Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Mayra Garcia's Inspiring Journey to Financial Literacy and Career Manifestation

Ever wondered how role models can break the cycle of poverty and inspire a debt-free lifestyle? In today's episode, we chat with Mayra Garcia, the Debt-Free Latina, whose powerful journey through various career transitions and her commitment to financial literacy is sure to inspire you.

Mayra shares her upbringing in East LA, her experience with food insecurity, and how her sister's career as a teacher inspired her to aspire her to more. She candidly discusses the importance of role models and the potential they have to break the cycle of poverty when modeled correctly. Listen in as Mayra takes us on her personal journey through the career landscape, her favorite job in the media industry, and the valuable lessons she learned along the way.

Finally, Mayra opens up about overcoming career challenges, speaking up for herself, and addressing unfairness in the workplace. We discuss the importance of recognizing unconscious bias in hiring practices and the need for organizations to provide training. Mayra also shares her journey to building her own business, becoming a financial coach, and her strategies for success. Join us for this inspiring conversation, filled with powerful insights and practical advice for anyone looking to manifest their ideal career.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Are you ready to stop feeling stuck, lost or confused about what to do next in your career? Then the Manifest Your Career Podcast is just right for you. With me, your host, dr Norma Reyes, The Manifest Your Career Podcast offers you career advice that integrates your mind, body and spirit. It's time you start listening to your own inner guidance. Learn in each week to learn how to combine your intuition, strategy and logic so that you can manifest a career of your dreams. Hey everyone, welcome back. This is episode 94, and today I am so excited to share a guest interview with you all. This is the first one of season 3.

Speaker 1: 0:52

I have a debt-free Latina, mayra Garcia, on with me. Maida is a financial literacy education and coach on a mission to empower and motivate families to live a debt-free lifestyle. After spending years in debt, she started her debt-free journey in 2010 and was able to pay off all of her debt in 17 months. She's a wife, a mother of two, and is passionate about teaching financial literacy. If you have not heard her podcast yet, it is Debt-Free Latina Podcast, and now you guys get to hear her journey. Thank you, maida, for being here with us. The first question I always love to ask everyone is tell me about your family background. Where did you grow up and who did you live with?

Speaker 2: 1:56

So thank you so much for having me. I was born and raised in East LA and my family comes from Mexico. My mother is from Sonora. My dad is from Zacatecas and was raised in Jalisco. So I'm a first-gen, grew up in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood And I saw a lot of food insecurity. I went through quite a bit of you know. Our power got turned off while we were growing up And it wasn't because my parents didn't earn enough, it was a lack of organization. And one time when I was like about 14 years old, that happened And I remember thinking this will never happen to me. So that's kind of what propelled me on this journey.

Speaker 1: 2:50

Yeah, yeah, i can't imagine that. My mom was really good about keeping. We were really poor, but you know, the things that mattered stayed on. I mean, i don't remember not having food, but I also don't remember having anything labeled like you know anything named brand. It was on generic parade. Do you remember parade? I don't. Parade is like what I equated to now.

Speaker 2: 3:19

What is it Like a cereal?

Speaker 1: 3:21

No, it's like a generic name brand.

Speaker 2: 3:25

Like it's, it's, yeah, see like we had great value.

Speaker 1: 3:29

So I guess it's like a great value, but it was called parade. I haven't. I hadn't even thought about that in so long. I don't know why that you know like you talk you talk about stuff and random things.

Speaker 2: 3:40

They definitely stick.

Speaker 1: 3:41

Yeah, it had to have been like whatever was the cheapest, cheapest they could buy. I mean, that's basically what they would be buying when I was growing up. So now, when you were young and people asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, what do you recall telling them?

Speaker 2: 4:00

When I was really little, maybe in elementary, i would say that quería ser una haytomoza, so a flight attendant, okay, i was like a what, yeah, and I don't know that. And and it probably was prompted because at around the age of seven or eight I was sent to Mexico by myself to spend a summer with my grandparents in Guadalajara And and I just remember how well they took care of me on the flight And back then there was like no extra fees for unaccompanied, need, minor or anything like that, and it was like I'm going to put you on the airplane and then your grandma's going to be at the door over there. And I just remember thinking I could do this job.

Speaker 1: 4:45

Yeah, yeah, and the simplicity back then. Right, like walking you up to your gate, meeting you at your gate. Now it's this whole process. So now, who do you recall being some of your earliest career models? So a flight attendants, pretty early to have anyone else pretty early on.

Speaker 2: 5:08

I mean, i have my sister who is 14 years older than I am And so when I was four years old she was off to college And pretty early on and, from what I can recall, she's always been a teacher. So she became a teacher when I was, like, i believe, in fifth grade. So she was in school all that time that, from four to about 10, because she went to, you know, get her four year degree and then she got her teaching credential And so, yeah, she's always been a teacher. So to me that that was something that I was like okay, well, i can be like her, i can do that. So that was definitely another career option I had in the back of my mind.

Speaker 1: 5:54

Yeah, yeah, i like how you're like, yeah. I can do that I can do that. Yeah, and that's what we need, right? And so many people don't have any career role models, regardless of whether they're within their family or not, you know. Instead, they have other type of role models that are modeling different type of behavior, and then that's why we are in this repeated poverty cycle.

Speaker 2: 6:17

You know it's funny that you mentioned what was modeled to me, because I just had a conversation a week ago with my husband about the things that were modeled to me as a child, versus you know what he saw growing up. But my mother worked as a nanny for very rich families, families that were in the Hollywood industry, and I think because I saw those big mansions growing up, because I walked into them, i lived there, sometimes I was able to like I really don't have a whole lot of mindset blocks when it comes to like what you can have. Um, i know that with hard work and effort you can get anything you set your mind to. So even when I wasn't in a financial situation when I could afford a home like that, or even now I can afford a big old mansion in Hollywood Hills, you know, i do think that it's still possible And I don't have a mindset block in that at all.

Speaker 2: 7:21

And I and I think I had this conversation because we were in Seattle and we were up by Kerry Park and my husband was like Oh my God, these homes are so amazing with this view, that is so great. And I turned around and I asked him. I said, do you think we can run a home right here, and he's like no. And then that's when I realized, oh my gosh, like he really does have a mindset block there. But I didn't know how to explain that at the time. But we just recently had the conversation again. He was just like I get it now.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What we see in others even you know at any point in time is what is modeled to us about what can be possible. It's funny you mentioned that because, um, i don't know if I mentioned it when we did our podcast for yours, but when me and my husband met, i was like, oh, let's go look at houses. I already had my first house by then, but I was like wanting to upgrade, right, and so I remember him just kind of being, whenever it got like, i guess that limit to what he thought was possible, he'd be like do you really think that's possible? And the houses that we're looking at weren't even. They were like maybe 20 came more than the one I was currently in, compared to the crowds that we have moved into since then. And as soon as we moved into this house, i was already telling people, oh, my next house is a million dollar home And I've been saying it. So now it's been like three years of saying that.

Speaker 1: 8:49

But but that's how you build up that belief, because it takes time, especially if you're having to overcome some things. Right For you. You saw it so young, so it's not an impossibility. Versus those have never seen that as an option. I mean, my mom came into the house, the first thing out of her mouth was like Oh, this is it. Yeah, no, you don't need anything else. And in my mind you know she, she's right to an extent. But then, as we moved in, like there's parts of the house that I'm like Oh, we don't really like the way this is here, this is there, and you know those kinds of things that happen.

Speaker 2: 9:24

Oh yeah, i have my things too. It's funny because I always say I want some ovens on the wall. That's like what I wanted my kitchen.

Speaker 1: 9:31

Yeah, and it's so much easier to say it when it comes to like things. But it's the same thing with our career, right. Like we don't know what's not possible until, or what's possible. I should say we don't know what's possible until we see it as a possibility or we start to build in those beliefs in ourselves, like, okay, no one's ever done this. But just because no one's ever done this doesn't mean it's not possible. Just like spaceships. It's so funny.

Speaker 1: 9:59

We're watching Geostorm. It's a crappy movie, but it says it's 2030, which is not that long from now. Me and my son we're watching it and they have spaceships that go up into space, like it's like a, like an airline kind of thing. And he's like, oh, do you think it would be like that? And I was like I don't know, seven years from now doesn't seem that possible. But it was very interesting that he already has the belief, right. So when he's my age, he's gonna be like, oh, space travel is gonna be the norm, which is really crazy to sound, but one day it will be. So before I get it so to Lea, let's get back Now. Tell me about your educational background. Did you attend college immediately after high school or did you start later I?

Speaker 2: 10:45

actually started. It took a class or two right after high school at the community college. But just to backtrack a tiny bit, I was a teen mom, So I had my son at the beginning of my senior year. I was pregnant throughout my whole junior year, So I didn't have a whole lot of options to go full time to school because I had to work. So I went to school as I could, took a class here and there and have taken classes actually throughout the years and it's been what over 20 years since I graduated high school and I do not have a degree.

Speaker 1: 11:27

Yeah, is there anything else you want to share about that? Anything, any thoughts?

Speaker 2: 11:31

I think that I've learned throughout the years that an education is important but it's not required to succeed, and so, again, it's one of those things where it's like, yes, i've had to move up the ladder, i've had to learn things on the job, but an education has always been something that I kind of took control over. And I am a reader, i love to read, i love to learn, so I didn't stop learning just because it wasn't in a school environment. I'm a course junkie, i love buying courses, so I'm always learning something, and I know that about myself, that I have to be constantly learning or else I get bored. So, whether it's in my business or for something in my career because I have a day job too I have to just constantly learning something.

Speaker 1: 12:24

Yeah, Yeah, i love that. I love that you point that out too, because not having a degree is not a deal breaker in having the career that you want. It just means that you have to get a little bit more creative. and even having a degree is not a guarantee that you're going to have the career you want. You still have to navigate those waters and still be creative to have what you want. So can you share how your career unfolded from when you graduated high school, entered the workforce which sounds like it was a lot I can't even imagine.

Speaker 2: 12:59

It was quite a bit. So when I was in high school in my senior year I already had my son. I had the opportunity to work at a law firm while I was in my senior year, and so I would work three to four hours a day there and then go and do my schoolwork, and so that was like my very first job. I was there for about six to eight months And then I went to a financial services company which did auto loans And I was there for quite a bit. I was there for a few years. After that I went into the orthotic and prosthetic area And I was there for another few years. I was an office manager at that point. So I moved up the ladder And during that time was when I was like really going to school a little more because I had more flexibility. I did marketing for them, i did run the office and a lot of the billing. And then I moved to Phoenix right after that job And I kind of had to start all over because nobody knew me in Phoenix And a lot of my jobs in LA was word of mouth or somebody I knew or a network. You know some sort of event or someone in my network that could recommend me. And so in Phoenix it was a lot harder, because I got here and I was like, okay, i'm just going to get an office job, like just find an office job. And luckily, my very first job here in Phoenix was at a TV station that was just opening. Nobody knew about this TV station But I was like I'm just going to learn, i'm just going to go and be the receptionist. And it said reception slash, traffic assistant. And I was like, well, i don't know what traffic assistant is, but I'm going to learn. And so that's the attitude I went to to the interview where I was like I can do reception, i can answer phones, i can take messages, i can, you know, organize things. And I knew that about myself. But I didn't know what traffic assisting was. And I remember telling Don, my boss at the time I was like you know, but I can learn it, i'm a quick learner. And she's like I'm sure you can. And I got the job on that day And I was like, okay. So I was there for about six months because I saw that the company was not doing well, it was not bringing ad revenue. But the traffic assisting part that I had to learn was actually commercial management that all TV stations and radio stations need. So while I was there I heard about a job traffic assisting at the world. So then I went to work for the world as a traffic assistant And I was there for a few years.

Speaker 2: 15:44

By that time I had to do a really quick career change after Telemundo because I was really struggling with my oldest son in school And I thought I need to be home for my kid but I need to earn an income. So I opened a daycare out of my home. I got certified, i went to the state, i got everything I needed And I just was taking care of kids out of my home. After that I got a call from channel five, a local TV station here in Phoenix that was needing traffic assistance again, and it was a friend of mine that was now leading that team And she's like are you ready to come back to work? And I was like I can't. And so I got the job at channel five And then from there I went to Cox, did commercial management, but there I was more of a leader again. I came back to the leadership role. I had a team of 20 and because we needed way more traffic assistance because cable has lots of channels. I was able to lead the team there And then I quit pretty early on to start my business pretty early on in my business career And I was like, okay, this is a mistake, i need to go back to work.

Speaker 2: 17:00

And then I started and it was again another network where it's like you want to come back to work, we have a job for you. And I was like, yeah, so I went into staffing, who actually was a company that used to help me staff at Cox, because I was a leader there, so I needed people sometimes. So that company was the one that hired me And that's where I've been. I've been there for six years now And I've moved up the ladder, even even in staffing. So, yeah, it's been, i've been everywhere. But you know one thing that I feel like I've learned skills are transferable, even if I've been in different industries. I've been in the medical industry, i've been in the financial services industry, i've been in media industry, and that was like 10 years. And now in staffing I feel like I've done payroll and a lot of the leadership stuff that we have to do, and it's all the same.

Speaker 1: 17:53

Yeah, i have so many questions, but it's like what?

Speaker 2: 17:58

Ask the way you go.

Speaker 1: 18:00

What mistake to my questions, otherwise wound up with an hour long episode, and I know neither of us have that amount of time. Okay, so now, what was the most influential experience in your career so far?

Speaker 2: 18:13

I think that the world that was my favorite job ever, ever. I think it's the one when I was in a group of people that spoke Spanish like I did, that were leaders, that were community leaders, that were just so welcoming and loving and there was no like drama, like none, like it was weird cause I've always dealt with drama, not trauma that I felt like, wow, this is like my peeps, i love it here, and I was really sad that I had to give up my job there. But my family came first and that's why I left that job, but not because I hated it or wanted to go somewhere else. It was I needed to be home.

Speaker 1: 19:06

Yeah, that sounds like a really tough decision, but I'm sure it was the best decision. So now, what were some of your career challenges that you've had and how have you overcome them?

Speaker 2: 19:18

The first one that comes to mind is I was working at Channel Five and my boss at the time did not promote me when I deserved to be promoted And I thought she was my friend. She's the one that got me the job there. When I saw true colors because I always give the benefit of the doubt and I really try to not, you know, i really don't judge people at first, i just kind of allow them to show me who they are I was crushed. I was so crushed and I just knew that it was not fair because I deserved it. And then, when she hired somebody else instead of me and I still stayed there I saw how it all unfolded and it was her biggest mistake And I took it up to HR and there was a bit of a fight and there was some uncomfortable situations, but I also learned to speak up in that situation.

Speaker 2: 20:20

I also learned that we can't stay quiet. Sometimes they tell us in our culture like hey, call it, you look prettier. And it's like no, you need to call out people when they're unfair to you.

Speaker 1: 20:33

Yeah, yeah, How old were you then? I was 25. Yeah, it's pretty brave at 25. I'm pretty sure at 25 I was not. Yeah, I'm like, what was I doing? I was, yeah, definitely not that far in my career either, but definitely have found similar situations where not given the opportunity and not spoken up. And it's unfortunate because it's a disservice not only to me but everyone else that is witnessing it, everyone else that's coming after me, everyone else that went before me. right, Because these patterns aren't new for these leaders that aren't not good leaders. They've been doing it and they're gonna continue to do it until someone says something.

Speaker 2: 21:20

Yeah, i think also. I didn't know it at the time because I don't really like to throw the racist card, but looking back now, 10 plus year later, it was definitely a race thing too.

Speaker 1: 21:34

Yeah and it happens and I mean I'm not saying that person was Latino, but the leaders that I've encountered have been, and they do it just as much too. They're more likely to hire a person of a different color versus their own, for whatever reason. Right Their own internal biases against their own kind.

Speaker 2: 21:55

You know. It's really interesting that you say that, because when I was at Cox, hr pulled me aside And during I was hiring quite a bit of people because we were expanding our program, and I was pulled aside and told that they saw a pattern in my hiring, that I only hired black and brown, and I didn't realize that And I also had somewhat of an unconscious bias, but I didn't know that, i didn't know that And it took somebody to point that out to me. So I think now I'm a little more forgiving when I see certain things. But I do think it's their responsibility as leaders of organizations and HR to point things out And although at the time I was mortified, i'm thankful for that experience.

Speaker 1: 22:47

Yeah, yeah, I've never heard of an HR telling you, but I mean, Cox is a big company, So you know CYA for them. But definitely I mean and some people may not notice it, And most people don't notice it, you know, That's why it's called an unconscious bias. You don't realize who you're being biased against until somebody points it out, And then it's up to you to change it or not change it, which I'm sure for you, you did.

Speaker 2: 23:13

It was true. It was true because when I looked at who I hired in the past year before that, it was all like Latinos and a couple of African-American people. It was really interesting. I was just like oh.

Speaker 1: 23:26

I didn't realize that. Yeah, i'm like I've had a mix, but I think it also helps that we hire throughout the state. So there's only so many different type of people that you can have in different areas. So, you know, maybe that has helped over time, but definitely have had a lot of trainings, a lot of those unconscious bias trainings that are so helpful. So if you guys haven't ever heard of that, look it up, because it really helps you uncover a lot about what you have biases against that you might not even know whether it is against your own people or people that look different from you. So, and it's all just what feels safe and comfortable. So now share with us what has been some of the worst career advice that you've received.

Speaker 2: 24:11

Worst career advice. See, I'm naturally a helper So I'll go above and beyond to help you in whatever you need. I think early on in my career somebody kind of pointed that out to me like stop being like the go-to, stop showing them everything you know, But because I did and I went and I just still did was myself, I was able to get the promotion and not them.

Speaker 2: 24:43

So, it was like I did. still, it was right for me And, yeah, i didn't listen to them and I'm grateful I did it. I think now I've set some boundaries in that area, where it's not about overworking yourself and working 50, 60 hours a week. You can still show them what you know and set some boundaries in the time that you spend helping.

Speaker 1: 25:08

Yeah, that's great. Yeah, every time somebody gives an advice to anyone, it's really advice they wish they heard, and oftentimes it doesn't really apply to the person they're saying it to. So now tell us what has been some of the best career advice that you've received.

Speaker 2: 25:27

I had somebody tell me about a year ago like why do you not believe you can earn that much? And I didn't know that I had a block there and how much I could earn. And I think it had to go again with I don't have a bachelor's degree, i don't think I deserve that much, i don't. Who's going to pay me that much? And when we uncovered and I think that they were able to perceive that I had a block there and they kind of helped me work through it, so it was. I'm grateful for the that they recognized that I needed that. But it wasn't technically advice, it was like they helped me pull what I needed to discover.

Speaker 1: 26:12

Like uncover that career block you were having For sure.

Speaker 2: 26:15

And this was only a year ago Amazing.

Speaker 1: 26:20

Amazing how far we can get on our own until someone else comes along, right, and just kind of totally, totally. And then it makes you think, like dang, had I always been thinking this and it, and you have right. And with money and anything you know, your salary or even a home right, we talked about homes You allow yourself a certain cap and actually, like what you're talking about, money, as I'm getting ready to transition from working full time to on my own, i see, you know, my money increasing, my clients increasing, and it's it's going at a, at a, at an okay pace, right, but once I leave my job, i needed to be replacing my income, which it's like it's going to be so close. I mean save money, of course, because I couldn't do it without doing that. But yesterday, when I was looking at it, right, i'm like, okay, it's steady, it's steady. I'm like doing projections.

Speaker 1: 27:19

And then I was like I am limiting my growth in this, not necessarily in doing the projections, but in what I think the the pace of growth that I can have. And I'm just like it's because I feel like making the amount that I need to replace my income is enough, instead of I mean because that's not why I'm quitting my job. I don't want it to just be enough, i want it to be more than enough. And so, yeah, definitely working through that. So anyone listening like that's really what you have to get through, like it's not just meeting your bills because I feel like that's where we get stuck sometimes, like I want to make sure I'm able to pay for everything, and then you just limit yourself there.

Speaker 2: 28:08

Yeah, i think it's important to check yourself when you have a limiting belief and then refocus on there's abundance. There's abundance all around you and there's money everywhere. Yes, so when you, when you, you know, catch yourself, you kind of have to maybe even do some self coaching, right? Or, you know, maybe have your spouse check you or whomever you trust check you, because we all have those thoughts and we just have to be realigned to what is true.

Speaker 1: 28:41

Yes, yes, and our own thoughts are often just, you know, keeping us where we are Now. What is some career advice you would love to share with my audience?

Speaker 2: 28:54

I think, as an entrepreneur, if that's something you want to do and you're the first one in your family that wants to pursue entrepreneurship, find a community of people that are first gen or whatever you are, that are just like you, that are going to support you because your family will not always be that support that you need Because they might see a nine to five more secure than an entrepreneurship journey And you can't blame them And I did that. I blamed my family for not supporting me at first, But it's all they knew. It's what they saw growing up. It's what they think is secure. but the reality is nine to five jobs. they can let you go in any moment. There is no security there. If you don't, if you no longer help them make a profit, they will cut you.

Speaker 2: 30:01

And entrepreneurship you have a little more control. There's a lot more marketing. There's a lot of other skills you have to learn, But if you're willing to learn that, then you're going to be okay. Now, how fast can you go all in on entrepreneurship? I'll tell you from experience. I did it a lot quicker than I thought and I had to go back to work Now. there was a lot of lessons that I learned from that, but I don't regret it. It was such a learning experience. I was crushed that I had to go back. but I can talk about it, but before I was so ashamed of it. So keep going. find a community, because it is lonely and you need to kind of lock arms with people so that you continue to stay motivated and continue towards your goal.

Speaker 1: 31:00

I love that And I love that you said find community and support you. So, even if you're not looking for entrepreneurship, but you are wanting to grow wherever you are, you need community and you need people that look like you. Now, of course, do try to find mentors that are in the roles you want, because that's important, regardless of the color of their skin. but you still need that community to help you through some of the challenges that you'll face, because we know our struggles. We know how it feels. So now I want to hear more about your debt-free journey, how you became a money coach and all of that.

Speaker 2: 31:39

So I became a money coach in 2017, but I started my debt-free journey in 2010. So we'll start there. 2010, i learned how to budget and I sort of convinced my husband to join me on this journey. It was very hard at first, but finally, when he did, you know, see why this was important and decided to join me on the journey, it really propelled us forward quickly And it was like what am I going to do? He got a job, a second job after his day job, and it was just, we started paying off things pretty quickly. 17 months later we were completely debt-free, so in early 2012.

Speaker 2: 32:26

And then, you know, i always thought like I want to be a coach and I know that there was financial coaches even back then, but I was working at Channel 5 and I didn't see how that was possible. I didn't visualize how I was going to do it. It was kind of like a wish. At that point I can't wish I could do that. And then, as years went on, i was like listening to, like, okay, you can become a financial coach by taking this or that. And I was like, oh, i'm going to look into that. So when I quit my job, i was in the process of getting my certification. I hadn't even finished and I don't know why I did that, but it is what it is. And so, segun Yoha was going to be like, oh my God, i'm going to have all these clients And it's like that's not how it works. And so, yeah, so 2017, i finished my certification And then in 2020, during the pandemic, i was taking a lot of courses.

Speaker 2: 33:23

In between there, i was on social a lot, but I wasn't getting the traction at first. Of course, when you're starting from zero followers, it's a little harder. And, yeah, like in 2020 was when I really started learning a lot of the online strategies. And, you know, even though I had my website and I had somebody else build it, 2020 was when I learned those skills myself And then I started really building my knowledge around oh, email lists And this is what podcasts do And this is how it's like the top of the funnel. And if you don't know these terms, it's like they're all online terms and marketing terms and you know small business terms. But once I started learning those things, i might have something here.

Speaker 2: 34:12

So, in 2020, i launched the podcast, the Debt Free Latina podcast, and yeah, it's just been slow and steady. I had the opportunity to coach a lot with a Spanish radio host And I had that contract all of 2022. And, yeah, i gave that up because it was a lot. It was a lot and it was burning me out. I also have my day job, so I had to find a balance. I had to find what worked for me And my ideal clients were not those, and so I had to have these conversations with myself Where it's like ¿Qué quieres? And so sometimes you just have to realign every once in a while and just kind of ask yourself like hey, check yourself, what do you want? Where do you see yourself in a year or two or five?

Speaker 1: 35:01

Yeah, yeah, I love that. So tell us more about what you do with the coaching you do for clients, your ideal clients.

Speaker 2: 35:10

So my ideal clients are Latinos, either Latinas that are single or young families. I love teaching people that have never done a budget before, or, if they have a budget, maybe it's not working for them. Those are my ideal clients, and I love starting from scratch, where it's like here's how you put it together. Let's find out what format works for you whether it's a paper pen, an Excel spreadsheet or an app And then finding the strategies that apply to them, because not everything is for everyone. So finding whether it's going to be the snowball method of eliminating debt or the avalanche method of eliminating debt, it doesn't matter which one you choose, as long as you follow it. So there's a lot of things like that where I start asking the questions And, as a coach, that's really what you're doing. You're just asking the question and having them discover what works for them.

Speaker 2: 36:10

And so I have a three month program And, yeah, it's one on one. I don't have group coaching, because when I started offering that, it was really interesting how much hesitation I got, because, unfortunately, there is a lot of shame in our community around money, and so, yeah, the group coaching didn't really take off. So I was like, okay, one on one it is So. That's what I do.

Speaker 1: 36:38

Yeah, yeah, i can understand that. I've done. I've done one on one, i've done group, and with group, you have to build a lot of trust with your community to be able to get them to talk and share, and really it's not about them talking or sharing, but in order for them to benefit, they have to be able to be willing to talk and share, and if they are just they are receiving information, you can't help them have the growth they need. So what's where one on one really helps if that trust hasn't been built yet? So well, yeah, it sounds amazing what you do, and actually it made me think about what you said in the beginning, which was that it wasn't that your parents didn't have money, it was disorganization, right. So we always create what we wish we had, and so it's like you created this, you know, with your mom and mine, without really thinking about it.

Speaker 2: 37:31

Yes, for sure.

Speaker 1: 37:34

Anything else you would love to share, or how can the community reach out to you?

Speaker 2: 37:40

So I'm at debtfreelatinacom, also on Instagram at debtfreelatina, and I'm now on TikTok at debtfreelatina. Look at.

Speaker 1: 37:50

Joe.

Speaker 2: 37:51

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 37:52

Well, thank you so much for being here with us and sharing everything, your life story and even your debt free journey. That all in itself.

Speaker 2: 38:02

Thank you so much for having me. Oops, sorry, I interrupted you.

Speaker 1: 38:05

It's okay. It's okay. I was just going to add, and you know, and you don't have a degree, i always love to emphasize you don't need a degree to be successful, you just need you yourself, your self-belief.

Speaker 2: 38:18

Yes, i think that a degree and education in general is important, but it doesn't matter how you receive that information, as long as you do. So that's where I really want to focus. Like, if you have a degree or not, it doesn't matter, i think as long as you continue learning and growing, that's where the magic happens.

Speaker 1: 38:40

Right, yeah, not in the having the piece of paper. I totally get it, even though I have my pieces of paper, but that's okay.

Speaker 2: 38:48

No, i love that you do. Oh my gosh, i love it. I love that you do And I, you know, i think I, if I'm honest with myself, i wish I did have it, You know, I'm not going to deny it. I think that that's something I still want to strive for. I'm just not making that a priority right this minute.

Speaker 1: 39:05

Right And I'm making it more than what it is. You know, it's a societal norm And for me, having the pieces of paper weren't about career development, especially my PhD. Every time people would ask me you know, oh, what are you going to do with your PhD? I was like I don't know. I just wanted to have a PhD for a very long time.

Speaker 1: 39:28

And you know, mostly we're so confused, like why would you want to do that? And it's like, but that's why it was so easy for me to get it, because I wanted it just to have it, not for an outside, external goal, but for me, so that I could say Norma Reyes PhD, or, you know, dr Norma Reyes. And that is really was my motivator. And when your motivators are from the inside, nothing can stop you. And this is why it's so important to find out what it is that you really want to go after it, otherwise chasing, you know, obviously, even though you say a degree is important, it's still not that important, you know, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten done I mean, your debt free in seven. Was it 17 months, 12 months or?

Speaker 1: 40:13

17, you know that's you. You guys really wanted that, Otherwise it wouldn't have happened. You know and I'll leave that for everyone Like what you really want, once you are willing to be honest with yourself on what it is, because so many times we have it there. We know what we want, but we're afraid to really actually speak it, say it and believe it. But once you do, there's nothing that can stop you. And that's it. You just got to start digging in and start removing, you know, all of those limiting beliefs that are telling you that it's not possible. That's true.

Speaker 1: 40:52

Well, thank you, thank you again. We're ending in second again.

Speaker 2: 40:55

Of course. Thank you so much for having me. You're welcome, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1: 41:02

Thank you for listening to the Manifest Your Career podcast. Are you ready to take action today? Visit ManifestYourCareercom to get started and schedule a free discovery call with me and gain clarity today.