Have you ever looked adversity square in the face and wondered how to turn your life around? Renee Dominguez, the powerhouse behind Empowered LeadHership, has not only wondered but walked that rocky path from a homeless high school dropout to a corporate titan and a guiding force for inclusivity in leadership. Her journey, brimming with challenges and triumphs, serves as a beacon of hope for anyone navigating their own personal or professional storms. Renee's story, as shared in our latest episode, is a riveting narrative that underscores the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of finding one's voice against all odds.
We also unravel the significance of community, mentorship, and the collective intelligence harnessed within mastermind groups, which serve as catalysts for growth akin to an athlete's coaching network. By sharing success stories from the podcasting realm, we illustrate the unyielding determination required to shatter barriers and forge paths to fulfillment. This episode is an invitation to connect with Renee, either directly through Instagram @empoweredcoach or by engaging with the powerful insights sprinkled throughout our conversation. Her success story, along with the wisdom imparted in our discussions, are tailored to light a fire in the hearts of our listeners, igniting a journey toward breaking through any ceiling life may present.
Have you ever looked adversity square in the face and wondered how to turn your life around? Renee Dominguez, the powerhouse behind Empowered LeadHership, has not only wondered but walked that rocky path from a homeless high school dropout to a corporate titan and a guiding force for inclusivity in leadership. Her journey, brimming with challenges and triumphs, serves as a beacon of hope for anyone navigating their own personal or professional storms. Renee's story, as shared in our latest episode, is a riveting narrative that underscores the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of finding one's voice against all odds.
We also unravel the significance of community, mentorship, and the collective intelligence harnessed within mastermind groups, which serve as catalysts for growth akin to an athlete's coaching network. By sharing success stories from the podcasting realm, we illustrate the unyielding determination required to shatter barriers and forge paths to fulfillment. This episode is an invitation to connect with Renee, either directly through Instagram @empoweredcoach or by engaging with the powerful insights sprinkled throughout our conversation. Her success story, along with the wisdom imparted in our discussions, are tailored to light a fire in the hearts of our listeners, igniting a journey toward breaking through any ceiling life may present.
Have you ever felt like the odds were so stacked against you that success seemed like a distant dream, while our guests today not only faced such odds, but rose above them to redefine her destiny? Once a high school dropout and a new parent living out of a car, she dared to dream of a transformative future. Her journey up the corporate ladder, marked by loneliness and health challenges, showcased her resilience and determination to succeed. Now, as the CEO of Empowered Leadership, she empowers female business owners to become unstoppable leaders in their fields. Please join me in welcoming an extraordinary leader who proves that, no matter how tough the start, the finish can be spectacular. Welcome, renee Dominguez. The finish can be spectacular. Welcome, renee Dominguez. Hello, I'm so excited to talk to you today. I wanted to what two months ago, as it feels like, but that didn't work out, so I am very happy to have you on today. How are you today?
Renee Dominguez:
I'm doing fantastic, and it's all about divine timing, not our timing. So this is when we were supposed to connect.
Dionne Malush:
It's perfect, and if everyone could have heard how we started, they would all be laughing with us. So we both have big smiles on our face today. So I'm going to jump right in because I want to ask you you've been through a lot, so can you share a bit about your background and what led you to where you are today?
Renee Dominguez:
Yeah, well, I love the intro. Thank you so much. I forget about, like my intro, my story. I was like oh well, I am a badass. So I am the founder and CEO of Empower Leadership. I created a business where I get to empower so many women on a global scale.
Renee Dominguez:
But, as you shared, that was not always my story. My story was one of adversity, one where I did not grow up hearing words like business, entrepreneurship, goals, strategies. I grew up hearing words like pay your bills, just do your chores, get a job, you're independent, don't count on me if you need help or support. So I grew up always in scarcity, survival mindset. So when I climbed that corporate ladder, I, the the higher I climb, the easier it will be and then I'll be happy. Then that will be true success.
Renee Dominguez:
But no one warned me, no one said there's happiness is not based off the income that you think. Happiness is not based on how high you climb that corporate ladder. It's all ego-based, but that's all I knew. And my version of success was someone who was wearing a suit and, because I didn't grow up having mentors, role models, I thought that was a bank teller. I thought bank tellers were the form of female empowerment and success, because that's all I had as a reference. So I'm really excited in what I get to do today to change that visual of what success looks and feels like.
Dionne Malush:
Well, I worked at McDonald's. So for me, you know, the person that was the manager of McDonald's was successful to me, because that's all you know. I didn't know that. But my parents, my dad, was self-employed. So, again, I didn't have. You know, I just had that and I looked at what he was doing, thinking I don't want to have a job. So, you know, I love that you've taken this adversity and I want to ask you this what was the most significant challenge that you faced on that path?
Renee Dominguez:
Yes, so this is well. And also, dionne, my first job was at McDonald's and I find my dad to be able to work there because he didn't want me working. But I grew up so if I wanted clothes I had to work to buy school clothes. So that was my first job. But one thing so I grew up hearing Renee, you're a strong-willed child.
Renee Dominguez:
Here's a book, read it and fix yourself. Ten, 10, I was 10 or 12 and I remember being defiant and I'm like I'm not going to read a book to fix myself because I don't believe there's anything wrong. So, going back to your question, I I had a voice and I had a. I had a strong mind. I was was at a young age. I felt I was protected and I was guided and I didn't know that at the time. So growing up, my voice was my strength. But it was also something I felt was disempowering because I was always told, renee, you're too much, renee who said you could speak up. No one gave you permission. I was always being told and I always felt like my voice was not wanting to be heard. So that was the difficult part for me in my career. So when I would lead a room, I would lead meetings, I would lead teams. I started to question myself and that that that was difficult as a leader to not be able to use the power of your voice. That's hard.
Dionne Malush:
So in that same breath was there a pivotal moment when you realized that a major change was necessary, like do you remember that I I do, I don't.
Renee Dominguez:
I remember a situation I don't know if it goes into like that pivotal moment of using my voice, but I had an outer body experience where the universe kept putting random women in front of me who were doctors, lawyers, therapists, women who had a seat at the table but not a voice at the table.
Renee Dominguez:
They were all raising their hands, saying me too. Decisions that are mine to be made are being made on the golf course where I'm not invited. Decisions that are mine to be made are being made at happy hour that I'm not included in. What do I do? How do I speak up, how do I advocate for myself when I don't have anyone supporting me, sponsoring me, my role in what I do? And these random women kept saying this to me and I'm looking, I'm like I'm corporate Renee, I'm trying to figure this out too. I don't have the answers, but they were leaning in like looking at me for the answers. So I think that was the universe putting random women in front of me, like seeding me to what was to come in eight months, of these random women, different women's conferences, all raising their hands, saying me too. I finally like started laughing. I said okay, universe, you got my intention. This is funny. What do you want me to do with this? I'm trying to figure it out, but you're putting so many women in front of me all saying when you're ready, let me know. And I'm like, ready for what? Like I'm not doing anything. I'm trying to figure this out, but they saw something in me that I did not see.
Renee Dominguez:
It was a Monday morning, so this, this conversation with the universe, was on a Saturday. Laughing, okay, you got my attention. What am I supposed to do? Monday? My boss calls me into his office. Whole same song and dance renee, you did something wrong. A vp of sales walked out of a meeting that you were sitting in. I'm like, okay, what does it have to do with me? That outer body experience happened beyond where the universe came in, my spirit guides, everyone took over my body, it took over my voice and the words I quit came out. And I'm looking and I'm like, no, like we don't, we don't mean to stand in the accident. Oopsie, just kidding. But the, the, the power that was in my body was so strong and was so resilient. And she said, because, again, it was an out-of-body experience, she said I quit. And I quit right now, like right then In and there, and that was when I got the power of my voice back.
Dionne Malush:
Wow, well, that's very interesting. So I love what you said about the women have a seat at the table but not a voice, and I think we should go a little bit further, back to some personal adversity that you've had, because you know there's a lot of entrepreneurs that listen, but they also have a life Right and things happen in their life. So if you gave a piece of advice out or a turning point that helped you during the toughest times, what would that be? Outside of you having this voice that you know and changing your strategy for the future in your career.
Renee Dominguez:
Yeah, that's such a great question, especially for entrepreneurs entrepreneurs who love corporate, because that's really that's me Right and different mindset mindset when we're in corporate, we're used to having that structure being told what to do. We know the parameters, we know the expectations, we know the responsibilities. But when we start our own business and now we're the boss, we're the ones who are creating the responsibility, creating the expectations. It is a different mindset and it's the other side of the brain that we get to train, but we don't know that we need to do that. So, surrounding yourself with others who are ahead of what you are doing, the best athletes in the world have a team of specialists around them coaches, mentors, who specialize in specific areas in their body so that they can be the best at what they do. But yet sometimes we think, as entrepreneurs, I have to do it by myself, I have to figure this out, I have to create this success by myself, because otherwise it's seen as weakness, and that could not be further from the truth.
Dionne Malush:
I am 100% in agreement with you on that. You cannot do this alone. I don't care who you are, you have to have help and you have to. I love the idea of who you put yourself in the room with and it makes the most sense, and that's why how we met right In a room full of entrepreneurs. Then we met each other. You know we came together and it just it makes sense, and I think that I strive for days like that in my career, so and it's helped me a ton. So if you had a strategic plan that led to your success, do you have any words of wisdom for putting that plan together?
Renee Dominguez:
That's such a great question. Strategic plan for my success. That's such a great question. Strategic plan for my success. What's coming to me is if you can see it, you can achieve it. Don't discount the visions, those dreams, those ideas that are being downloaded and gifted to you. They will only be gifted and given to you for so long and if you don't take action, it will be taken from you to give it to someone else who will take action on it. So discount that. So many times you would think, oh, I can't do that, that's not for me, that's not possible, that's a scarcity mindset. And that is someone who is trying to do it alone. No, you're right, you can't do it. If you're trying to do it alone no, you're right, you can't do it. If you're trying to do it alone, if you're trying to create a, a silo of success, you will stay alone and you will be broke.
Dionne Malush:
So what do you think about that? That that makes a lot of sense. Sense. And I was on a class yesterday. We talked about someone else's story as a gift to us and I thought, oh, I love that because, learning your story helps my story right.
Dionne Malush:
So if we have to go out alone and I think a lot of entrepreneurs think you know you're out there by on an island by yourself, but you're really not. You're just on the wrong, you're in the wrong space you need to find the right friends and know it's not always the people you grew up with you know and always the right people. Not not saying you can't be friends with them, but if you're looking for growth, you need to be around people that are growing.
Renee Dominguez:
Yes, and that you admire. Again. We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with and we can segment that into our career, into our business, into our home life, our family, our friends. Like you, can have many circles, but have the five people that are doing what you want to do and they are ahead of you. Because if you feel stuck, ask yourself who am I spending time with? And I bet they are stuck in that same space. That's why you can't grow.
Dionne Malush:
Agreed, agreed, and with me studying Napoleon Hill as much as I do and thinking Grow Rich. You know, mastermind is one of the biggest things that he talks about, and every morning he would meet with his mastermind people. Imagine having Andrew Carnegie in your mastermind group. Yeah, oh, my gosh, like incredible in your mastermind group.
Renee Dominguez:
Yeah, oh my gosh, like incredible. And I followed. I followed his formula. So I create those as well in different communities, for free, because that's my gift back, because I wish someone was doing that when I was just starting. That would have saved me probably five years of struggling and being in the red financially, my mindset, feeling defeated, if there was just a Renee, a Dion out there at that time speaking and sharing the power of community. And we grow into the person we're meant to be when we're surrounded by people who are playing big as well.
Dionne Malush:
I agree. So tell me a little bit more about that, the master. What do you do?
Renee Dominguez:
Do you have small groups, or yeah, so I have a free community I do virtually and I have one I do in person and people try to try to figure out, like what is it all about? And I say it's an experience. You have to just be there to experience it, because it's never the same experience. You have to just be there to experience it because it's never the same. Because when one, two or more minds come together, you build that third mind, which is the master mind, and you never know what's going to come up. You don't know the people who are going to be in the room. You don't know what they're going to share, what they're going to ask questions on, what they're going to be resistant on. But through powerful questioning and collaboration, that's so key. Collaboration from everybody. Getting people who normally wouldn't speak up the space to feel comfortable to speak up and to share ideas, to share strategies, to share their story changes not just people's businesses, but it changes their lives because now they have a new mindset.
Dionne Malush:
So I've been teaching Thinking, grow Rich and Napoleon Hill style science of personal achievement. I've been teaching uh thinking, grow rich and napoleon hill style science of personal achievement. We've been doing it about six and a half years for free and I just do it with uh. Pretty much some of them have been with me the entire time and I've watched dreams come true. I've watched their things pop off their dream board. I've watched their lives change, their mindset change' lives change because some of them actually will play like Think and Grow Rich or the Secret for their kids in the car and it's constantly feeding in their brain.
Dionne Malush:
Right, yeah, I love that and I love that way of giving back. It's such an. I do it for every Tuesday, like eight o'clock at night, I do this class and I've been doing it for so long and it's very impactful. I love it and that's kind of what made me decide to do this class and I've been doing it for so long and it's very impactful, I love it and that's kind of what made me decide to do this podcast is to share some ideas of people and the adversity, because we know that on the other side of adversity is amazing. Right, you just have to get through it.
Renee Dominguez:
Yeah, and part of success is contribution. I think that's why you and I do that contribution. That's our way of contributing back, because it does make a difference. And just, I haven't done it for six years. I've done it for maybe a year now and people's mindset will change instantly. Can I make it so easy? Where it's a no brainer, where they're like how come I didn't think of it myself? I'm like because you can't by yourself.
Dionne Malush:
Right, you need. I love this. This is such a great conversation. I'm so excited. You, how do you define and measure the success that you've achieved? Like? What is your definition?
Renee Dominguez:
Wow, you're just asking those tough questions.
Dionne Malush:
They're tough, tough, but they're really good. I think I kept reading.
Renee Dominguez:
I'm thinking these are good ones today that's interesting question, because I just asked my client that, because before it used to be how much money I had, what were my bonuses, what was my job title, where was I, did I have an office? That was my measurement of success. And now I measure success by what does my life feel like? What does my life look like? What am I excited to wake up to? Who am I surrounding myself with as well? What do I get to? And I emphasize get to, because when we use the words I know I have to, I know I need to, that's a heavy energy and your body knows when you say those words I need to, I have to, it knows you're not going to. But when you say I get to, your tonality changes. You stand taller, your shoulders are back and it sounds easy oh, I get to do that.
Dionne Malush:
So my measurement of success is what?
Renee Dominguez:
do I get to do today that brings me joy and fulfillment?
Dionne Malush:
Today I was just talking to an agent and she said I hate real estate. And I said I get that because it's tough. You know, it's a tough industry. You can take a good person and make them bad. I said but why don't we take a little mindset shift here and start loving it again? Because it is truly what makes you. You know, it gives you what you need to survive, to live, to have the things you want. So let's shift it a little bit here today. And she's like I guess that makes sense.
Dionne Malush:
She said I keep saying I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, and I honestly catch myself sometimes saying oh, real estate makes me crazy, you know. So it is about the mindset shift. But it's also around the surrounding yourself, with people, because if you're around everybody that hates real estate, all of a sudden you're going to start thinking about every little thing that's eating you up, you know, instead of pushing through it. So in everybody's lives we always have opportunities to choose. We can choose to think positive or we can choose to think negative. We get to have that choice.
Dionne Malush:
That's the fortunate thing about being a human being and I, through everything that I've been through in the last year, I choose the positive side. So you've had, you know you, you just had, you've been through a lot and the fact that you're empowering women, to me it's it's, it's beautiful, I love it. So if there was someone going through some adversity in their life, what guidance do you offer to someone to get through that?
Renee Dominguez:
Oh, that's such a great one Because if you're going through adversity before a breakthrough, you have to have a breakdown to let go of what no longer serves you, to release what has been holding you back, like those chains and those shackles.
Renee Dominguez:
If you're going through adversity, I would be praised. Jesus, hallelujah, can I get an amen? Because that means I'm on the right path, I am doing everything I'm supposed to be doing. It's like a tree when it gets pruned, it's not because it's not being loved and taken care of, it's the opposite. And so it can grow. It can grow back stronger and more abundant. So if you're going through adversity, I'm like, ooh, I'm being pruned and I'm being groomed right now and I cannot wait to come back even stronger. I can't wait to come back with more abundance. I can't wait to come back with that mindset of success, because I get to create success on my terms. And when you're going through adversity, that just means that something great is waiting for you on the other side and is waiting for you to be ready to receive it. Love it. You can hear that enthusiasm Like if you're feeling adversity. Celebrate that.
Dionne Malush:
I can feel the energy coming from you. It's amazing. I wish that they could see your face and how you're lighting up. My last question, and is there a particular resource, tool or habit that you believe could benefit our listeners? That's something to help them.
Renee Dominguez:
Yes, I'm all about creating success with ease and I believe, I truly believe in my heart and my soul, that the transformations that people get to you, can get to get to experience is because I break it down, where it's so easy and I can only speak. What works for me is having an evening and morning routine. And morning routine you want to know what did I do today that worked well? What did I do today that did not work well? What did I get to accomplish? What did I not get to accomplish? What new ideas, experiences did I get to have today?
Renee Dominguez:
Because we're always so goal oriented entrepreneurs, what's the next thing I have, that big thing I need to achieve, that we forget all the milestones and when we forget those milestones, we think we're not accomplished, we think we haven't done anything, we don't think that we're significant, we haven't made a difference. But when you get to celebrate each milestone I woke up today, I got out of bed, I got dressed that's a celebration. I had a conversation, a powerful conversation, with someone today. I raised my hand and asked for help and support. That's a celebration. So the evening we want to acknowledge again those little things. It doesn't have to be I got that $10,000 client? It could be. I had a powerful conversation and I said no to someone because I knew they were not a good fit. That's powerful. And then, in the morning, set the tone. You get to set the tone, our mindset. What's the first thing you're saying to yourself in the morning? Are you saying, oh my gosh, I have a busy day?
Dionne Malush:
Or I'm living the life I created today and I cannot wait to experience it. We're so lucky we're still here, we get to do experience all of it and, yeah, this is so good. It's such a pleasure to talk to you today and I kind of wish that we could just sit here all day and talk, but maybe, maybe one day we'll see each other again. Thank you so much for sharing your powerful story. Your journey is a testament to the fact that, with determination and vision, every barrier can be broken. So to our listeners remember to like, subscribe and share. Shine on success, and if we can inspire just one person with each episode, then we're making a difference. Join us next time for more inspiring tales of success against all odds and, renee, please share with us how they can get ahold of you.
Renee Dominguez:
Yes, I love hanging out on Instagram, so at empowered coach one word empowered coach I drop a lot of nuggets on there. There's a lot of value that you can get there to get your needle moving.
Dionne Malush:
I love it, and so for everyone else. Until then, keep on shining and striving for your dreams.