Can I be successful and still stay connected to my roots? YES

There is a deep seated fear amongst many Latina founders (and perhaps other BIPOC founders too) that if they become wildly successful they will no longer be connected to their roots. That somehow, building a multi-million dollar business is a betrayal of their authenticity. Can you still be brown and down AND run a profitable business? The short answer — YES.

Money does not make you a bad person. Just like being broke does not make you a good person. ​

In fact, I could make the argument that staying small is actually selfish. How does you scraping by—living month to month — help your children and future grandchildren? Speaking for myself, my ancestors did not come here so I could play small and sell soap for $3. Staying broke does not = humble.

We need to let go of this narrative.

I’ve worked on my mindset A LOT since launching my company. I’ve read books, listened to podcasts, sought out new friends. It’s still a daily practice. I still feel the scarcity creep in sometimes.
Have you felt the panic need to cling to every dollar because you think there’s no more where that came from? Does spending money make you mad? Scared?

Step 1: understand and identify what your current relationship with money is.

We are all products of our environment. Step 2: change your environment. This does not happen overnight. It has taken me years to undo inherited fears and feelings around money. We don’t even know it — but most of our our money wounds start with our family. Our parents are also products of their environment. Add to that —distrust of institutions (banks, government, stock market), fear of deportation (stay under the radar) —it’s no wonder we have inherited deep money wounds without even knowing it.

But now that we are here, sometimes our peers or immediate family can be culpable of holding us back.
Who do you think you are to run a wildly profitable business?
Who do you think you are to charge XX for your products?
Or my favorite, “Real Latinas can’t afford that.” (< this has actually been said to me)

Excuse me, did you just say that REAL = BROKE?
I reject this mentality with every fiber in my body.

I want to invite you all to dream BIG. If you have an idea, it’s for a reason. I want you all to be wildly successful. I want you to get excited about what you are going to do with the RESULTS of your success.

I want you to write it in your journal everyday. Put post-it notes around your house with feelings of your future self. Surround yourself with people who want to see you WIN. Get rid of people who say things like, “that must be nice”. We don’t have time for jealousy, negativity, or pettiness.

There is too much at stake.

LET’S GO GET IT.