[00:00:00] consuelo: Welcome to Encuentras Your Voice podcast on this May 1st, an epic day and month for many, filled with honor and respect for women, mothers, workers, and many days of battles won and heroes born throughout the Latinidad. To all you May Birthdays, Happy Birth Month. May, literally, it be filled with your wishes and asks, the start of your dreams, and gentleness for a new, joyful 31 days of happiness. I'm your host, Consuelo Crosby, coming to you from San Francisco, California, every Wednesday to lift you up in midweek and get you to your fab weekend of self care and celebration of that awesome life you're living

[00:00:50] This is a PodClub episode when we reflect back on our full length guest feature of last week and cull the gems of life lessons that really help all of us live our fullest lives in our true authenticity.

[00:01:07] Last week, we hosted Cuban American Carin Luna Ostaseski, the first and only female founder of a scotch whiskey brand brought to market in its 500 year history. Why isn't this groundbreaking, printed everywhere news, right? This is epic. 500 year history. And she is the first and only, An amazing distinction that she shares with enthusiasm and grace, yet that fiery Latina pride. We have to put her quotes, so many of them, on some merch. This is going to be the prompter for sure. If you saw our reel, that was a clip of her speaking from the episode, she says, “Fire in our bellies, passion in our veins”.

[00:02:03] Which is what she credits fueled her determination to endure 80 rejections for partners in developing the blend, and 100 rejections when it came to funding. Personally, I would have probably thought the universe was telling me I was on the wrong path and stopped pursuing this dream.

[00:02:26] But Carin was on a mission. That wasn't about herself or money or success. For her, it was all about crediting legacy for her parents and family in honor of the sacrifices they made leaving their beloved Cuba. And not only legacy for the past, but for the future as well with Carin's generosity and compassion.

[00:02:54] Dedicating grants for entrepreneurs and marginalized communities, in her own words, so they don't have to go through what I did. That is what we're talking about today. How to create legacy honoring the past and elevating the future. Something that we generally assign to personal money and wealth, rather than the impact you can have on generations of people from your own business.

[00:03:27] Now, in case you haven't caught up with our fabulous Latina sessions, no worries. This one stands alone and will probably lure you back in to learn more about the fabulous Carin who graciously shared these gems with us. When I first learned of the why behind the what in Carin's dream of a scotch whiskey brand, I was totally taken back.

[00:03:55] Legacy would not have been my first guess. Especially in the distinction it gives Carin. If there was a goal to go after, that would make you the first woman ever. Fill in the blank. Would you be doing it for legacy of your family? At first, we think not. It might be for recognition, the award, the money, even the validation.

[00:04:24] That we are all that. But then a second later, we might think, well, we do tend to do things for others. It's in our blood. It's in our DNA. It's the drive behind our persistence and resiliency to keep going. When all the signs are saying, Are you sure you can do this? Anything come to mind? So many of those second guesses, self doubts, imposter syndrome, you name it.

[00:04:59] I'm sure everyone's experienced at least one time when you question, are you doing the right thing? So many times and scenarios when being the only one, the first one, just makes us feel that we're not where we belong.

[00:05:20] Carin teaches us an entirely different way to look at ourselves when we venture out into the unknown. She teaches us not to look at ourselves at all when it comes to considering the outcome. Make the end game bigger than yourself with greater purpose than personal accolades. It's just like Miguel Caballero and Luis Aldano shared with us last month.

[00:05:50] Focusing on a mission will fuel you to keep going more than if we focus on our own personal gain.

[00:06:00] And in both instances, Carin as a founder and Miguel and Luis as a screenwriting team, the purpose, the mission, was to create a product that celebrates others. That's the fuel. The little voice that tells you to keep going when you feel like quitting.

[00:06:22] It's not for the sake of others at all costs, though. especially your own. Defining a mission that brings joy to others is the focus that helps take the pressure off, the pressure that we assign on ourselves, the pressure of personal failure.

[00:06:42] The mission reminds us of the why behind what we're doing. So how do you find your mission? How do you discover that next big thing? How do you know what to create? By focusing on what you love to do. What brings you joy so that you can be doing it every day and seeing it as a blessing, a reward in and of itself, just the action.

[00:07:14] Even if it doesn't bring you fame and fortune. Discover what fills you with joy in the process and dedicate yourself to doing it. That is the fire that flames the fuel. That's the fire in the belly and the passion in the veins that Carin encourages us to embrace to get our own dream. For Carin, she loves scotch whiskey, not just for the taste, but for the experience of taking it slow, gathering with a friend, taking time to be present and listen, and ever so slowly Take those little sips of scotch, savoring the entire [00:08:00] experience.

[00:08:01] She loved discovering a blend that would welcome newcomers to the spirit. A gentle encouragement to try whiskey in a way never done before. Carin wasn't out to compete with the historical whiskey brands. She speaks to her gratitude of entering the space with a long history of her peers. No, Carin had the vision of gathering with her friends.

[00:08:28] Sharing the flavors of her Cuban culture, loving the taste with her favorite dulces coquitos and savoring memories of her Abuela's kitchen aromas. That's what we Latinas bring to a long tried and true product, A different vision, a different experience, a different memory than what's been done before, but in the respect of what has always been

[00:09:00] Finding your mission is all about what you love in life, what brings you joy and happiness. So if your why is to add joy into the life of others, to respect and honor your family, your culture and legacy, and your what is something you absolutely love about life, then the reward is your dream coming true.

[00:09:30] The why is the fuel and the what is the fire. Then the outcome is hot, hot, hot. It's your dream come true. But just like all things Latina, our heat doesn't end there. We open the doors and invite people in, just like our parents had always done when we were growing up. You don't leave anyone out in the cold to create their own fire.

You invite them in. Ask them to sit down, serve them food, beverages, start the music, start the dancing, share what you have, just like Carin did. She opened the doors for other entrepreneurs to succeed without the same struggle by offering over a quarter million dollars in grants for the love of all things Latina.

[00:10:27] Join us next week for another inspiring Latina that will get you up and going after your dreams. Alexa Martinez is a business and expansion coach with some fiery sass to guide female entrepreneurs and business leaders to their best success by stepping back from it. I know, wait, what? Yep. Alexa is all about leading women to a life based on their values and ultimately being rewarded with their most dynamic work. Now her tagline claims, 'not for the weak of heart', but that has less to do with Alexa's personality and everything to do with wanting her clients to be ready to reclaim their life.

[00:11:15] Her journey brought her to Melbourne, Australia, with encouragement from her mama. That, another shocker for me.

A journey that dove deep into the purpose of being. Far from corporate burnout and embedded in a life centered, on, personal and professional power. I don't know about you, but my mama would never have said, Yes, leave L. A. and go all the way to the bottom of the world and live your best life.

[00:11:46] But thankfully, that's what Alexa received. She received permission to let go of everything that was known, everything that she felt responsible for and go journey out into life to see what she was born to do. So join us as we learn more about this amazing Latina as she shares her invaluable insights on living your best life.

[00:12:12] Get a sneak peek of Alexa on Instagram at Alexa Coaches and see her examples of her work through the link tree in her bio there. Until next week, see if your mission is fueled by what brings you joy in life. See if you're living it now, and if not, then Alexa is the one who will get you back on track with your core values, those four values defined that all your decisions are made from.

It's going to be exciting. There's going to be some homework attached, but wow, you're going to love her. Step into your truth, ladies. Ciao.

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