Consuelo First generation Latinas, often at a young age, learn of their parent’s financial struggles and navigating a foreign business structure. These early lessons can lead to a sweet taste of success as described by Olga Espíritu, Founder of Tree of Life Wealth Advisory Group.
[Intro]
Hola Chicas!
Welcome to another Wednesday of the Life Lnxx podcast.
We are introducing you to a very special guest, in keeping with our Season Three format of interviews and video broadcast of our podcast episodes. How’d you like that rookie move version of my kickoff episode? In all sincerity today, our guest is Olga Espíritu, a latina financial planner.
Olga is founder of Tree of Life Wealth Advisory Group. Olga is a financial planner located in Florida, but not just any financial planner. She specifically focuses her expertise for women, women who are experiencing all the different shifts along their journey that can occur.
Before we begin our interview with Olga, I would like to just add a snippet of personal context to show how valuable Olga’s experience, expertise and willingness to guide other women can be,
I was 33 when I became a single mother of a two year old and a five year old. And coming from a family of all men and a Latin Catholic mother, I was guilted and shamed to believe that I would fail if I did not have a man. And, like you heard on one of our previous episodes, I was ridiculed outright for wanting to buy Apple stock, in the mid-nineties, at $14 a share.
Now, if I had had access to a financial planner, like Olga Espíritu at the time, my life and that of my daughters, would’ve shifted dramatically. But, there was no one like that out there. That’s why I’m so excited to have her on this episode today so that you can revel in being successful and being heard, as you listen to her bring not only her life story, but the expertise for being financially cared for, for the rest of your life.
Interview
Consuelo:
So, welcome to the Life Lnxx podcast. Today we have a really, really amazing woman here as our special guest, Olga Espíritu, who is going to be talking to us about her cultural heritage and how that’s influenced her in her Founders story.
So welcome, Olga!
Olga:
Thank you so much, Consuelo. I’m really, really honored. And I am just so looking forward to this conversation.
Thank you for the opportunity to talk about myself, which I usually don’t do. So let’s see, let’s see where this goes.
Consuelo:
Okay. We like to hear it all because for sure, it’s going to resonate with a lot of women out there and encourage them to tell their stories, as well.
Olga:
Beautiful.
Consuelo:
So give us a little introduction about yourself.
Olga:
All righty. Well, I am a Latina financial planner. I work out of the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area but I’m originally from New York. I was born and raised in Queens, New York. I started my work and my career there. As you know, the City that never sleeps. It’s a financial capital of the world.
Naturally, growing up in a family, my parents are immigrants from Ecuador, and they came to this country looking for what we all come for. All of our ancestors kind of come for a better life and to provide for the future generations. And so growing up, I knew that financially we were not very stable. They were always conversations around, “How are we going to cover the rent this month?”.
Any expense that would show up unannounced would be a big deal. And it was something that I picked up, from my parents, that money was difficult. It was a difficult subject. It was something that could cause conflict in my household because every dollar was tracked.
And so, this had a huge impact on my upbringing. Also, you know, as a child, you kind of notice the things you don’t have, and they’re kind of a big deal when you’re little. You’re like, “Hey, how come I have the Barbie whose head falls off all the time?”. And my friends have the nice ones, with the pretty dress, you know?
And so, I knew that somehow, some way, in the future, that I would have to master this money thing. That I would have to know how to make sure it was never missing and how to make sure that when I had a family, that it wasn’t a matter of conflict; that it was actually something that, “No, no hacia falta”; something that wasn’t missing.
Right. And so, that’s kind of where this all began; to make sure that when I had little ones that I could get them, hey, maybe the nicer Barbie with the one that the head doesn’t fall off. Right?
But even more than that, if you don’t know how to maneuver it or manage this area or this subject you could find yourself in a lot of trouble long-term, as well. The way that people age in this country and, retirement and social security and all these things that we worry about our financial future. So, that’s kind of where all of I’ve always been thinking about aging, not, not even for myself, but because I knew that I would have to take care of my parents as well.
Consuelo:
Oh, that’s a big deal.
It’s a big deal, culturally and in the country, as well.
Olga:
Yeah.
Consuelo:
Because it’s totally different. It’s totally different.
Olga:
And you wouldn’t, you wouldn’t know this, but I actually wanted to be an opera singer.
Consuelo:
(Gasp) What?!
Olga:
Yes, yes. I wanted to be an opera singer.
Consuelo:
You know I’m going to ask you to sing?
Olga:
Oh, it’s crazy. It’s great. You know, even growing up in Queens in New York, like who wants to be an opera singer, you know?
Consuelo:
Well…
Olga:
What happened was, I had an amazing teacher in high school who used to sing opera. She was the real deal and had retired and she took me under her wing. It was something that… It was like two worlds collided because I wanted something like her mentorship, and she wanted to continue her singing. So, she poured it all out on me and it was just amazing. It was a great a great experience. And, I even got to sing at the Met.
Consuelo:
What?!
Olga:
Yeah, it was like a citywide contest for inner city kids. It was just a nice opportunity to sing on that stage. It was an intimate event, nothing public. It was for family and friends, but it was just the feeling of standing on that stage, you know?
Consuelo:
At that point, how old were you?
Olga:
Well, it was high school. I had to be like maybe 15 or 16, when that happened. It was life changing.
Consuelo:
So, at that point, were you like I’m going to do this or was that the hmmm?
Olga:
Well, that’s the thing. I knew that I wanted to do this, but then the little girl, with the Barbie head falling off, would always come back and say, “Hey, is this going to be a career choice where you’re going to be starving in the future? Will you be another starving artist in New York City?”
Consuelo:
Yes.
Olga:
And, so this little girl came back and kind of put me back on this realist path of thinking about myself, my parents, which I always call them my first children, because I’ve done everything according to them and making sure that they’re okay and that I can help them and make sure that I give back everything they’ve given me. Because, yes, financially is one thing, but love never was a missing factor in my life. So, my way of paying them back is to make sure that this money thing is not an issue for them.
Consuelo:
Oh, that’s so powerful. This is so beautiful. And the culture is very, very specific with that. I mean, it’s very engrained in family and love of family and care and is very different than the U.S., when it comes to how children relate with their parents later in life.
Olga:
I guess it’s also because, as a young child, I spent my summers in Ecuador with my grandmother and my extended family. So, even though they were far away, I always knew like, okay, you know, we have to stay close to our elders.
We have to be tight-knit and we help each other. And, watching my own parents, sending money to Ecuador, helping my grandmother build a house. And we didn’t have anything here, you know, but we had… my grandmother had a nice house in Ecuador.
Consuelo:
Aaah. But, first things first.
Olga:
Exactly. So it was kind of… I guess you learn more with what you see and not what you hear, you know? And, that’s pretty much… I never even thought it was any way different than that. I thought that was just the way.
Consuelo:
Well, yeah, but it’s a beautiful mix. It’s a beautiful mix when you’re being raised one way and you’re living it and you see the benefit of it and the relationship of it. And, it is a people first culture, not a money first culture.
But, you were, also, born with it. I promote a lot on the podcast that you were born the way you are meant to be.
And that little person, you keep close to the surface, because they’re the one guiding you. That’s your soul. To me, that’s your soul. That little person is saying, “Okay, that’s all great, Olga. We can go sing anytime we want. But you know what, I want the nice Barbie”.
Olga:
Yeah, I want the, I deserve the nice Barbie.
Consuelo:
I want to go shopping.
Olga:
And now that I’m talking about it, I’m actually surprised that I told you and use that example. You know why? Because, you know, I always wanted a daughter. I always wanted a girl maybe kind of like to heal this wound of getting this Barbie.
And look, I just told you I have four boys, so I never got the Barbie, even now.
Consuelo:
Boys can have Barbies.
Olga:
They don’t want them. Trust me, I’ve tried, I’ve tried. They just don’t want them.
And so what ends up happening is, this past holiday season, Christmas shopping and all this stuff, we’re looking through… I think there was like a pamphlet that came through the mail. And I saw this huge Barbie truck and it had a closet and you can hang clothes. And my husband’s like, “Are you okay?”.
Because I’m like, “This is all I ever wanted. Is it weird if I buying it for myself now?”
Consuelo:
No.
Olga:
He was like, “I dunno, I think you might need therapy.”
He’s like, “Get the Barbie. Just get it.”
Consuelo:
Yes, get it. Buy the Barbie camper.
Olga:
… “That might be your therapy. Just buy it for yourself.” No, it’s hilarious.
Consuelo:
With four boys.
Olga:
But, you see how life is? My God. It’s like incredible. So, I’m waiting for the granddaughter.
Consuelo:
The Universe.
Olga:
I’m waiting for the granddaughter.
Latina-Owned Wealth Management
Consuelo:
So significantly, your upbringing affects how you choose your career, beyond the opera singing, into financial planning.
Before we get into any more of your cultural aspects in your career, why don’t we talk about this amazing career that you have. Because especially, one, being a woman; two, being a Latina and you’re in wealth management?
Olga:
I mean, it’s crazy.
Consuelo:
I’m an engineer and I know it’s, uh.
Olga:
You know what it’s like.
Consuelo:
Wealth management in New York and then in Miami. And you’re a Founder.
Olga:
Yes. I founded my own firm.
Consuelo:
Let’s bring that all to the table because this is like,
Olga:
Listening to you say it kind of brings it all into focus. Like I said, I haven’t even thought about that because it was always so very personal for me, this career path. It was like I said for my family. It wasn’t anything,… it had nothing to do really with myself.
It was more of like, “Okay, how can I take care of my family, my parents and my future kids?” That’s all it was. And, I fell into this because I’m in college, just this way. I was like, “Hey, I need to learn about money. What’s the hardest subject and what’s that, finance? There’s no women in finance. Okay, that’s what I want to do”.
You know, I wanted to figure out to fit in a way where I could stand out, because I knew I had a lot against me, as far as not having the best education, right? I went to public school my whole life. And, I wasn’t an amazing student, you know, I was an average student.
And so, I knew that going into college I had… all the other kids would start the finance books and chapter 13, I’d have to read the first 12 chapters over the summer just to be on track. And so, those things all led to an internship that I had for a Wall Street firm in New York City.
I wanted to work for free. I would do whatever they asked just because I needed to at least be physically in the area and see what this whole, the industry was about. And it was very, very male dominated. And it continues to be. I think it’s something like 75, 78%. But, I did have some great mentors.
I did have a lot of people rooting for me. And so, they saw the fire that I had and, the willingness to learn and be there every single break through college. I’d go summers that… and I didn’t even have money sometimes for lunch. Okay, so. And they offered me a position when I graduated college.
It was an amazing experience. And, I learned everything that I, that I needed to eventually go off on my own. And, that’s what I did at the end of 2018.
Consuelo:
And so, in 2018 you leave.
Olga:
Right.
Consuelo:
And you go to start your own firm.
Olga:
Right.
Consuelo:
And, the name of your firm, Tree of Life Wealth Advisory Group. Did I get it right? Okay. Tree of Life Wealth Advisory Group.
Okay. So tell us about that.
Well, first of all, amazing congratulations…
Olga:
Oh, thank you.
Consuelo:
… because you started that and then had to go through the COVID shut down as a what…
Olga:
Oh my gosh.
Consuelo:
… a two-year-old company.
Olga:
Right, right, It’s crazy.
Consuelo:
So, tell us. How’s it going?
Olga:
It’s going very well, thank you.
Consuelo:
I love your office.
Olga:
Oh, thank you.
Consuelo:
Let me just tell you if anybody wants to see her office, go on to her LinkedIn profile, which we will put in this show notes.
Olga:
Thank you so much. Yes, no. So, we wanted to be, and when I say we it’s mostly me. I want it to be…
Consuelo:
Well, it is your firm.
Olga:
That’s right. That’s right. I want it to be a firm where even with the name, right? Tree of Life. We wanted it to be whatever it is for you. But the way that I saw it was, you know, the tree is so symbolic, right? From the roots to every leaf and every branch. I wanted to make sure that our clients understood that we weren’t transactional. Financial planning is not me selling a product or me representing a company with a product.
I wanted it to be very holistic, that we’re going to take care of you from the roots to the leaf. We’re going talk about all the things that are important to you, so that everything’s connected. That we’re not doing things on the left, on the left hand that are conflicting with the right hand.
We want to make sure that it’s holistic. You know, that we create plans and we create strategies that are not conflicting with each other. That, you know, everything is taken into consideration, including your family dynamic; including your psychology of money, including the goals you have, not just for the short term but for the long term. So that when we give advice, that we’re doing it in a way that there’s that synergy between all of those aspects.
Consuelo:
Beautiful. Beautiful. And so it’s going well, and you even have little subsets directly within your company, specifically for women.
Olga:
That’s correct.
Women’s Financial Planning
Consuelo:
Tell us about the branch specifically for women in financial planning because yeah, with 78, 80% of wealth planning being run by men, we really don’t feel comfortable that we’re getting something, that one, is sympathetic with how we live our life.
And, two, we do things that men don’t have to do. And it’s difficult. So, it’s beautiful that you have this branch specifically for us women.
So, tell us about that.
Olga:
Yes, thank you, Consuelo.
So, so yeah, it was something that I saw, throughout my 15 years of practice, that sometimes I’d walk into a meeting with, a couple, for example, and I’d see that the conversation was led maybe by the spouse.
And, a woman, in this instance, would be kind of in the backdrop, maybe not asking too many questions. Maybe feeling a little bit insecure. Or, sometimes, they would just say, “Look, I don’t handle any of this. Talk to my husband.”
And so, I realize over the long term that I didn’t necessarily want to challenge them. And, or force them, but I wanted to create a space where it was encouraged that women lead the conversation. A place where women could feel comfortable and say, “Hey, I don’t know too much about this, but I’d like to.”
And so, the Women’s Financial Planning Boutique, like you said, it is a subset, it’s a secondary branch, a sister branch, if you will, of Tree of Life Wealth. It’s meant to feel like a spa experience. One of the places we love to be, I mean, I love to be at the spa. And so you come in, you have a nice cup of coffee or tea and we sit and we chat.
It’s not your typical cold office, you know, with the hardwood floors and the marble or, what have you. It’s meant to be a place where you come, you relax. We talk like girlfriends. And, our financial planning is for women by women. And so there’s no topic that we won’t, that will circle around.
We can be candid. We can talk the reality of life, you know, things like divorce rates and the worries that a woman might have. And, when there’s blended families. I mean, so many things. Women tend to be caregivers, as you know. We tend to care for our parents and our children and forget about ourselves.
And so, that was the idea is to say, “Hey, let’s talk amongst women. It doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable conversation, and even if it’s not uncomfortable.
Consuelo:
You’re doing something really powerful and again, proactive because when I was studying my masters and some of my writings, I discovered in research that women actually, collectively around the world, are the third largest financial entity, after the U. S. and Russia.
And, when it comes to the household, the women are actually making 80%, 80% of the financial decisions.
Olga:
Correct.
Consuelo:
Purchases or options, or what, are made by women.
Olga:
Correct.
Consuelo:
But then, they have to go ask, “May I have…?”
Olga:
Don’t get me started on that.
Consuelo:
I’m just saying, I just saying how proactive it is that you see this as a necessary tool, when the research is already saying the power is in the hands of the women and the women are the majority of the wealth in the world.
Olga:
Yeah, no, there, there is so much research and it’s really, really exciting. The research is pointing at the fact that, you know. We already, like you said, we already managed the money. I mean, we’re the ones who, who knows? Planning the vacations, buying the groceries, what needs to be paid and when. And so, we already are wealth managers.
Okay. But, it’s like you said. It’s very much tied, you know, to so many other dynamics underneath that bring us lack of confidence. Right?
And, I think it’s education. It’s the education, right? It’s easier to do nothing.
Consuelo:
Or, lack, thereof.
Olga:
Right, right. Lack, thereof. Sometimes we do nothing and fear of doing the wrong thing.
Right. And so…
Consuelo:
Ooooh.
Olga:
Without the education, we do nothing or we do less, or we take a step back.
And that’s that’s the whole point is, you know, to handhold through the process. We have have something that we say, in the firm, which is, “Todos somos exitos”. We are all successful.
Meaning that we all have it within us. We just kind of need that little nudge from time to time that says, “Hey, you can do this. This is how easy it is. Look how simple it is. Did you know?”
And once you know, that’s it. There’s nothing that’s going hold you back. So, it’s kind of that, that philosophy that we already have it. We already had the gift.
Consuelo:
See, that is something that I think each woman, regardless of her position, regardless of her interests in the world, that she feels that. But there’s not very much around her. If anything, like you say, there’s more barriers and it can be exhausting to go live what you want, to go be successful, that you were naturally hardwired to do, when you’re spending so much energy, just trying to get through the barriers. And you don’t have as much energy left for what you were born to be.
But, having women, like you, say, “Oh, no problem. Let me get rid of those for you. And they’re like, “Wow! Wow!”
Olga:
Yeah. No, it’s so exciting; those aha moments where you’re like, “Really? That’s it?”
Yeah, that’s it. You know, let’s go step by step. I explain things and I always say, if you have to ask me this very same question a year from now, please ask it. Please ask it because it’s a lot of information, sometimes it’s overload, but the more you hear it, the easier it is to retain.
And, I encourage that. I enjoy explaining things. So please do ask me, do call me, you know? That’s the kind of environment that I want to have because I don’t want this finance and wealth and all these fancy words or financial jargon to keep women from empowering themselves financially. Because, if we don’t do it, who’s going to do it for us?
Right? There’s this big saying in the industry, in financial planning, that a man is not a financial plan. Right? Because sometimes things don’t work out. Sometimes, in fact, half the time, things don’t work out.
And so, as much as I’m pro happy marriages and all of the above, that realist comes back and says, “Hey, what if it doesn’t work out?”
What are the things I can do before I get married? Or, even when I’m already married? What conversations should we be having? What are some of the things that we need to do legally, so that everyone’s on the same boat. So that we don’t assume because they say you get to know who you’re married to when you get divorced, right?
That’s when you really learn who you’re with. And so, all of these things, I kind of bring them to the table and even if it’s tough to talk about, I’d rather talk about them now and not after the fact.
It’s a lot of soul searching. You would never think because it’s financial planning and soul searching.
No, but it’s important.
Consuelo:
Yeah, that’s very interesting that you bring that up and tie it together as such, because we, and I mean me, I’ll use me as the Guinea pig. Having been a mother, a single mother, for 22 years, and feeling both the cultural and societal barriers, and feeling the “Hello. Is there any father out there?” feeling, you tend to still separate the two.
That wealth isn’t associated with your soul because you have to trade your soul in order to have wealth. And, at least for me, it’s very difficult to see those two as the same and to put the focus on me and my wellbeing, financially, before others.
Which leads me to what we’re also going to talk about with, how the cultural traits…
So, personally, I see a lot of your cultural traits coming through in providing this amazing service that I don’t see here, not just where I live. And also, not just for the immediate Latino community, but for all women. And so, how do you personally see your cultural traits or cultural heritage coming through in your professional life?
Do you identify certain things? I think even your conversational style. I see it as a cultural heritage.
Olga:
Oh yeah, well, yeah. You know, it’s funny you say that because the entire process, just the fact that we’re so connected, are so in tune with including the family, right. Including that entire layer of.. not just your children, because those are the ones you typically put them even before you.
Right. it’s also thinking about, like I said, how has your family dynamic going to affect your finances? These are things usually gets skipped over. We talk it about, you know, “Okay, how much can you put away? What’s your budget?”. It’s so numerical and so cold and in black and white that you really don’t, it’s almost taboo to ask somebody about their personal lives.
But, I think that’s a huge mistake because If you ask me about my finances, I can’t separate that from my parents and what I’m doing, for them and how important that is for me. Even if I was talking about my estate planning, if I need a will or trust, they’re definitely part of that conversation.
If I need life insurance, well, a portion of that money I would want for the care of my parents if I’m not here. You can’t detach the family dynamic from the finances.
And so, our conversation aims to not just include the family, but what are your priorities? What are the things that maybe we’re missing?
What moves you and what makes you get up and work every day? What are we working for? Right?
What are we saving for? What is this all for? Is there something that you want to make sure that gets taken care of, whether it’s a person, people or a cause?
Consuelo:
Wow. That is so powerful. I could see women just flocking to your website because I don’t know. Maybe we could have a little cut to the front of the line if they heard it on the Life Lnxx podcast first. No discount just to get to the top of the line because wow, this is something I’ve never heard anyone talk like this.
And, talk with the understanding because you walk the talk. You have been there since you can remember and did what you need to do. That’s also very difficult is to, to walk through that hazing of, you know, a very male dominated career, in a male dominated society and, say with your goal ahead of you and say, “Well, this is what I have to do in order to get to what I really want to do, what I really want to do for women and for the Latino community and providing, making sure they’re provided for.”
Which again, the people aspect, is not associated with wealth management.
Olga:
No, it’s not.
Consuelo:
So powerful. It makes me so happy.
Olga:
Oh, thank you, Consuelo.
Contacting a financial planner
Consuelo:
So, okay, for our listeners, do you have to be in the Miami area to…?
Olga:
No, absolutely not.
Consuelo:
How would they reach out to you?
Olga:
You can reach me on my website, whether it’s… It’s best to go through Women’s Financial Planning Boutique. Since there’s a calendar there, you can sign up for a zoom call, a phone call or an in-person visit if you’re nearby, happen to be vacationing.
But I I’m a licensed across many states in the U S and if I’m not licensed in the state, you’re in, I can do that very easily. And so, it’s a matter of reaching out and starting the conversation and we can set up, like I said, a zoom, it doesn’t have to be that, you know, you have to walk into the office.
Although, I’d love for you to.
Consuelo:
Well, that’s a great process though, because I think your process that you have available on your website really is the first step in knowing that “Oh, I know she’s free. I can book it on the calendar right here. I’m going to have a conversation.”
We know how easy it is to talk to Olga. And, so right there, it’s like, oh, that clears so many barriers to engage in the conversation and go to go forward after that would be more exciting.
Olga:
Yeah, no, It’s like booking, a massage at the spa.
Consuelo:
So massage for your money: grow, grow, grow. So I can have my vacation and my spa.
Olga:
Exactly and I love that you said that because that’s really what we want. We want it to be as easy as possible.
Sharing Cultural Identity
Consuelo:
To me, you’ve hit the top of the mountain, but you might see yourself as still climbing this mountain. And you you’ve very fully have your cultural heritage and identity engaged every day with what you do professionally and personally.
Which is what I try to encourage women that you don’t have to choose. You don’t have to choose, “Well, my culture is over here because no one will understand it. And I go live this way in, in like for us in the U S this, in the way.”
But you’re a very good example where it blends together. And if anything, it’s creating a new source that we don’t have, haven’t had.
What other areas do you bring your culture forward, like to your boys? What do you want to share with your boys as far as your cultural identity.
Olga:
You know, it’s funny you say that because, as hard as I’ve worked to be financially secure and make finances a priority in my life, personally and professionally, I also recognize that the more you do for your children, the less they’ll do for themselves.
Right? And so, we still talk to them about the importance of saving. We pay them for their their chores. We encourage them to split their money, a portion of for charitable, in gifts, gift giving, a portion for the future portion for needs versus wants.
And, we try to teach them to be able to fend for themselves and kind of struggle a little bit. Firsthand, I think those trips to Ecuador every summer and those things that I did and saw true poverty, like truer poverty than what I was going through. I think that those things really put life and things in perspective for me; to not take things for granted, to work hard.
I try to instill in them that on certain days of the week, we all have dinner together, no matter what, no matter where, so that when they have their families, that they feel the need to come home and at least once a week and have dinner with mom. Those are the things that are really important to me.
Consuelo:
So, tell us then. This is a major accomplishment, and I won’t even say, for retirement, because I don’t like that concept of retirement.
I consider where you’re at right now, your second utopia because you’re living this beautiful life with this young family, vibrant family, a successful founders story, a beautiful concept, that’s going to take off immensely. I can’t imagine.
But we also know that there’s this third utopia. Kids are out of the house, you can do whatever you want.
What does that look, for you?
Olga:
So, part of my long-term goals, I would love to inspire other women to pursue finance as a career. You really are the master of your future.
You really are able to…, like, for example, I have four children because I have the ability and the flexibility and the means, and all these things where that was an option for me. It was something that we did on purpose. It was something that we looked forward to because we knew that I could take the necessary time to stay home or work from home, or, take off weekends or work weekends and not work weekdays.
So the ability to provide this path, this career path to other women, I think is very much something that I want to do in the future.
That’s one thing.The other thing would be to expand and be able to do this across the country. Being able to have satellite offices, whatever we need to do to increase that footprint, where women feel like they can talk about money. It’s almost so normal in the future.That’s what I hope.
And so, I hope to be part of that shift and that impact.
Consuelo:
Oh, it’s beautiful. Yes. I think you already are and it’s going to grow and you have to stay energetic.
So tell us a little bit about yourself then going back. You love going to the spa.
What do you really do? Where do you go for the big fun?
Olga:
Are you ready? Are you ready for this?
Well, what do I love? I love dancing salsa. That is a passion of my life. It’s how I met my husband, by the way, on the dance floor.
It’s our thing. It’s how we escape. It’s when we forget about everything. We don’t care about anything, but the music and the dance floor.
I love, love, love, salsa. It’s something we’re super passionate about and, if we were talking long-term, I’d love to have like a little lounge or cafe similar to the one where we met on a Tuesday night, like a random Tuesday night to salsa, just having a cocktail and just enjoyingthe music.
I’d love to have a little nook somewhere where we can just enjoy those experiences. And, that’s a huge, huge passion of ours.
Consuelo:
I love that. We haven’t even talked about your husband.
Olga:
Oh, yeah. Yes, he’s Latino. He’s actually, it’s interesting, because, he was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Hisparents are Peruvian, though. He’s from Peruvian heritage. He just happened to be born in Venezuela, in the eighties when Venezuela was like the New York city of South America.
And so he, at a very young age, I think when he was just a few months old, his mother moved to New York. And so he was raised in Brooklyn.
And so, if you ask him me, he’s from Brooklyn.
I have my strengths and my weaknesses just like he does. And, we help each other kind of see things from a different perspectives. Sometimes I’m very rigid on some things and he kind of helps me come around and think twice about things and analyze things in a different way.
But yeah, we’re definitely have that same kind of goal at the end of the road. So, we try not to let the battles keep us from winning the war.
Consuelo:
It’s a beautify story. It’s a beautiful family and the way you support each other is just really important.
Olga:
Thank you, Consuelo. It’s a beautiful struggle as they say.
Consuelo:
Yes, and we are humans and we are born to struggle. That is our human aspect.
So, for our listeners, and I speak specifically within the Latina culture because for instance, in engineering there’s, what is it, 2% are Latinas? 2%. And, Latinas with higher education, like graduate studies, 4%, you know?
So, it’s just like, so why not just talk about what it’s like to be that, because there’s just not enough voices out there being able to describe what it’s like and how to get through the struggle and how to even provide the empathy. Like, “Yes, I know what this is like, and yes, you don’t just get over it.”
You can be empowered by the culture and empowered by this position. Like the way you, wow, struggled. You put yourself like in the fire of the struggle.
I’d be more like warming my hands, like, “okay, that’s close enough”.
Olga:
You’re funny.
Consuelo:
So, what you would share with women about moving through the struggle, maybe, whatever the struggle is.
Olga:
So, that’s a wonderful question because I think part of our defense mechanisms. I sometimes just hearing you kind of say these things and even you asking me, I have to really dig deep and remember.
Remember how and how painful it was. And, I can talk about it and laugh about it but it really shaped, as you can see, shaped my entire life.
And so, I always think about things with the end in mind, right? Thinking about the end in mind and having that carrot at the end of the tunnel kind of be so much greater than the short-term struggle. Whether you’re studying or you’re in debt, or, just, like you said, your single mom. Whatever you’re going through, just think about how every step, every moment, every day is just getting you closer to putting this behind you.
Right? It’s getting you closer to that carrot. It’s getting you closer to that goal and it’s necessary. It’s a necessary part of your story so that you can celebrate. So that you can look back and say, “You know what? Thanks to those things, thanks to those hardships, I can now celebrate even double or triple because I can taste the success because of all the things that I had to go through to get here.
So what I would say is let that be the taste that lingers. Taste the success, not so much the sour taste that we had to go through to get there.
Consuelo:
I love that! There are so many quotes I am going to pull from this conversation. Oh wow. That.. I love that. I am hooked on that because I think even, like we said, even living the culture out loud on any given day, it’s sometimes so much easier to retreat.
Like we were kidding each other about our names.
Olga:
Right, right.
Consuelo:
It’s like, do you want to keep insisting that your name is pronounced a certain way? Or, do you just say, “okay, forget it”.
And I think, even something so intimate to your identity, we give up on. And so, can you imagine, how, of course, it’s in our human nature to just say, “okay. I can’t get to that carrot. So I’m going to take this piece of lettuce.
Olga:
Right, right.
Consuelo:
It’s just, “I want to stop. I want to quit. I can’t do it anymore”.
Did you have something specific that you relied on that gave you that renewal to keep persevering through the struggle? Was there anything specific?
Olga:
Yeah. I think what really helped me was that I had people that were very successful around me and I realized that there was nothing ultra special about any of them. There was nothing that separated me from them.
It was like, “okay, you just did what you had to do. Okay. Then, what do I have to do? Just tell me what I have to do. I’ll do it”.
Consuelo:
But, even so, taking that emotion, that personal emotion out of the conversation
and just saying, “here’s what I need to do. Here’s the chores”.
It’s not about the “what if’s” so much as the “what is”.
Focus on what is…
Olga:
Right. Don’t let the if’s get in the way. Yeah.
Absolutely. And I know exactly, you know, firsthand what you’re talking about. I’m not gonna sit here and say that I never felt overwhelmed or never felt belittled, even indirectly, without anyone trying to belittle me, you know?
There was a lot of internal conflicts, you know? And, as you saw, even from choosing my career path, there’s so many things. And then also the “what if’s”, like you were saying.
What were people thinking of me? They know I don’t know anybody with millions of dollars to invest. They know I have to work a lot harder to build my book of business.
And so, I took, again, those “what if’s” – they did try to get in the way – but that’s where you kind of ground yourself and say, “No, no, no. Look at so-and-so. They’re doing great. I can do great. If this is what they did to get there, I’m going to go ahead and follow those steps”.
And, I think, if you ever have those little voices, you really need to surround yourself with people that have similar aspirations, are positive, are going to encourage you or give you that ear. Not necessarily to talk you out of your feelings, because it’s important that we get those out, but, it’s important to surround ourselves with people that know what we’re capable of and are happy to cheer us on when we begin to doubt ourselves.
What Are You Saving For?
Consuelo:
Yes, yes. That’s beautiful.That’s beautiful.
Okay. So, I have two questions left.
So, we were talking about like the salsa, the salsa bar that you’re going to have, that I have VIP entry to. It has it be on a beach. I need it on a beach.
I put the question out there, if you were to walk through a portal and you didn’t know what was on the other side, what is your hope, biggest dream, would be on the other side for you.
Olga:
Ooh, that’s a great question because it has so many layers.
You know, the first thing, when you started saying the word portal, I thought of my children. Right. I thought my children first and foremost, because, like I said, I’ve been working for them since, before they were here. I’ve been planning for them before they were even a thought. Right?
So, I always think about them. And so, I hope, that they can live the lives that they want.I hope that they live lives where they’re enjoying, they’re giving back, they’re helping, they’re laughing.
They’re getting the most out of the short time that we have on this planet.
That’s what I hope, to be sitting somewhere, watching them live those lives.
Consuelo:
Oh, that’s beautiful. That’s a dream. Yeah. And it’s in motion, so it’s just, that’s your third utopia.
Olga:
That’s right.
Cafecito Shout Out to La Carreta
Consuelo:
Okay. Here’s the closing question? Just because we like to give our shout outs.
So, the cafecito. Very important, typically. Very important.
Olga:
Yeah.
Consuelo:
The cafecito. Do you have a favorite place there where you live, that you go to?
Olga:
It’s my favorite, just because, they’re quick, like New York minute type of quick. You know, I find it very difficult here in Florida. Oh my God.
I’m still, I’m still getting accustomed to it. But there’s a place called ‘La Carreta’ which is, you know, they have a ventanita. You run up, you get your stuff and you go. It’s really the closest I can get to like even a Dunkin’ Donuts, in New York, where they’re working through two registers, one person.
That’s how it is. And so, here, I actually timed a place once, where it took seven minutes and I was the second person in the line.
I’m like, oh my God, right? But, yeah.
La Carreta, thank you for saving me. Thank you.
Consuelo:
Carreta. You had better be careful. You’re going to get blacklisted if they go, “Oh, no. Here she comes”.
Olga:
I’m counting. I’m counting. I have four kids, you know. Time is money over here. We got four kids, four schedules. We have, you know, jumping in the soccer mom van. Let’s go. We gotta go.
Yeah, it’s crazy. But no, I love all cafecito, though. I’m a coffee aficianado. I love it. I love it.
But yes, Carreta, thank you for saving me so much time.
Consuelo:
Okay, beautiful. Beautiful.
Oh, well, so much gratitude, so much fun. Oh my goodness. I would just come up with another random question just to do this. You’re going to see your calendar on your website booked, “Consuelo, Consuelo, Consuelo”.
Olga:
Yeah, anytime. Anytime. Just find a little look at my calendar and we’ll do it. We all need it.
Thank you for listening to me and for making me soul search. I can’t wait to be a research, anytime.
Consuelo:
Yes, yes.
So well, thank you so very, very much for sharing a lot of your time with us. We’ve learned so much about you personally, and the culture and how it influenced your career and the beautiful vision you have for your family. It’s just something we really aspire to for ourselves.
Olga:
Yay. Thank you, Consuelo.
Consuelo:
So, get engaged with Olga at the Tree of Life Wealth Advisory Group. Tree of Life Wealth Advisory Group.
We will have all that information of you professionally and how you want to be contacted through the show notes, that will be on every streaming platform that people listened to this podcast on and it will also be on our website because of the episode transcription.
Olga:
Oh, wonderful.
Consuelo:
So we will take care of that. We will take care of that for you.
So, thank you for all that professional aspect and I’m so, it just makes me so happy. I just feel so relieved that this exists.
Olga:
Well, thank you. This is definitely a two-way street. I definitely am really happy that we got a chance to stop and think and talk. And like I said, you made me dig deep and some things that
I didn’t even know would come out today, but they did.
But I’m glad, I’m glad. I hope that at least one of those quotes helps someone.
Consuelo:
Oh, absolutely.
If you would like to contact Olga Espíritu, learning so much of how she can help answer your questions, even the most simplest questions. You can find her contact information on her LinkedIn profile at Olga Espíritu, E-S-P-Í-R-I-T-U. And, also, if you would like to go ahead and jump into that opportunity of getting started, just to reach out and chat with her, you can go to WomensFinancialPlanningBoutique.com.
There, you can see the calendar that Olga was talking about and you can book a 30 minute session, a 60 minute session. Of, even book that one hour, in person. Who doesn’t want to fly to Florida and have a one hour meeting with Olga, and begin planning for your financial security.
No matter where you are in life. No matter what you’re experiencing, we empathize with you and we want to support your journey. So, you can take that stressful piece of financial planning out of your worries.
All right, ladies. Cheers to all of you in your financial planning, success in your financial security.
Thank you, Olga, Espíritu, for guiding us and encouraging us and sharing your beautiful story, your perseverance to struggle and taste that success at the other side.
Step into your truth, ladies. Ciao!
[Outro]
