Elevate The Hustle

Your VA Could Be Your Next Leader ft. Gabriela Rodriguez

• Elevate Teams • Season 1 • Episode 14

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 48:33

"This is not the ceiling for me. I need more, I want more, and I've always worked for that."

Gabriela Rodriguez started as a virtual assistant in Venezuela in 2017. $1 an hour. Paid in a collapsing currency. Her first client? Cold calling people in Mexico to book appointments. She got removed from the placement—couldn't hit the goals. But she didn't give up.

She got placed with Stan doing marketing work for his production company. Then COVID hit in 2020, and Stan's production business went to zero. He kept just one employee through it all: Gaby.

When Stan and Dom started Elevate Teams, Gaby wasn't supposed to be part of it. Just budget and marketing help. But she kept getting pulled deeper—more meetings, more responsibility, more seats. Marketing. Finance. Sales. Operations. She did it all. 

Nine years after starting at $1/hour, she's the Head of Operations. She built the systems that run the company. She trained the team. She's the soul of Elevate. And she's still not satisfied. This isn't her ceiling.

In this episode of Elevate the Hustle, Stan and Dom sit down with Gaby to talk about never settling, working your way up from the bottom, and why ambition doesn't care where you're from or what you're paid.

Gaby breaks down:

  • What it's like to go from $1/hour to running operations for a US company
  • Why consistency and showing up ready for anything is what separates good from great
  • How she learned English from YouTube (shout out to Logan Paul)
  • Why stability and opportunity mean everything when you're building from Latin America

Plus, Gaby talks about being Stan's toughest critic, why she still dreams bigger, and what it takes to inspire an entire team across borders.

If you've ever felt like you're stuck, like your ceiling is determined by where you started, or like you need permission to want more: this episode is for you.

Real talk, real stories, and occasionally real bad language.


🌐 Website: elevateteams.io
📷 Instagram: @elevateteams
🔗 LinkedIn: Elevate Teams
🎙️ YouTube: @ElevateTheHustlePodcast

SPEAKER_07

I was making in 2017. I was making one dollar an hour and I was paid in Bolívares, actually.

SPEAKER_02

You were you were you were balling. You were balling. I was.

SPEAKER_05

I was with my dollar an hour.

SPEAKER_04

Like you have one of the most inspirational stories, right? Because, you know, you start out as a VA, right? And you turn into somebody that sits in leadership in a company in the United States and your boss, boss lady, right? And you are, you know, proof, you're a case study.

SPEAKER_03

Elevate the hustle. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Welcome to Elevate the Hustle, where we break down what it actually means to build teams, scale companies, and lead with intensity. I'm your host, Stanley Mayton. I'm Don Picharillo. And we have another exciting guest with us today, all the way from Venezuela. Gabriela Rodriguez. Welcome to Elevate the Hotel.

SPEAKER_07

Thank you. Thank you, Dice, for me.

SPEAKER_04

Gabby. I mean, this is a very special guest. This is like, like, we've been trying to get you on the show. I, you know what? We I need to do a better job of prepping and knowing what episode we're actually recording. But we've been trying to get you on the show for months. And and the answer, your people kept saying no. Your people kept saying no. And we we kept pushing. And you know, we're gonna continue to push, and we're gonna continue to try. And finally, finally, finally, we got the okay. We got the green light.

SPEAKER_01

Gabriel Rodriguez.

SPEAKER_04

Uh they did. Welcome to the show. Thank you.

SPEAKER_07

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04

Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do. Why are you here?

SPEAKER_07

Sure. Um I am the head of operations at Elevate Teams. I live in Venezuela. I've been working with Elevate for the very beginning, from the very beginning, since it was just an idea in these brains. Um definitely excited and happy to be able to see the growth. Um, a little bit about me. I have a marketing background. I love anything design or marketing related. I truly do. However, I feel like I thrive on their operations because my brain just works that way. I like to be a part of everything and I feel FOMO whenever I'm not. I I just have to be involved. So being able to um see elevate from the very beginning, it allowed me to understand pretty much everything. So that's why I'm now the head of operations and not well.

SPEAKER_03

You sat in pretty much every seat in the company. No, she sat in every single original org chart was it was it was me. Gabby is an integrator, Gabby in marketing, Gabby in finance, Gabby.

SPEAKER_04

I well, by the way, I think she still sees sits in a lot of seats. But before we get into that, I I I mean, there's a lot there that we're gonna we're gonna let's talk about how we met, because I I think that's probably the more interesting story here, and it's gonna give everybody more insights on why why Gabby's here on the show and then tell her story. But how how do we meet? How do long we know each other?

SPEAKER_07

We are coming on our nine years this year. Can you believe that? By October, by October, it will be I always like this fun fact. I've known Stan longer than I've known my husband, which is crazy to me.

SPEAKER_00

That is I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_07

Right? It is crazy. I met Stan prior to meeting my husband. So um, how did we meet? So actually, I started working for a virtual assistant company. This was, I swear, I've been the first employee for many companies now. I was the first employee for that company. I remember my brother's girlfriend at the time told me, hey, there's this gringo trying to find people that speak English. And I was like, okay, I guess I know a little bit of English, but I've never I had been to the US maybe a couple of times, and I've never been like, oh, full-on conversations in English. So I was hesitant to do it, but I went and met him, and he was like, you know what? Perfect fit. I was like, I wasn't gringo, by the way.

SPEAKER_02

I'm a gringo.

SPEAKER_07

No, no, different gringo, different one. Yes. So I was hired as uh I was supposed to be a virtual assistant, right? For his virtual assistant company. However, since he didn't have any clients, I started being more of a do-it-all trash can for that company, right? So I did finance. I know at one point he wanted to do a t-shirts business, so I was doing the research for that. So I was the catch-all for everything up until he placed me with a client. So my first client ever was actually uh um a fund, I believe. So I was called calling people, yeah. I was calling calling people in Mexico, trying to get them an appointment with this guy. Of course, I sucked, I wasn't good. So um I I I never I've never enjoyed call calling. I it's just not fun for me. Um so I was removed from that placement. You were reaching the goals. Yes, yes. I was like, you know what?

SPEAKER_00

This is a appointments.

SPEAKER_07

I did. I did get a bunch. Of course I did. I'm not available. I'm not available, Stan, for D S Dr team.

SPEAKER_04

I'm busy. So I I'm gonna jump in and tell my side of the story. So I got introduced to the this entrepreneur and he he had a virtual assistant company uh in Latam. I actually have experience working with people from all different types of countries, uh, and not new to outsourcing. He somebody was like, you should really try Latin America. I got, I hired this company, they gave me a VA uh from Latam. I actually think her name was Gabriella as well. If I'm not sure, it was Gabriella, yeah. And nothing, you know, she wasn't great. Like, she wasn't great. I called, I called, you know, I called him two weeks later and said, look, unfortunately, I don't think this is for me. I don't have the time to train. Uh, I can't do this. He's like, well, before you leave, I have this girl. She kind of works for me part full time, but maybe I could like share her with you. Her name is Gabriella as well. Like, give her a try. She's amazing. Uh, and that was you. That that that was you. And I was like, I was like, okay, uh, let's, you know, let's give it a try. And uh, you came to work in my production company. Uh, and I believe like two weeks later, maybe a month later, I called him back and said, uh, I want her full time. Is that is that is that accurate? Was it a little longer? I don't know.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, I don't even I don't even remember how long it was really. Because I and I stayed working for him full time as well. Well, not full time, but you know scamming me. He was a little no, no, no. Um, I was definitely putting in your eight hours, but then I was doing the work for him as well. I was still being in the financy and like operations for him as well. But I don't think it was that long.

SPEAKER_04

And Gabby, how much were you making back then? And and and and and and before we get into it, okay, I just want to make sure that's not how much I was paying. This is how much the salaries w were.

SPEAKER_07

I was making in 2017, I was making one dollar an hour and I was paid in Bolívares, actually. So we used to pay all of the VAs in Bolívares with Venezuelan accounts. It was the most annoying process ever because we needed to convert the dollars into bolívares to be able to pay all these people. But it was good money then. It was good.

SPEAKER_02

You were balling. You were balling.

SPEAKER_05

I was, I was with my dollar an hour. Can't you believe that? That's crazy.

SPEAKER_04

But I will say, so like Gabby starts work for me, and I'm like, you know, like we would give her a task to do, and I believe it was like in the market, I don't even remember.

SPEAKER_07

I went I I started I started doing like website stuff. I was the one posting new blogs and reviewing all of that, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And and and we're like, just give it to Gabby, give it to Gabby, give it to Gabby, and she would like come back and she's like, done, what else do you want me to do? And we're like, whoa, like usually they don't come back, they come back like four days later, and it usually sucks, and everything that she did was like was like great. And she's like, give me more, give me more, give me more, right? I mean, I don't know.

SPEAKER_07

I yeah, and that's when I started reaching out to you because um you were supposed to be that marketing person. So that's when I started reaching out to you and be like, hey, I I I do need more work. I'm a little bit bored here.

SPEAKER_03

What what do you mean, supposed to be? What what was he doing, Gabby? Who knows?

SPEAKER_04

Trying to get out of the production business. That's what I was doing. Anything but production. No, I think back then I was still like, I'm gonna make it. You're still engaged, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was I was in it. Like I I think we had like 20 people or 15 or 18.

SPEAKER_07

Like we had I think for true film you were in it until the very end. I don't think you ever had the opportunity to disconnect that much. I don't think so.

SPEAKER_03

When when I first met him, he was glued to his phone and he's like, I can't miss an email, I have to respond in five seconds. Right. Man, this guy's intense.

SPEAKER_07

I don't know how Gabby just hasn't changed.

SPEAKER_04

It's not about me, it's about Gabby, right? So let's let's let's let's break down. I mean, we're gonna talk about all the ventures you have done with me and with us and how you have grown, and it's it's just an unbelievable story. But where does that like I mean you're like you're you're intense, right? From the perspective of like you're very calm, you're very cool, you're very collective, but like you mean business. You you're like, I'm gonna get this shit done, nobody's gonna stop me, I don't care what it takes. Where where does that come from?

SPEAKER_07

Um, I usually say it's it's definitely from my mom. My mom has been the breadwinner for my family since I've had knowledge of things. Um definitely seeing her work so hard made me be the woman that I am today. I just have seen her do it all. So definitely it comes from that, but also from me wanting to do a lot more. I've always pictured myself as this, and this is always a funny story I mentioned it's I've always pictured myself as this New Yorker. I always picture myself working for this big corporate magazine in New York, just like the movies. So I've always been ambitious, you know. It's not like I've been like, oh, you know what, a dollar an hour is fine. I'm good with this job. Um, if they send me something, it's okay, I'll do it. If they don't, that's even better because I'm getting paid for doing nothing. But it's definitely never been that way for me. I've always wanted to do more. I've always been very ambitious. And even you guys know this, like even at the point where I'm at I am today, this is not the ceiling for me. I I need more, I want more, and I've always worked for that. So I think it's it's it definitely came from my mom, but also it's a lot of how I am as a person. I never settle, I never like to I I I hate to be bored.

SPEAKER_03

I you're the toughest critic in the company, too.

SPEAKER_04

She is, she always doesn't give us great scores. And I I'm I I'm very proud to say that I instilled that in her.

SPEAKER_07

That's true. You're my only real work experience has been with you. So I am who I am because of you.

SPEAKER_03

But like you so you take this job for a dollar an hour, and are you thinking, like, oh, I'm gonna get to work with like US businesses and there's gonna be like potential opportunity there, and like this could be like a separate phone for me. That's what's going through your head, or yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_07

Because and and always the English, even I've always been interested in that. I didn't go to an English school or anything. I learned by watching YouTube videos. I used to be the Logan Paul number one fan of his blogs. I used to watch them every single day. So Logan Paul for helping Gabby uh speak better. I was a big YouTuber girl. So I learned from that. I've always been interested in the American culture. So me being able, and especially since True Film was based in New York initially, I was like, oh my god, I made it. And can you imagine little Gabby when I went to New York for the first time and I was working at the office? I even brought my own little boots so that I could be like the true New Yorker, and I had like my regular sneakers and then my boots to be able to put them on in the office.

SPEAKER_04

Just I actually remember that as well. You see, Gabby did come visit us in New York.

SPEAKER_07

I did. I went to New York in 2019 officially. Like you guys brought me there, but then I went in 2018, I believe, on my own and met you guys first.

SPEAKER_04

So just to put this into like, I mean, I I don't even know where to start, but but like Gabby's is like American, right? Like she is the gringo. Uh like every conversation we have, I mean, just the way her thinking, like from a culture perspective, she eats, lives, breathes, you know, like like USA, and then you know, you celebrate Thanksgiving. We always exchange, we always exchange photos of what we're eating for Thanksgiving. Uh, which which to me is absolutely amazing. And to see, you know, like you get started, where you got started, and we'll go. I mean, let's go through the journey, right? So COVID COVID hits, right? Uh, for those of you who don't know, I have a production company, probably like six months before, maybe four months before, six months before, uh, COVID hit. I made the brilliant decision to go all in on events and make our production company the exclusively for events.

SPEAKER_03

It was a good idea at the time.

SPEAKER_04

It was a good idea at the time. And COVID comes and and like I I remember this, like I remember sitting in the office, and you know, I think one of our my employees walks in and they're like, There's this virus coming from China, and I'm like, come on, like, you know, like this is all BS, like we're gonna be fine, whatever it is. And then, you know, COVID hit and everyone went home, and my production company pretty much went to zero, right? Like, nobody's doing events. Um, and I called Gabby and I'm like, you're actually the only employee I'm gonna continue to pay uh because I can't lose you. Uh I I need you. I didn't know what I was gonna do at that point, but I was like, I need to like I need to keep her, I can't let her go. I mean, obviously she was making, you know, a salary not as high as as some of my employees here, but it wasn't one dollar an hour. It was it was a it was a real scary and I was like, I'm gonna continue to pay you. I don't know what I'm going to do, right? And then probably what, like two, three weeks later, I called you up and I said, I said, Gabby, we're gonna be in the TTE business. Is that is that what happened?

SPEAKER_07

You asked me for a logo, yes. We need to put together branding for this new company. We protect. Oh my god, what is this about? So yes, it's it I mean, and I feel like that shows how you pivot in hard times. I don't know how you do it, but I mean, I was all in. I how could I say no? I I was hooked.

SPEAKER_04

So so so so Gabby went from you know being in the marketing seat in my production company to now she was in charge of I mean logistics, every everything for for We Protect, which was a PPE company. Then we went into then we went into the crypto business. Gabby was was was in charge of uh our podcast that we had, Go to the Metaverse. Um I'm sure there was a couple other things along the way, but then then we call, you know, when Dom and I started started elevate, right? Like I don't even think you were supposed to be in the business, right? Like I we were No, I wasn't.

SPEAKER_07

I wasn't. You were asking me throwing you like random shit to do like yeah, you and and I remember the first request was can you help us out with the budget and the marketing stuff for this new company that we're working on? I remember the names were going around, you didn't even have a name for the company or what you wanted to do there. So I was like, okay, yeah, I'll help. And and I I also because I had the experience with the previous VA company, right? So you kept asking me about you know time tracking softwares and where should we be looking into for um the people and everything. I don't even think I was fully involved until you guys saw that it was getting a little crazy with the people that you had. Then you were like, hey, can you help out a little bit more? And you started putting me in the meetings, and that's when I started meeting the rest of the team. Um, but yeah, it wasn't I wasn't supposed to be. I was supposed to stay with Stan.

SPEAKER_03

What did you think before we met? What was your um No. What was your take on me, Gabby?

SPEAKER_00

That's a great question.

SPEAKER_02

What was your take?

SPEAKER_07

So this is funny because I was working for the so Dom had a virtual assistant from this virtual assistant company that I was working with. So I had I've always been the one billing Dom and getting his VA's paid, and he was I think I had to email maybe a couple of times.

SPEAKER_00

I like it.

SPEAKER_07

But I remember um it was this insurance company, and oh, because the girl you had used to be internal as well for Stephanie. Um for the other, no, one of the first ones, the very, very first one. Everybody's Daniela, yes, that one, yes, yes, yes. So she used to be internal, so we were buddies internally. Um so and I know she left. You were supposed to take her there, she left. I don't even know. I don't even remember that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, she and the I forget what happened, but she like the world bomb.

SPEAKER_07

Um but I remember this insurance company, the name Dominic Picarello. I was like, this old guy, old, old, old. I that was what I was imagining. And the first meeting we had, I swear my jaw dropped. I was like, no way, because of course you were younger back then. And I was like, no way, this is Dominic Picarello. No way.

SPEAKER_03

You pictured like Tony Soprano or something.

SPEAKER_07

Yes. Yes. Yes. Crazy. Right. It was so funny. I think it's the end of the street.

SPEAKER_03

We're not the insurance guy? Like what where's the older guy?

SPEAKER_07

Is this the assistant? And he forgot to change the name.

SPEAKER_04

You're the assistant name on Zoom.

SPEAKER_02

That's hilarious.

SPEAKER_07

Yes, yes. It was funny. But that's the image I have.

SPEAKER_04

So we we start Elevate. I I think at one point you're sitting in like the fun. Well, I mean, you were sitting in a lot of seats. You were definitely in the marketing seat. You were doing account management, right? You were in the finance seat.

SPEAKER_07

But I mean not just account. I was. Who was who was doing the email campaigns?

SPEAKER_04

Oh, fine, fine. You're right. You sat in you know you sat in the We got our first clients.

SPEAKER_07

Yes, that was me.

SPEAKER_04

That was you?

SPEAKER_07

Right, with the email campaigns and Tom.

SPEAKER_04

And the LinkedIn and the LinkedIn campaign. Yeah. But but the crazy, I mean, you know, like we're a little bit jaded. And like I said, I know Dabby for almost nine years, and she has evolved and to be an amazing leader and sits on our leadership team and is an absolute beast. Um, but like you're like God in our company. Like literally, besides besides like Marielle thinking Dom is God, like to everybody else in Latin America, like you have one of the most inspirational stories, right? Because, you know, you start out as a VA, right? You you and you turn into somebody that sits in the leadership company, I mean, in leadership in a company in the United States, and your boss, boss lady, right? And then like we tell everybody, like, hey, you know, you have an opportunity to come in here and turn it into whatever you want to turn it into, and you are, you know, proof, you're a case study. Uh, like, tell us how does that make you feel to be an inspirational figure to so many people in our company?

SPEAKER_07

I I've been told I'm the only shining star in someone's sky. It's true. I heard that this one.

SPEAKER_00

She said that's how does that make you feel? Um how does that make you feel?

SPEAKER_04

Like, like you really do inspire every I mean, like you come into the classes and you tell your story, right? And it's not like some bullshit message where where we're like, you know, here we go, we're gonna pay Gabby to come in and tell that story, and she's gonna walk away, and you know, like she's going back to take in the bathrooms. Like, this is this is actually true, right? Like you have a very interesting story.

SPEAKER_07

Yes, yes. I mean, honestly, to me, it's not that crazy because I I've worked so hard to get to where I'm at. It's not like it's been given to me. It's not like it was like, oh, you know what? She's the only Venezuelan. I don't see myself as sad, as like, oh, this Latin American girl that made it. I'm just another hard worker that I see in everyone. It doesn't matter where you're from or um what nationality you have. I think it comes from hard work. I do see where I can be an inspiration, and that is very um exciting for me because, and that's the whole purpose of our company, really. We are giving these opportunities to a lot of people in Latin America, not just for our internal team, but you know, given this opportunity, it's what I believe in, and it's truly what why I think the company is so successful, is because everyone here believes in that. Um being an inspiration, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04

I mean Well you you are you are an inspiration, you're an inspiration to to to to us and to everybody else out there. Um so what what's the last four years been like in LV teams?

SPEAKER_07

Um in one word, I would say crazy.

SPEAKER_04

It's the only word that kept popping into my mind, too.

SPEAKER_07

Definitely. I mean, we've done so much and it it it and you think about it, and it's hasn't been that long really for us to have been through so much. Um but crazy it's the word I will use to describe it. We've I I don't know, from being on in every single seat to now head of operations and building this new system that we're working with and that it's streamlining everything. I was just on a call with Dom and truly it has changed our lives.

SPEAKER_03

Um I don't I mean it's been tell him I actually know how to work the system, kind of. I I don't believe him. Does he?

SPEAKER_07

He does. I can log in.

SPEAKER_04

That's better than you can do. I can't log in. True. It's true. I don't even have credentials.

SPEAKER_07

I need to give kudos to Dom. He truly has been learning the system. Yes. He even shows off sometimes and it's like, let me share my screen for you and show you what I'm looking at.

SPEAKER_02

Good for you, Dom.

SPEAKER_04

I'm proud of you. So and and for the record, I I have told Gabby, I'm like, yo, Gabby, why don't you move to the United States? Come come, you know, we'll figure out a way to get your visa down here and move down here.

SPEAKER_02

And she's like, move to the United States.

SPEAKER_04

Like, why would I do that? She's like, you crazy. I have no desire to go anywhere. We we have Walmart though, Gabby.

SPEAKER_07

That is the only thing that would make me move, to be honest. It's having a Walmart. So I couldn't move to New York and McDonald's. Yes.

SPEAKER_04

I'm telling you, Gabby is the biggest amount. Like when Gabby comes here, we have to go get fast food. We have to go to Walmart. Walmart.

SPEAKER_07

All they want to do is go to this restaurant, and I'm like, please take me to Chili's.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, so this this is a this is actually a funny story. So the first time Gabby came to New York and and she's like, oh my God, she's like, I want pizza. And we're like, we're like, cool, no problem. Like, we're gonna take you, I don't know, whatever, like a fancy pizza place. And she's like, no, she's like, I just want 7-Eleven pizza.

SPEAKER_07

The$1 a slide.

SPEAKER_04

She's like, no, it's amazing. And we're like, no, we're gonna take you to real pizzeria with real pizza. And she's like, how would you guys do that? What's wrong with you guys?

SPEAKER_07

I mean, I just remember back then, not just that. Remember, you gave me a credit card and all I did was go to McDonald's.

SPEAKER_04

Um, she was like, Oh, I'm gonna go to McDonald's. Panda Express.

SPEAKER_07

Yes, I I love Panda Express.

SPEAKER_03

Well, all the good Chinese restaurants in New York City, and you're going to Panda Express. I thought you were gonna go to like Sabaros for pizza or something, and you're going to 7-Eleven. That's like exponentially worse.

SPEAKER_07

No, no. But here's the thing back then, a Pixar here would be like 10 bucks, and over there it was 20. So I remember someone from the team um told me, Oh, you should go to this place. It's like the most amazing pizza, and it's like$20 for one. I was hell no. Hell no.

SPEAKER_00

Even with Stan's credit card, you could what kind of limit did he put on this thing?

SPEAKER_04

Six bucks a day, bro. You could have all the dollar pizza you want. Uh no, but we're, I mean, it's it's it's been amazing just to to watch how you have matured. Uh, and literally, like, like you're great at figuring shit out, right? Like, we're like, hey, we need to get this done. And you're just like, okay. Like, I mean, even now, right? Like you're you're running ops, you're you're building everything in Zoho, and you know, there's it's not like you went to school for this. It's not like you're like, I've done this in the past, you're like, I'm just gonna figure it out, I'm just gonna get it done. And to me, that attitude and that mentality is you know, just absolutely amazing to see. And, you know, and like just when you look at somebody else, whether they're in the United States or where, you know, whether they're in Latin America and they're just like making excuses about BS, and it's like, like, why, you know, like if Gabby can figure it out, if somebody else could like just make it happen, right? Like, like you that should be the mindset, right? And that's why you are where you are today, and you're gonna continue to grow with us, and you know, you know, you might have other big plans, but we're not gonna let you go anywhere. So I'm I'm not gonna ask you what like your your goals are. Uh you're you're you're stuck with us, unfortunately. Whether you like whether you like it or not. Um, but we wanna, you know, we we definitely thank you for everything that you do, and you, you know, you definitely put your heart and soul into this. And I like we talk about all the time, right? Gabby is the soul of the company. Uh every single person, you know, the amount of res, you know, we're probably Dom and I are probably still the two gringos that everyone, you know, they're just like crazy gringo. And then they're like, there's Gabby, right? Who's like this like this this mythical figure that that appears sometimes and gives her speech, and everyone just like maybe one day if I work hard enough I could be a Gabby as well. Um which is cool, which which which is pretty cool. Um and fun fact, your husband also loves fast food. He showed me all his apps that he has, he knows where to go, but he has more apps on his phone.

SPEAKER_07

Not not not just he doesn't just love fast food, he loves the deals. I remember one time in New York because he went with me whenever I went to in 2019 to New York, he went with me. Um, I was working and he was getting to know New York City. I was like, okay, have fun sending me pictures. I remember one time he started paying in McDonald's with all of the coins he had. He it took him like 20 minutes to figure that out. I was on the other episode of the McDonald's waiting for him to finish because he had that coupon that he needed to take and then the coins that he needed to use.

SPEAKER_03

So I was like And the New Yorkers behind him are like, hurry the fuck up and get out of my way.

SPEAKER_00

What are you doing, bro? So that's true.

SPEAKER_04

What's it like? What's it like for somebody that's in that's coming into Latin from from the perspective of you know being from Latin? What's it like somebody that starts a job with us? Like what do you think they're going through? What do you think their mindset is like? Why do they want to work for, you know, be a VA for LA teams? What's your perspective on it?

SPEAKER_06

Um I would say really apart from being a virtual assistant myself, I would say the main thing is having the opportunity.

SPEAKER_07

I think most countries don't necessarily have the opportunity to work for something bigger than what you can get in your country. Um, for me specifically, especially back then, right? Back then it was like zero opportunities like that. It was a unicorn to be able to work for someone in the US. Now, of course, there's more and more, but the thing that makes us different, it's that we actually care about long-term placements, right? We're looking for people that want to be with their clients for a very long time. And that's stability, that's what everyone wants to hear, especially if you're in Latin America, you're trying to find a job that gives you stability, plus it's working for a US company. So I see those things as the bigger drivers for someone to come work for elevate.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I mean, even within the US, like insurance is one of the most stable industries, right?

SPEAKER_07

So Exactly, exactly. It's stability means everything here at least, you know, because you could get fired anytime and having that salary and you're working a regular job, it's not crazy hours, you're not working over the weekend or during nights. It's just a regular job that pays well and you're stable. And how long have we had our first client for? Four years.

SPEAKER_03

So September Yeah, three and a half. Right.

SPEAKER_07

And she has been she has been with that agency um for four years.

SPEAKER_04

So do you do you do you ever get like people message you message you and like tell you, you know, like thank you, you're an inspiration to me.

SPEAKER_07

Um sometimes I do get that sometimes, um, especially with the people that I had been an account manager for. So everyone I've worked with from a VA side, uh know whenever they saw I was put as the COO of the company, a lot of people congratulated me. It's because I had those relationships with them.

SPEAKER_04

So yes, yes, I I've had what what what do you think it takes to be successful at Lovated Teams?

SPEAKER_07

Good question. Being a hustler, number one, I think you need to be up for anything, really. I think you need to, at least in my experience, and and you said it, whatever you throw my way, I'm there. I'll get it done. But I'll also give you my 110%. Doing it not just half-assed, but doing it right every single time and being consistent is what it needs, what elevate needs. You just you just need to be consistent. I think that's one of the most important things. If you're going up and down all the time, it's not necessarily helping you in any job, really.

SPEAKER_04

How crazy are we?

SPEAKER_07

From one to ten?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07

Hundred.

SPEAKER_00

A hundred. That's fair. I think that's fair. What does that say about you?

SPEAKER_04

She loves it.

SPEAKER_07

I manage the craziness. I love it.

SPEAKER_04

I do love it. She loves it's it's organized chaos or maybe unorganized.

SPEAKER_00

I mean it is.

SPEAKER_04

But but but like, so funny story, we we had our annual meeting in in the Dominican Republic where we flew out our entire team, leadership team. We put them up in this beautiful villa. We actually flew in, I think we had eight or nine people from all over Latin America, and then everyone had to rate the year, and you know, I I think we like doubled revenues. And Gabby gave us a five. And I was very proud of that. I I was proud of that. I I I was like, Well, we're not growing fast enough, guys. Yeah, we're not growing fast enough.

SPEAKER_07

I mean, I that's true. I know the potential that we have, I know what we're selling, I know exactly how we're doing things. We had nothing a year ago. We not even not not nothing, but I mean, based on how we've been growing, we've had nothing. Like our sales department hasn't been touched in forever. I don't and and we're getting all of this done with these resources. Imagine if we put in a bit more people in here and start working our asses off. I think we're doing there too.

SPEAKER_04

We are hiring. So if if you're if you're if you are we are if you are if you have what is it.

SPEAKER_07

If you want to come work with me.

SPEAKER_04

If you if you believe that you could outward Gabby, which I'm gonna tell you, you probably can.

SPEAKER_03

Uh you can try.

SPEAKER_04

You could try.

SPEAKER_03

You can try.

SPEAKER_04

Come on in. Come on in and apply. We would love to, we would love to talk to you. Um but yeah, I mean, I I like that to me is what makes Gabby great. Like, or just everybody on our leadership team and everybody internally, right? It's like, hey, we're we're in the you know, second, third inning, and there's so much more game left, and we're just getting started, and every single person believes that. And like I said, we're not just giving them hush money under the table to say this. They actually really do believe it.

SPEAKER_07

Oh, so there's not a check coming?

SPEAKER_04

You'll get your payment afterwards, Gabby. Okay.

SPEAKER_07

Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04

Um all right. Well, let's get into the fun part. Rapid fire questions, where we ask you uh some personal questions and and see how you answer them. Uh rapid fire time. Let's go.

SPEAKER_07

I don't know if I'm ready.

SPEAKER_04

I I I mean, favorite McDonald's order is the first question I have.

SPEAKER_03

I was I actually thought of that too.

SPEAKER_07

It's actually a McChicken and really, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

That's it? Just a McChicken. Do you get like which dipping sauce do you get? Yeah, what sauce are you getting?

SPEAKER_07

No, no, no dipping sauce.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, you're missing out, Gabby. Yeah, I guess.

SPEAKER_07

Good job.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, Gabby, come on.

SPEAKER_07

Lame. I am. I we don't have those here, so I've limited options on dipping sauce.

SPEAKER_03

We're gonna send you some like chickens. What's your favorite day at Elevate Teams?

SPEAKER_07

Favorite day?

SPEAKER_03

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_07

Like of the week?

SPEAKER_03

No, like of all time. Ever. Most memorable.

SPEAKER_07

Um probably our last annual retreat. I think the first day there, the energy was through the roof, and everyone was just so excited to be there and meeting everyone in person for the first time.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it was a little different than the first one we did, too.

SPEAKER_00

So I was just that's oh no. Jose.

SPEAKER_04

So let we're gonna back up and come back to rapid fire. Our first annual retreat was us and Dan and another gentleman.

SPEAKER_00

And Jose.

SPEAKER_04

It was horrible.

SPEAKER_00

We could call him Jose.

SPEAKER_04

Or hey Dom kept calling him Jose, which is not nice. But uh, and yeah, we we we were in the Dominican Republic, it was unorganized, we had no idea what was going on. Uh, and Gabby was like, what the fuck did I get myself into? But she knew, she knew, she she worked with for a while. She she knew what she was getting to. And fast forward to what two years later, right? Three years later, maybe? Two, two, two, two, two years later, we had 16 people, 15 people. We all stayed in the same house in the American Republic. We had chefs. Uh it was phenomenal. Uh, shout out to Jess, our producer. She said, wow, that beat the giraffe. We did have a giraffe come to a conference, and Gabby was there as well.

SPEAKER_03

Gabby's Gabby's seen it all.

SPEAKER_07

Yes, I was there. I've been I've been through everything. Just ask me. I'll have an answer for you.

SPEAKER_04

Heart of it all. Ready? Next question. I gotta go in for you. Favorite Starbucks order?

SPEAKER_07

Um, caramel macchiato with almond milk and a lot of ice. Venti. Because we don't have venti sizes here. Everything is this tiny, so I always get the largest size of every drink in the US. I love my drinky drinks.

SPEAKER_04

So everyone's own Starbucks cups at home, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I do.

SPEAKER_03

What's the best Walmart you've been to?

SPEAKER_07

Ooh, good one. Uh there's one in Miami. It's a super center. Any of the big ones, really. Because the one in New Jersey was just awful. I had to go from New York all the way to New Jersey in a bus to get to Walmart. I do not recommend.

SPEAKER_04

New Jersey, you gotta step your game up. Yo, shout out to Miami Walmart for keeping it 100.

SPEAKER_07

Sponsor us.

SPEAKER_04

Go to karaoke song, Gabby. We haven't done karaoke as a group. We should.

SPEAKER_07

We haven't. I don't karaoke much. It's not like a thing here. I swear.

SPEAKER_04

You had to pick a song. What song are you singing to?

SPEAKER_07

Uh uh a Hannah Montana song, probably.

SPEAKER_06

You get the best of both worlds.

SPEAKER_00

Um favorite American city. San Diego. Wow. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_04

That's probably my favorite.

SPEAKER_07

San Diego is my favorite ever.

SPEAKER_04

I'm gonna ask this question. I kind of know the answer. Most used app on your phone that's not work-related. TikTok? TikTok. Yo, go follow Gabby on the socials.

SPEAKER_00

She's a TikToker.

SPEAKER_04

She's an influencer, according to Dom.

SPEAKER_03

She's self-proclaimed influencer.

SPEAKER_02

That's all.

SPEAKER_07

He said I wasn't. Very rude.

SPEAKER_04

Dom, hit her with the last question. You gotta follow. There you go. Hit her with the last question, and then we'll uh What would your last meal be?

SPEAKER_06

Uh probably sushi. It's my favorite meal.

SPEAKER_04

No, no, no cream cheese?

SPEAKER_06

No, no, no.

SPEAKER_05

Brie cheese. No, no brie cheese. No brie cheese for me. Cream cheese is okay and sushi.

SPEAKER_00

I like sushi.

SPEAKER_04

All right. Well, you heard it here all. Uh, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if Gabby might, you know, run for political office in in Venezuela one day and and and take over. Maybe not. I don't know. Uh you heard it. Definitely not. But uh we want to thank you for not only coming on to elevate the hustle and sharing your story, but thank you for dealing with us too. You know, we we know we know we can be tough and and and uh not easy. It's not easy, but we're okay. Deep down, we're okay. Uh and very deep. Very deep. Yeah, like layers and layers. Way down there. But but seriously, we we literally could not have built elevate teams without you and obviously without our the rest of our team. But you were there in the trenches day in and day out, like grinding and making this happen, and we do appreciate you. And you know, like like when I talk about Gabby, it's like, you know, Gabby's part of the family. Like she comes and stays at my house, right? It's like it's not like oh, you know, like I have this employee in this country, and it's like, you know, it's like we talk about yeah, it's it's you're you're a fam. And uh we we can't wait to continue to grow, continue to grow elevate, and whoever complains in the company internally, for those of you watching, this is just for internal. Gabby's telling you to work harder because it's only a phone. You need to step your game up. Uh we hope you guys enjoyed the show. Make sure you hit that subscribe button, that like button, that uh comment button, and we'll see you guys back here next week. Thanks, everybody.

SPEAKER_00

Thanks, Gabby. Thanks, Gabby.