Why This Latina Left Everything to Start a Business in Morocco ft. Pilar Avilar
Ready to break free from the 'good on paper' life and finally design a destiny that’s unapologetically YOURS? Hear how powerhouse Latina Pilar Avila left a dream career—and the U.S.—to build a luxurious boutique hotel in Morocco, unlocking not just a business but a brand new sense of purpose and inner freedom.
Victoria Jenn gets vulnerable with her longtime mentor and friend about what it really takes to burn the rulebook and start fresh, even when everyone thinks you’ve already “made it.” Discover why 70% of executives regret not taking bigger risks sooner, and how global reinvention can heal, inspire, and radically transform your life.
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Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
What's up, everybody? Welcome back to Banking On Cultura. I am your host, Victoria Jenn Rodriguez. And I am so excited to have you here with me today. You are going to meet a woman who has been in my life for close to 20 years. She has been a mentor, a friend, a confidant, somebody that I have admired and have been inspired by. And I'm just truly blessed to have her in my life. And I think the coolest part about this is not only you going to learn about her story, but you're going to hear about how she literally uprooted her life and moved to Morocco. So we've known each other for 20 years about. And if you would have told me that this Boricua woman who I met when we were both in financial services on Wall street, killing it, that 20 years later, she would have opened up a beautiful, gorgeous boutique hotel a Riyadh in Morocco, and. And I would be hosting my very first retreat at her spot, my first international retreat. Let me, let me, let me, let me get it together, because we already hosted our first US One, but this is my first international US Retreat, and I had the honor of hosting it with you. Like, did you know this is going to happen? Did you think this 20 years ago? Like, this is crazy?
Pilar Avilar:
I say, yes, of course. I knew we were going places. And look, you know, Africa. Here you go.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Amazing. So tell the folks about you because your story is unlike anything I've ever heard.
Pilar Avilar:
Where do we start?
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
I know, right? Where do we start? Well, let's start with. So what made you walk away from the life that you had to then rebuild in Morocco? Because the life that you had, and correct me if I'm wrong, you were badass. You were making good money. You had a name for yourself. You were living in la la vida buena with your beautiful doggy ll. And, you know, from the outside, it looked like you were winning, honey. So what made you uproot your life and want to transition to Morocco?
Pilar Avilar:
Well, you know, and I was winning. It was a very, very wonderful life. I've had a, you know, fantastic opportunity to build a career, engineer my career, quite frankly, the way that I wanted. But by the time that I. After the pandemic, actually. Right. A lot of. We all did a lot of soul searching during the pandemic. And I decided that I was not to wait any longer to fulfill the dreams of my youth and being here in Morocco and having this boutique hotel. It's something that I envisioned a long, long time ago when I began my career in Hospitality, quite frankly, the location was not to be Morocco. I always thought that my bed and breakfast, my hospitality, and a home would be in Puerto Rico. But life happens, and life brought me here. So this is a dream come true. Definitely a dream going on for probably about 35 years, and we made it happen.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
And you know, what's so dope about not only the fact that you've uprooted your entire life, but you built that Riad from the ground up. Like, you rehabilitated that entire space, and that is freaking amazing. Like, me, when I go look at homes, I, like, want turnkey. But you had this vision, and you were like, we're gonna build this baby from the ground up. And it's absolutely stunning and amazing. Did people think you were crazy?
Pilar Avilar:
You know, not my family. Everything I've done was to be expected. They know me well. But some of my friends were really concerned, you know, concerned about what are you going to do there by yourself. You have no family, you know, you don't speak the language. It's a different religion, different culture, all of these, you know, concerns. But quite frankly, a lot of that was the attraction for me, too. You know, I wanted to. You know, I wanted to leave the US and find my, you know, my luck and my dream somewhere else. Also a dream of my youth, actually, was to live in Spain. So being here in Morocco, so close to Spain, I knew that would facilitate the next step. Right. So we're still working on this one, but certainly the possibility of making another expansion into Spain is in the works. I would say retreat in Spain.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
I'm excited about that. I want to just dig a little deeper on something that you said. So this was going on during COVID You were transitioning. You were thinking about your next chapter, and I find, like, we're kind of, like, there again, like, in this moment of time where all of us are, like, really being forced to think about what the hell do we really want out of life and what are our values and what truly makes us happy? So can you talk to us about, like, what. What was that, like, thinking about those things and.
Pilar Avilar:
And.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
And. And reinvention, like, what were some of those feelings?
Pilar Avilar:
You know, I. I really wanted to. I really wanted the distance, you know, I. What I did, Victoria, is I didn't just make a decision to come to Morocco and renovate the Riyadh, open this business. I actually took a. A digital nomad year in 2023. I gave everything away that I had in LA.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
You know, you. You were.
Pilar Avilar:
And you recorded. We did Some. Some taping also in my beautiful apartment in Hollywood. And I gave everything away. The things that, you know, that you accumulate over time. The beautiful chase where I thought I would be reading my books, you know, 20 years from now. I basically called on my friends and said, I'm taking off. Come and take anything that you want. So I know where everything is, including my Jaguar, which I gave to my sister. I gave to my sister.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Okay.
Pilar Avilar:
I really didn't want to go through the process of selling things, and I wanted my things that had, you know, I knew, you know, how I still have a lot of beautiful, positive energy to. To end up in a home, you know, and continue to bless some of my friends. It was a, you know, really impactful, a tremendous experience in detachment. You know, I wanted to go through that process, just leave everything behind, you know, and just start fresh all over again in some other part of the world. So I took off. I had a short list of countries that I wanted to evaluate. Chile was one of them, where I have friends in beautiful Vinh del Mar region. I spent a month there, but that was not the place. I gave it an opportunity. I asked many questions, but I knew that I had to continue to move on. I spent a month in Italy, and I had planned to spend the summer in Morocco. That was already a plan. And I knew Morocco was a top contender, but I didn't want to just make a decision for Morocco. I wanted to give myself an opportunity to explore and have the experience of a digital nomad as well. But at the end of the day, this was always the place where I was meant to be, and I'm very, very certain of that. So, Pilar,
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
so women like you and I and a lot of the women who are in my community and thinking about coming to Morocco, like, we're badass. We get shit done. We achieve, you know, success. You know, we're making money. And we're also very comfortable with being the one who has all the answers and has the plan. And what I'm hearing from you is you gave yourself the opportunity to operate in the unknowing and to figure it out as you go. So talk to us about what that took for somebody like you, who is the strong one, always the fixer, has everything figured out, has the answer, has their life, like, mapped out. You know, what was that like? Letting go of that version of yourself to become who you are right now.
Pilar Avilar:
Wow. What a great question, you know, that it took. I don't make any decision in a rush. I contemplate. I Envision. I have always been this way, so. So that's why when I end up making a big decision, my family already knows, you know, that. That I'm on a path, that I'm searching for something, right? And I took the time to consider what my life might look like during, particularly the digital nomad year, right? Because I saw it in two stages. I'll be on the road for about a year and hopefully I'll end up finding my new home, right? But to think about roaming around the world with my laptop and my little baby ll, right? And come to places where I know no one, right? Just give me a little bit of a pause because I am the type of person that I build deep relationships. Look at us. I mean, almost 20 years, right? And I have the need for connection and I have the need for, you know, for having my friends and my family, you know, nearby when I, When I, you know, when I, When I need them and. Or when they need me, right? So basically what I did, I started practicing engaging with people in ephemera situations. For example, I remember vividly meeting this family in the supermarket. And we came out with the groceries. We spent about half an hour talking, you know, in the parking lot, right? It was beautiful. We didn't exchange phones. No. It was just neighbors. We're just connecting.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
This is where. This was in Morocco. Okay.
Pilar Avilar:
You know, I started practicing.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
How does it feel, how to make new friends?
Pilar Avilar:
Like, how does it feel to connect with people, you know, in situations where you sort of know you're not going to see them again? You know, how, how do you enjoy the moment? You know, how do you enjoy connections with people? And what does that look like? What, what, what do you take from them? And, and what, what can you give them in that short moment? Right? And this was a brief encounter which, you know, during my digital nomad year, that happened a lot, right? You're having dinner, you meet some people who are also traveling or. I spent a few days in a particular city and by, you know, after two breakfasts, the owner of the, of the restaurant already knows me, you know, and he knows how I like my coffee.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Yes. Very important.
Pilar Avilar:
Yeah. So I really, I really now have learned that, you know, relationships don't have to be long and deep and to be meaningful. You know, there's people that come to your life for a very short moment, for a very brief period. And there is a power and beauty in the, in the human connection. You know, it doesn't matter how, you know, the length of the relationship. So that was Critical for me in terms on, you know, getting prepared for the year on the road. Yeah.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
So what I'm hearing is one of the ways that you were able to let go of the old version of you, to kind of become this new, evolved Pilar, was to begin practicing what life would look like as the evolved you that didn't have these deep connections or attachments anymore, where you literally were, like, in your zone, in your own essence, and appreciating that space of individuality, essentially.
Pilar Avilar:
Yeah, yeah. The other thing that I did, and this was really important, I was very intentional. When I packed my bag, I brought my Tibetan flags with me. I brought a frame with a, you know, drawing that the beautiful girl of one of my friends did for me with a farewell note. I brought my kit of essential oils. So, you know, I brought these things from home that are meaningful to me. And any place that I showed up, I put this, you know, in the night table. And I made that new place. Whether I was going to be there for a week or a month, I made each place my home.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
So, okay, so this is. So this is interesting because a lot of the women who are coming to Morocco are coming because they are at a crossroads. They are thinking about their next chapter. They're kind of like, in the messy middle. They know that they are being called for more, but it's difficult to kind of let go of what was. So on this journey of you preparing yourself to kind of completely detach and really center yourself. Like, I know you have become more connected with yourself as a result of this experience. Was there a moment where you were kind of like, in this. In between, you were figuring it out, you were operating in the unknown, and you were getting pulled back to the old version of Pilar that you were looking to evolve from. And if so, how did you navigate that to stay kind of, like, focused on the mission, even though it might have felt super scary or uncomfortable?
Pilar Avilar:
Yeah. I recall after the first leg of my trip, I left La Sen. A few boxes to Virginia with the Jaguar, to my sister, where the boxes are still there, by the way, my high heels, all this stuff. I don't know why I packed that stuff. I have not seen any of that since. I packed in 2022, beginning of 2023. But yes, I took off to Puerto Rico, and then I spent a month in Chile, beginning of 2023. While in Chile, one of my clients asked that I joined them in Dallas for some business meetings. And I said, perfect. Yeah, the date is perfect. Right when I am making my My next move. So I went back to the U.S. joined my client, and when it was time to leave, I was actually going to Puerto Rico to reset and then go on the next leg of my trip. But I found myself with a bit of a anxiety attack because the thought came to me, oh, my God, I don't have a home. I don't have a home. I finally, it sank in that I gave everything. I do not have a home to go back to. For a moment, I felt a great deep anxiety, but again, I had to pause and remember that I made this decision with a lot of careful thoughts and that the next chapter of my life, it's not what I left behind. So I had to master some courage, but also just trust the process, trust myself, trust that I made the right decision and continue to take the next step, Just move ahead and continue to discover what's ahead for me. Look at where I am.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
I know, I love that so much. You know, one of the most significant parts of this work that I'm focusing on now, around identity and leadership and really getting comfortable in your own skin like never before. Not saying you are not pretending you are, but really being comfortable. And I believe that that boils down to trusting yourself again and your intuition, because all of the answers that you are seeking, seeking that you are yearning for, that you feel like, oh, my God, I'm so lost. They literally are within you. You just need the space, the experience, the challenge of inserting yourself into an environment where it. It challenges you to think about that stuff and to remember. Remember that you do hard things. Remember that you've been doing hard things probably your whole life, and it's gotten you to a place where you have achieved. Right. A certain level of things. So there's proof already that we. We know how to do this and stay true to this. But I believe that when we become more seasoned, that innocence and that version of us, that we're willing to take risk and. And reinvent ourselves and like, start over. It kind of dwindles a little bit because we were stuck in the construction of life and the influence of everyone else and comparison analysis and just like making all these other things important that really aren't important to us. But the only way you really discover that is if you give yourself permission to do that kind of work and to make yourself uncomfortable and color outside the lines a little bit, maybe burn the rulebook and do things differently where people think you're crazy or have concerns.
Pilar Avilar:
Yeah.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
You know, about. About what you are doing. So I love that advice that you gave. Because I think it really boils down to anyone who's listening, if you are at a point in your life where you are thinking about, I know I want more, I'm yearning for more. There has to be something better on the other side of this. And there's like your inner voice, literally your intuition, your inner goddess is saying, whispering to you at night before you go to bed, and like, putting these signs in front of you, like, you gotta move. You gotta move different. Like, you gotta pay attention to that stuff. Or else you're just like. That's how you, I think, end up on your deathbed with regrets because you're like, oh, I thought about this for so long and I never did it right. I never did it. Like you said you knew this would happen 20 years ago, but it was because something was planted, a seed was planted and you paid attention. Imagine if you didn't move forward with this. You would have never built this Riyadh in Morocco. You would have never had this life. You would have never had this evolution of the woman that you are today if you didn't just, like, trust yourself.
Pilar Avilar:
You know, whatever the transformation and the change that you're looking for, you know, I think that at least for me, and I would recommend take the time to consider, you know, consider where you want to see yourself going forward. Just take the time. You know, I think that when I was younger, it was. And I think for most of most of us, when we're younger, we're. We're most much faster to make big decisions, you know, and take a risk. But I think at this stage of life, you're a bit more cautious. And I think, you know, it's ranted, you know, do, do take your time to, to reflect, spend time with yourself. Like you said, all the answers are here. No one can tell you how to take the next step. No one can tell you where is, you know, where you're going to find that next, you know, you know, inspiration. Where do you want to, you know, find that next piece of happiness for you, right? It's. It's up to you. So take the time, but at the same, in the same light, once you take off, also understand that there's a lot of unknown ahead. And, and there's beauty in that. There's beauty, beauty in the unknown. There's beauty also in having a different level of awareness, in being present, in listening to your intuition, but also listening to the universe. Learn from people around, around you. Like you say, put yourself in situations that you know Call them uncomfortable or call them, you know, a new adventure. You know, for me, I prefer to focus on the adventure part than the discomfort. But certainly there has been a lot of, you know, uncomfortable moments and situations for me as I, you know, decided to build my life, like here and my business. But all of that is part of the process. And I have to tell you, Victoria, this coming. Making this decision to move to Morocco, to buy this home, to go through a year of renovation, to start a business here, I knew that it was going to be hard. But I have to tell you, it has been the hardest thing that I've done in my life. And that was a big surprise. That was unexpected now, but I'm still here, and I'm glad I did it. I actually am glad that I didn't know everything that it was going to take, because then I would have not done it. And I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad I did it.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
I love that. I love that. What kept you there? Like, what kept you in the trenches? It was just you always going back to. Listen, Pilar, you made this decision. You committed to this decision. See it through.
Pilar Avilar:
Yep. Yeah.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Okay.
Pilar Avilar:
You know, moving across the Atlantic, you know, to a different continent, you know, to Africa, to this beautiful country,
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
though,
Pilar Avilar:
very familiar to me because I've been, you know, I've been. My first visit to Morocco was in 1996. 6. And I continued to visit. I feel very aligned with the culture. Eventually, I discovered that I'm 2% Moroccan. Surely that was the story of Al Andalus and the Moors in Spain who got, you know, the descendants on the moor got on their boats and ended up in the Americas. So a lot of us Latinos actually have Moroccan blood because of that. That part of them. Story or history. But I can tell you that at some point in time, I had. I spent three months here, asked many questions, returned to Puerto Rico to reset, and then, you know, take off again for the last leg of the year, the last leg of the trip. And while in Puerto Rico, there was a devastating earthquake in Morocco. That was a complete deja vu to Hurricane Maria. I wanted to come back immediately. During the summer, I had started an English program for children in the Atlas Mountains. So my first program priority was to check on the children, and gladly, all of them survived, even though the epicenter was in the Atlas Mountains. All of my collaborators in Marrakech were okay, but I just wanted to be here. So I started, you know, raising money, supporting the. The recovery process. And two weeks later, you know, I'm just getting ready to rest. Look at my Instagram and saw the video, you know, the promotional sales video for this home, for this react. I saw it once, I saw it twice, I saw it 10 times. I reached out to the agency, an agency that I intended to connect with my next visit to Morocco. And I said, listen, if this reality is available, I'll be there as soon as possible. So I landed here a week later, first week of October, three weeks after the earthquake. And I bought my home three weeks after the earthquake. Yes. Yeah. And it was not part of the plan. You know, I spent summer of 2023 here. And I thought when I come back, because I did host a retreat here In November of 2023, I thought, okay, after the retreat, I'll meet with Colleen and I'll figure out, you know, just sort of like, do a little bit of research, what's out there. But I was not thinking that I would be buying a Terpe in 2023. It was like a plan for 2024.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Okay.
Pilar Avilar:
That's how life is. And again, this is why it's so important to keep your eyes open, because this was. This was the home meant for me. And if I didn't see that, if I didn't feel that, if I didn't follow my intuition and watch that video 10 times and call Colin and get on the flight and land here a week later and then put an offer immediately and then get. I got a bit twice. Okay. And I said, I didn't come from Puerto Rico to lose my home. Here you go. I love that. That was not part of the plan. That was me just seeing. Seeing the path forward.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Pilar Avilar:
Yeah.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
And I think also having the flexibility to not do everything by the plan, like allowing yourself to. To go left even though the plan was to go right, maybe you need to make a U turn, et cetera. But I think the most important thing that you said was you paid attention. Like, you paid attention to the signs. And so many of us, we. We see the sign, but we don't pay attention. Something distracts us. We allow something else to take priority, and we just allow ourselves to be in this just mode of. I call it Gone with the Wind. Fabulous. You're, like, pulled in every direction. If the headline is telling you to focus on this, that's where you're pulled. If your spouse is telling you to go this way, that's where you're pulled. You know, if your kid is telling you to go this way, that's where you go. Instead of you being the true architect of the direction that your life is going because you pay attention. You just pay attention to the signs that are being put in front of you. So be like, you've known me for about 20 years. You have been with me through several seasons of my life. Why do you believe that I am the right person to lead these women in transformation in Morocco?
Pilar Avilar:
Well, just watching your transformation over the last 20 years, I think that speaks for itself. And I think that, Victoria, your heart is always in the right place. And I've always told you that. One of the things that I admire the most about you is how transparent, open, you know, and real you are. And you have been very generous to let us in in your journey, and you have been even more generous to, you know, to take the time to build something for all of us to benefit from. So. So, yeah, you're going to, you know, you're amazing host, and I am very, very honored that you will come to our home and that not only will I have an opportunity to host you here, but I really am really looking forward to going through the experience with you and all the ladies.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
I appreciate that so much. You know, it's so funny. I had. I had someone in my life recently asked me, like, hey, be like, why are you sharing all these vulnerable things? Like, why. Why are you allowing yourself to be so exposed and allowing yourself to, you know, possibly have those things be weaponized against you? And it was interesting because this is someone who is super successful badass. But I thought about her upbringing, and I thought about how hard she had to fight to get to where she is. And I thought about how she had to wear the mask, right? She had to play the game in order to win.
Pilar Avilar:
She.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
She had to suppress so much of who she was to get where she is today. And whether we want to acknowledge it or not, that that does something to us. Oh, yeah, it changes us, right? It is such a burden. But I think also it programs us to. To believe that in order for you to succeed, you need to constantly wear an armor, constantly question everything around you, constantly, you know, debate someone's intentions, and just be in this space of defense, always on defense. And I had to explain to her, like, Entrepreneurship has been incredibly difficult and is a roller coaster and has taught me the most that I would have ever learned about myself if I stayed in corporate. But it has allowed me the freedom to release myself of the shackles of society. Tells me I should be. I should look, I should talk,
Pilar Avilar:
and
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
how I should define success. And so vulnerability at campfront when I'm doing it, I'm like, it feels therapeutic towards. I'm like, wow, I really have. I really am like letting it all out there for the world to. Who knows, 10 years from now I might be a politician. And they're like, oh, Victoria, remember when
Pilar Avilar:
you were doing these shenanigans? Or maybe this is exactly why you elected facts. Facts. Because you're a real person with real feelings and willing to express yourself and willing to lift other people. So, hey, you know, the most powerful
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
thing of that, thing of that. And I think why God uses me as a vessel is it gives permission so other people can do it too. Right. If they see me doing it and they're like, oh, well, you know, if she's doing it, then I can do it too. Because ultimately all of us want to be heard, all of us want to be seen, all of us want to be free.
Pilar Avilar:
Yes.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Right.
Pilar Avilar:
And not everyone, you know, will use the same medium as you. Right. But sometimes the restrictions, you know, that we abide by are so great that it's even difficult to have the conversation with ourselves. Imagine for some people, you know, have the conversation like you, like you do with the world, you know, it's, it's definitely. And that, that's, that was part of my reason for becoming an entrepreneur. Right. Nine years ago. And because I became an entrepreneur and because I have been able to navigate and be productive as an entrepreneur, I had the opportunity to do my digital moment here and fulfill this dream and work from here. I have two businesses now. Not only I have the Riyadh, my boutique hotel here in Marrakech, but I continue to do consulting. And you know, it's been, it's been a very liberating and exciting time of my life the last nine years. But like you say, also very. I learned so much about me. Entrepreneurship is not easy, but it's very rewarding. And if you're looking, you know, to really have the freedom to be, you know, all that you want to be, entrepreneurship is the way to do it, you know, because I certainly was not going to wait to retire. Yeah. You know, and I think that a lot, a lot. I think that part of your, your audience and the navies that are coming, you know, might be on that path.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Right.
Pilar Avilar:
We're not waiting until, you know, we get to a later, later stage in life to fulfill our dreams. We can figure that out sooner. I have been, you know, you started before me, you know, to really make like, very, very brave decisions, you know, about your career, about your life. I, you know, went unhinged at age 50. When I turned 50, I'm like, I'm out. I'm out. There has to be more to life out there, you know, and sure, sure there is.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Yes.
Pilar Avilar:
Yeah.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
And it has been such a pleasure to witness it and be a part of the journey. So, Pilar, for women who are thinking about coming to Morocco, coming to Untamed, you know this name of Untamed.
Pilar Avilar:
Untamed.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
It just landed me because I'm like, I need us to release the shackles. Like, we need to live untamed. Like, fuck these rules.
Pilar Avilar:
Yes.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Let's make our own damn realm. For a woman who is thinking about this and is hesitant, what would you say to her?
Pilar Avilar:
I would say that we will have a beautiful and nurturing safe space for you to. To at your pa, make distance from the grind of the daily life and reconnect to yourself. So we'll have that beautiful, safe space, a beautiful program, worry free. Everything, you know, vip, everything. Wonderful and beautiful.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Yes. One of the reasons why I wanted to make sure I knew partnering with you we were going to be good, because you just like me. You bougie. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, you bougie and down to earth. And I was like, yeah, I know. Partnering with you. I knew wherever you recommended we go in the Atlas Mountains, having dinner in the desert, where we go to eat, I knew that it would be the top of the line. So I said, yes, I know Pilar
Pilar Avilar:
knows what she's doing.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
It will be luxurious.
Pilar Avilar:
It will be, you know, adventure, will have many adventures. Morocco, it's a wonderful country. Beautiful culture, welcoming people, beautiful hospitality. We'll be in Marrakesh, we'll be in the Ednas Mountains. And yeah, it will be a fantastic experience.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
Yes, I'm looking forward to it. And you're also certified in yoga because that was part of your evolution. So we have an expert on site who's going to be, you know, doing these exercises for us and really create, I think, this space of. This space of released because so many of us, the reason why we can't move forward or we have this black, or we're stuck in the in between is because we haven't released. We haven't released the limiting beliefs. We haven't released the old version of ourselves. We haven't released the people in our lives that we know are not going to be part of our story moving forward. We haven't given ourselves the permission to release. And this experience is going to do exactly that. While also Guiding you and coming back to yourself so we can get to those answers, so we can build the courage, the bravery, the gravitas for you to begin to truly be the architect of your life and consistently return back to that. Because once they leave Morocco and they go back into the trenches of life, there's going to be a lot of temptations to bring you back to what you knew and what was comfortable. And so what I am excited about is after Morocco, we're also going to be meeting so you can stay in the pocket so that all those promises you made yourself in Morocco. Oh, we're going to make sure you're reminded of them when we come back.
Pilar Avilar:
Absolutely. You know, I think that retreats in the context of what you and I do, right, which is not like a one off thing, we, we are always building new spaces, connecting, you know, doing our programs, our coaching, our retreats. You know, I think it's a process. This is, you know, it's not like, you know, you go to a retreat and suddenly you find all the answers, you know, by the way, the answer is no one will give them to you. They're inside of you. I think that the, the beauty of, of a retreat is that, you know, and I did it many, many, many times when I was in L. A, right. I spent a beautiful weekend, do my massage, spend time with my friends, but, and those little moments are wonderful. Or you know, spending time with myself also on the weekend. But, but to really, you know, go deeper, you need, you need a few days, you know, you need a few days of, you know, of restoration, of rest, of inspiration. And not only is a process that is a process with yourself, but in a retreat the beautiful thing is that they're, they're like minded women were also going or have gone through different evolutions, you know, and as I always say, take the time to connect to yourself, right? Okay. Come home to you. Because we spend way too much time giving everything else to everyone else, but not enough time within ourselves. So take that time, reconnect to yourself. But when you're ready, you know, also look to the experiences of others and also share because you have a message for other ladies in the group and other ladies have something important to share as much as it is a personal process and it has to start with yourself taking the decision. Take the time and just get on that flight and join us. You know, it's also about connecting with other like minded souls, right, in this occasion. And then knowing that what you have is also is a community, you know, of sisters and that's what you're doing. That's what I've been doing. And I know it's going to be a fantastic, fantastic experience here in October.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
So, yes, I am so excited. The retreat is going down October 27th through November 1st. I'll make sure to put the link in the show notes because you can learn all about it. And for those of you who have questions about the experience, there is a link on the website for you to book a discovery call with me so I can answer any questions that you might have and we can make sure this is a fit for you. So I want to end with this. So what has Morocco taught you that the United States and Puerto Rico never could?
Pilar Avilar:
What a great question. You know that I'm a planner and I always want, you know, I'm a visionary. I envision things and I plan around that vision. And being here, I have learned that there is value and there is need in just trusting that everything will work out the way that is best for you, that sometimes you don't have to decide yourself. Sometimes, you know, the universe and everything and everyone around it, around you confabulates to, you know, open that door to show, you know, to show the next move. It's not always has to be, you know, an assertive decision. Sometimes it just happens. There is a word here that actually we use in the Spanish language too, which is ojala. Ojala. In Spanish, actually ojala, what it really means is God willing, and more specifically, Allah willing. This is one of the contributions of the Arabic language and the time of the Moors in Spain that's left an impact in our language. More than 4,000 Arabic words in Spanish, including ojala. So ohala, God willing, hopefully, you know, it's. It's a sense, you know, of hope. Here people use. The modern form of ohala is inshallah. Inshallah. Some people say just shah shala, right? And that means, you know, I trust, I'm going to trust that it's not only up to me, but I am going to trust that this, that we are envisioning, that we're wishing for, will happen for me. And if it doesn't, it's because it wasn't meant for me. So just trust, trust that, you know, that you've done the work, that you've already made many good decisions, and that, you know, sometimes, you know, the universe just shows you the way or, you know, puts all the pieces together. And sometimes you find yourself, you know, in that place, in that moment that you so much desired a and doesn't have to be always, you know, your own decision. Sometimes someone else will work it out for you.
Victoria Jenn Rodriguez:
I love that. What a beautiful way to end today's episode. Thank you so much. I cannot wait to hug you so tight when I get to Morocco. We're going to have so much fun and I'm going to grow from this experience. We are going to grow together and I'm just really, really excited for all of our guests who are coming with us. Shout out to you guys, because this work is not everyone is cut out for this work. Everybody's on their own timeline. And so for those of you who make the decision to invest in yourself in this type of way, such a beautiful way, just know that you are essentially part of the 1% because not many people are willing to go this deep with themselves and really discover all the beautiful parts of you that that are yearning for you to tap into, to truly live your life to its fullest potential and for you to truly be happy and free. So thank you, everyone, for tuning in to today's episode. If there is a friend, a Herman amiga, a colleague that you think needs to hear what was shared in today's episode, please make sure to share this with them and tap the link below the episode to learn more about Morocco. I hope to welcome you into this super, super sacred space and I love you as always. I will see you in the next episode, guys. Beautiful. That was amazing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
The soul-searching journey that propelled Pilar Avila from Wall Street success to a Moroccan hospitality legacy
The scary, beautiful process of letting go, and why true reinvention requires surrender, not just vision
How to tap into intuition and create your own luck, even across continents and cultures
Why retreat, sisterhood, and “living untamed” are the antidotes to burnout and analysis paralysis
A behind-the-scenes deep dive into building a business and a community far from home (and why most never dare)
ABOUT THE GUEST
Pilar Avilar enjoyed a successful career of her own making, thriving in the hospitality industry. After the pandemic prompted deep reflection, Pilar realized it was time to pursue her lifelong dream of owning a boutique hotel. Though she once imagined opening a bed and breakfast in her native Puerto Rico, life took her on a different journey—leading her to Morocco, where she finally brought her dream to life. With more than 35 years of aspiration behind it, Pilar’s boutique hotel in Morocco stands as a testament to her resilience, vision, and passion for creating welcoming spaces.
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