Breaking the mold for success

Women are speaking UP more and demanding to be heard and taken seriously. There is a push in the boardroom and amongst the C-Suite for diversity, but that only comes from having diverse board members. States like California now are requiring women to be on boards and this is becoming an overall national trend.

Black lives matter has also helped elevate the importance for companies to hear minorities and a push for authenticity has become the golden standard. For this reason, companies also need to support women within their organizations to authentically reach female customers for their products. COVID has also helped female executives in corporations as the flexible work schedule helps them balance their work and home life, especially for mothers.

My advice to any woman in any industry would be to never lose sight of your goals. Nothing is impossible when your goals are clear. Determination and hard work will help get you there but do not ever give up or settle. You will need to work harder than anyone and be the most knowledgeable too. Success takes work and determination. As a woman you don’t have the luxury of not being the best – it’s the only way to guarantee you will be noticed. Be polite, but speak up. Don’t wait for opportunities to come your way – grab them and let your desires to succeed be known.

One of the biggest challenges I had in my career was getting people to understand and see my vision. When I set out to create a media company for Latinos, by Latinos, many people along the way wanted me to change the way I envisioned the company. It took perseverance and passion to overcome the loud voices telling me to change the direction I wanted to go. I am glad I did not listen because Canela would not be what it is today had I listened!

For female entrepreneurs, the lack of attention from the investment community is a huge obstacle to success. It’s starting to turn around, but it’s not even close to where it needs to be. There are many women-led investment firms that recognize this need, which is a step in the right direction. Female entrepreneurs also need to mentor and help other women to succeed. It’s very important that we support each other!

About the author
Isabel Rafferty Zavala is the founder and CEO of Canela Media, a leading digital media tech company that effectively connects brands with multicultural audiences through various touchpoints including its newly launched free-to-stream platform, Canela.TV, influencer marketing, branded content, and more than 180 exclusive Spanish-language sites.