What makes you unique? Is it your hobby? Skills? What about your heritage? Your unique experiences and background are key to building your brand. Without them, you don’t stand out in the crowd. Miri Rodriguez grew up in the slums of Caracas, Venezuela and is now a journalist and author. Instead of shying away from her past, she realized its relevance to her story. Her culture and origin story added value to her personal brand. She shares with Bold TV the pros and cons of being a Latina woman in the business world.
You create your own brand
One challenge people face in the corporate world is expectations. People believe you should be or act a certain way. Someone once told Rodriguez she didn’t dress enough like a mother. And society pushes ideas like which age you should be married or have a degree. Even your culture and background can impose beliefs upon you. But Rodriguez asks the question: “Who invented these rules?” She says that you are the CEO of your life. De-program how other people think you should be. Embrace who you are. And do what makes sense for you.
Work against the lack of diversity
Did you know that women make up 2% of the tech industry? Imagine how that fraction shrinks when you factor in age and ethnicity. This means that women have to be extremely competitive for spots. And the stiff competition typically drives women away from the industry. But those who stay create a precedent for diversity in tech. Instead of seeing her gender and ethnicity as a disadvantage, Rodriguez sees her uniqueness as power. When someone tells her where she should be or what she should do, it makes her more driven to make her own path. Women, and specifically minority women, have the chance for their background to increase perseverance.
