BEYOND BARRIERS

Are leaders born or made? That is the one of the most often-asked questions about leadership. The answer is that it’s “mostly made”. Researchers indicate that leadership is about one-third born and two-thirds made. So, in short, leaders can indeed be developed. In this episode, you’ll meet Darja Gutnick, Co-Founder and CEO of Bunch, who believes all of us have an inner leader and the best results happen when we dance with leading, allowing ideas to flow freely, unencumbered by roles and titles. Darja shares how leadership is a mindset that can be learned and not some hidden talent that we need to discover. It’s hard work, attitudes, and behavior that we show every day. It’s showing up every day for our team. Featured in Forbes, Darja is a rebel academic-turned-entrepreneur with a knack for making psychology tangible. Her motto is grow, inspire, and stay humble. As CEO at Bunch, she’s working to redefine leadership for millennial managers - partly because she is one, and is on her own leadership journey too. Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Darja.   Highlights: [02:19] Darja’s story [04:07] The decision to become an entrepreneur [09:01] Weighing the risks and rewards of a big decision [13:47] Helping people find their inner leader [21:51] Gaining access to the right people [26:45] Darja’s daily success habits [30:40] Bunch team rituals [33:58] We are all a work in progress [38:04] Advice to women on accelerating success   Quotes: “In the end, being transparent, vulnerable, and straightforward wins the game. So if you can find the strength to do that, it’s always the better choice.” – Darja Gutnick  “Leadership is a mindset. You can learn it. It’s not something you’re born with. It’s not some hidden talent that we need to discover. It’s hard work, attitudes, and behavior that you show every day. It’s showing up every day for your team.” - Darja Gutnick “The more we encourage each other to step up and lead, the more we benefit from each other.” - Darja Gutnick  “Be kind to yourself and thankful for everything you bring to the table.” – Darja Gutnick   About Darja Gutnick: Darja is a rebel academic-turned-entrepreneur with a knack for making psychology tangible. Her motto is grow, inspire, and stay humble. As CEO at Bunch, she’s working to redefine leadership for millennial managers - partly because she is one, and is on her own leadership journey too. Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darjagutnick/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/darjagutnick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darjagutnick/

Continuous learning is the most valuable currency for career success. Careers no longer follow a simple path from learning to earning to retirement. Lifelong learning is an indispensable skill for every individual and organization. Meet Eileen Schloss, a multidimensional, strategic and transformational human capital expert, who reveals exactly what it takes to get to the C-suite and why continuous learning is the key to success. Eileen recommends managing your life to make sure that you're constantly learning and adapting to change. In this episode, Eileen shares the pivotal moments in her career and how learning and preparation helped her achieve extraordinary success. She provides guidance on positioning for your dream opportunity and how believing in herself and speaking up in her interview with Steve Jobs landed her an executive role at Apple. Eileen also demystifies succession planning and executive compensation; and provides step-by-step guidance on getting board positions. Eileen has worked with CEOs and Boards as a global Chief Human Resources Officer and senior HR leader for companies ranging from major global brands to Pre-IPO businesses needing to scale. She is a Public & Private Board Member, Senior Advisor & Human Capital Expert at Alteryx, Advent and CCC. Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Eileen.   Highlights: [02:41] Eileen’s career journey [04:05] Pivotal moments for career advancement [05:52] Be a continuous learner [08:36] Eileen’s success habits [10:44] Relationships are the key to success [11:38] Eileen’s job interview with Steve Jobs [18:09] How to approach your dream opportunity [19:57] Preparing your presentation in your own voice [22:55] Aligning yourself with succession planning [27:40] Advice on getting to the C-suite [33:58] Demystifying the drivers behind compensation [42:09] Advice to women on negotiating compensation packages [47:23] What to know in positioning yourself for a board role [52:56] Eileen’s advice on accelerating your success   Quotes: “Relationships are a key element of any successful venture.” – Eileen Schloss  “It is important to manage your life around making sure that you're constantly learning.” – Eileen Schloss  “Great leaders are authentic and aren’t afraid to speak up and say what's on their minds.” - Eileen Schloss     About Eileen Schloss: Bold, insightful executive who shapes business and human capital strategy to increase enterprise value for Fortune 500 companies and pre-IPO businesses. Real-world expertise managing acquisitions, divestitures, and change initiatives while steering executive/board compensation decisions for Medidata Solutions, Rovi Corporation, and Apple Computer—crossing industries (health care, technology, media, CPG), business models, and continents (Asia, Europe, North America). In-depth understanding of HR governance and oversight attained through 20+ years as a senior leader and strategist. Keen business acumen strengthened and supported by an astute, thoughtful approach to assessing executive talent and proposing viable, sustainable compensation strategies. Compensation expert and advisor with nearly two decades working directly with board Comp Committees. Joined Alteryx, Inc. public board May 2017, concurrently serving on the Compensation and Nominating/Governance committees. Joined CCC IS, private board August 2020, Chair of the Compensation Committee NACD Board Governance Fellow certification, 2018 - present Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileen-schloss-executive/  

Have you ever felt like you had the perfect life plan and then suddenly life went sideways, and you were forced to just stop and hit the reset button? In this episode, you’ll learn what to do when life throws you a curveball, and how to navigate through setbacks and obstacles. Nikki and Monica share their own experiences of life challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them by looking forward instead of in the rearview mirror. Nikki also shares her 5-step framework to turn barriers into breakthroughs. Give yourself the gift of a 5-day journey from Barriers to Breakthroughs and jumpstart your transformation TODAY! Sign up with your email and get FREE access to this online course, bestselling book, and companion journal.    Visit: https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com/gift   Highlights: [01:29] Nikki’s story of facing barriers [05:28] Monica overcoming life’s challenges [07:48] Stop looking in the rearview mirror [08:33] Focus on gratitude [11:00] Turn barriers into breakthroughs   Quotes: “If you keep wishing for what it used to be, you can’t step into what it could be.” – Nikki Barua “Focus on what you see through the windshield, instead of what you see in the rearview mirror.” – Nikki Barua “Every day can be a do over, every week, every year could be a do over. Look at setbacks as a stepping stone to reinvent yourself.” – Nikki Barua “You can go from dreaming to doing as soon as you make that decision.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki Barua: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Website: https://www.nikkibarua.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenikkibarua/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiBarua   About Monica Marquez: Monica Marquez is a senior corporate leader, ex-Googler, and diversity expert. Website: https://themonicamarquez.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonicaMarquez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonicamarquez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonicamarquez/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/themmarquez  

Do you sometimes wish you could quit your job and break out on your own? But then you stop yourself because you don’t have the experience or the funds to launch your own business. Meet Mandy Gilbert, who shares how she left an unfulfilling job, secured a personal credit line of $8,000 and started her company, Creative Niche, the very next day. Mandy is an entrepreneur who has built two multi-million dollar enterprises from the ground up. She is also a philanthropist, keynote speaker, investor, and bestselling author of Just Go With It: How to Navigate the Ups and Downs of Entrepreneurship. In this episode, Mandy discusses how to invest in yourself as a leader, protect your confidence, and make your company a place where great people want to work. Mandy also reveals the lessons she has learned along the way, including the feedback that catalyzed her growth and helped her become a better leader.  Mandy shows that entrepreneurship is an adventure worth taking and that the freedom and fulfillment we seek is still possible, even if the path is rarely a straight line to the perfect life. Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Mandy.   Highlights: [02:07] Mandy’s story [03:03] Discovering your path [05:56] Making the decision to start a business [09:48] Where to start – the first 6 weeks of Creative Niche [14:20] The next chapter of Creative Niche [17:06] Why tenacity is important in getting long-term results [21:08] Motivation for writing “Just Go With It” [22:16] The hardest but best lesson learned [29:19] The leader Mandy is today [34:34] Advice on accelerating success [40:47] How to get in touch with Mandy   Quotes: “Entrepreneurs should embrace the journey because it's not a destination, you've got to keep going constantly, no matter how long you've been at it, you're always working on something.” – Mandy Gilbert  “What you see in the media isn't always true. Something meaningful and long lasting doesn't happen overnight. Nobody’s success is happening overnight.” – Mandy Gilbert  “One of the hardest, but best lessons I’ve learned was understanding my shortcomings and why they were showing up the way they were.” – Mandy Gilbert  “If you want to become a leader, there are a lot of great things that you can do right now, you don't have to wait until you have a specific title.” – Mandy Gilbert    About Mandy Gilbert: Mandy Gilbert is a speaker, investor, author, founder, and chief executive of Creative Niche, a company that provides creative staffing and workforce management solutions to multinational corporations as well as major advertising, digital and public relations agencies. Mandy has been recognized as the United Nations Global Accelerator and completed the Entrepreneurial Masters Program at MIT. She is also a Director for The Remix Project, an organization that works on leveling the playing field for young people from disadvantaged communities in Toronto and Chicago and sits on the board of her Young Presidents Organization (YPO) chapter in Toronto. She spends her time between Toronto and New York, and is the proud mom of two busy boys, Isaac and Sam.   Links: Website: https://mandy-gilbert.com/ Mandy’s book: https://mandy-gilbert.com/book/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandygilbert/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/verynichey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verynichey/  

Do you have a dream that you’ve been putting off until you’ve figured out all of the details? What would happen if you threw caution to the wind and just took that first step forward? Meet Ellen Bennett, founder and CEO of Hedley & Bennett, who shares why it’s important to just get started and figure out the details along the way. In her new book “Dream First, Details Later”, Ellen shares her journey and personal playbook for starting before you stop yourself. Ellen’s hustle and willingness to leap into the unknown, time and time again, has helped her build a multi-million-dollar company, making aprons and kitchen gear worn by many of the world’s best chefs and home cooks everywhere. In this episode, Ellen shares how she self-funded her business, and how getting comfortable with the uncomfortable allows her to navigate through change and keep leveling up. She even pivoted her business from making aprons to making masks at the beginning of the pandemic, helping to save jobs and donate over a half a million masks to those in need. So, if you’ve ever imagined doing something and immediately thought, “that’s impossible,” or “I wouldn’t even know where to start,” or “I’m not qualified to do that”, Ellen will teach you how to push aside your inner critic and launch into action. Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you will find shownotes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Ellen.   Highlights: [02:39] Ellen’s story [03:43] “Dream First, Details Later” [06:06] Navigating challenges and setbacks [07:48] Finding success in doubt [10:00] Taking the first step forward [12:23] Get comfortable with the uncomfortable [15:50] Attracting cutting-edge talent [19:15] Behind the scenes of success [20:10] Start with building your community [23:29] Staying focused on what’s right for you [26:15] Adapting when your playbook goes out of the window [30:30] How Ellen stays ahead of the curve [32:15] Hold on to the scrappiness [34:34] What keeps Ellen grounded [38:50] Where to get Ellen’s book, “Dream First, Details Later”   Quotes: “The best advice I could ever give to anyone is just start, you just need to begin and figure out the details along the way.” – Ellen Bennett  “Seize the opportunity and have enough confidence in yourself that you've done enough things in life to get you this far.” – Ellen Bennett “Never feel like you are just one person and you can't have an impact in the world, your opinion and your actions matter.” – Ellen Bennett “No matter how much building you do in life, sometimes things happen and you just have to be willing to rise to the occasion, adjust and let go of what you did before.” – Ellen Bennett   About Ellen Bennett: Growing up, Ellen Bennett, the founder and CEO of Hedley & Bennett, the leading Los Angeles based culinary workwear brand, found herself spending summers in her native Mexico learning to cook with her abuelita. Soon after graduating high school, Ellen found herself back in Mexico City attending culinary school where she would rekindle the joys of her summer cooking adventures while learning the skills needed to tackle the hustle of the professional kitchen. Back in L.A. she put her training to work cooking in two Michelin Star restaurants, Providence and Baco Mercat. It was during this time working on the line that she experienced a “uniform” that was not aligned with the creativity and confidence found in the kitchen. This led to the vision for Hedley & Bennett; make the best aprons in the world by marrying the needs of professional chefs with the design trends for today's discerning consumers. Today, Hedley & Bennett make more than aprons, but culinary workwear and gear that outfits over 6,000 restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, resorts and hundreds of thousands of home cooks all over the world. This evolution has also led to creative, out-of-the-box collaborations with brands such as Vans, Madewell, Parachute Home, Rifle Paper Co., Product (RED) and more. Most recently, she pivoted the resources of her company during the global COVID-19 pandemic to make masks to meet the needs of both professionals and consumers while donating over 200k masks to front line workers. Ellen and the Hedley & Bennett story has been featured in the New York Times, Fast Company, Inc., Bon Appetit, Martha Stewart, the Today Show and more. Ellen lives in Echo Park with her husband Casey, their pet pig Oliver, and six chickens.   Links: Website: https://www.hedleyandbennett.com/ Link to Ellen’s Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/607064/dream-first-details-later-by-ellen-marie-bennett/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenmariebennett/ Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hedleyandbennett/

Do you have an intense fear of public speaking? Does your heartbeat race at the thought of standing up in front of a room full of people? In this episode, Nikki shares her own experience with her fear of public speaking and what steps she took to overcome it. Subscribe to get new episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you'll find show notes and links.   Highlights: [01:04] Nikki’s first experience on stage [06:34] How Nikki overcame her fear of public speaking [08:56] Practice, practice, practice [15:12] Get clear on your WHY   Quotes: “You can’t get better at something if you don't invest time in it, and you can’t invest time in it, if you never schedule it.” – Nikki Barua “The best way to overcome your fear of public speaking is to practice by seeking opportunities to speak whenever you have the chance.” – Nikki Barua “To overcome your fear of public speaking you must practice the three “P”s - you need to prepare, you need to practice and you need to be patient.” – Monica Marquez About Nikki Barua: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Website: https://www.nikkibarua.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenikkibarua/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiBarua   About Monica Marquez: Monica Marquez is a senior corporate leader, ex-Googler, and diversity expert. Website: https://themonicamarquez.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonicaMarquez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonicamarquez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonicamarquez/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/themmarquez  

You’ve likely heard some leaders described as a servant leader. But what does that really mean? Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations, and ultimately creates a more just and caring world. Simply put, it is all about leading by lifting others. Our guest today, Chloe Drew, knows a thing or two about servant leadership. Throughout her career, from her corporate executive roles to her philanthropic and political engagement, Chloe has fought for the underdog and paved the way for others to get ahead. In this episode, Chloe shares her story and how she chose a divergent career path from her Harvard College classmates and followed her passion to help others. Chloe Drew has 20 years of experience designing, scaling and leading strategies in human resources, corporate social impact, philanthropy and diversity, equity & inclusion. She currently works as an advisor and coach to CEOs and executive teams to develop customized inclusion and diversity strategies that help unlock the full potential of leaders and teams.   Highlights: [03:04] Chloe’s journey [08:13] Gaining clarity on your path [10:35] Pushing past your fear of failure [16:11] Excelling in a new & unfamiliar environment [19:30] Tips for making difficult decisions [23:32] Dynamics of imposter syndrome [26:38] Asking your community for help [29:39] How to stay ahead of the curve and be agile [32:32] Advice on accelerating your success   Quotes: “The best and most profound lessons of my life have been when I've completely failed.”– Chloe Drew “Don’t expect to have the full picture when making a difficult decision, strive to get to feeling fairly confident in your decision.” – Chloe Drew “Asking yourself ‘what outcome are you trying to achieve?’, will help drive out the noise, assumptions and biases.” – Chloe Drew   About Chloe Drew: Chloe Drew has 20 years of experience designing, scaling and leading strategies in human resources, corporate social impact, philanthropy and diversity, equity & inclusion. Currently she works as an advisor and coach to CEOs and executive teams across sectors – including technology, communications, financial services, sports and fashion – to develop customized inclusion and diversity strategies that help unlock the full potential of leaders and teams. Before that Chloe was Chief People Officer at the real estate tech firm Compass where she supported a team of 2,500 employees nationally and oversaw the full employee experience through talent acquisition, total rewards, talent management, HR policy and diversity & inclusion. She also served as President of Philanthropy and launched the firm’s first community impact program engaging all employees and 15,000 real estate agents across Compass’s 20+ markets. Previously she was Chief of Staff at the Markle Foundation leading HR, strategy and fundraising at the $125M independent foundation dedicated to harnessing the power of technology to advance economic inclusion. From 2013 - 2015 Chloe was Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Appointments where she ran the Administration’s effort to recruit Commissioners and senior staff for over 60 city agencies and 200 municipal boards and commissions. From 2008 to 2013 Chloe was Executive Director of the Council of Urban Professionals, a nonprofit network of diverse business leaders in New York and Los Angeles, and from 2002 to 2007 she was Campaign Director for Congresswoman Barbara Lee in California’s 13th District. Chloe earned an A.B. from Harvard College in History and Literature. She has served on nonprofit boards including Wellesley College Centers for Women, Latino Justice, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Emerge America and Oakland Vote. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two young children. Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-drew-7ab26a4/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chloedrew Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloedrew7/  

Have you asked yourself and really thought about what distinguishes you from everyone else? What is your unique value proposition? If you don’t know the answer to these questions or if you don’t know how to articulate your story in a compelling way, then you’re limiting your career opportunities. In this episode, our guest, Sandra Lopez, Vice President for Intel Sports, shares how she turned an ordinary career into an extraordinary one when she finally answered these questions posed by her colleague. Sandra realized that she wasn’t embracing the characteristics and strengths that made her unique and stand out from the crowd of talent around her. This set her on a path to discovery, self-reflection and taking action. In Sandra’s current role as VP for Intel Sports, she is responsible for partnering with the sports and media industry to provide the future fans with the next generation of immersive media experiences.  Sandra leads a team that is focused on leading the business, marketing and market development efforts of Intel Sports and Studios. She is also the co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on VR/AR/XR. And is dedicated to building the next generation of women leaders. Over the course of her career, Sandra has received numerous recognitions, including “Most Powerful Women in Tech” (National Diversity Council), “Top Women in Media” (Cynopsis), “Top 10 Latina Executives” (LatinaStyle), and the list goes on. Prior to joining Intel in 2005, Sandra held various positions at Adobe Systems Inc., Macromedia, Computer Associates International Inc. and several other technology companies.   Highlights: [02:37] Sandra’s journey [06:37] Building your brand and telling your story [11:36] Overcoming limiting beliefs [14:46] Owning your achievements [19:37] Difference in mentors and sponsors [24:10] Taking risks and making decisions [28:17] Overcoming setbacks and failures [30:10] Sandra’s success habits [32:57] Establishing healthy boundaries [35:59] Advice on accelerating your success   Quotes: “Life is like Waze, you know where you want to go, but allow yourself to explore the unexplored neighborhoods that you never knew existed.”– Sandra E. Lopez “Tap into who you were meant to become and lean into that because everyone else is taken.” – Sandra E. Lopez “Take baby steps towards tackling your fears and anxieties. If you get 1% better every day, imagine how much better you're going to be 365 days from now.” – Sandra E. Lopez “We need to reframe the word failure so that failure equals growth that enables you to do better.” – Sandra E. Lopez   About Sandra E. Lopez: Sandra E. Lopez is VP for Intel Sports and is responsible for partnering with the sports and media industry to provide the future fans with the next generation of immersive media experiences. In her role, she leads a team that is focused on leading the business, marketing and market development efforts of Intel Sports and Studios. Lopez is also the co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on VR/AR/XR. Previously, she led and managed the fashion wearable business for Intel’s New Technology Group. Earlier in her Intel career, Lopez held various roles within corporate marketing, including director of new business marketing and consumer marketing. Over the course of her career, Lopez has received numerous recognitions, including “Most Powerful Women in Tech” (National Diversity Council), “Top Women in Media” (Cynopsis), “Top 10 Latina Executives” (LatinaStyle), “Most Influential and Notable Hispanic Professionals in Information Technology” (HiTec) and “Game Changer” (Sports Business Journal). Prior to joining Intel in 2005, Lopez held various positions at Adobe Systems Inc., Macromedia, Computer Associates International Inc. and several other technology companies. Lopez earned a B.S. in Economics and Textiles and Clothing from the University of California at Davis. In addition, she attended the Stanford’s Executive Accelerator Program in 2016. As part of contributing to the community, she is focused on building the next generation of women leaders. Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lopezsandra/  

Have you ever heard of the phrase “you have to see it to be it”? It’s the beginning of Women’s History Month, and we're celebrating icons, innovators and leaders who have paved the way for women today, and why it’s important for each of us to inspire others.  In this episode, we discuss what is meant by “see it to be it” and the three ways that seeing these trailblazing women is empowering and enabling women everywhere to “see it” and “be it”. Subscribe to get new episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.    Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you'll find show notes and links. Highlights: [00:50] The meaning of “see it to be it” [01:09] 3 ways “see it to be it” empowers [04:45] Visibility matters [07:09] Women who’ve inspired us [10:11] Who represents the future you   Quotes: “If you're not willing to work for it, it's not a true motivation.” – Nikki Barua “The reason “if you can see it, you can be it” works so powerfully is that it helps you clarify your what, it helps you connect to your why, and it helps you codify the how.” – Nikki Barua “It's not just about getting to the top, it's becoming more visible so you can inspire change by sharing your story and making it possible for someone else to dream. It normalizes success.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki Barua: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Website: https://www.nikkibarua.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenikkibarua/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiBarua   About Monica Marquez: Monica Marquez is a senior corporate leader, ex-Googler, and diversity expert. Website: https://themonicamarquez.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonicaMarquez/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonicamarquez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themonicamarquez/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/themmarquez

Hustle – the Urban Dictionary defines the word hustle as: “to strive headstrong and voraciously towards a goal”. Or as Anthony Iannarino clarified in his article, “The Real Meaning of the Word ‘Hustle’”, is that you work hard every single day. It means you do the things other people won’t do, and you do them with a sense of joy and purpose because you love it. In this episode, you’ll meet Cristina Antelo, a real-life example of the word “hustle”, who lives by Thomas Edison’s motto, “Everything comes to h[er] who hustles while [she] waits.” Cristina shares her life’s journey and how she learned to hustle. Cristina Antelo is a founding principal and CEO at Ferox Strategies. She has spent more than a decade representing multinational corporations with her trademark hustle at Washington’s best-known government relations firms. From Wall Street to K Street, Cristina has set herself apart as a trusted advisor, skilled advocate, and effective negotiator who isn’t afraid of long, hard work. Featured in Washingtonian magazine in “Success Stories of Washingtonians of Latino and Hispanic Descent” and identified as a "Top Lawyer," “Power Player,” and “Most Influential 40 and Under Leader” in other regional publications, Cristina provides insider advice on how public policy is created and communicated.   Highlights: [02:35] Cristina’s journey [07:03] Gaining clarity on your path & purpose [13:11] Overcoming limiting beliefs [20:15] Building your story around your strengths [25:09] Cristina’s daily success habits [28:21] Decision making techniques [33:17] Building authentic relationships [38:57] Cristina’s advice on accelerating success   Quotes: “You will always get more information out of making a mistake than if you had done nothing out of fear of failing.” – Cristina Antelo “There is not enough Latino representation in all of the places where decision-making happens as it related to policy.” - Cristina Antelo “You can teach yourself anything. It doesn't matter what you know right now, in this moment, you just have to commit to learning.” – Cristina Antelo   About Cristina Antelo: A fierce believer in Thomas Edison’s, “Everything comes to h[er] who hustles while [she] waits,” Cristina Antelo is a founding principal at Ferox Strategies. Cristina has spent more than a decade representing multinational corporations with her trademark hustle at Washington’s best-known government relations firms. From Wall Street to K Street, Cristina has set herself apart as a trusted advisor, skilled advocate, and effective negotiator who isn’t afraid of long, hard work. She began her lobbying career in 2004, immediately representing Fortune 500 clients at top-ranked, bipartisan government and public affairs firms in Washington, D.C. Her past clients include major chain retailers, spirits companies, national theme and amusement parks, pharmaceutical firms, and nutrition and wellness companies. Her policy areas of expertise include financial services, tax, trade, border security, transportation and infrastructure, and crisis management. Featured in Washingtonian magazine in “Success Stories of Washingtonians of Latino and Hispanic Descent” and identified as a "Top Lawyer," “Power Player,” and “Most Influential 40 and Under Leader” in other regional publications, Cristina provides insider advice on how public policy is created and communicated. As a founding member and former President of the Hispanic Lobbyists Association and a long stint as the interim CEO of the non- profit Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), Cristina has served as both a leader and an advocate, promoting communication, ethics, education, and bipartisanship. Before transitioning to government relations, in the early 2000s Cristina worked as a Wall Street investment banker and wealth management advisor at major Wall Street firms including Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. She also served as a legal fellow with the Senate Democratic Steering Committee, then chaired by former Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Tom Daschle (D-SD). Today, Cristina is active in charitable work, contributing her business acumen and political savvy on the Board of Directors of the CHCI, serving under Chairman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), as well as the board of the National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) Action Fund supporting conservation of endangered species and habitats. Cristina further serves on the finance committee for the March of Dimes' annual Gourmet Gala, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars boosting maternal and infant health worldwide. Finally, Cristina is also on the Board of Directors for her alma mater, the Brooks School in North Andover, MA, and volunteers with Common Threads, focusing on nutrition education for children. A native Spanish speaker, Cristina was born in Dallas and graduated from Georgetown University and the George Washington University Law School. She is married with two young daughters, Havana and Brooklyn, who are fiercely loyal to any client that provides toys...or snacks...or anything with glitter. Links: Website: https://feroxstrategies.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinaantelo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsCEAntelo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceantelo/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceantelo