Spotlight on BWBW Success: In conversation with Maria Fernandez Cabral

Bring Women Back to Work (BWBW) is proud to introduce Maria Fernandez Cabral , who participated in the BWBW program in Germany in 2023.?

Maria successfully worked in the non-profit and education sectors before taking the step to reskill with BWBW. Following her success with the program, she became an entrepreneur and founder of The Eltern Hub

Let’s find out more about her exciting journey.

BWBW: Maria, tell us a little about who you are and your life before joining the Bring Women Back to Work program in Germany.

Maria Fernandez Cabral (MFC): I was born in the Dominican Republic (DR), a small Caribbean country neighboring Haiti. Many might know the Dominican Republic as a prime vacation destination celebrated for its rich culture, diverse landscapes, music, beach-front resorts and fantastic food. While I only have vague memories of growing up in DR, I never forget the family gatherings and the precious memories we shared. Despite being an only child, I was never alone - surrounded by 40 first cousins and 21 aunts and uncles, something was always happening in our busy family! Back then, life felt complete with our modest home, good food and the company of loved ones; we lived a truly happy life.?

However, circumstances changed, and my family aspired to have a better life outside the island. So, shortly after my father’s passing, I migrated to the United States of America with my mother and extended family. Like many immigrants, we searched for a better life and chased our “American Dream.” We settled in Boston, Massachusetts and soon learned that this dream can come with many trials and tribulations - it is not always what we might envision.?

When I started my education in Boston, I was immediately placed in "English as a Second Language” (ESL) classes in what were predominantly white schools. These classes were designated for children who did not yet speak or write in English. I had never experienced the feeling of “otherness” until I started school in the U.S. This feeling of otherness followed me throughout my education and career, where I found myself in spaces where I was the minority - as a Latina and woman of color. I often felt like I did not belong and had to work harder to prove myself. Now, as an adult, I am still learning how to show up in these spaces confidently - knowing that I, too, deserve a seat at the table - even when there are not a lot of people who look like me in those spaces.

Despite the challenges I faced growing up in the U.S., I am proud that from humble beginnings, I was able to find incredible mentors and programs like the Crimson Summer Academy at Harvard University, a college-prep program for inner city youth in Boston, where I spent every summer during my High School years. Programs like these and incredible mentors in High School helped me advance to the next stages of my education and career. I later attended and graduated from the prestigious private liberal arts school Wheaton College in Massachusetts, where I majored in Women & Gender Studies with a minor in Economics. My major in Women & Gender Studies fueled my passion and work for women and gender equality.?

I also owe so much of my success to my incredible mother, Maria Rosa Cabral, and the devoted aunts and uncles who raised me. I am truly the product of the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I am forever grateful to my village for how they supported my mother and me in our most vulnerable times. Their example is the fire that continues to fuel my passion to support women as mothers and working mothers and create a community to support them in their choices.

After graduating from college in 2012, I began my career working for the non-profit organization Big Sister Association (BSA). BSA's mission is to ignite girls' passion and power to succeed through positive mentoring relationships, a core value that remains at the heart of my work. After my time at BSA, I moved to Chicago to study at Loyola University. During my time in Chicago, I met my husband, David, a university exchange student from Germany. Our relationship continued long-distance for almost three years. Although the distance was hard, it allowed us to focus and grow our careers.?

On my return to Boston, I pivoted to the world of travel education at?Education First (EF), where I kick-started my sales career and then became a Program Manager leading EF's most significant educational partnership with Washington D.C. Public Schools. I later excelled as a Recruitment Manager, where I had the opportunity to establish our recruitment program on the West Coast. My time at EF led me to travel across the U.S., move to San Francisco and brought me around the world. It was a dream job that reinforced my passion for education and travel.

My career was thriving, but my heart was elsewhere. I finally made the brave decision to move to Germany in 2018 and join my husband abroad. The move came with many challenges. I left behind my family, community, support network and dream career. Was it worth it? Yes! Was it difficult? Incredibly!?

However, all these changes - pivoting from non-profit to travel education, moving to Chicago, San Francisco and ultimately moving to Germany - led me to future career and personal ventures that changed the course of my life in a positive way. As a result of all these experiences,? I deeply empathize with those uprooting and rebuilding their lives elsewhere - either by choice or out of necessity.??

As a second-time immigrant starting from scratch in Germany, I had to lean heavily on my experiences of overcoming the many challenges I faced growing up in the United States. It was not an easy transition, but with determination and perseverance, I eventually learned German, made new friends, built a professional network, and secured my first role at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, overseeing their full-time MBA program as a Marketing & Program Manager.

Once I secured a job and created my network, Germany felt like home. In 2021, I married my husband and best friend, David, in the small city of Würzburg, Germany. In 2022, our daughter Daliah was born, and with her arrival, I took a brief break from my career.

BWBW: Maria, what prompted you to want to reskill and begin your journey with BWBW?

MFC: When my daughter was a year old and preparing to start Kita (nursery school in Germany), I knew it meant I would have the chance to return to the workforce and continue my career. My experience was in sales, marketing, recruitment, and program management, but I knew I was ready for a new challenge and wanted to move into the technology space. I came across the BWBW program and knew it would be the best next step for me in my career. I was thrilled to be accepted into the second cohort of participants in Germany.?

When I started the program, I was already familiar with Salesforce as a CRM system through my work in sales and having used customer management tools, but I had yet to dive into how the system worked. It was a steep learning curve, and I dedicated countless hours to working on Trailhead and in Sandboxes, learning the system. It was challenging with a small baby at home, but I had the passion and dedication to push through and complete my first Salesforce Certification.

As a new mother, the BWBW program was my saving grace, providing me with a network, community and the support I needed to navigate the next steps in my career. Juggling motherhood, starting a new job, and continuing to learn a new language as an expat without family support is no small feat. The women in my cohort were my pillars of strength, offering me unwavering support and encouragement to keep pushing forward.

BWBW: Maria, based on your previous experience on the power of mentoring with Big Sister Association in the United States, how was the personal one-on-one mentoring you experienced with BWBW?

MFC: Mentoring was pivotal to my success in the program. My mentor, Andrea Muddemann , Principal Strategic Account Solution Engineer at Salesforce, is an incredible role model and mentor. She guided me along my career path and shared many learnings based on her experience. Together, we discussed my options for work within the Salesforce ecosystem and what options were available to me outside the technology space. Andrea’s positive energy and enthusiasm for her work are contagious and I appreciate her honesty and transparency. She provided many tools and resources to help me complete my certifications and succeed in the program.

BWBW: Maria, you are now an entrepreneur and founder of your own business The Eltern Hub . Can you tell us more?

MFC: Participating in the BWBW program was transformational for me professionally and personally. Towards the end of my BWBW journey, the learnings, mentoring, coaching, and empowering workshops all came together to allow me to tap into my courage and strength, giving me the resilience to follow my path and become a founder.

I started a successful blog during the BWBW program, sharing my experiences as an expat and new mother in Germany. The program gave me the confidence to move forward and create something more significant from this tiny seed of an idea.

My life and my work have not always been linear. Still, each experience and step, from my childhood in the Dominican Republic to the loss of my father and our migration to the United States, to my experiences growing up as a Dominican-American and my decision to start over and relocate to Germany, has contributed to my success. Each chapter led me to where I am now: Founder of The Eltern Hub, a one-stop-hub for expat families in Germany, providing community, knowledge and the confidence to thrive while living and parenting abroad.

The Eltern Hub partners with international companies to support their top talent and their families while relocating to Germany. Through our personalized consultations, curated cohort groups, educational seminars, and family-friendly meet-ups, we help ensure everyone has a positive start and thrives in their relocation journey in Germany on both a professional and personal level.

Although entrepreneurship runs in my family, until BWBW, I never envisioned myself following this path. Running my own company and embracing life as a founder has pushed me to challenge my limits and step out of my comfort zone. With self-belief and a little curiosity, anything is possible!

BWBW: Finally, Maria, do you have any final advice for our participants and those considering reentering the workforce after a break?

MFC: Dive in! There is no perfect time and we might never feel 100% ready to start something new. It will feel daunting, and that is completely normal, but being part of a program and a supportive community like BWBW can help guide you on your path to a successful new career, with a network of like-minded individuals cheering you on.

The biggest lesson I learned about myself during the program is that I get to define what success means to me. This is a powerful realization. Everyone has their ideas of success - maybe it’s a job title, collecting as many certifications as possible, or reaching a specific salary. At the end of the day, we all get to define what success means to us. The journey is an individual one, and regardless of which path we take, as women we must believe that we get to create our own future. We belong!

To learn more about The Eltern Hub, click here.

Congratulations, Maria, on your journey with the Bring Women Back to Work program in Germany. Your determination and drive led you to your new path as an entrepreneur. The Eltern Hub will have a significant impact for expats in Germany and our community wishes you continued success.

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