Embrace Every Facet | My Journey to Growth and Inspiring Leadership in 2024 and Beyond

What if recognizing both your strengths and weaknesses could be the key to unlocking unprecedented growth in your professional and personal life? Join me, Karina, as I recount my transformative journey through 2024, a year marked by stepping into a dynamic new role as a product marketing manager and launching my passion project, the Spark and Hustle podcast. With heartfelt reflections, I share the joys and hurdles of adapting to a new team, the thrill of inspiring storytelling, and the gratifying work with Empowering Women as Leaders. Through these experiences, I've discovered the power of embracing every facet of one’s self as a catalyst for growth, and I'm excited to share these insights with you.

As we stand on the threshold of 2025, the prospect of participating in either the Berlin or Chicago marathons serves as a metaphor for the exhilarating choices and challenges that await us. This episode unravels lessons from marathon training, underscoring consistency and the celebration of progress. It's about taking bold steps, whether in a new career, business venture, or personal project, and surrounding yourself with those who inspire. With a focus on aligning professional pursuits with personal values, I invite you to consider the immense impact of building a supportive network and finding employers who share your values. Together, let's look forward to a year filled with growth, opportunity, and meaningful connections. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey.

Chapters

• 0:01 Reflecting on Growth in 2024
• 15:00 Embracing Growth and Opportunity in 2025
• 31:36 Building Wealth Through Meaningful Connections

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Well, hello, hello everybody, and welcome back to Spark and Hustle. I'm your host, karina, and I couldn't be more excited to bring you this special final, last episode of 2024. Now, I know it's been a while since I've released a new episode it's actually been since August since I have not released a new episode but today I really wanted to take the time to reflect on this past year, really think about all the wins, the challenges and all the growth in between. There has been so many lessons learned and this episode it's going to be a little bit different. A little bit different than what I actually expected. It's just going to be a little bit different, a little bit different than what I actually expected. It's just going to be me. As we close out the year, I want to share what's happening in my professional and personal journey, like I said, the lessons I've learned along the way. More importantly, I hope this serves as a moment of reflection, motivation and inspiration for anyone listening who might be stepping into a new opportunity or opportunities, or preparing for an incredible 2025. So grab a cup of coffee, tea or whatever fuels your hustle and let's dive in. As I said, this year has been a whirlwind of growth and new beginnings.

Speaker 1: 1:23

Many of you know that I started the year has been a whirlwind of growth and new beginnings. Many of you know that I started the year stepping into a new role with a new team and a new team ever in the current employer that I'm in. I joined the product marketing team as a product marketing manager and it's a position I was so excited about. I've worked on getting this position all of 2023. And I was excited, but I was also a little bit nervous about stepping into this new role and new team for the company. There's been something about starting a new role that challenge you to stretch, grow and truly own your value. Over the year, I built confidence in my abilities. I believe I've taken on a lot of new challenges and I've worked with an incredible team that has pushed me to do my best.

Speaker 1: 2:22

One thing that I did learn this year is that in your career is not just about what you bring to the table. It's about how you grow, how you adapt when you are at the table. I've really focused on being productive, learning from my team and leveraging my strengths and contribute to the bigger picture. One of the biggest lessons that this year has taught me, that is the value of recognizing those strengths and weaknesses and embracing them both as opportunities of growth, not only in my job. But I really also think that doing work outside of your regular job it it's for me either doing this podcast or either doing non-profit work has actually really helped me thrive in that nine to five job. I built a lot of confidence through doing these outside projects. I've honed my skills and it's really brought that spark and energy back into my into my work and it's something that I really wanted to get back for the past few years. I think that that really helped the outside projects getting that spark and energy back. I want to focus on reminding everyone that everything we do outside of that day-to-day job can be a stepping stone into really becoming the best versions of ourselves in all areas of our lives. Another super major highlight that I am so happy about is this the start of this podcast. This 2024, spark and hustle began, and right now, spark and hustle sits at a very different position than I would I would have expected to be on.

Speaker 1: 4:22

When I I launched it earlier this year, my goal was to shine a light on the journeys. Well, it's still my goal to shine a light on the journeys of professionals and entrepreneurs People like you and me navigating the highs and lows of their careers, businesses or their entrepreneur journey. Let's say that I managed to release about eight or nine episodes, I believe, which isn't quite the goal that I had in mind, which was two per month that I targeted. That's what I had set myself, but it's okay. One thing I've realized is that the quality matters more than the quantity, and I was really second guessing to do this last one episode, because I have a few interview episodes that I actually have not released and even though I know many things have changed from the discussions we've had the individuals that I interview and myself, but I think it will still be worth for me to share in in 2025, because every episode was very meaningful, every interview was packed with insights and those interviews connected me with incredible audience. Like you, I am so thankful that you are listening and you've been following this journey and you've been part of this journey, even though it's the beginning of the journey. I want to thank you for taking the time to really listen to this podcast. The podcast has been a passion project that continues to teach me a lot about storytelling, consistency and the power of sharing our journeys.

Speaker 1: 6:10

Rewarding and one of the most rewarding parts of this year actually, which has been my involvement with empowering women as leaders, a non-profit based in texas, which they have different chapters throughout texas one chapter in austin, one in houston, another one in dallas and also in Fort Worth. The vision and mission actually of this non-profit to support women of non-traditional age go through college so, or university, supporting them with sponsorships, mentorships and networking, so really focusing on helping them grow professionally. Start of this journey happened simply with an application for a marketing director position in the chapter in Austin. Since I am living in Austin, I thought it would be great for me to get involved and give back to the community in the city that I'm living. So how it how this happened is my former boss in my last role tagged me on LinkedIn on a post that the chapter for Austin of EWL was seeking for a marketing director.

Speaker 1: 7:46

At the beginning I doubted myself applying into this role. However, the passion that I have for giving back and being involved with the community was bigger than me doubting myself, so I decided to go for it. I decided to apply for the marketing director board position in the Austin chapter. I interviewed. I think I had one to two interviews, maybe three, and then the nonprofit came back and said that I didn't get the position. I was pretty bummed, but then I thought, well, you know, know, maybe the fact that I was doubting myself it was just a sign that I was not prepared for this position. Everything happens for a reason and I believe the timings that either God, the universe or the superior soul that you believe on, I think has the perfect timings for when everything happens. So I thought, okay, fine, if it does not go through, it's fine. If it does not go through, it's fine. However, the nonprofit reached back out to me and mentioned that they would love for me to get involved and help them, either by being a mentor or by supporting them on their social media. Then right away I went and took a look at what they were doing on their digital presence and right away I also knew that I could definitely use my expertise and support them on their social media. So I didn't take on the mentorship side, but I did decided to help out with their social media.

Speaker 1: 9:29

This was a special campaign because the Empowering Women as Leaders organization was celebrating their 20th year anniversary. So little did. I know this was the beginning of something bigger. I was supporting them on their 20th anniversary campaign, developing the strategy of their social media campaign for their 20th year anniversary, and I presented the strategy to the board. They loved it, so I, right away I started also getting into implementing this strategy. The campaign was a total success and from there, more doors opened, which again the timing of everything. It's. It's just perfect.

Speaker 1: 10:16

And by October I offered oh, I was offered the marketing director role on EWL's national board. First, I got offered to be on the board as the social media director and I was really excited to join the board on social media because that's what it's I feel like, it's my expertise, it's I enjoy and love doing social media. However, there was something unexpected the current marketing director she had to step down. And then that's when I got offered the position of marketing director for the national board, which I couldn't have dreamed of when I first applied earlier in the year that I would have been on their national board. This experience just really reminds me of how rejection is often a redirection to something better and bigger for you. Sometimes the no's we receive is a simple it's just simply making room for a bigger yes. So, as of November, october, november, I am now marketing director for the EWL's national board and in a couple of weeks, I'm going to present the marketing strategy for 2025, which I'm really excited about.

Speaker 1: 11:51

The journey of what it's like and the lessons that I learned through this non-profit and doing this type of projects outside of work. Also, another thing I do want to mention it's really, really important that we find a job that really and whenever I mean a job, it's like we find a nine-to-five if you are in the, of course, because many of you probably are in the entrepreneur side, but if you are in the nine to five job, it's crucial to find an employer that aligns with your vision, mission and your goals as a person. My current employer focuses very much on flexibility and work-life balance, so I, even though I do have a demanding job, a demanding team and the best is expected of me, they really offered benefits that focus on balancing your work-life balance In 2024. It also marked a very special moment in life because of Spark Social LLC, my social media strategy and management business, which I had begun back in, I believe, 2017. I started supporting small businesses reinvent themselves and really focus on their footprint in the digital world. Of course, I did not have the experience that I now have the social media strategy and management business and officially registered a new LLC as Spark Social, where I plan to continue to grow for 2025. This is how everything started. Through my work at EWL, some of the members of the board really, really loved the work that I had presented and done for the organizations, so that led me to connecting with a new client and officially reopen the business to help brands tell the story, showcase their products and grow their presence online. It's been such a rewarding experience to get back into the space and work on projects that align with my passion for creativity and strategy, and this chapter has been a reminder that your past experiences are never wasted. They often resurface in new and exciting ways and when the time is right, it's right. So, working on Spark Social next year, it's going to be a big challenge, but I'm truly looking forward to building my portfolio with clients and continue to grow into the marketing and social media space.

Speaker 1: 15:00

On a personal note, I received some unexpected but exciting news. I was accepted into two major marathons. One is the Berlin Marathon and then the Chicago Marathon, just 22 days apart. So these marathons are going to be a challenge to choose one of the two, because these are some of my life goals that I never thought it would happen and I'm really manifesting and I'm praying that everything goes well so I can make it to the finish line to one of these two marathons. It feels really surreal to know that I'll be tackling one of them in 2025. Depending on which one I'm gonna do, I'm definitely gonna have to defer for one because they're only 22 days apart and I just don't want to do that to my body, so I'm just gonna have to make the decision on running one. It's gonna be an exciting time to train. Training for marathons has taught me so much about discipline, patience and the importance of celebrating small progress or big progress, so no matter really actually how small the progress is, I think it really has taught me to celebrate it again. It's I think it's just a reminder that consistency, even on in, even in the face of doubt, it it can take you farther than you could ever imagine. So I'm really excited for this personal goal of mine for 2025 to run one of these marathons.

Speaker 1: 16:42

If there is one major lesson that I've learned this year, it's that start before you're ready. Whether it's applying for a new role, launching a new business or taking on a challenging project, you don't have to feel 100% prepared to begin. I know it sounds so cliche and you probably heard it a million times everywhere. However, I think I'm a testament and I am confident that I've started. I prepared myself to to start, but even I doubted myself sometimes to start and I thought I wasn't ready. You will never be ready. However, having the right conversations surrounding yourself with the right people, bouncing ideas with different colleagues or sharing any idea that you have in mind could spark something for for another person and couldn't and can actually end up really helping you within your, within your career. So I think that's just how growth happens in in doing, in putting in the work.

Speaker 1: 17:51

I've also learned that consistency is everything. I've really noticed that when I stopped doing the podcast, consistency was lacking and I do feel like I've missed out in a lot of great interviews, because there's many interviews that I still want to do. I feel that I could have had great opportunities to interview very interesting people. However, I also knew that being realistic was very important to me. So, as I said, my goal was to do two episodes a month. Two episodes a month but if I wanted to focus on another opportunity, such as EWL, I had to put something aside, and the podcast was something that I had to put on the parking lot to focus on my my new project with EWL, which then led to reopening the social media strategy and management, and next year there's going to be a lot to balance between my nine-to-five the podcast, my, my social media management and strategy, business and then the non-profit.

Speaker 1: 19:13

However, I do plan to get super disciplined on my organizational skills and actually one tool that really has helped me stay organized and I've been using lately is Notion. Notion was shared with me by a colleague and when I first got in it felt a little bit overwhelming, but then I started playing around with the tool and it has really helped me stay organized in my personal life and my professional. Whether it's applying for the new role, like I said, launching your new business or taking on a challenging project, you don't have to feel 100% prepared to begin. The growth just happens in the doing. I've also learned that consistency is everything showing up for yourself, showing up for your goals and showing up for your dreams, even when it feels hard or an uncertain pace off in ways you cannot predict. And finally, I've come to understand the most importance of surrounding yourself with people I've said this before who inspire and challenge you is it's what matters. Your circle matters. Find mentors, find colleagues, find friends who push you to grow and celebrate all of your wins.

Speaker 1: 20:33

As we wrap up this episode and this 2024 year, I want to take a moment to thank everybody of you for being part of the Spark and Hustle journey. Whether you've listened to one episode, if this is your first episode, or you've listened to all of them, or if you listened to one of your favorite interviews that I've had with the peers, your support means the world to me and I'm really thankful that you have been part of this journey. 2024 has been a year of growth, a year of big lessons learned and an incredible year of endless opportunities, and I cannot wait to see what 2025 has. I hope today's episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to tackle your goals with confidence and courage. Remember, it's never too late to start something new and it's never too early to take the first step towards your goals or dreams. Happy New Year and I will see you back in 2025 with more episodes and more no-transcript again in the non-profit world.

Speaker 1: 28:47

Earlier this this year, I was introduced to Empowering Women as Leaders, an organization with a mission that truly resonated with me, and I love their cause. I love what they do. They focus on supporting women of non-traditional age, put them through university with scholarships or mentorship or networking, so really helping them grow into their professional life. I started this because I initially applied for the Austin chapter as a marketing director. Now I didn't get to enroll for this position, but it's funny how things turned out. And position, but it's funny how things turned out. And this year I also saw the rebirth of my social media strategy and management business, spark social llc. This started whenever I was right out of college, supporting small businesses with their digital presence, and this year I rebranded and relaunched it. After connected with someone through the non-profit work that I was doing, I officially took an a new client this quarter helping business helping businesses not only present their services and product, but also truly connect with their audience.

Speaker 1: 30:14

It's been amazing to combine my corporate experience with my passion for entrepreneurship. Both worlds are teaching me many different things and I'm super excited, guys, to take on this momentum into the new year. I just wanted to. I just wanted to say again that I'm very thankful that I have the opportunity and I truly don't take it for granted that I take the opportunity to truly do what I love and apply it in many different areas of my life. So applying it, applying it in my corporate job and then also applying it in this non-profit and in my own entrepreneur journey.

Speaker 1: 31:06

As we close out the year, I want to leave you with a few lessons that I hope inspire you to plan for 2025. Number one it's start where you are. You don't need to have all the answers to begin. Trust that the journey will teach you everything you need to know. Three sorry. Number two be consistent. It's not about perfection. It's about showing up, putting the work and staying committed with your goals. And number three surround yourself with the right people.

Speaker 1: 31:36

As I mentioned on other episodes, your network is your net worth, and having a supportive, supportive community can open many doors that you could never imagine. I've also learned the importance of aligning with the right opportunities and values, whether it's in your job or your side hustles. Make sure you are investing your energy into the things that truly matter to you. Lastly, I'm incredibly grateful for the flexibility my employer offers, allowing me to balance work life in a way that works for me. If you're looking for a new opportunity in 2025, I truly encourage you to find an employer whose value aligns with yours, because it truly makes all the difference. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being part of this journey, whether you're a listener, whether you've listened to one episode or you've listened to all.