8 Fears Holding Latinas Back From Starting Their Online Business and Podcasts - Ep. 32

Because you all loved episode 28 (Your Intention Changes Everything! Start The Podcast!) so much, I am bringing another mindset episode. 

Today, I am sharing 8 fears and mental blocks that hold Latinas and first-generation immigrants back when it comes to launching a podcast or their online business. 

The episode also provides actionable strategies and steps to help you overcome these fears and get your podcast going! 

💬 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How to manage fear of visibility 
• Navigate technical and legal barriers
• How to handle family and community judgment

🔥 Key Takeaways:

• Take advantage of low-risk and free tools like Canva and Google Docs to start your podcast or online business. 
• Prioritize your own vision over the expectation of family members who may not understand the entrepreneurial journey.
• Use your cultural identity and bilingual background as a superpower rather than a limitation. 

📌 Resources Mentioned:

• Sign up for the podcast mentorship newsletter
• Episode 28 - Your Intention Changes Everything! Start the Podcast!
• Latinas In Podcasting Community
• Apply for 1:1 - Online Business Coaching with Heidy De La Cruz
• 📧 Email Heidy with questions: heidy@heidydelacruz.com

✨ Connect with Heidy:

• Instagram: @coachingwithheidy 
• Website: https://www.coachheidy.com/  
• Sign up for the podcast mentorship newsletter

P.S. Do you know what is actually holding you back from starting your podcast? Take the quiz and find out! 

🎧 If this episode inspired you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow Latina ready to start her own podcast.

Transcript

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Welcome to Podcasting for Latina CEOs, the go-to podcast for passionpreneurs Latinas ready to launch and grow their online businesses and own their voice with podcasting. I'm Heidi de la Cruz, writer, two-time award-winning podcaster, and podcast launch coach on a mission to help you build a life of freedom, wealth, and impact by turning your ideas into income. If you're a Latina ready to break generational cycles and create your own table, this show is for you. Let's build our dreams undas. On amor, Coach Heidi. Welcome back to another episode of Podcasting for Latina CEOs. I am your host and your coach, Heidi de la Cruz. And you guys really liked the episode about your intention changes everything. Cause that episode, it is blowing up. It is the episode that has gotten the most downloads. And like I released that in the beginning of June, and it is still like getting a bunch of downloads. So that really made me realize that like you guys like a lot of mindset stuff. So today I want to share another mindset episode. And it is going to be about fears that Latinas and first generation immigrants like myself, well, sometimes I call myself second generation because my parents were the one that immigrated, but you know, so fears that Latinas and first generation immigrants may face in regards to like starting their online business or like starting a podcast, right? So when I say starting an online business, I I'm gonna use it interchangeably as like starting a podcast because to me they're the same, right? Because you can sell digital products and services and consultation through your podcast. So I'm gonna be using those words interchangeably, just so you know, but I really mean the same thing, right? Because during this podcast journey, I have learned that like I've had to deal with like mental blocks, I've had to deal with imposter syndrome, I've had to deal with like feeling like I'm not enough, feeling like, oh, who am I to be sharing this podcast, or who am I to be teaching how to start a podcast? Like I've had to deal with all that stuff too, and I know that that is very big when it comes to like having a business, right? So before we get into it, I do want to share one testimonial. This is from Vilmaris. She actually was the first client that I actually got through TikTok, which is crazy. But yeah, so she said, I came across Heidi de la Cruz on TikTok and was immediately drawn to her presence, authenticity, and the way she shows up in her content. There was something about her energy that made me feel safe to reach out and connect. And that feeling carried through our session. Working with Heidi was such an affirming and energizing experience from the moment we connected. She created a space where I felt safe to show up fully as myself, to ask questions, be honest about where I am, and explore my ideas without judgment. I left our session feeling inspired, grounded, and genuinely motivated to move forward with my podcast. Even though I'm still in the process of launching, I feel clearer and more confident in the direction I'm headed because of her guidance. I'm excited to continue working with Heidi and to have her part of my podcast journey. Bill Maris, thank you so, so, so much for just trusting me from TikTok, right? Just from trusting me and for, you know, taking the courage and taking that first step to build to book that one-hour strategy call. It was so much fun. And you actually were way ahead of other people that I work with in regards to your podcast. So congrats to you. Thank you so much for trusting me and for providing that beautiful testimonial. I can't wait to see once your podcast is launched. Now, let's get into fears that Latinas and first generation immigrants may face and stop them from starting their online business or their podcast. So the first fear may be fear of financial instability. So worrying about investing money into something that may fail, feeling pressure to prioritize stable income to support family over entrepreneurship risk, not wanting to quote unquote waste money if the business doesn't take off. So that is all legitimate fear, right? However, starting a podcast, starting a business, there is risk involved. Like and you do have to invest money in the beginning in order to start the business. Although you can definitely in the very in the very beginning, you can definitely like get around and using like free versions of stuff. So, like, for example, like Canva, you can use a free version of that. Social media is free to market. Um, even starting your podcast, I've shared that like you can literally start it for free, but eventually you do need to do investments in your business um in order to make money, right? So that definitely is a valid fear, but the the reward is so much better. Now I'm gonna go through these fears, but then I am also going to share like a framework or like a way to flip that, right? So a way to flip the fear of financial instability is to think about like the freedom through low-risk start. So, like I said, you can start a podcast for free, you can use social media for free to market your business, you can get around using these free resources to start your business. So, for example, um, you can start collecting payment through PayPal. And you can use like a Google Doc landing page or like a checkout page on Google Docs and just like put your offer there and just lead people to that link. Like there's different ways to get around um using free resources in the beginning, but eventually you do need to invest. So begin your side hustle or your business or your podcast while keeping your current income again by you getting around by using the free resources. Use free tools, like I mentioned, Canva, Google Drive, and social media to launch, and set a safe to invest budget that you're comfortable with risking, right? So those are the action steps that you can do to get around the fear of financial instability. All right, fear number two, fear of not being good enough. So imposter syndrome, feeling like you need to have more credentials or experience before starting. Now, how many times have you thought about like changing career, like you know, launching something, and you're like, oh, maybe I need a new degree, or maybe I need to do this or get a certification. It's like, no, you don't need another degree, you don't need another credential, you don't need another certification. Like, you are credentialed enough. Like, you are enough, like you have your experience, you have the skills, you have the talent, you already have what you need inside of you to be able to help people. Plus, if you already had this idea in your heart, it is was there, it was put there for a reason because you are the person that can help people solve that problem. All right. Um, comparing themselves to more established entrepreneurs or thinking that their ideas aren't unique or valuable enough. Oh, the comparison syndrome is so big, especially in social media. Like, I it it happens to me too. And I would go on these like binges of like comparing myself to other people or what I other successes or highlight reels that I saw online. And honestly, like I would feel down on myself. I was like, man, I should be further ahead, I should be making more money, I should be like, you know, should be, should be, should be. But then what really has helped me is like journaling, like stopping and journaling and writing down all the successes that I've had so far. So it's kind of like, you know, like, okay, I won two awards for my podcast. I am ranking top 5%. Like I am an award-winning podcaster and podcast producer. Like I know how to run a good podcast, right? So just writing down achievements that I have gotten in the industry really helps me stay out of like that compare or like get out of that comparison um wheel. Another fear, like I said, thinking that your ideas are not unique or valuable enough. Again, if you got that idea in your heart of how to help people solve that particular problem that you are going to help them solve, that is there for a reason, and that is because you are the one person that is qualified. Now, of course, there may be other people who are doing what you're doing. So, for example, there are other people that help people launch their podcasts. I am not the only podcast launch coach out there, I am not the only podcast producer out there or editor out there, but I know how I work and I know how I go the extra mile for my clients, and I have very unique experiences and expertise that I can share. But yeah, like you're not gonna be the only one who's doing what you're doing, and that's okay. But there's because there's not another you out there. You are what makes your business unique. And I don't know if anybody has told you, but people really buy from people that they trust or they connect with, and that's why that they also say, like, it's okay that you are not supposed to serve or help everybody because you're not gonna connect and be able to serve everybody, like that's not possible. So you there's this particular audience out there, clients, specifically just for you, and that is what you have to remember. All right, so here are the action steps for fear of not being enough. I had also mentioned about making the list of like the achievements and things like that that you have already done, but you can also list 10 skills that you use at work or in your daily life that can serve others. Offer your services to one to three people for free or at a discounter or at a discounted rate to gain confidence and get testimonials, right? Remember, many successful entrepreneurs started without certifications. Experience is proof enough. All right, the next fear is fear of judgment from family and community. Ooh, la familia, la tia, que va de si la tia, que va decir la abuela. We already know how that goes. But so the biggest concern, right, is well, family will think about your entrepreneurship journey or you're starting that business or starting that like, oh, quien tú te crees que eres starting that podcast. You know, like you can already hear it. You can already hear the judgment, right? Worrying that pursuing business instead of a traditional career will be seen as selfish or irresponsible. And then the fear of gossip or criticism if the business fails. Oh my goodness. So, you know, our parents came here to this country to sacrifice for us and to provide a better opportunity for us. And, you know, interviewing immigrants and children of immigrants, like they all pretty much think the same thing. That's like in the United States, like you find a stable corporate career and you climb the corporate ladder, or what is it, the three professions? Like you either become a doctor, an engineer, or what is it, or an attorney, right? But in the United States, there, like they call it the land of opportunity for a reason. And it is because you can start a business and you can create your own opportunities and you can go for your dreams. And it's crazy because I interview so many people, like, for example, like writers, right? Like families will be like, oh, well, you can't make money writing, but it's like, yes, you can, you absolutely can. So I can definitely understand where that fear of judgment from family and community can come into play. But we have to remember that when that vision, that idea, that desire was put in your heart, it was put into your heart. And it was just God speaking to you. It wasn't a conference call, your abuela wasn't there, your tia wasn't there, it was just between you and God. And because he put that that desire in your heart, it's because he knows that you are qualified and you are the person to do it. So here's some action steps that you can do to flip that that you know, that fear of judgment from family and freedom and and things like that. So write down your why and keep it somewhere where you can see it, right? Share your vision with those who are supportive. Keep your business progress private from those who aren't. Now, you will not take advice from someone, or at least you shouldn't, from someone who hasn't been where you want to be. Right? Like, why are you gonna ask your Theo who it works in construction on how to start a podcast? Your your Theo is not a podcaster, so so why would you do that? So the same thing applies, like you have to be able to be in proximity of people who are doing what you want to do and ask advice from them and not worry about what your family's gonna say. Another thing is again, find an online community of other Latinas and first-hand entrepreneurs who get it, right? So it's like if you want to start a podcast, you know, reach out to me. Hello, I'm a Latina doing podcasting, but also there's a group, there's a whole community of us, Latinas in podcasting, and I'm gonna link the link in the show notes so you can sign up. There's a whole community of Latinas in podcasting. There's a whole community. We're out there, we're doing the thing, and we are helping each other and we're supporting each other. And this is exactly why my podcast is called Podcasting for Latin or Podcasting for Latinas CEOs, because I want to help Latinas. I want Latinas to see me being able to achieve all this within the podcast industry and know that it is possible for you. Because study shows that when you see someone doing what you want to do, your brain will flip and realize that that possibility is available for you, which is why representation is so, so, so important. Next fear fear of failure. Associating failure with letting down your family and providing stereotype rights. Feeling like a failure means wasting the sacrifice that they made, especially being a child of immigrants. It's like, man, my parents sacrifice so much for coming to this country and I have failed them. Like, I don't know if you know. Well, you probably do because you're you're probably a child of immigrants. So if you're listening to this or you're an immigrant yourself, but a lot of times when I interview child children of immigrants, like they have this like pressure of like, I have to make it because my parents sacrificed so much for me. So it's like I have to sometimes I feel like they have to fulfill their parents' dream, right? And not their own. But guess what? Everybody has their own dream, everybody has their own vision for themselves, everybody has their own purpose. Your purpose is not your parents' purpose. If God put in their heart for them to come to this country, that was their purpose. Their purpose was to come to this country. Now God has a different purpose for you within this country. Another fear is like thinking that you only have one shot to get it right. But really, the entrepreneurs who are successful, the podcasters who are successful, it's just because they didn't give up. That's it. I mean, think about it. Think about the quote unquote overnight successes, right? When you really listen to their story, they have literally been grinding for 10 years minimum. 10 years minimum. Which I always have to rem remember that for myself. When I again when I go through that comparison syndrome or streak, that I'm like, oh, I should be further head, but then it's like, no, my podcast, the first one, is four years old. And then I look at my four-year-old, and then I'm like, you know, he still has a lot to learn and grow. So it's like I compare like that. I was like, I gotta remember my podcast is just as old as my toddler. My podcast is a toddler. I still got way more that I want to do. Okay, the next fear is fear of visibility. Yes, this is a big one. So being uncomfortable with showing your face online or speaking publicly, which is also why I am so passionate about having an audio-only podcast. Although I know that sometimes I've been doing video on this one, but doing audio only is like right now I am recording in my closet and my hair is in a messy bun. I have no makeup on, and I am, you know, you don't see me, and you're just listening to my voice, you're feeling my energy, and that's all that it takes really to start a podcast. So you don't have to, you know, with that fear of visibility is like start an audio-only podcast, get comfortable, and then do a video. Like I know right now the whole yap challenge is like going off, and people are doing like more talking videos and things like that. But honestly, if you don't feel comfortable doing that, like I don't, then don't do it. You don't have to. Another fear of visibility is worrying about online criticism, hate comments, or cultural misunderstandings. Oh my gosh. I have a whole podcast about immigration, and I can probably tell you five times where I have gotten hate comments about or anti-immigration comments in the four years that I have been podcasting about immigration. Yeah. So it can happen, but it doesn't happen often. And it's funny because I remember posting on threads, like, oh, I got my first anti-immigration comment on YouTube. Does this mean that I made it? And like everybody was like, Yes, yes, you did. Congratulations or whatever. But really, you just ignore it. You just ignore it. Fear that being visible might affect current employment or safety. Well, for that, you really have to check to see if there would be a problem with your employee, like where you work. Um, for example, my supervisor, my manager, they both know that I have a podcast and a whole business outside of my 905. Um, and it doesn't, it doesn't affect, right? Because everything that I do in regards to my podcast is always after work, right? So, like, I do not let like I keep it separate. You just keep it completely separate. So here's some action steps to do to take for the fear of visibility. Begin with written content, like a blog, or voice-only videos. Like I said, like you can definitely do a voice-only or audio only podcast, and you can definitely start with like writing your content out, like either through a blog or Substack or Beehive, and then transition into a podcast. You can definitely do that. A lot of times, like I mentioned in another episode, like a lot of times I use my blog post as an outline to record these episodes. Share personal stories gradually to connect with your audience. And remember, you control how much of yourself you share online. So you can definitely get vulnerable with to connect, but you don't have to share everything. And you are in full control of how much you share online. The next fear is fear of legal or technical barriers. So, like not knowing how to navigate taxes, licensing, or immigration belate immigration-related business rules, uncertainty about how immigration status might impact business ownership, feeling overwhelmed by tech tools, websites, or marketing. All right, let's get into these because these are huge and valid fears, especially with the immigration status. Especially with the immigration status, because actually a lot of immigrants actually become entrepreneurs or business owners because that is one of the ways that they can make money here, right? So they just need the ITIN number, which they get from the IRS to start a business, and that's how they pay into the tax system, so they pay taxes. Um, unfortunately, you know, you don't receive a refund because you know, the ITIN, that is when you don't have a social security number. So a lot of times immigrants become entrepreneurs because of that. Because it's like, okay, I am not able to find a traditional corporate nine to five job, but I can start my own business and with an ITIN number and register it and take payments, right? There's also a lot of free resources in regards to starting a small business at sba.gov, or you can also go to your local small business center and find out resources over there, or even your library. Um, our live our local library here has um a bunch of resources on like starting business. They have like social workers that go there. So you can definitely find resources like that within your own community. You can always book a consultation with a lawyer or an accountant who understands immigrant-owned businesses and things like that. And you know, in regards to like being overwhelmed with the tech and the websites and all that, again, you can always reach out to a coach, hire someone who can help you navigate that. Um, you can always just like learn one tech skill at a time. Do not worry about mastering everything at once. Again, you want to start a podcast, and I am here for you. I will break down all the tech and all the tools that you need and teach you how to do it. Like, I when I help people launch their podcast, I teach them how. Edit. We go through that process. We go through the software and all that. But I do offer editing services if you want to outsource that. So you don't have to worry about that, you know. So there's different ways to get around through all of this. Right. Number seven, we just got two more to go. Fear of balancing rules. So concern about managing business responsibility while caring for children, parents, or other family members, or guilt about spending less time with family to work on business. Oh my God, this is huge. When you are first starting a project, whether that is writing a book, starting a podcast, starting a business, like there's a lot of sacrifice that goes on in the beginning, especially with time, right? You have to sacrifice and know that this is just a season. The beginning of a business, the beginning of a podcast. There is a lot of sacrifice, but that is just a season, right? Eventually it will get to the point where it runs itself. Even when it comes to podcasting. I was just telling my husband the other day, I was like, oh my gosh, I'm like four years, four years into this immigration podcast. And it's like, I don't even really have to like market it as much as I used to in the beginning because people already know that it's out there and it's just automatically getting down. Like it gets downloads every single day. And it just gets to the point, like the business, same thing, like it just gets to the point where it just like runs on its own and you don't have to put in so much work, right? But in the very beginning, obviously there is a lot of sacrifice, and just you just got to remember that it's for a season. Um, everybody always asks me like how I handle how I do it all. And I do want to do an episode, like going into details on how I do, but I will say that working from home really does help a lot. Um, because again, I'm home. So I do my package from home, I do my business from home, and then I do my corporate job from home. So I'm like always home all the time. Um, another way that you can like work through like balancing it is like time block. It's like, okay, you can do like one hour today to put in time into your business, two hours tomorrow, and then you're off on the next day, right? Not working on the business, you're, you know, with family, with the kids and everything, things like that. It also does help having like a very supportive partner who understands that in the beginning there's gonna be a lot of sacrifices, and then we'll be able to like help you with house stuff or whatever. Now, when it does come to like taking care of like elderly parents and all their family members and things like that, you just have to check your schedule now and just see what times you'll be able to put in work for your business. Now, again, in the beginning, it's just gonna be a huge sacrifice. It's not going to be easy, but it is gonna be worth it because again, you're gonna feel fulfilled that you're going into your purpose. You're gonna feel fulfilled that you are doing what is in your heart and what God has called you to do. Also, communicate. Communicate with your family, communicate with your partner, communicate with your kids. On okay, like mommy needs to record, or okay, like mommy needs to talk with this client. Like, that's what I do all the time. Like, hey, this time I'm gonna be with a client, or this time I'm gonna be recording a podcast episode. I need you guys to be quiet, you know, whatever the case may be. All right, the last fear. I mean, there's probably more, but I just wanted to go over like the top eight fear of cultural or language barriers. Oh my god, see, feeling like your English is not good enough for your clients. I actually, oh my gosh, this is so funny. I actually am the opposite. I'm like, I don't think my Spanish is good enough to do these things in Spanish. And I've been trying to do more Spanish-speaking interviews, and even when I do them, I feel like, oh my gosh, I messed up, I threw in the Spanglish, like, you know, and I I had a friend who told me years ago, she was like, Heidi, you need to have these resources on how to start a podcast in Spanish. And again, years ago she told me, and I still haven't done it, and I'm like, you're right, like I really should, because I can help people in Spanish. Like, I want to help launch podcasts in Spanish, I want to help people edit in Spanish. Like, that's an advantage. Like, I can help clients in English and in Spanish. Now, I probably won't be able to write your show notes for you because again, my grammar in Spanish is not gonna be the greatest, but I I can listen to the episode and I can edit it for you. That would that would be great. But again, worrying about the English not being good enough. So you can do it in Spanish, do it in your native language, that's perfectly fine. And also think about like that accent that you have, the English accent, like that is your superpower. You know multiple languages, you are smart. Okay, do not be uh feel ashamed about having an accent. Fear that their cultural background won't be accepted in certain markets. Well, then that market is not for you, okay? You have a target audience, and you gotta know who your target audience is, and then you gotta go to where your target audience is. Okay, if you know, certain markets are not gonna accept your culture. Like we're seeing that right now, and that's perfectly fine because there's there are people who will accept your culture. Lastly, pressure to Americanize their brand to fit in, even if it means losing authenticity. No, we're not doing that here. No, lean into Spanglish, you know, using both languages. I mean, my podcast is for Latinas, right? I do it mostly in English, but you can understand them, right? Like I said earlier, like the abuela and the tía and all that culture, you know, like throw your flavor into your podcast, into your brand, into your business because people are gonna connect with that. People don't want perfect because perfect doesn't exist. They want you, your experience, your expertise, your background. That's what people connect with. And it's like, man, I went through that too. She understands where I'm coming from. I'm gonna connect with her, and she's the one who's gonna help me, you know, with X, Y, and Z. Serve your community first. Your lived experience builds trust. All right. Well, your parents or your grandparents may have crossed the border, and now it is your turn to cross mental barriers. Every fear you face is not a stop sign, it is a green light to grow. If you are ready to start your podcast, I am here for you, amiga. I am here to help you. You can start an online business through your podcast by selling digital products, by selling your services, consultations. Like you can book clients through the podcast. You can do it. And I am here to help you set up those systems. So don't be afraid. We got this. Lo hacemos juntas. You are not alone. But I just want you to know that if it's been put in your heart for it was put in your heart for a reason to start a business, start a podcast, whatever this may be. And we're here. There's a whole community here of Ladinas and Podcasting to help you and to support you and to be there for you. So sign up um for the newsletter if you want to receive more podcasting tips or more behind the scenes from me. The newsletter link is in the show notes in the show description. And again, you can go to my stand store. That link is also in the show notes if uh when you're ready to start your podcast. Okay. Until next time, Kumutra More Coach Heidi. Thank you for listening to Mame Podcast.