Hella Latin‪@‬ Latina Podcasters Network

Hady Mendez, a Puerto Rican Brooklyn native, opens up about her journey of feeling like she was "too much" but "never enough" — especially in corporate spaces. As CEO of Boldly Speaking, Hady helps organizations recognize the power of diversity and the value of offering equitable opportunities to all employees. As a speaker and facilitator, Hady works to promote inclusion in teams and ERGs, making sure everyone feels like they truly belong.
Her mission is to transform the experiences of women and people of color everywhere. She aims to empower underrepresented employees by equipping them with the skills to self-advocate, self-promote, and capitalize on leadership roles within ERGs and throughout organizations.
In this week’s episode, Hady shares her experience as a Latina in corporate and how she eventually left it all behind. In her professional career, Hady was constantly made to feel like she was both too much and not enough. As a result, she struggled with feelings of unworthiness and impostor syndrome. Now, she owns her own business and helps women get their dream jobs and their dream pay. Tune into the full episode to hear how she made the transition and learned to be confident in herself. 
Keep up with Hady on her website, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.
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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Best friends for almost 12 years turned business partners for almost 2 years, Lucia and Nancy are trailblazing entrepreneurs in the interior design industry. Both 1st generation Latinas of Dominican descent, merged their backgrounds, career experience and love for creativity to create innovative and personalized design solutions.
Lucia Genao is the visionary founder and principal designer of Lucia Genao Interiors, a business she launched in 2022 after relocating from New York City. With nearly two decades of design expertise, this esteemed Fashion Institute of Technology alumna breathes life into functional and exquisite spaces. From admiring her father's house-building skills at a young age to fueling her passion for architecture and boundless creativity, Lucia's journey has been nothing short of inspiring. Her artistry shines through in every project, as she curates thoughtful commercial spaces and homes, blending clean lines and opulent details, creating timeless, luxurious havens that embrace each client's unique preferences.
Nancy Pineda is an accomplished strategic project manager with over two decades of experience in the corporate world, contributing her expertise to renowned Fortune 100 companies like American Express and JP Morgan & Chase Co and now a fintech company, Mobility Capital Finance (“MoCaFi”). Her profound knowledge encompasses business strategy, administration, operations, project, and change management. As a side hustle, Nancy is the driving force behind the business operations of Lucia Genao Interiors. Nancy's dedication knows no bounds; she fearlessly dives into hands-on work during installation periods, building furniture and skillfully ninja-chopping pillows!
Recently, both Lucia and Nancy have relocated to North Carolina. Lucia, along with her husband and two children, enjoys creating family memories, exploring the outdoors, listening to music, and savoring delicious food. Meanwhile, Nancy finds joy in traveling, powerlifting, and trying out new culinary experiences.
In this week’s episode, Nancy and Lucia share how they met, how they started a business together, and how they continue to uplift each other every single day. This episode is filled with a ton of fun anecdotes - including how Lucia proposed to her husband, and how Nancy became Luca’s business partner. These two prove that complete strangers can be as important to you as family. Check out Nancy and Lucia’s episode now.

Keep up with Nancy and Lucia on their website and Instagram. 
For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.
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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Michael "Juan Bago" Diaz is a Dominican-American comedian born in New Rochelle, NY, and raised in Connecticut. Diaz started off with aspirations of becoming an actor before diving into sketch comedy. His goal of one day becoming an actor led him back to Washington Heights, NY, where his parents met and many family members still lived. In 2004, a friend connected him with the founder of the New York Latino Film Festival and he wrote and sold his first comedy feature. It sold out at the Latino Film Festival and he created a name for himself, [gained] the buzz. From there, he never looked back and has been an independent filmmaker in comedy ever since. In 2006, Diaz premiered "The Story of Juan Bago," a tale about an underachieving "loser" in his mid-20s who lives at home with his parents and "doesn't bathe very often.” 
In addition to "Bago Briefs," Diaz recently launched a podcast titled "Translators" with cohost Jaime Fernandez. Comedians Michael Diaz & Jaime Fernandez are fed up with the representation of Latinos in mainstream media and literature. “The Translators” podcast, features the abundance of creative talent the Latin community has to offer that is often overlooked and misrepresented. Join Michael & Jaime as they uncover the passion, path, and process of each guest to reveal what has made them successful in their highly competitive fields and challenge the myths that come with Latinx stereotypes. Even though we’re speaking the same language, some people still need Translators! 
In this week’s episode, Juan shares his experience writing and selling a comedy show as a Latino in the entertainment industry. As a kid, he had a hard time figuring out his identity. Growing up, he thought he was mulatto because he was black and white, and he learned he was Latino he was also shamed for his use of Spanglish. As an adult, Juan is more confident about his identity and who he is, no matter what anyone else has to say about it. He uses that certainty to create hilarious characters and uplift Latino creators in the industry. Check out this episode to hear more about the amazing work he’s doing in TV, podcasting, and beyond! 

Keep up with Juan on his website and Instagram.
For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.
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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Juliana Londoño is a proud Latina, bilingual, and licensed mental health therapist in NJ. Her business focuses on the intersectionality of mental health and the Latino/BIPOC communities. Her mission is to bring awareness, education, and resources through various outlets. Juliana has served as a thought leader, keynote speaker, and podcast guest. 
She has collaborated with #WeAllGrow Latina, LinkedIn News, and has been featured on Univision and NY Pix11 News. Juliana is a graduate of the Bank of America Women's Entrepreneurship Program at Cornell University. She is currently enrolled in the NASDAQ Entrepreneurship Program, The Milestone Circle. She is a community advocate and volunteers with America Needs You-NJ and Leading Young Women. During her free time, she enjoys figure skating, completing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time in nature. 
In this week’s episode, Juliana shares her experience as a Colombian immigrant living in America and her work to destigmatize mental health resources in Latine communities. Growing up, she found strength in her mother’s resilience and tries to embody her “make a way, find a way” attitude in her everyday life. Her work focuses on addressing the cultural context that prevents the Latine community from seeking mental health help. Juliana hopes to provide safe spaces for her people so they can receive the support they deserve. 
Keep up with Juliana on her website, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

A prominent figure in the entertainment industry, Lex Borrero is known for his innovation, executive leadership, and advocacy for Latino culture. He gained recognition in Billboard's "40 under 40" in 2020 and "Latin Power Players" in 2023. His career includes collaborations with artists like J Balvin, Maroon 5, Bad Bunny, and Justin Bieber, resulting in over 500 million records sold worldwide and numerous Billboard Hot 100 hits.
His career has spanned various roles in the music industry, culminating in his co-founding of NEON16 with producer Tainy in 2019. NEON16 evolved into a multi-faceted entertainment company with ventures in music, gaming, television, film, and live events, earning accolades as the most innovative music company by Fast Company in 2021. He also played a key role in NEON16's partnerships with the NFL, producing the "Por La Cultura Mixtape: Volume 1" in 2022.
In 2023, he acquired ARRO Media, which became the AM16 agency, offering brand services at the intersection of music, culture, and entertainment. AM16 has worked with major brands, generating successful campaigns, and recently led a groundbreaking partnership with Red Bull USA and F1. His remarkable journey has been featured in notable publications, including Forbes, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Deadline, Adweek, Variety, CNN, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Wrap
In this week’s episode, Lex tells us how being disruptive and taking chances turned him into an entertainment genius. He has built his career up to what it is today by focusing on empowering the Latino community and believing in the human nature of creativity. Listen to his episode to hear more about his amazing career and all the chisme about his amazing come-up. 
Keep up with Lex on his Instagram and LinkedIn.

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.
To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Maria is here to help you craft a winning strategy that's not just a plan on paper but one that truly works. In her work, she draws from her experience at LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Apple, where she’s built strong relationships with CXO clients. She helps companies build their thought leadership on LinkedIn. She also supported individuals who want to elevate their brand on LinkedIn and position themselves as thought leaders.
As a passionate Latina leader with over ten years in marketing and business development across various sectors, she’s learned a thing or two about solving problems and designing processes that scale. She thrives on building trusting relationships with her CXO customers and creating strategies that fuel growth. 
In this week’s episode, Maria shares her incredibly inspiring journey to being true to herself no matter where she is. Throughout her life, she learned how to refuse to assimilate and care for herself in every environment. And that includes when she was an international ambassador for Venezuela, when she moved to Iceland with her new husband, and when she had to take her physical health seriously for the first time. 
Listen to hear more about how she combated racism, whitewashing, and unrealistic expectations. 
Keep up with Maria on her LinkedIn.
For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.