Jefas and CEOs get emotional too… I would know.

Trigger Warning: Depression and Eating Disorders.

“Mujer, stop crying, like WTF!?.” I talk to myself a lot. I was at one of my client’s and business mejores amigas ministry ceremony yesterday, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how blessed I am to live a life full of powerhouse jefas. How did I, una teen mom de Ponce who barely graduated from college to take care of her kids, build a life of purpose, with her dream business, and a beautiful family at my side. If there’s one thing I want my husband to write on my gravestone is “here lies Paulette, a woman that understood that success is personal.”

As a mami of 2, I know damn well how to help others, so that’s how I started healing 2.0 style. My liberation beta test.

Building this life hasn’t been easy, and most of the time, I am my worst enemy. I’ve learned to distinguish that nagging voice that tells me I’m not enough or that my vision is impossible for what it is. For years I thought that voice was mine, but now I know that it’s an amalgam of the voices of folks with power that denied me the spaces and seats I deserved. Tu sabes, that old boss that told you to “be less emotional”, “you are too Latina”, or “no one has accomplished that, why do you think you can?”. What about the men who said “you are too loud” or “that outfit looks good on you” to throw us out of our game before an important presentation? Let’s not forget other women that you admire growing up teaching you to “be careful de otras” and “siempre alerta” of other women that want to take your job, man, and success. As a teen, I struggled with an eating disorder, and now as an adult from body dysmorphia, so that voice tiene tela pa’ cortar. Ok, creo que esa ultima is very Boricua… which means it has a lot of opportunities to explore or dig deeper.?

Still, that voice constantly said, “who told you you are an expert in anything?” There were cycles of super #JefaPower followed by dips of “quien tu te crees que eres?”

Ya’ll this is a lot to unlearn. You need a whole team of people to heal from all that pain. Then let’s add misogyny, racism, and living in a society that sees women as the means to an end (childbirth, raising grown ass men, cooking, cleaning, etc.) So after experiencing one of the worst depression in 2016, I knew that therapy wasn’t enough. (Ok, pausa. I’m listening to Bad Bunny while I write this, and someone screaming “me gusta la choc** de Puerto Rico as I’m pouring my heart out is hilarious. Seguimos.) Therapy helped me uncover those traumatic events that defined my life, unpack them, and find a way to move forward. Medication allows me to get my body in the right state to handle triggers to focus on utilizing the tools my therapist teaches. But it isn’t enough.

What if I didn’t have to figure sh*t out by myself? What if I’m not the only one feeling this way? My business, Unstoppable Latina, was born from Sunday brunch. As a mami of 2, I know damn well how to help others, so that’s how I started healing 2.0 style. My liberation beta test. I wasn’t ready to ask for help, but I felt comfortable helping others. My friends, former direct reports, and peers would text or call me asking for leadership and management advice, and I would respond, “let’s talk over brunch.” I read the Harvard Business Review every day, listen to leadership books and podcasts, and have a running Google Folder with the latest research and reports on market trends and best people practices. Like a professional email writer que te mandan a la mierda with finesse. So I had much to share with other jefas and lideres in my network. Of course, with waffles and mimosas on the side.

Pero ya basta, my purpose is to disrupt the status quo so that every Latina can embrace her inner magia and use her voice to change the world.

Former co-workers turned into friends, and many friends turned mentees. Sharing my superpoder was part of my healing. Now, I can do the same for myself. Still, that voice told me, “who told you you are an expert in anything?” There were cycles of super #JefaPower followed by dips of “quien tu te crees que eres?” That lasted four years. It was a season of giving, sometimes too much. What I learned by mentoring others was clarity on my purpose, my values, and the types of people that align with my inner magia. But I also discovered my boundaries and how much I can give back without running empty.

Over 700 days of guiding women of color and líderes to harness their superpoder one-on-one, and ignoring mine.

Everyone I coached, mentored, or connected with was looking for comunidad. And not the overused definition that comunidad is just a bunch of people that share one intersectionality y pa’ fuera. I mean comunidad as a group of like-minded líderes that want to thrive professionally while honoring their cultura while focusing on their continuous growth. Other jefas that want to be successful entrepreneurs, but their family shames them because they dream “too big”. Las que are freaking out about Quickbooks not working and are considering returning to work because este journey is lonely, and you feel like a failure.

But even though I knew this in 2020 it took me months to build it. Over 700 days of guiding women of color and líderes to harness their superpoder one-on-one, and ignoring mine. It’s impossible to do this individually when you need a network to help you grow. I’m a connector, bringing powerhouse jefas together to lift each other up. And a coach, guiding Latina entrepreneurs to become the CEOs of their businesses. My purpose is to disrupt the status quo so that every Latina can embrace her inner magia and use her voice to change the world.

Ya’ll this is a lot to unlearn. You need a whole team of people to heal from all that pain.

Pues yeah, I cry a lot. I cried with Andrea St. Louis, MBA, MA when we put together her superpoder statement and new slogan “Unlock Your Story. Unleash Your Power”. When Joanna Kemper, M.A. joined a group coaching call trying to put into words her transformational leadership work, and we created her proprietary framework que es puro fuego. Or Oriana Martinez Falkowski , who needed to brainstorm some ideas for her brand, ended up with her content pillars and a vision to help Latinas reframe their money stories.

The coaching is important, but what makes this experience like no other is to see what these jefas are accomplishing together. And that makes me cry de felicidad over and over. I’m just lucky they allow me to be in their presence.

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Join the free Finding Your CEO Superpoder workshop on October 17th 2022. Only 20 spots available!

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Paulette Pi?ero ?is an award-winning social entrepreneur, Latina leadership coach, writer, and speaker dedicated to closing the leadership gap for Latinas and Women of Color.?

Through her company Unstoppable Latina LLC, Paulette guides Latina CEOs to harness their strengths, amplify their voice, and live their purpose to become unstoppable. Using an equity and justice-focused approach, her business consulting and leadership coaching services strive to create a world where leadership is diverse, purpose-driven, and joyful. Connect with Paulette on?LinkedIn?or access more líder development content on her?TikTok? Unstoppable Latina Marketing Agency .