A Tale Of Triumph And Empowerment Across Borders: Dr. Griselda Martinez’s Story

Have you ever wondered what it takes to redefine yourself and shatter the labels society sticks on you? In this episode, Dr. Griselda Martinez, CEO of Ascendo Strategies, was interviewed by Tamika Herbert for a profound dialogue on how the title 'God's daughter' reshaped her life and fueled her ambitions. Their conversation reveals the power of identity, mentorship, and the ability to grow beyond the borders of one's beginnings, offering insights that could ignite a transformation within you.

As if peering through the lenses of entrepreneurs past and present, we talk about the unique challenges and triumphs women face in business, particularly within immigrant communities. Dr. Griselda's own lineage of self-made success serves as a beacon for aspiring entrepreneurs. From her father's border-spanning hustle to her own multifaceted ventures, we reflect on the essence of entrepreneurial drive, the emotional and financial gambles of immigration, and the collective strength found in teams that embody the adage "Together, Everyone Achieves More." Let this episode be your invitation to join us on a sensory-rich journey, where every challenge is a stepping stone, and every identity is a bridge to undiscovered potential.

📣 Get in touch with Tamika and me: 

🌐 Instagram: tamika.l.herbert

💻 Web: drgriselda.com

💼 LinkedIn: griseldatmartinez

🌐 Instagram: unexpectedlysuccessfultheshow

📚 Facebook: Dr. Griselda Martinez, unExpectedly Successful The Show

📺 YouTube: @unexpectedlysuccessfultheshow

📚 RECOMMENDED readings and programs:

🧠 On Mindset - Soundtracks: the surprising solution to overthinking, https://amzn.to/40W2zHv

💬 On Communication - The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of Your Message, https://amzn.to/3N1c56g

📈 On Scaling Your Business through Synergies - Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork, https://amzn.to/4a7USlQ

🎧 Listen to the show:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/66x3kimKtCA4dSHE51IOEj?si=486ebbd41f284f3d

🍏 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/un-expectedly-successful-the-podcast/id1691434992

💌 GET IN TOUCH WITH ME 

🎓 Learn about my Online Academy, Her Path to Purpose and Profit, at drgriselda.com   

💼 Economic Development Consulting: ascendostrategies.com

Who I AM:  

I am Dr. Griselda Martinez, your transformational business coach, speaker, and consultant dedicated to empowering seasoned professionals like you to step confidently into entrepreneurship. After reaching the peak of my career, I realized my true calling was not in the corner office but in guiding women to unlock their purpose through business ownership. 

Join me and a community of passionate, purpose-driven entrepreneurs making a real difference. Subscribe to become part of the un-Expectedly Successful tribe, and let's elevate your business journey together. Share your aspirations in the comments and discuss how we can achieve them. Ready to redefine success on your terms? 

Let’s go!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

that I was not seeing in myself and he spent time and effort into making me see it. And up to this day, I am a very hard worker and I am a committed professional and I aim for excellence, and I think that was a turning point for me.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Hello, beloved community, welcome to this episode of Unexpectedly Successful Now, if you didn't know by the introduction, I am not Dr Griselda Martinez. My name is Tamika Herbert and I have the distinct honor of being your host for today. Now, any episode ending with the number zero is going to present something slightly different, a little bit of flavor, and today, on this 30th episode, that is exactly what we're doing. Dr Griselda, are you anywhere under the sound of my voice? Where are you? I am here, Tamika.

Speaker 1: 1:11

What a pleasure to be introduced this way.

Speaker 2: 1:20

Welcome. Welcome to your show, Dr Griselda. Thank you so much, I feel very welcome Tamika.

Speaker 1: 1:28

So for my audience, this is such a unique and exciting opportunity because one day, tamika reached out to me to ask me very interesting and unique questions that no one had asked me in the US, in no community. Therefore, the genesis of this podcast episode. I will now tell you the insights of it, because that's why we have our host, tamika, and I will pass it on to her. You have the floor.

Speaker 2: 2:05

Are you ready for this, Dr Griselda?

Speaker 1: 2:08

Are you ready or not? Tamika, here we go.

Speaker 2: 2:13

Awesome.

Speaker 2: 2:14

So first I'm going to give a little introduction to who Dr Griselda is, because those of you who are her normal audience you're a little bit familiar with her, but for those of you who are not familiar with her, I'm going to introduce you to Dr Griselda Martinez. Dr Griselda is the CEO and founder of Asendo Strategies, which is an economic development consultation company. Griselda is a business coach and strategist, passionate about assisting women who want to be entrepreneurs, and this year she added another role, and that is co-author. She released a book with several other empowering women, and the title of that book is the Transformative Power of a Name. So, dr Griselda, again, welcome to your show. So we're going to start out this podcast in the way we always do what does it mean to be Dr Griselda Martinez? To Griselda?

Speaker 1: 3:27

Wow, tamika, I've asked that question many times and the reason why I asked that question was because of my own experience in answering that. I remember, as a Toastmaster many years ago, I give a speech and the title to it was who Am I? So in my life I've always been reflective upon who I am and I've been in this discovery quest that is never ending because we're always evolving. And this speech it was maybe eight or 10 years ago and I remember I have the script, the detail of it, and I can see it clearly where I describe myself. In all these labels I describe myself as a daughter, as a friend. At that time I was a kickboxer. So I was a kickboxer as a traveler and I had many labels. And so, fast forward to when I became a business entrepreneur, I had the opportunity to really sit down with myself and dig deeper into who I was, and so there was a whole different layer of that.

Speaker 1: 5:03

And in this very intentional, intense process, one day I was crafting my personal calling statement and that then was going to evolve into my business statement and I was struggling so much because I was like am I my business? My business is my identity. My career change just shook who I was. I was a successful professional up to that point and I was a little bit lost. Maybe I should delete the little bit.

Speaker 1: 5:44

I was lost on who I was and I was in this wonderful community that I am blessed to be part of. One dear friend who has the gift of clarity, I said can you help me with my personal calling statement? And we got in a call similar to this and she said do you want your personal calling statement for your business or do you want to define who you are Without me telling her? That was really what I was struggling with, and in this call it was like a miracle, tamika, because in this process she dug so deep that when she said so, now tell me who you are. Wow. And in that moment the only thing that I could say was.

Speaker 1: 6:52

I am God's daughter and something broke, and so when I asked my guest speakers who you are, it's really because it's such a powerful reflective moment that can break ties and chains and labels that we have acquired throughout our life, whether or not we like it. And so that's who I am. I am God's daughter, God's creation, and I have many labels and they'll continue to come up, but at the bottom line, that's who I am and that's the foundation to everything I do from that moment till now.

Speaker 2: 7:39

Wow, that's very profound and something it sounds like. What I heard you say is that previously you identified with labels and roles. That was your identity, but a time came when you had to get past the superficiality of that and dig a little deeper it was such a powerful process.

Speaker 1: 8:04

It was something that was not sitting well within me to continue to use labels, and I could not be here if I had not had that moment of clarity and simplicity of who I am and, at the same time, of power of who I am.

Speaker 2: 8:28

Another level of empowerment in which she's just in the audience, so another. So let's talk about that empowerment. What is it that actually got you here to the United States?

Speaker 1: 8:41

Yes, so for my audience, I was born and raised in Mexico in a town of about 100,000 people. The name of it is Parral, and it is a beautiful small town founded during the Spanish conquista and it was one of the primary sources of silver to the Spanish Empire, and so it is a very unique place with very unique people, because of the mixture of people and the heritage and the history in that place Fast forward. When I was seven, my mother and my five siblings moved to Chihuahua City to start a new face of our lives. My dad stayed in our hometown and I went to school there and graduated from high school. However, a year before my graduation from high school, there was drastic change in our family. My mother passed away at that point and so the glue to the family disappeared. But more than that, there was great concern. I was 16. There was great concern from my father on my future, and he's always been a visionary and a very curious man and he wonders, and he was wondering about my future and he told me I am worried about your future and I want you to expand your horizons. Those were the exact words, and at that point, my dad was a very successful businessman and had the resources to do to support things that at that moment, many families couldn't afford. And he invited me to participate in an exchange program, in a cultural exchange program into the United States. And so I was 17.

Speaker 1: 10:42

At that time I had applied to go to college. I had been admitted into architectural school because of the impact a professor had in my high school time, and she was an architect. So I wanted to be like her. And so I was like do I go to school or do I go into this adventure and as many other decisions in my life, I took the chance, and I remember getting in the bus by myself, 17 years old, in Mexico, riding from Chihuahua City to Parral, where my dad was still living there, and I said I'm here, let's do the process. We went to see the people who were going to help us, and that's how my journey into the US came about. At that point it was when there were fax machines, there was no internet and there were no high resolution pictures, and so we completed the application and we submitted it.

Speaker 1: 11:50

In the US there were families who were just wanting to host somebody, and I was late for my application. I submitted it late August and, by the grace of God, this family had submitted also a late application for an exchange student. So the purpose of the application was to match the interest and the profiles of the people. But because we were both late, there was no real matching except the timeliness of it. And so it was September 1997 that I came to the US, and in specific to Gonzalez, louisiana.

Speaker 1: 12:36

So, ok, gonzalez, everybody would associate that name with the Spanish source, right? So Mexican or some type of Latin America, and in this place there was nothing of it. It was a French descent family. I became their fifth daughter, and the fourth daughter had just gotten married the year before, so they were empty nesters. And so, guess what, I became the baby oh, empty, with all the privilege and all the spoilness and all the love that comes with that. So talk about a blessing. So that's how I came to the US as a 17-year-old high schooler I mean, I had finished high school, so it was like a my sabbatical year.

Speaker 2: 13:28

There is so much in which you just communicated to the audience, griselda. So your father wanted you to experience something different, and so he's the one that planted that seed in you, and I would be remiss if I did not honor and pay tribute and respect in my condolences to your mom, who you lost at a young age. Was there anything that she instilled in you that helped mold and even shape who you are today? Wow?

Speaker 3: 14:11

And you know, this is still a very special topic for me. My mother was a school teacher and I say that she was a teacher not only as her career, but as her vocation.

Speaker 1: 14:34

She was a teacher, so she taught everyone that. She taught kids outside in her school. She taught kids in the park as she came to see them, and especially her kids. She was a teacher and she was the first one and only one. Actually, in her family there were seven siblings and she was the only one who actually went to school after high school, so she was the only one who had a career based on an education. So her self experienced the power of education from her own experience. And so, because of the limited resources, becoming a teacher was one of the few options right. Another one would have been becoming a nurse or becoming an administrative assistant, and so my mother recognized I believe she recognized her gift as a teacher and went in that direction. But my mother used to say I would the only thing, like she was very animate about this topic. The only thing that I would leave to you is your education and no one, no one, will be able to take it away from you. So way, way way.

Speaker 2: 15:59

Wait, wait, that nugget. Let's say that's again for the audience. Say that again, Dr Griselba.

Speaker 1: 16:11

Your education is the one thing that no one will be able to take away from you ever.

Speaker 2: 16:19

Profound, so true.

Speaker 1: 16:22

So I love to learn, and then my dad, as I said, he wonders, right and he's very curious. So there was no way I would not result in somebody who loves to learn. But because of my mom's just like passion and commitment to us getting education, I went to college, that was no question, and then I went to get my master's, which was something different from what I had experienced in my surroundings, and then, later on in my career, I went to get my doctoral degree. It was something that it was not within what we did in our family, right, so it was trailing something different and unique that that was me discovering areas that were totally new to me, and so I finished my doctoral degree in 2014. So almost 2014, almost 10 years ago.

Speaker 1: 17:35

But what I realized is my love for learning never stopped. So at some point I realized that I had some type of certification, some type of self development, professional development, personal development thing going on at all times throughout my entire life. It's like I don't know where it is in my body. I don't know if it's in my heart, in my mind, in my DNA. I don't know where it is, but love for education is such a prevalent thing in my life, my mother was a beautiful woman who walked by her faith and beyond education, that's even more powerful what she left behind. Right, and actually in my book I talk about that because she did leave us education as legacy but beyond that, it was that coverage, that provision, that protection of an Almighty God that I was ignorant to that until my very recent years, like a couple of years, three years, four years, five years, maybe 10 years, and so, yeah, I mean my mother is in me in so many ways, but I believe those two are the most powerful ones and most impactful in my life.

Speaker 2: 19:12

Wow, that's you're right, because your mother instilled that education and then your father had that curiosity. So I can't imagine what it is to get your doctorate. You're going on to get all those different degrees. That's exploring curiosity to what it is. You don't know, right, Exactly. So just the fact that you had it for both sides and being a trailblazer, Dr Rosalda, for your family to excel in education. So just recognizing, honoring and letting our audience be able to hear what it is you just said from both sides of your family, 300 people and you being that force for them to be able to look up to, that's profounding and, yeah, just honor you for that. So, and honor your mother as well, for sure. Thank you, Tamika. Okay, another question, because I heard you say something about a family in Louisiana.

Speaker 2: 20:15

Wait, so you live from Mexico to Louisiana.

Speaker 1: 20:20

And me as a traveling girl.

Speaker 2: 20:25

Talk about that experience. Did you know English when you were coming over here? Did you know a little bit? What did that transition look like? As far as coming to a foreign country, do I speak English? I don't know.

Speaker 1: 20:39

You know, the answer is no. I did not know any English, and part of the program was with the purpose to learn English. And to your comment about becoming a Southern girl, I became an adopted Cajun. Then, in later years, I had the opportunity, or I needed to come up with a way to earn money when I was in Mexico, and I became a high school teacher for English, and so when I had to teach the language, that's when I really really learn English, with the grammar, with the conjugation of verbs, with the adequate way of forming sentences.

Speaker 2: 21:32

English class. What a long wait. We did not come for a lesson today, Rosalda. Okay, proceed.

Speaker 1: 21:38

I'm okay and my adoptive mother, I call her mama and if you're really seeing, dearest Mother, mother Dearest, I call her Mother Dearest. I send you a love, love, love, love and a tight hug because, in addition to her, she saw me and she loved me from just first sight, and the same for Papa.

Speaker 3: 22:10

Why else, honor? Because he's no longer with us. But mama talk about mama.

Speaker 1: 22:18

So she was a stay home mom and we would write, we would go everywhere together, and so I would like read, and then I would say a word and it was mispronounced. And so what I started doing was I would like spell it, and so she would tell me how it was pronounced. And so she was my teacher. And then she did not only teach me, but then when I learned a new word. So now imagine how many new words did I have to learn to be able to speak right. So every time I learned a new word, what I would do is I would repeat it over and over, because that's how I learned right. Okay, that's how I process information. So she did not only have to teach me, she had to stand there looking at me listening to my practicing. So it's like this mother whose child is learning how to play the piano and they are horrible at it and they just have to, like, keep listening to it.

Speaker 2: 23:27

You're doing good baby. Come on, you're doing good baby. Encouragement yes, mother Appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 23:39

I can tell you more stories about the family, the four siblings, my four sisters in Louisiana that these girls never in my entire life, 28 years of me being part of that family never have I heard, felt, seen any sign of jealousy Like seriously. It's a miracle. It's a miracle because they embraced me, they just loved me, and up to this date yeah, it's amazing, and we don't see each other all the time, but when we get to be together it's like no time has passed in between. And now I mean the family went from four daughters and two nephews at that moment to now having two great grandkids with wives and husbands.

Speaker 2: 24:42

And so it's an amazing, really fun, unique story that I am so blessed to be part of, and I believe we may have to do that for the I don't know 60th, 50th, the 1000th episode, to further go into this right.

Speaker 1: 25:03

Mama get ready.

Speaker 2: 25:05

Yes, and mama's going to be there to tell us the stories that you may not quite be sharing with the audience.

Speaker 1: 25:11

Just yet Exactly.

Speaker 2: 25:13

We'll save that Question, Griselda, because you talked about, we know, and I call you Dr Griselda. So you went to school, bachelors, you did your masters and your doctorate. During those stages of life, when you were going to school pursuing your education, what did that look like? Were there people in that journey who were very impactful, especially again as you being an immigrant, Griselda? What did that look like for you?

Speaker 1: 25:45

So when I first started college, so after I came back from Louisiana after one year of being an exchange student, I came back home and I actually went from Tuowa City into my hometown. So when I went back after my one year I went back to apply for medical school in Tuowa City, which was the only school at that time in the state of Tuowa that was not private. But the big caveat is that they only admitted 100 students per year. I took the exam and I was not admitted into medical school. So I was like, what am I going to do? And I was in my hometown and my dad said I know this person at the School of Economics in Parral, part of the state university, and we can go and talk to him and see if there are any options for you, if you're interested. You see there is a pattern my dad always plant in this seed right.

Speaker 2: 26:56

I'm here.

Speaker 1: 26:57

You already said it because I was going to go there, but you already said it, so we went and talked to this person and there was a Mathematic Summer course that everybody was needed to do before going into school, like the regular school sessions, and he said it was about halfway. He said if you start this course and you finish it successfully and pass the final exam, I would grant you access to the School of Economics. So nothing to do with medical school, nothing to do with architecture, but why not? So I did the summer course. I was successful at completing it and passing the test. That's how my course into economics came about.

Speaker 1: 27:56

In my time in Louisiana, there was this teacher who was the teacher for the subject of Spanish, asked me why I was taking Spanish. I don't know, but I was taking Spanish in Louisiana and she was such a sweetheart and she made sure to help me adapt to the culture. So that was a very important piece to be able to navigate that time in my life, in that school, in particular In my time in the United States during my education. Oh, in 2001, I decided to transfer from that school that I was in my hometown into UT El Paso, which is you can see what is the other side of the border from the campus. So it's a very unique place to be and I have beautiful people around me. I would commute, living in Juarez, I would commute every day to go to school, so I would commute early morning. I didn't have a car, so I would take the public transportation early morning.

Speaker 1: 29:14

In that time I needed a job and because I've always worked to pay for my education which is another blessing and I needed a job. And Sodexo, this big catering company in many places, was the catering or the food service at UTEP and they hire hundreds of students. So I was like, ok, I'm going to go to Sodexo for a job and I don't know any other person who was the client except me for a job there. No job from Sodexo for me. So I was like OK, and so in my search I found this position as a student assistant in one of the academic buildings and I was blessed to get that job. And my boss at that time, herman, she's a super sweet individual, like super sweet, amazing she. She had I don't know 10, 20 students and she was the mother to each one of us, with that loving, nurturing care. She talked to us on the flip side and she was very strict, she pushed you as well.

Speaker 2: 30:35

Love and push, love and push.

Speaker 1: 30:37

Love and push. And so that was. That was such an amazing thing. And in a different conversation I said that she's been my favorite and best supervisor, because she did not only care for the job to be done, but she understood that that moment in my life was so crucial that she poured life into me. She listened to us, she, she was concerned about our growth, she guided us, she provided friendship, and so she was a really amazing person. Fast forward, I was, I was a student in France for six months and what does Herman do? She holds my spot as a student employee that whole semester for when I come back. So not only did she help me with a job in my regular studies, but she made it happen for me to have a job right after coming back from France, which made the world difference to me. And so, amazing woman, amazing woman, wait, tie to my studies in France. Wow, linda, professor, linda, she was another wonderful soul in my path to be able to OK.

Speaker 1: 32:17

So when I came back from Louisiana, I was so curious about French, right because of the Cajun French and so I was like I want to learn French and and I started classes, french classes as part of my bachelors nothing to do with my major, but I started classes, french classes and Miss Linda Nogem Badam she's married to, to a wonderful man who's last name is Nogem Badam, and so she, she, she was so wonderful, but she saw something in me that she, that she's so worth cultivating.

Speaker 1: 33:03

And she was part of the selection process for the scholarships to go abroad, and I had submitted an application for scholarship as the only way for me to go to France, because I I did not have the funds otherwise. And one day I was doing numbers and I believe that in that moment I was overwhelmed and fearful of taking that step. And so I went to her and I said Miss Linda, miss Nogem Badam, I cannot go to France. And she said why? And I said is money. And I don't remember what happened. I don't know if she talked to me, encouraged me, guided me in this process. I don't know if she helped me with additional funds through the scholarship, but what I do know is that I did go to France.

Speaker 1: 34:07

You were you said that you were in, I did go to France, and so whatever she did that I do not recall, brought me back to that path that I had started and I was about to leave it as as unfinished. And so talk about like impact, right?

Speaker 2: 34:32

So you just said, not only did you come to the US as an immigrant, but you traveled abroad to another country.

Speaker 1: 34:43

Yes, well as an immigrant Wow, that's yes, and so I was in France for six months and then later in my master's program, because I was already like I think education is going to take me places here.

Speaker 2: 35:01

Literally.

Speaker 1: 35:02

Literally so during my master's program I apply for this summer course in Italy, in the southern part of, in the northern part of Italy, Gorizia, Italy. It was something really to my studies but it was actually a stretch. But it was such an interesting program it was to to study border economies around the world.

Speaker 1: 35:29

So remember I said that I was at UT El Paso, at the border with Juarez border. Yes, this, this program, was to study border economies, but around the world. So it was in in a school, in in a border town with Slovenia, gorizia, and it was a group of students from all around the world going there to study the same topic. Yeah, education has taken me places in expanding my world. Remember when my dad said I want you to expand your horizons? Well, education has been a major part to that journey.

Speaker 2: 36:19

Wow, that is an audience, if you're like me. For me little speeches, you know, because there's so much we can even go into with you, sharing that piece about education, taking you places literally and figuratively. But we're gonna save that. We're gonna save it.

Speaker 2: 36:40

Talk to us Griselda about, because you there's so much that you just said, but talk to us about, as an immigrant, being here in the United States. Were there any moments? Because you did say you work for a supervisor, you work for someone. Right, that was the lady supervisor. So throughout those early days of working and doing your degrees, what did that experience look like? As an immigrant, was there something that you saw when you were like something's just not right, it's not sitting well with me, when that possibly helped you go from an employee to be like I'm gonna have my own business.

Speaker 1: 37:33

Yes. So, speaking about my mom and my dad, my dad is first generation college graduate, and so my parents, needless to say, were very, a very unique couple, and so therefore, there is no way that I'm gonna be just average, right, because there's no way. But my dad as a young student, he used to come to the US, buy merchandise, bring it back, import it into Mexico and then sell it. My hometown is about eight hours from the border, and so he would do that, and that was a way of him making money. Actually, that's how my mom and he met in one of those bus rides.

Speaker 1: 38:25

My dad, coming to the border of my mother, lived in the border town of Juarez. Well, fast forward, as an engineer, he had a side hustle. Somebody offered him to purchase a semi truck, a fifth wheeler, and my mother was an excellent administrator. I mean, talk about administrator. She was excellent. So there was always funds. Even if they were not, even if the income was not abundantly like crazy, the administration allowed for savings. So when my dad was offered a this vehicle, he bought it, and so that was the genesis of him having a side hustle business Then, as an employee, he just did not fit.

Speaker 1: 39:23

He just did not fit a line and he jumped into owning his own business with the support of the stable income of my mom as a teacher right, which is not often spoken as an amazing platform to jump from. And so my father started his own business with this semi truck. Then he expanded because he transported lumber. In my hometown, in the region, lumber is a big business and so he transported lumber. So, guess what? He expanded his business to actually like producing, manufacturing lumber. So he found clients for that new product. But then he expanded his fleet so he did not have to pay that high cost transportation that would reduce his profit or increase the cost for the clients, right. So that was his second expansion to the business. So he expanded his fleet and he expanded into lumber business. Then later on these trucks would break, right.

Speaker 1: 40:41

And so he would have to find the parts and fix them and all these things. So he would like accumulate extra parts and people started coming to him for parts for repairs. Well, guess what? The third expansion was him providing importing parts from the US, because he already knew the process right From his early years, expanding that business into an import of heavy equipment parts, which was a very important part to many people in that industry because it represented them not having to have those vehicles out of service for a long time through that well, stock parts business that my dad had started. And so that was me growing up. So I would hang out in this big place where it was full of heavy equipment parts and I would see like, oh, that part is go to that corner over there. Like he knew exactly where these parts were. He knew his business and he was able to serve many people. So that was my exposure to business ownership as a child.

Speaker 1: 42:07

When I was after graduation from college, I went to work for a small company that had the business in the US side and the manufacturing component in Juarez. So this border economy has also been very impactful in my life because I've lived in it. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly in it, but also seen the amazing opportunities that two countries coming together bring to life. So, anyway, I worked with the CEO and founder of that company and we were two in that office. It was him who did everything related to sales and myself who did everything related to operation. So I did sourcing of materials. It was a metal part manufacturing plant, so I did all the sourcing of the materials, all the logistics related to that.

Speaker 1: 43:15

But because it was the manufacturing plant in Juarez, I did import export of the materials and import of the finished parts once they were finished and then they were being sold in the US. I also got to do payroll in Juarez every Friday. But in that job, Fernando Fernando, if you're listening, I've told you this, but it's another moment for me to give you gratitude for this. Okay, I had been blessed enough that I could do work to an extent that would meet the standards, but it was not my full potential, and so it was easy for me to do the work, but without putting the best effort forward, Wow. So Fernando recognized that and I remember him coming into the office and I had done something to the very minimum and he would say, Griselda, come to the office. And.

Speaker 1: 44:22

I mean, it was like a little office in which he was his office and my office was the hallway.

Speaker 1: 44:27

And so I would go to his office and he would totally drill Griselda, what do you wanna do with your life? Wow, what do you wanna do with your life, griselda? When are you gonna use your full potential? Griselda? I mean, I would get so mad. I would get so mad. He would make me cry. He was so insistent on the same topic. He would make me cry. And every time he would say, griselda, come to the office. I knew that he was gonna totally go into what I was gonna do with my life. And one day I was just tired of me, just like oh my God, like I was a 24 year old ready to go party, ready to, just like. I saw him as my, as my parent and I'm like, I'm sick of my parents. I don't wanna hear him anymore.

Speaker 2: 45:24

I'm away from my dad right now. Why are you doing this?

Speaker 1: 45:28

Exactly, exactly, I would say. And so one day I said, fernando, tell me what I need to do so you stop bothering me, oh. And he said, use your full potential. And I went out for a week and when I came back I was like, okay, it was such a change to Mika. Wow, I was going to change that one person who did not know about this conversation, who did not know anything. He said, greselna, are you doing? Okay? It was such a moment of transformation to Mika.

Speaker 1: 46:15

From that on, I stayed in that company for about four years and that was about two and a half years into it. From that moment on, it was my job to become the best I could be in that position, optimize, and to the point that when I knew I had accomplished my goal was this day in which Fernando and I would sit down and review, like projections of revenue into the company, all the expenses, because we were tight in money so we had to be very diligent. So we would project for age, 12 weeks into the future to see how much material we needed, how much money that was going to be payroll, import costs, and then how many invoices we had outstanding and then when we were going to have those. So it was like a really very detailed balance in the cash flow of the company, and so any error made a difference, right?

Speaker 1: 47:26

So I would sit down with Fernando and he would catch errors, often right. So I was like what about this?

Speaker 2: 47:36

What?

Speaker 1: 47:36

about that and I'm like damn. When I knew I had accomplished my goal was when he thought he had caught an error and I had all the knowledge to say why that was correct. So for the first time I had all the knowledge, experience and confidence to defend my point because I knew I was right, not out of arrogance. Well, I think at that point I was out of arrogance.

Speaker 2: 48:08

I mean 24, 24 and.

Speaker 1: 48:10

I was in this quest of using my full potential right. So when I was able to have that discussion with the CEO and founder of the company and I was right, I was like I think I've learned something. And so to this day I thank Fernando because he saw something in me that I was not seeing in myself and he spent time and effort into making me see it. And up to this day, I am a very hard worker and I am a committed professional and I aim for excellence, and I think that was a turning point for me.

Speaker 2: 49:01

That is. Thank you for the poking and the prodding, Mr Fernando.

Speaker 1: 49:08

Yes, thank you for the audience.

Speaker 2: 49:10

Thanks for that, because that's a very intricate part of who you are today, right, yes, yes, and that's just. I don't know. My head was spinning when you started talking about invoices and everything Like. I thought I was about to pass out, but I honor you for the gift that you have and how you have helped Fernando's company and helped even the audience and the viewers here today, because without those lessons, right, the poking and the prodding that people have done, it pulled something out of you and part of that is who you are today, as Dr Griselda Martinez, who owns several businesses, right, and just passionate about people, passionate about wanting to assist others, specifically women. So that's still very profound, dr Griselda.

Speaker 1: 50:06

And you know, tamika, now that you're saying that, I think Fernando was the CEO and founder very much like I am now. And from that moment, seeing his passion, his commitment, the challenges that came with being the CEO right and having to make it work, also gave me firsthand insights into what business ownership is as an adult, because I had seen it as a child, but as an adult and into the same boat, right. So that's another lesson that I learned from that season of my life. And the third one in what you said about being passionate about helping people my dad, my mother, they care deeply about people and their growth, right?

Speaker 1: 50:58

But Fernando, even though it wasn't his career, it wasn't his obligation, he could have let go of me with no problem, but he spent time and energy and commitment to help me grow. And so what I do now it's a payback to all the things that I've received, all the people who have helped me in this journey, who have seen things that I have not seen in myself at that moment, and providing guidance, resources, encouragement and challenging, because if we don't challenge ourselves to grow, we are not going to grow, we're going to stay comfortable in our little cocoon, right? So I think that was another part of what I achieved, what that season for me meant, and bringing it back to this particular moment in my life and in my career Full circle, that is exactly what it is Full circle.

Speaker 2: 52:03

Wow, now you talked about and you said talking about being challenges, right? Yes, as a business owner, as a female business owner, as a minority business owner, talk about what misconceptions you may have encountered culturally as a professional business woman. Has any of that ever transpired in your life? I'm pretty sure.

Speaker 1: 52:29

Never to Mika, I know. That's why you're asking the question to Mika.

Speaker 1: 52:36

So I'm going to share this story and for the women listening to this story, I want you to listen to it not as a PD story but as a live lesson. So I was this successful professional working in this organization, and I was working in a project that meant partnering with this organization at the regional level and out of that work, the organization that I worked with for receiving a award for the best partner of the year. So my buzz at that point she said you go and represent our organization. So I did. So I dressed up as a professional, as an awardee and all these things.

Speaker 1: 53:23

I went and sat down in this venue filled with professionals and everybody there was there anyway, so big weeks in the room. So I am sitting down and there is a female next to me and then a male next to this other person and, we're sorry, conversing, right, that's what you do in business related events. So your network, that woman, reached out to me as like conversing and he said are you his assistant? Are you his assistant? Just because that person next to me, she assumed that it was the person that had the power in the room and so I was really upset.

Speaker 1: 54:17

But then, when the time for the award came about. I stand to be recognized for my work in that room, and so misconceptions yes, for my audience take it as a lesson of it doesn't matter who anybody thinks about, you Know your worth. Know your worth not even because of the work you're doing, but because of what you bring to any table, and so this is really important to remember. And at that point I was upset. I did not have the level of emotional intelligence to react in a way with what I just said, to know my worth, like fully embrace my worth, and so I got upset and I got aggravated. But also that triggers moments of reflection, right?

Speaker 2: 55:22

Why should have?

Speaker 1: 55:22

had done, and as a more mature professional, I don't care about who anybody says about me. I know my worth and I know why I am in the building, and so we need to fully embrace that, despite who says what.

Speaker 2: 55:42

Right and what you're just saying.

Speaker 2: 55:44

that means that you, when we come to that place, is breaking down stereotypes, is breaking down preconceived notions, and my mind even goes to what has been projected in that person's life for them to have that thought process. So it can place us, when we're emotionally intelligent and more healthy which you said to respond and not react, but also to exude empathy and compassion, because who knows what that other person unfortunately has experienced in their life. So just a word that also to share with our audience. Right, that is very true, your heels in that person's shoes, so we can respond and not react.

Speaker 1: 56:30

Yes, right, wisdom words right there, tamika. Yes.

Speaker 2: 56:32

That's right. Yes, wow, that's so amazing. And even if they want to come and start their own business. So that's twofold With advice would you give them integrating into this community and then the advice if they want to start their own business. What do you have for them, dr Griseldo?

Speaker 1: 56:52

Yes. So you know, my journey as an immigrant has been heavily linked to education, so I've always had access to communities around me, and so I think that's one of the hardest things for any immigrant, or any even people moving from city to city. Right, it's like we want to be part of a community, and so when it's in country to country move, it's even a greater need and a bigger gap, because it's a different culture, it's a different system, it's different traditions, ways of interacting. What I would tell anybody considering migrating is find a community as soon as possible. Connect with people. Connect with people. Connect to those people that may have similar interests, that may have similar backgrounds, that may have similar needs as you or similar dreams as you, right? And now with the internet, with LinkedIn, with all the social media is so much easier.

Speaker 1: 58:06

But you need to be proactive in finding a community. That's number one. And if they want to start a business and this is for immigrants or not, right, there are so many resources available for business owners. It's just a matter of us doing our due diligence, our homework, in order to find the right fit for what we need and being willing to invest in our own future, right? So, as a business coach, as a person who has been coached, I know the power of being coached. I know the transformations that I've experienced myself. I know the transformations that have helped my clients, my community, my people experience, and there is no, there is no day the same after those interventions. And so finding those people who care about your success is another critical piece, because you need to have a team behind you. Whether they're paid or they're people, organizations who do this for free, you have to have a team behind you.

Speaker 2: 59:21

And team for those of you who don't know in the audience stands for. Together, everyone Achieves More Well. That's true.

Speaker 1: 59:30

I love it. I love it.

Speaker 2: 59:32

Wow, that's very good information. I had to jot down a note for something I didn't think about, so there's that. Thank you for sharing that with us, dr Priscilla. Just a few more questions. I do want to go back to a conversation we previously had. Tell me, I know, are you ready audience? In that conversation say that again.

Speaker 1: 59:59

This is deep. This is deep, guys. Are you ready?

Speaker 2: 1:00:09

So you've said several things that resonated with me. Right, the South talking about that, talking about the loss of a mother at a young age, talking about whether you're migrating to a different country or migrating to a different area of the world. And we're both minorities. Right, we're women, but your culture is different from my culture and vice versa. But there's something that I noticed specifically regarding your particular culture and the conversation was because I asked Griselda this because I felt confident that she wouldn't be offended and I felt confident that she was a safe place for me to ask this question, because I knew that there were other people who probably thought the same thing I did, but just maybe didn't have the nerves to ask. So I'm going to ask this question again for your listeners.

Speaker 2: 1:01:12

And that is wherever I have lived, Dr Griselda, growing up in the South, living in Memphis, Tennessee, and now I'm here in the Pacific Northwest there is something very specific that I've noticed in your culture and that is hard work and business ownership. I see it in Asian communities. No matter where I am in the US, you see it, and so from your experience, obviously you can't speak regarding the Asian community, but what is it that is ingrained and instilled in your culture that you come here to the US or even in your own hometown. You talked about the businesses your father had. What is ingrained and instilled in you that I just I don't see it on a vast scale. Again, there are, you know, but on a vast scale, in my own community. What do you think that difference is from your experience? Can you speak to that?

Speaker 1: 1:02:22

Yes, tamika, thank you for that question and for my audience, this question was the true genesis to this conversation and this episode being this. Because, tamika, I wanna publicly honor you for your genuine curiosity and for being diligent to learn about different cultures and to make the space to have these conversations that ultimately brings us together closer as individuals than to see the differences and lever and just make that the primary point. So for my audience, I wanted to say that, but in my case it's a two-fold. The first one is growing in Mexico employment opportunities in general, and just I'm gonna include this caveat I have been living in the US for now 22 years, and so I've been out of my home country for a long time. When I lived there and through the experience of my siblings and my loved ones there, the access to employment that meet or that are better suited for more ambitious individuals are limited, and so competition is high for those positions right, and therefore not everybody gets to have access to those higher paying jobs, and therefore it is placed in each one of us to create our own possibilities.

Speaker 1: 1:04:09

Part of why I'm so passionate about entrepreneurship is because my parents I don't think that they fully understood when they started their own business. They were creating pathways to possibilities that were creating generational legacy right. They changed the entire trajectory of my family and not only my siblings, but the people who were impacted by my father, the people who saw him working and serving those clients, the people that he served not only through mentorship, but he did very early on microlending, because he would lend money for people to start their own businesses in a very informal way, like, hey, I wanna start my own business, and he would let them borrow money so they could kickstart it. And so, institutionally, those resources weren't available, but in an informal way, my dad was able to provide those opportunities, right. So I am the living proof of the power of entrepreneurship. Okay, imagine my parents staying with the jobs that they had. They were decent jobs, but the opportunities were limited for growth, right. And so my number one passion for entrepreneurship is the sky is the limit. Because I say, is it possible that, with our commitment and our energy and our insights and our preparation and experience, is it possible for us to fail as business owners? And the answer is no, it's just a matter of time. And so that's like how deeply rooted it's in me, because I have seen it, all of my siblings have their own business.

Speaker 1: 1:06:15

My oldest sister she's a lawyer and she has her own business. That's the source of income for the family, who have educated a couple of kids who are now college graduates, both of them who has paid for their home, their vehicles, their whatever right, and it's a lot of hard work. My older brother he's a medical doctor and he has a full-time job, but he also has his own practice, right, so he has his own business. My sister, the one next to him, so number three, she has her own business. She has a full-time job and she has her own business and she does several things through that. My younger brother he's a very successful businessman. He's amazing and he's been able to leverage upon my dad's knowledge in mining and lumber and transportation, all these things, to really stand in that platform and then bring it to an even higher level, right. And then my younger sister she's an artist and you know artists tend to not be business oriented, but because she's been exposed to all of this, she has been able to explore her own entrepreneurial efforts. So that is on my direct siblings. My niece she's an incredible business woman, both of them. I mean, I have several nieces, but two of them are business owners and one of them she has her full-time job. She has like three different site hustles and she has a financial plan that between now and four years she's gonna be debt-free, and it's not her full-time job paying for that, it's the site hustles that will allow her to pay and be debt-free and then continue to establish stronger foundation for those coming behind us. Right? So that's like people in my home country, opportunities are limited, but guess what? Our individual opportunities are not. So act upon it, right? So that's number one.

Speaker 1: 1:08:27

Number two is, as an immigrant, there is such a risk attached to just going from one country to another. There is cost associated for the move, there is cost associated for finding a place where to live and having a little cushion between you getting to this country and finding a job or whatever, right, and so there's a lot of risk associated, but the biggest one is the emotional cost. You're living everything you know behind. You're living your family. You're living that friend that you can call right now and go for dinner versus the one that you have to make an appointment a month ahead.

Speaker 1: 1:09:13

You're living the richness, like the richness of the Mexican culture, the flavors in the food, the music. I mean, you see me, right, I'm an animated. I go and hug people, and that's not necessarily the norm in the US. So all of these pieces that are intangible but so important to the richness of any person, right? And so you are already a risk taker as an immigrant, by default, because you have already put so much risk on the line. And what is the one thing that every business owner needs to do when they're launching their business? Take a risk. Risk, wow. So just by parallels, they are already more prone because they have already risked a major part of their lives.

Speaker 2: 1:10:15

Yeah, let's soak that in audience. Dr Griselda, you just said they're already taken a magnificent risk leaving familiarity. So because you've taken that step starting a business we already know risk, it's still hard.

Speaker 1: 1:10:44

But you already know how to take risks.

Speaker 2: 1:10:48

That's, that's so profound and that I'm just reflecting upon myself in my community as a minority and again, this doesn't it's not applicable to everyone, but that right there, because we're already here where we may not have to take as many risks, you know it's just. We have, you know, like you said earlier in your country, just the limitation of what's available when it comes to careers and things of that nature. That piece right there. I would encourage anyone to do what Griselda and I are doing. We're getting to know one another. Develop relationships with somebody who does not look like you, who does not think like you, whatever it is, it may be, because, just as she said earlier, we will see how much more we have in common than our differences, right?

Speaker 2: 1:11:53

Dr, Griselda yes, that is so profound. Yes.

Speaker 1: 1:11:58

Wow. And you know, differences make life richer.

Speaker 2: 1:12:04

That's true.

Speaker 1: 1:12:05

Can you, imagine? If everybody?

Speaker 2: 1:12:07

was like me, yes. Or very much.

Speaker 1: 1:12:09

I mean, like any of us, right, any, that's what's going on with you or the person in audience.

Speaker 2: 1:12:14

Like it would be so boring what things it would be so boring it's supposed to right. Like I'm not the one who created this technology. So if everybody was like me we may not be doing this now, yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:12:32

Right, right, I mean yes, differences bring richness for sure.

Speaker 2: 1:12:37

Yes, and it definitely helps when you're in collaboration, building relationships for business, just for anything in life. Yes, yes, yes, that about your comfort zone, everybody.

Speaker 1: 1:12:50

Yes, Get out of your comfort zone anybody.

Speaker 2: 1:12:53

Oh, it has been such an absolute treat for me to be able to host Dr Griselda's show and let the audience know just a little more in depth as to who you are, dr Griselda, as well as people who may have never come across you, right. So thank you so much for your vulnerability, your transparency and sharing some stuff that was very emotional and heartfelt. So we wanna honor and recognize that Honor and recognize your mom who, if you realize, griselda, you had people all along the way.

Speaker 2: 1:13:32

Yes, giving you that motherly love and comfort in school, in your jobs. Yes. And that's such a beautiful thing. God's timing is God's kindness. Yes. And we can. That's such a beautiful thing. So thank you so much, and I have one final question for you. I wonder if you know, what that is.

Speaker 1: 1:13:53

Before you go into the final question, tamika on that topic, pastor Darius Daniels, one time he said God sends supplements to wherever we don't have. And as you said, as you recognize in my story, I've been so blessed to have so many people come and love me in the different ways that I needed to in that particular season. Yes, and so I am thankful for all those people who have been part of my life that have made a difference for the positive, and to my dearest mother, especially to you, but so many, so many. I mean seriously, I have been blessed and, yes, supplements.

Speaker 2: 1:14:47

That's man. That's it right there. They all played their part in you being who you are today. Yes, love it.

Speaker 1: 1:15:00

And the story is still in the writing. Say it again. Say it again.

Speaker 2: 1:15:06

The story is still in the writing. There it is for each and every one of us no limitations, guys. You heard Dr Griselda. No limitations. We're all still in the writing. Yes, right away.

Speaker 1: 1:15:17

Yes.

Speaker 2: 1:15:20

Okay, now in episode 10, dr Griselda, you share that. Maybe you were expected to be successful and maybe it was due to fear and absence of confidence. On today, this 30th episode, yeah, were you expected to be successful as an immigrant? And has anything changed since that 10th episode when you had a maybe A?

Speaker 1: 1:16:03

maybe, oh my God, wow Sounds crazy from episode 10 to now, but you know it's so interesting. I said immigrant. It was not even a consideration. Wow, I never thought of whether or not. I never even questioned success. It was by default. So it's so interesting you asked that question for that moment and at that moment I did not have an education, I did not have experience, I did not know the system. And it's so interesting that it was not even a question.

Speaker 2: 1:16:48

And didn't fully speak the language either. Right, I didn't I didn't.

Speaker 1: 1:16:53

I mean yeah, and as a business owner this has been a roller coaster. I would not change it for anything that the places this business has taken me personally, spiritually, professionally, I would not change it for anything in the world. Was I expected to be successful? I would say depends on the day.

Speaker 1: 1:17:23

Which timeframe and time we're talking about Depends on the day and the time of the day. You know if we, if we in the math graph, right, when you see patterns, when you see tendencies, you, you may see a data point here, up here, and then you may see a data point down here, and then you see a data point over here and then you may see another one over here, but in the overall, in the long run, the trend is upward and so, in a very nerdy mathematical way, I am expected to be successful, even with those ups and downs, because, like I said before, there is no way that, with the commitment, with the energy, with the passion that we bring to our day to day, that we are not going to get to the desired goals and and the goals that we define for ourselves. And so, depending on the day, but in the long term, I am expected to be successful.

Speaker 2: 1:18:35

It's only up from here is what she just said. It's only up from here. Awesome, oh, and I love to be able to take part in your journey and to just sit back. It's like you're out of moving, you just eating popcorn, and that's how all of our lives are. So thank you so much, dr Griselda, for trusting me with your baby in your show today. To facilitate this, and for our audience members who are familiar with you, and even for those who are not, how are we able to contact with you? There's a woman who is it spiring to be an entrepreneur and she just needs, maybe, that push. How can they reach you? Thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:19:18

Thank you, Tamika. There are a few ways that you can get in touch with me, but the easiest is just by visiting my website, Drgriseldacom D-R-G-R-I-S-E-L-D-Acom, and I love. I love establishing contact with you and, if you are an aspiring woman entrepreneur and you're listening to this, I look forward to working with you and having breakthroughs together as you Deploy your expertise as part of your business. Awesome.

Speaker 2: 1:19:55

Thank you so much again, dr Griselda. Until next time, audience. This is Tamika signing off and I will let you have her for the next episode, maybe.

Speaker 1: 1:20:07

Thank you, tamika, for my audience. Bravo for your host today. I truly appreciate you. Thank you so much and the thoughtfulness and insights that you've brought to this episode, and I look forward to having you as my guest speaker.

Speaker 2: 1:20:27

For sure, it's such a pleasure.

Speaker 1: 1:20:30

For my audience until next episode. More to come.