert. Oh, see me and you were different. I go outside and I'm like, who is here? I was like that, too. Trust me, I had my my moments. I have my years. Yes. I was I was a You know how they say hunter and gatherer? I was a hunter. I was on the prowl. But that's you know, I'm in a different season. Yeah. Yeah. I hear you. I hear you. I'm tranquil now. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not. I would say I'm tranquil, but I do always have my eye out just in case. You remind me, you know, you remind me so much of Cardi B. You really do? Yes. I take that as a compliment. You say a lot of cute things like her. Very cute. She is amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Speaking of Cardi, so this boniche went into This is starting with Bonjin because you just never know what you're going to get and I love it. But let's talk about your journey into entrepreneurship because you were in corporate for 20 plus years. Yes. 25. How long ago did you decide, okay, I'm going full throttle into entrepreneurship? Well, I was kind of thrown into it. So, I would say that um you know, cuz I talked a little bit about retirement before. So, I think I always kind of knew in the back of my head that I wanted to start a side hustle that maybe could take me into retirement, but I never planned on leaving corporate like the Canaso. But I was laid off and I was laid off in early 2023. My company laid off 10% of the workforce, which at that time was like 8,000 people. And you were in tech, right? I was in tech and I was the head of equality for a major tech company. So, and and I was laid off rather suddenly. So, when that happened, um, I decided, you know what, let me just do a little bit of like speaking engagements, partnering with ERGS, consulting, advising, because that's what I know and that's what I enjoy. and let me just see if I could like kind of do that as I as a bridge job into finding my next gig. And what I discovered and we haven't talked about we talked about a lot of isms but we haven't talked about agism but but but maybe we have a little bit because I talked about how when you're over a certain age kind of men don't see you anymore. Well, the other place where that kind of sticks his head out is in the job search because I feel like in the job search I didn't I didn't get any so PS. Yes, I didn't find any jobs. I did. I never in that whole time that from the point I got laid off until the present day, I never got another job offer. And you know, eventually I stopped looking. So, I'm not looking anymore. I decided to go all in on my business. But for the first few months, I would say maybe nine months since I got laid off. I applied to over a thousand jobs and I didn't get one job offer. And I was very qualified for many of those jobs. Most of those jobs I was very qualified for. And and I would when I would get the no I would follow and see like well who eventually got announced and it was like a young person maybe between zero and 10 years into their career and so um the the market organizations are looking for a lot of young talent and there could be a lot of reasons for it. Maybe they're looking for fresh perspectives, maybe they're looking for like, you know, new talent, people that can grow with the organization, but at the end of the day, you know, that plays a role. And so, um, anyway, that happened and I had to kind of accept that like, hey, this isn't going to maybe work in my favor. So, is that aism? Is agism like how do you define agism? Well, I feel like agism has to do with taking into account that like, you know, maybe I don't have a lot of maybe I don't have a lot of time left in my career. Maybe I'm going to ask for too much money. Maybe the way I do things is a little outdated or not as fresh or current. You know, those are like the combination of those things. None of which I think are true. PS. You know, I feel like I still have a lot of value to bring into an organization. In fact, I feel like I'm in the best time in my life to bring value to an organization. So, it's really unfortunate, you know, but let's not forget that I'm a Latina and I'm a woman and like all those intersections, they kind of come together and it's like it's unfortunate, but like there are a lot of women of color out there that got laid off and never got back into the market. I know I've met so many and they come, they'll like schedule calls with me and they're like like how did you end up starting your business? I'm like cuz I discovered that I was not going to get hired. did not look like, you know, and and trust me, I applied to so many places, nonprofit, um, big organizations, companies just like mine, positions that I was in, low lower positions, none of them wanted me. And it didn't make sense. And so, I said I just had to bet on myself. And I felt like at this point, I have a lot to offer. If a company doesn't want to bet on me, then I'm going to bet on myself. And that's what I encourage a lot of women of color, especially people that are like 20, 30 years into their career and they just lost their job or, you know, whatever got got um I forget what they like restructured or whatever the company restructures and they and they got um their papers. I tell them bet on yourself. Don't don't waste your time applying for only applying for jobs. you could do that. If you really want to get back into corporate and there's reasons you might because of, you know, retirement plans and medical, you know, medical coverage and stuff like that, do it, okay? Keep applying, but bet on yourself in the meantime and see what you can build on your own. And there's a lot of us out here on the streets that can build together. So, don't be afraid to do that. And you might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. I never ever You could have told me, you know, you're going to write a book in a year and I would have been like, no, you're lying. Never. Never. me planning. I never had any intention of doing this, but that's where life took me. And you know, you also have to be willing to uh be adaptable and flexible and open to like where the universe takes you. And so I feel like I've done that. One of the things that I really admire that you do really well is community and building community. Where does that come from? Like does that happen naturally? Do you sit down and like think through a strategy of like, okay, community is big to me. Like this is what I'm going to do. This is how I'm going to do it. This is how I'm going to show up. Like because if someone like I agree with you. I think community is everything. Especially in this moment where we are uh there's so many things that are forcing us to detach and forcing us to not unify. So what would be your advice to people who are looking to build community? Where do they start? Yeah. So to answer your question, it just happens and one of the things in the book that everyone needs to know is that I use refranes in the book. So refanes are like sayings or do and one of the refanes that I use on the chapter for community is and it is something that I learned a long time ago which is today for for you tomorrow for me and we're just going to I'll do something for you then you do something for me and I'm going to do something for you and you know so on and so so forth. And so with that grounded in that belief, I feel like I I can always be giving and doing something for somebody else. And I'm not I don't even know when you're going to have an opportunity to do something for me, but I trust that when that time comes, it'll happen. And so some of it is trust trusting in the spirit of community and that there's this flow there. And and the other thing is like recognizing that the spotlight is not always meant for you and to be okay with shining the light on somebody else and like really being happy for them and like when you really do that from like u and sometimes um it's not always easy because somebody might have something you want you know what I mean like let's say you're doing the thing you got the customer that I wanted or you got this talking speaking opportunity that I wanted or you won an award that I wanted and I'm like I didn't get it like she got it and then at the same time is like, okay, you know what? I'm happy for Victoria. I really am because Victoria works hard and she deserves this. Congratulations, Victoria. Best of success in your new role. Whatever you know, the best wishes. I'm going to I'm going to wish it to you from the bottom of my heart. And then I'm going to know that like I'm going to believe, not know, but believe that soon, you know, the world is takes a lot of turns and there might be an opportunity for for me to get the spotlight in a future date. And and I'm going to tell you, it's happening right now. I'm living this moment that I'm telling you about. I'm living it because I'm this book is coming out. And I've asked people to help me. I've asked people to endorse the book, read the book. Could you do a live with me? Could you um give do a giveaway and like give the book to someone in your community? Like anything. Bring me to your podcast. Some people haven't even like most people haven't even asked. People come to me and say, "Hey, can I support you? How can I support you? you told me, "Hey, we need to get you on the on the show." Like, I didn't even ask you. You came to me. But like, you and I have been having a little bit of a we talk. You and I have been talking for a while. And so, I feel like I don't know. I guess it's just if you trust that and you believe that and you are genuinely happy for other people and you acknowledge and recognize that there's more than enough opportunity for everybody then you know it's like okay well today Victoria shines tomorrow fan shines and my time is coming and then we're all going to shine we and then we lift each other up. So it's it's a really it's a very deep belief that I have is very deep rooted belief and so I don't know how to teach other people that but just to say that when you meet someone else instead of thinking about how that relationship can benefit you ask that person hey what are you building and how can I support you start there start supporting someone else and you'd be surprised at how by doing that you might get some support when you need it. So what I'm hearing if you're looking to build community is you need to trust that if you do good other people will do good by you. Yes. And also to serve selflessly. Yeah. I'm I'm hearing that. And also to celebrate others out loud. Out loud is what I'm also hearing. Yes. And always be doing that for each other. And I'm talking to the Latinas that are listening. There's not enough people doing it for us, so we have to do it for each other. And when you see someone, even if you see someone get the thing you wanted, be happy for them and ask them how they did that. And then learn from them because there's an opportunity there and your time is coming because there's enough success for everybody. Okay, so I love those shares. I think those are super helpful. And by the way, make sure you're following um Hottie on LinkedIn because you do a lot of community building there is what I see. So there's a lot of like little takeaways um that you can grab from there. So you were kind of forced into entrepreneurship. Yep. And you spent a couple of months still job hunting and then you finally were like, "F it all on me. Let's go full throttle." How has that journey been like? Um, I would like to say that it's been, you know, roses, like just amazing. And to some degree, it has been amazing in that I've learned a lot about myself and my ability to persevere and to be um someone that remains steadfast and focused despite hardships, challenges, setbacks, because there's been a lot of setbacks. Um, I haven't made money consistently. I have um you know DEI has been under attack and that's my space you know working with employee resource groups a lot of companies are cutting back. Yeah. Um a lot of companies don't want anything to do with DEI. It's like you know it's like the thing with the cooties. No one wants anything to do with it. And so um but that's something that I believe I believe strongly in you know um transforming the the work experience of underestimated people. and I'm not going to not do it because not or because someone says that it's not the thing to do anymore. So I'm pretty invested in this area and I'm going to find a way to in LA to continue to do this work because it's very much needed work. I know it, you know it, everybody watching here knows it. Like this is not something that we can step away from. In fact, we have to double down. You know, now is the time to really, you know, dig into this. So, um, so yeah, it's been hard. It's been hard not making money consistently. It's been hard trying to build a brand. It's been hard like learning how to market because I had a lot of skills, a lot of transferable skills. I'm very organized. I'm good with customers. I'm extroverted. I like networking. I'm all about community. Those are all things that I knew how to do really well. I'm learning that I'm not that great with marketing. Um, I'm not the type of person that does cold calling, nor do I want to. Like, it just feels so against my brand. So, if I'm not going to cold call, then I got to be investing a lot of time in building those relationships that over time might lead to some opportunities and partnerships. So, I but I've I have had successes. So, I'm not going to say like I haven't had any success, but um I'm hoping the book is a turning point for me. This this book has, you know, I poured a lot of myself into it. I invested a lot of money and time and energy into the book. Um, my hope is that it's going to be a turning point for me and my business and like this is going to cement me as a thought leader and that really, you know, that I'm going to get onto bigger stages and that I'm going to get more opportunities. So, that's, you know, like it's everything is um, well, you know, as an entrepreneur, you've been doing it longer than me. You just got to keep being adaptable, keep pivoting, keep growing, like seize opportunities, double click on something if you feel like it's working. be willing to walk away from something that doesn't seem like it's working, but don't give up too soon, but like know when to move. And it's like it's a lot of trial and error. Yeah, it's trial and error and like skills that you didn't even know you had or you needed. Trusting your gut, trusting people. Somebody like does you dirty and you're like, "Okay, well, we know we're not partnering with them anymore because this was not about me. It was about them and I thought it was about us." And you know it's a lot of learning and growing pains but in I haven't given up. Yeah. I always say entrepreneurship is you pay for your own leadership development. Like it's not the type of leadership development you can get working for somebody else. Yeah. Like you just won't be able to grow in the same way. You also won't be able to learn yourself in the same way. Yeah. And also really discover if you allow yourself to. Right. If you allow yourself to truly surrender, it is the way to really understand like who you are. Yes. And what matters to you and like what's important because when you're getting paid, you're working for somebody else and things are just comfortable and things are just, you know, going according to plan. You don't really feel the need to sit down and really think about what's happen, right? You don't have to. You're not to think about those things, right? Someone says the machine, right? You're just like in the routine of it all. But when like you are stopped in your path, it's like whoa. Like hold on a second. Let me like really think about this. Um and it makes you uh analyze like what is life? Yeah. You really reflect and you learn what you're about and what you're willing to stand for and where you're willing to compromise and where you are not willing to compromise. Like it's like everyone was like, "Are you still going to be doing DEI work?" And I mean, we don't call it that anymore. You know, inclusion and belonging, employee engagement, whatever. You can call it whatever you want. Um, but are are you still going to be invested in underestimated people and like making sure that we're g, you know, like because I teach all about empowerment. That's, you know, self-empowerment, self- advocacy, self-promotion. Like, are you still going to do that? And I'm like, absolutely. Because we need it now more than ever. Like, there's this is not the time to walk away from the community. This is the time to double down. Mhm. As I'm listening to you, a business idea just came to mind. Oo, I love them. Tell me. Tell me. I think that there is a huge market for women who are 50 plus who are uh yearning for that next chapter. Like they feel it. They feel like, "Okay, transition's coming. I'm thinking about legacy. I'm thinking about like what's what's next?" Yep. and they need help figuring that out. I like that. And they have money to pay people to help them to figure it out, right? Because they have these lucrative careers and now they're thinking about like what's next? What am I going to do when I enter retirement? What is my life going to look like? You're living through the process. What? Um, and so I think that could be like a market for you. Like maybe it's like [ __ ] corporate. Like maybe your market is like that's a good name for it too, right? Maybe your market is like these women who are entering into this next phase of life who are still full of tons of life. Yes. Um but they just don't know what to do with it. They just don't know how to organize it all. They just don't know how to identify like what's that thing. They don't know how to have the difficult conversations with themselves. They And I don't want us to settle because I think that is what corporate was hoping we would do is like just settle. we're going to give you less money, you're going to get less a lower position. Just settle like this is what we got. And it's like why why should we settle? We have so much to offer or even think that you've reached this, you know, um era in your life where it's like not as fun or not as exciting. Yeah. or like it's just um not gonna light you up in the same way and you just accept that as like the norm because that's what people say happens like you know at around that age definitely what corporate pushes right so I don't know I think that could be a space for you like you could be the voice for these women who are in this era of their lives and if you look at the data there's tons right who are thinking about like okay what does this look like you know and usually they're senior in their career So they got money to pay for to figure this stuff out. You know what I mean? I don't know. I think that's something that I could do from Spain, girl. This is what I'm saying. And then the fact that you're in Spain, you have the Substack. Like people are going to live vicariously through you and they're naturally going to be like intrigued by your bravery and your courage. They're going to be like, "Oo, like she's doing this. I can do this, too. I can move across the globe. like I could do this internationally and you could host freaking retreats for these ladies in Spain and all the things like I don't know I feel like that could be like a thing. It's a it's a really good idea. Yeah, I think that would I would kind of infuse it a little bit into your branding. I I would say you know I'm thinking about this concept. Yeah. What do you guys think? I love it. And see what responses you get. I wouldn't be surprised if you get some DMs and they're like, "Oh my god, yes, I'm struggling. Like, I don't know what to do or like, I'm bored." Yeah. Well, purpose is a good is a good thing. I think I think you're hitting cuz that is something definitely that I feel like after you hit a certain point it stops being about like me the individual and it's more like us and like how can you know what role can I play in elevating us and like as a as a older more mature person who has a lot of skills and brings a lot of value how can I use that in a way that serves others? I think a lot of people do look for purpose in this season of their life. Yes, I agree with you. Yeah. Because purpose shifts, I think, depending on what era of life you're in. Yeah. But it's hard to identify like what that is and and think about all your amazing ideas and funnel them down to, okay, I'm passionate about all these things, but I'm going to start with this one. Yeah. I actually, it's funny. So, I do have a chapter in the book. Okay. I love it. I know there's like a chapter for everything. I have one called descriendo your why. So it's like like learning a little bit about what your purpose is and I talk about how I discovered my why and it was at an employee resource group event really at work. Yeah. What was it? Tell us. Um it's funny. So the way I start the chapter I someone said to me I felt like I was in church. So that's how the chapter starts. And then the what they were describing is that we did this event for like it was a local charity and it was for young girls and it was young girls of color. So, so, um, someone asked me if we would host an event at our company. I worked at a company, like a corporate, um, bank at the time. And so, the employee resource group, the women's ERG, hosted the event and and actually it was like a couple ERGs, but anyway, a lot of people got involved. And at the end of the event, we all kind of held hands and I was the one like like saying goodbye, but I ended up it it felt more like a prayer. sounded more like a prayer than it did like a like a goodbye in a corporate event. That's why she told me it sounded like it felt like she was in church cuz I was like, "Thank you for this time." Like, "Who are we thanking?" Like, you know, it sounds like we're thinking that like God, the universe, who are we thanking? And I was and anyway, like I started crying and then other people started crying. But this was like at the end of the like we had maybe like four or five hours with these young girls and like we poured our souls into making this event really nice and like make them feel celebrated and valued and appreciated and we were hugging them and we were hugging each other and it just like at the end of all that like that's when she told me that felt like church and I was like yeah it did. And I don't know, it just like to me it occurred to me. I'm like, I am here to like why am I on this earth, which was around the same time that my right after my sister died and my mother died. And I was like really asking myself those big questions. And I was like, I'm here to make other people feel seen and celebrated, especially people who the rest of the world tries to dim their light and tries to like, you know, shrink them. And I'm like, no, no, we're going to celebrate you. Mhm. And so these were these young girls, low-income, you know, that like seemingly the worlds have forgotten and everyone was like, well, you know, whatever. Like we don't know what they're going to be when they grow up. And we were like, no, this is what you could be when you grow up. And we were talking about like here's the universe is in front of you and here's you can journal and here's a book you can read and here's like we we're like we poured everything into it and it ended up being a really special day. So that was your sign. Yeah. And I was like, wow. Like that was powerful. Yeah, it was really good. I'm always big on paying attention to the signs because we're just moving so fast all the time that we just chalk things up to like whatever and we just continue to move on where literally the signs are in front of us all the time. Like God is literally positioning the signs. We have to be listening. Yeah. We have to be listening, open, ready to receive, right? And like simo because sometimes God tells you something and I know for me like when God was telling me to go on mission pap is there anything else that I could do for you? Yeah. And it was like no. Like the answer was no. You're going to go you're going to go to mission. You're going to be uncomfortable. You're going to live in a developing country. It's going to be hard, but that's what I need you to do. That's your mission. You need to go to the the prison and you need to be with those women. And that was like a phenomenal experience which I talk about in the book. Like it was unparalleled. But sometimes Yeah. So we get the message but we're hoping for a different one and we're like okay I heard that but like got anything else. I don't know if this message is for me. Cross signals. I don't know if it's for me. Yeah. Okay. Yes. So that's kind of how I felt for a while. Like I was like I don't know if that's what I want to do. I was like I already see and I think for me the conflict or the tension came from that. I had a I had like you know I grew up poor and I once meupere and I was like I went to college. I had a good job. I was making money. I was like, I don't want to be broke again. But that's where God wanted for me. That was how I needed to show up. And I and I think it a lot of it was because I knew um I well I had a sense of how you could be broke financially, but you could still like be happy and have a hopeful and a very full life. And um you know just and and quite frankly I learned even more from the people that I met in Bolivia that that's possible. Like they were happy people. I was happy in Bolivia and I was broky broke. I had no money. They didn't have no money but we found ways to like be together and like have meals together and like just do silly things, play games like you know. Um but we were happy people. It was a it's a simpler life when you're not chasing things. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. It is a simpler life. Yeah. So let's get into the talk that talk segment where we address something in the cultura that we want to double down on or that we want to see a shift in. So tell us what is something in the cultura you want to see shift or stay the same? Yeah, I talk about this in the book and it's about shedding limiting beliefs and I think as the Latino culture we have several limiting beliefs. One of them is in the title of the book which is you know kayita no more is a direct response to kayita masponita which is we know a dichoa and a fran that is very prevalent in our community and I think another um which is be quiet stay cute yeah yeah yeah like this it's all good just you know stay there so another one I think that we get fed a lot is that's like very common especially as a girl, you know, everything is dependent on you being a good girl, whatever. It's always that's a big thing, a big message for us. And I was the you know, but I feel that portanto like being a good girl can be quite limiting because you don't get to say things that are uncomfortable and make other people feel uncomfortable when you're too busy trying to be likable and trying to be pleasant and trying to like uh you know um yeah be something that other people find um acceptable or or or like um comfortable. then maybe you're not really getting the opportunity to say things that are uncomfortable or unpleasant or that challenge the status quo. And so that's a lot of the message of my book. And I think somebody I think there's a lot of people that do that well, but the person that I'm going to shout out in particular is Cardi B because she's in the news right now and she's all over the news. And you know, she like the like the line where they're like, "Did you call her fat?" And she was like, "No, I didn't call her fat. I called her B." You know, and it's just like it's funny and it's true. It's true. She's being authentic. I think there's a lot. Yeah. Totally. And instead of being the good girl, I would rather be the authentic girl. I would rather be the real girl. I would rather be the girl who keeps it real and who keeps it 100%. And you might still be likable that way. And Cardi B is evidence of that. That you could still be authentic and real and you could be likable. And I would say being likable is secondary. being authentic and standing by your values and being true to yourself. That should be your priority. And I feel like that is something that our culture misses out on that we don't teach young girls that enough to stand on business, so to speak. And um you know, another person that I we talked about Benito earlier, but I feel like Benito is the same way. Like Benito is like, I am who I am. I'm talking Spanish in my concert. I'm talking Spanish at this interview. If you don't know, look it up. Do do you know get Google Translate, figure it out. I'mma I'mma just keep it real. And you know, people like him, people respect him, you know. um that hasn't gotten in the way of him being a successful artist, a successful singer, someone that people, you know, pay hundreds of dollars to go see like he So anyway, I think those are just some really good examples of people that have stayed true, that have made being genuine and authentic and standing on their principles and their values their top priority. And they're doing great. And I think more of us could be following that lead. And I think we should I agree. I agree. I think both of them do a really good job of not You can't put them in a box. Nope. Like you can't put them in any box. Um and just when you think you figured them out, they do something to surprise the hell out of you. Yeah. And people like it. People do like it, but then there's also tons of people who criticize it. And what I've learned is that when you stand in your truth and when you decide to truly be comfortable in your skin and own all of you, your flaws, the things that are amazing about you, your imperfections, what you consider to be failures, where you consider to be losses, then nobody can weaponize it against you. And also uh people will envy that and their way of expressing that envy is to critique is to ridicule. Yes. And imagine how much healthier we would be from a emotional social emotional like mental health perspective when we don't have to pretend or code switch or lie or you know put on when like a good face or just keep it real like I'm today I'm sad tomorrow I'm mad today I'm happy I'm joyfilled like you know there comes a time and a place where you just need to be yourself and there's a lot of freedom in that and I want that for us like you know there might be una best or situation or case where you have to put a wakara there's time and a place for everything but I think mostly when I look at you know benito look at cardi and others and you Victoria Jennifer when you keep it real like people respect that and and you live and you you don't have to um I just feel like you live a happier life when you show up that way. And I have found, you know, I spent 25 years trying to like um center myself so that I could be palatable to the, you know, corporate communities and the people that I met there. And there's a lot of freedom in not having to worry about that and just being like, it's okay. Like I'm just going to say the thing. Um you might love it, you might not, but like it is what it is and I stand behind it. And so yeah, I just think Yeah. Yeah. And I also I think the biggest thing is when you do it, you give others permission to do it too cuz they're like, "Oh, okay. This is possible." Like, "Oh, you know, she's doing it." And I just want to add that it is really hard to be a truth teller. It is really hard to be authentic. It is really hard to stay true to yourself when everyone is is basically telling you you should be everything but who you are. Yes. uh and giving you great business cases as to why you shouldn't be who you are, right? It's going to impact your bank account or people are not going to consider you for promotions or whatever it is and you won't you won't be like executive material, right? You won't be executive material or you won't get this contract, you won't get this opportunity. It really forces you to think about like, you know, is it worth it? Is it worth it being this true? like do I win an award for being the realist? Like like what do I get for being the realest, you know? And um I've had to ask myself those questions because there have been What's so what's your answer? I think I have an answer. What's your answer? I'm getting to it. Uh you know, I've had those moments where I question like like is this worth it? Like could I should I just play the game? like should I just play the game to just get where I'm trying to go faster? Okay. Right. Which I think is the strategy. You will get there faster if you wear the mask and you play the game. You will because the more comfortable you make people, the more they want to embrace you, right? Yeah. Uh but what I've learned or what I've decided works for me and where I feel God uses me as a voice and what I feel my purpose is is to go against the grain is to burn the rulebook. Is to show people that living in your truth is the ultimate freedom. There is no other solace like being in love with yourself and being true to yourself because there's nothing anybody can weaponize against. Yeah. Nobody could. And listen, we're all human. Nobody wants to hear that you're not liked. Nobody wants to hear that you're difficult. Nobody wants to hear that you're too aggressive. Nobody wants to hear any of that [ __ ] Especially as a woman, because from from birth, we're told, you know, to be liked, right? to stay cute, to be beautiful, to be welcoming, to be all the things. And so when people are telling you you're not that, you might believe it, right? And you might be like, "Wow, I don't that just doesn't feel good. It doesn't feel good for people to not want to be around me because I make them uncomfortable." Yeah. But I made the executive decision for me and listening to God and listening to myself. Yeah. In deciding that I'm not really meant to make you comfortable. Yeah. I'm actually meant to make you uncomfortable because what happens when we're uncomfortable? That's how we grow. That's how we grow. Right. I was about to say that um I talk I mentioned in the book so truth teller is a I talk about being a disruptor and being a trutht teller and how I think those are good things too and those are things that people have called me and um you know sometimes like you said it's unpleas like you're like yeah you do want you're as a human you want to be likable but I talk about how when I walk in a room I've walked into rooms and I can see some people like uh oh here she comes a and I'm like that's okay And then I see some other people like, "Right, you're in the room. Yay. Yay." And and you know, so I feel like both of those are good signs. I like that some people shift in their seat and I like that other people are like, "Yes, you're here. Now we going to get in trouble together." Yes. Good trouble, John Lewis. I feel like I'm more of a happy person when I get to be all, you know, show up authentically and fully. I feel like I am more Yeah. just happier, freer. um I'm more willing or able um to to give my ideas to contribute in a meaningful way, you know, to challenge and say like, well, I know we've always done it that way, but like have we thought about this other thing? Mhm. And um you know, to be honest with you, that's where if showing up authentically and showing up, you know, from a like as a as lat Latinx people, people of color, um and those different lived experiences, that's where we can differentiate ourselves, right? So, I feel like it's a superpower for us to show up a little bit differently because it's like no one else is really willing to do that. You know what I mean? And it's like, boy, that sasson is like it's something special and everybody knows it. Yeah, totally. And it feast on it, right? It's just when they're in the mood for it. And it's like, no, it's not going to be always when you in the mood, right? Oh my god. That's that song has that seasoning all the time. Okay, so this gorgeous book, look at this cover, y'all. Look how gorgeous this cover is. Available on all platforms, right, for them to purchase. Yes. So, it's hard coverver, paperback, um, ebook, and I also have the Audible, the audio book version, which I narrated myself. Oh, I love that. Okay. So, wherever you get like Amazon or favorite favorite online retailer, favorite indie bookstore. Okay, perfect. Or what is the main takeaway you want people to get from this book? I want um Latinas and women of color not to feel like they're alone and that they're the only ones going through like challenging experiences and questioning whether they're enough or they're too much or you know um yeah I just want them not to feel alone to know that I've been there and that um there we have a lot of power and we need to step into that power and not be afraid to use it. Okay. And what makes your book different? Well, one is that it is my lived experience. So, everybody's lived experience is different. So, I would say that alone probably makes it different. But I think the fact that I like um use refranes to ground us, I feel like that is really different because I wanted to kind of bring in that ancestral wisdom and just like the cultura and ground us in that and remind us that like maybe there's a lot we already know or maybe there's a lot that we've already been taught and like are we leaning into that enough because it's it's there. It's been there. It's always been there. Okay. So, I feel like that makes it a little bit different. And um and I have like I think one fun thing that I do too is at the end of every chapter I have like questions like um that that they're like reflection questions I would call them. Okay. And I feel like uh so far the feedback that I've gotten I've gotten some reviews already and people are saying like they just were journaling journaling for days because the the feedback questions were really good and really help. I saw one of the reviews home girl wrote like an essay. She was like listen I had reflections honey. I'm like, "Okay, I like this." So, what type of woman would benefit from this book? Where is she in her life? What's going on? Like, who what is the profile? Yeah, I would say it's a Latina woman of color, maybe like in the first 10 years of their career. And um they're starting to experience maybe some microaggressions. Maybe they're not getting promoted on time. Maybe they're not making as much as their peers. Like in the beginning, everybody, it kind of is feels like pretty equal. And then 5 10 years out is when you start to see that gap grow and you're like, "Oh, how come I'm making half of what somebody else is making? How come they got promoted and I didn't? How come they got the special assignment and I didn't? How come their idea is good and nobody ever listens to my idea?" Right? I think when you start experiencing that, this book is for you because that I talk about all of those things. And I also feel even if you're someone in your 30s or 40s and you um you you probably might be experiencing those things even still because if you don't do anything about it in all likelihood you're going to continue to experience it. I would say this book is for you too. It's not too late. Like wherever you are in your career is not too late to try and do some things to like step into your power, take up more space, advocate for yourself and show up for other people. Like that's a really big thing message of the book too is like do all the great things for yourself. Make sure you're set up. And then once you're in a position of power and influence, make sure you're looking out for everybody else. I love that. All right. Well, you heard it here. Make sure to go pick up this book, Gita No More. I love it. Support this fellow Latina. Make sure you build her up because to your point, today it could be her and tomorrow it's you. So, make sure to go ahead and support. Shout out to all of you for tuning in. Thank you so much for being here and we'll see you in the next episode, y'all. Bye. 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.

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