Selena Gomez: Innovating Social Media

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By Mackenna Cummings

Actress and singer Selena Gomez got her start at the age of nine on Barney and Friends and quickly rose as a Disney Channel star with the television show Wizards of Waverly Place, where she played a Latina-Italian middle daughter on the longest-running Disney channel show. But the young performer has moved far beyond her early days as a teen celebrity, and she’s using her rising status to bring awareness to issues she is passionate about.

Today, Gomez’s songs have reached millions in records sales, she has been nominated for several VMA awards, and she is the highest paid influencer on Instagram, a social media platform where her life, interests, and projects are shared with her astounding 124 million followers.

In September, TIME Magazine recognized Gomez for being the first person to reach 100 million followers on Instagram in its project TIME Firsts, which highlights women making a difference in the world. The singer is grateful for the platform and how it has allowed her to connect even more with her fans, but she also tries to connect with them strategically. She admits that she is thankful she never grew up with this type of social media, because feeling good about yourself is hard enough as a young adult without being so aware of what everyone around you is accomplishing. This is why Gomez attempts to share her mistakes and vulnerability on her account along with her accomplishments. “I hope that they know that strength doesn’t mean that you have to put on a facade. Strength is being vulnerable,” she said in the feature.

And she has made quite an impact through her social media and her efforts to be open and honest. At 25 years old, Gomez has one of the largest voices and has chosen to use it across underrepresented issues, such as awareness for autoimmune diseases and mental health, equality for the LGBT community, her Hispanic heritage, and empowering students to make a difference. She uses her social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to share about these passions and how people can make a difference every day.

She posts regularly from all aspects of her life to connect with fans and make a positive difference in the world, though she admits it’s not always easy to hope change can come. But her honesty and willingness to share so much is exactly why TIME Magazine has named her the “tastemaker,” emphasizing its belief that she is capable of bringing change through her social media.

Selena Gomez – Headshot;
Photo Credit: Nicholas Christopher

The “Bad Liar” singer has opened up more about her own Lupus diagnosis and how that has affected her life and career over the years. While her diagnosis was nearly five years ago, upon canceling the end of her Revival tour last year, Gomez revealed more about her battle with Lupus while simultaneously showing her fans that it was more than OK to put yourself and your mental health above other obligations. She shared the difficult truths about the depression and social anxiety that often accompanies Lupus in an interview with Vogue, stating that checking into a treatment facility was the best thing she had ever done. Her reason behind sharing is not only for awareness and to raise money for research (her only birthday wish this past year) but to help remove the stigmas surrounding seeking help and getting therapy for important issues, particularly among women.

“We girls, we’re taught to be almost too resilient, to be strong and sexy and cool and laid-back; the girl who’s down,” she says. “We also need to feel allowed to fall apart.” While she was devastated to let down fans by canceling a portion of her tour, she is continuing to show her fans how to accept and seek out help when you need it.

The Revival tour also became a vehicle for Gomez to address other issues and passions, including her beliefs on the need for equality for the LGBT community and her identity as a Latina. In 2016, while many other performers were protesting the implementation of the HB2 law in North Carolina (a discriminatory law that targets the LGBT community particularly in regards to gender neutral restrooms) by canceling any concerts in the area, Gomez chose to keep her tour location in the state. She had her proceeds from the show go to an LGBT organization in protest against the law and was sure to include gender-neutral bathrooms at the venue, because making sure everyone felt welcome at her show was important.

WE Day California 2017 – WE Carpet –Photo Credit: Tommaso Boddi_Getty for WE Day

Continuing this support, Gomez recently wrote an open love letter to the LGBT community stating her love and calling for more inclusivity and acceptance. Having grown up with a mother who was supportive of all love and people, she admits that she was lucky to have such a positive and early relationship with the LGBT community and hopes that this letter can help others love and support the community as well.

Gomez announced the Revival tour to her Instagram followers with a photo of herself wearing the sugar-skull style makeup associated with El Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican celebration of the dead. Her merchandise on the tour represented more of her Latin roots with a bomber jacket also in the style of El Dia de los Muertos and a shirt with the same font and coloring as the well-known Selena Quintanilla fan shirt. The singer had already addressed the fact that the two share a name earlier that year in a radio interview with Doug Lazy.

“My dad and mom were huge fans. My name was going to be Priscilla, but my cousin actually took the name when she was born six months before me. They actually loved her music, so they just named me after her.” In fact, the two have a lot in common as Gomez is a Mexican-American born and raised in Texas just as Quintanilla was. Gomez has credited Quintanilla as a role model and inspiration, recognizing that her success was key in the success of future Latina stars.

Aside from world tours and number one hit songs, Gomez continues to make headlines for her charitable work and partnerships with programs and fashion lines alike. She continuously donates to research for Lupus and encourages fans to do the same. For last five years, she has participated in WE Day, which encourages students and families to make a positive difference in their community from environmental change to promoting inclusivity in the workplace all by coming together. During the past two WE Day Movements, she has not only participated but also hosted. “It’s not just they want to help a specific community or want to go to a certain place in the world,” Gomez said about the program.

Selea-Gomez-We-Day_2017
WE Day California 2017-Photo Credit: Tommaso Boddi_Getty for WE Day

“They are encouraging kids from even in your backyard to be doing something for your community, for your neighborhood, for your family, for your friends. […] And I love that they’re celebrating all these kids and how hard they’re working…It’s beautiful.”

Most recently, Gomez has partnered with Coach as the new face of the lifestyle brand. But she has taken this partnership further by bringing awareness to and participating in Coach’s charity partner, “Step Up.” The charity works to give young women from under-resourced communities confidence and support to graduate from high school and attend colleges successfully.

After meeting with two young girls the program was working with, Gomez said, “Step Up’s mission to empower young women is personally important to me and something even more crucial in underserved communities. Working with the young women I met today was an inspirational experience I will never forget.”

And who better to mentor young women on empowerment than a young Latina who has not only held her own as a top selling artist and the star of her own television series, but also proved her skills on the business side of Hollywood as the executive producer to the Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why? The series was so successful that a second season is already cast and in the works.

In addition to her success in Hollywood, Gomez has risen up to be an influence for young Latinas everywhere and anyone struggling with illnesses and mental health. Her positivity and focus on changing the dialogue and stigma surrounding diseases and therapy has made a powerful impact on those with similar experiences. She continues to find unique ways to spread awareness and gain support on important issues, from tour proceeds going to organizations and research to meeting with and celebrating her fans. In fact, scattered throughout her impressive Instagram account, she posts photos of her with fans continuously expressing her gratitude for their love. She is inspiring her 24 million followers to celebrate Latin culture, seek gender and LGBT equality, contribute to community service, strive for success as students, and support medical research all with humility and grace.

Want to Promote — or Hire — the Best Candidate? Follow the Rule of Skill Over Talent
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Job interview, Young executive man asking questions to applicant

By Jeff Haden

Years ago, I facilitated a promotion committee made up of shop-floor employees who used performance evaluation data to rank all the eligible employees for a machine operator opening.

Even though Mike (not his real name) was the top candidate, many in the room still had doubts.

“He looks good on paper,” one person said, “but I don’t think he has what it takes.”

Others agreed. Early on, Mike had struggled in his current position. He wasn’t quick to learn. He sometimes needed to be shown multiple times. He wasn’t a “natural.”

I pushed back. It wasn’t fair to bypass him based on feelings rather than objective reasoning.

For a while, it looked like I was wrong. Once promoted, he was slow to pick up basic skills. Worryingly, he made a few of the same mistakes several times.

But once he did know how to do something? He really knew how to do it. Within a few years he was an outstanding machine operator whose skills surpassed those of his doubters. He even went on to earn several different machinist licenses, and later opened his own machine shop.

Mike wasn’t a natural. Nor was he talented.

But that didn’t matter.

Because Mike was exceptionally skilled.

The Difference Between Talent and Skill

Talent and skill are often used interchangeably since the outcome — performing a particular task, hopefully at a high level — is the same. The difference lies in how you acquired that ability, and how quickly.

Think of talent as natural aptitude. My best friend growing up was a natural athlete; he could, to an irritating degree to less talented me, pick up any new sport in no time. (Within the first ten minutes of playing tennis he was already hitting topspin forehands.)

In simple terms, talents are things you have.

Skills, on the other hand, are things you learn. I had to be taught to put topspin on a ball. I had to practice. I had to acquire that skill. It didn’t come quickly.

Again, that’s where the line between talent and skill can blur. We both ended up at roughly the same place in terms of skill, but talent allowed my friend to get there much quicker.

The rate of acquisition is one way to distinguish talent from skill. Mike took longer to learn; he wasn’t as talented as most.

But that didn’t keep him from acquiring exceptional skills.

And Why It Matters

Even so, for years most people couldn’t see past Mike’s initial lack of talent. Since he had started slowly, they underestimated him. First impressions lingered. He was rarely asked to help repair other operator’s equipment. He wasn’t chosen to train new employees, even though he would have been an excellent trainer. (The last person you want to teach you to do something is a person for whom that skill came easily.)

In the eyes of most, he was forever tarred by a “lack of talent” brush.

The opposite also happens. People who pick things up quickly are often assumed to be rated highly for that skill even if others eventually eclipse their skill. “Naturals” were usually chosen to train new employees, with predictably poor results. They couldn’t understand why trainees were slow to learn. They couldn’t explain the steps they performed instinctively.

And they were usually the ones people assumed “have what it takes” to deserve promotions.

Even though the rate at which you acquire a skill is, in the end, irrelevant. What matters is how well you can perform.

Not how long it took you to become a high performer.

Especially for Promotions

Granted, talent often results in a higher ceiling for aptitude. No matter how hard I tried, had he put in the work my friend could have been better than me at tennis, or really any sport.

Even so, assuming people who pick up things quickly have greater long-term growth potential is often misguided. Plenty of talented people top out fairly quickly, if only because innate talent tends to foster a fixed rather than growth mindset.

Plus, your other employees are less concerned with potential than actual. That’s one reason employees are more likely to be happy if their boss was promoted from within, rather than hired from the outside. A Joblist study showed that nearly 70 percent of respondents prefer to be managed by an internal hire — a seasoned company veteran who climbed the ranks — than an external hire.

They know the skills she has. They know the work she put in to acquire those skills.

Again, because what matters is what someone can do, not how long it took them to learn to do it.

The same is also true for you. Don’t have a “talent” for sales? Sales skills can be learned. Don’t have a “talent” for leading people? Most leadership skills — like giving feedback, building teams, setting expectations, showing consideration for others, seeking input, focusing on meaningful priorities, etc. — can be learned.

Granted, talent and skill are necessary to perform at a high level in some pursuits, like music, or sports or acting … but most pursuits — like starting a small business — only require skills.

And with the willingness to put in the work to acquire those skills.

Latinas on the Rise
Entertainment
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enna Ortega poses in the IMDb exclusive portrait studio at the Critics Choice Association

Jenna Ortega
Growing up as a child actor and moving on to the world of slasher horror films, Jenna Ortega is no stranger to the screen. But at just 20-years-old, Ortega has received tremendous praise for her work on the screen and off screen, especially in the last year. In 2022, Ortega debuted one of her biggest projects yet, Wednesday, a Netflix series that tells the story a college-aged Wednesday Addams of Addams Family fame. Calling it one of her most pivotal career choices yet, Ortega, who plays the titular role, garnered widespread acclaim for her performance with critics calling it the best rendition of the character yet.

The show has also been highly praised for its majority casting of Hispanic and Latinx actors, with Ortega’s performance bringing in a record-breaking 341 watched hours on its debut weekend.

When she’s not on screen, Ortega spends much of her time in the world of activism. She has been an advocate for the Pride over Prejudice, an organization dedicated to accepting the LGBTQ+ community, since she was 13 years old and has advocated for immigration and equity rights throughout her career.

Photo: Jenna Ortega poses in the IMDb exclusive portrait studio at the Critics Choice Association 2nd Annual Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television at Fairmont Century Plaza on November 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for IMDb)
Sources: Wikipedia, Deadline

Karen Diaz

Karen Janett Diaz first referee auxiliary looks on during the 12th round match between Atletico San Luis and Tijuana as part of the Torneo Apertura
Karen Janett Diaz first referee auxiliary looks on during the 12th round match between Atletico San Luis and Tijuana as part of the Torneo Apertura

For the first time in the event’s almost 100-year history, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), hired six of the best women referees in the industry to be a part of the 36 referees and 69 assistant referees overseeing the World Cup. One of these six women was Karen Diaz, who oversaw several World Cup matches as a referee assistant, making her the first Mexican woman to ever officiate the event.

Certified as a FIFA assistant referee since 2018 and garnering 12 years of officiating experience, Diaz is no stranger to breaking records and receiving praise for her expertise.

In 2020, she became the first woman to officiate in Liga MX matches and has overseen several high-profile games for Concacaf (the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) games. Though she has expressed a tremendous love for her job and the game itself, Diaz’s expertise expands to more than just sports, having earned a university degree in agro-industrial engineering.

Sources: Wikipedia, Mexico News Daily
Photo Credit: Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images

Aida Rodriguez

Comedian Aida Rodriguez performs at the comedy benefit
Comedian Aida Rodriguez performs at the comedy benefit “Remember Pearl Harbor” at The Laugh Factory

They say that laughter is the best medicine and for comedian, activist and podcaster, Aida Rodriguez, this couldn’t be truer. First gaining media attention during the eighth season of Last Comic Standing, Rodriguez is best known taking some of the world’s most painful, uncomfortable and important topics and creating a platform where she can speak about them in a comedic way.

In her stand-up comedy debut special, Fighting Words, which premiered on HBO Max, Rodriguez showcases this style by using comedy to discuss everything from her own experiences with anorexia, divorce, death and traumatic experiences to the need to address misogyny and racism, especially towards the Hispanic and Latinx communities. “You should be able to laugh at things that are uncomfortable and inappropriate as long as it’s not being harmful,” Rodriguez told Vulture of her comedic style. “Because for me, that’s the only way that we’re having an honest conversation.”

While Rodriguez is best known for her work on the stage and in front of the camera, she also utilizes her passion for advocacy in other ways. She is currently a co-host for the news commentary channel, The Young Turks, where she candidly speaks on issues of importance and has worked with other equity-focused artists such as Tiffany Haddish.

Sources: Vulture, Wikipedia
Photo credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

Mayan Lopez

Mayan Lopez attends City Year Los Angeles' Spring Break: Destination Education
Mayan Lopez attends City Year Los Angeles’ Spring Break: Destination Education

During the 2020 pandemic, Mayan Lopez took to TikTok in an attempt to discuss an often-taboo topic in the Hispanic and Latinx community, the effect the absence of a father can have on children.

Mainly using comedy, Lopez began to use the social media platform to talk about her own experiences with her father, comedian and actor, George Lopez, and documented the reconciliation that took place between the two during the pandemic. With Lopez’s content gaining millions upon millions of views across her videos, the experience landed the father-daughter duo a new television comedy show, Lopez vs. Lopez, which stars both George and Mayan.

The show, heavily based on the reconciliation between George and Mayan, will attempt to create dialogue about taboo conversations in the Hispanic and Latinx communities and bring the older and younger generations together.

Source: Refinery29
Photo Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for City Year Los Angeles

Xochitl Gonzalez

Xochitl Gonzalez outdoors at photo shoot
Xochitl Gonzalez outdoors at photo shoot

If 2022 was the year of any author, it was the year of Xochitl Gonzalez. Though she has worked on numerous writing projects for news outlets and as a screenwriter, Gonzalez didn’t release her first novel until January of last year entitled Olga Dies Dreaming. The fictional story follows Olga, a Puerto Rican wedding planner and her experiences navigating love, life, loss and her Puerto Rican roots in the midst of Hurricane Maria.

The novel was praised for its representation of Puerto Rican people and life, quickly climbing the ranks as a New York Times bestseller by the end of its debut month. The novel additionally received rave reviews from renowned book reviewers at The Washington Post, Jezebel and Kirkus Reviews and won several honorable titles such as the Barnes & Noble Discover Pick, Amazon’s Featured Debut of the Month and an Indie Next Pick.

As the novel continues to gain popularity over a year later, Gonzalez is already hard at work at the story’s Hulu adaptation of the same name. It will star Aubrey Plaza and Ramon Rodriguez, and Gonzalez is a co-executive producer and writer for the television series with a currently unknown release date.

Sources: IMDb, Wikipedia, Book Browse
Photo Credit: Mayra Castillo

Juliana Plexxo

Juliana Plexxo attends the opening of
Juliana Plexxo attends the opening of “Inftspaces Presents An Immersive Gallery Experience in both the Physical and Metaphysical World” art exhibit

Pulling from her own life experiences and causes that are near to her heart, contemporary artist Juliana Plexxo is using her artistry to spread her messages on an international scale. Growing up in Colombia, Plexxo takes inspiration from the violence that plagued her hometown and ultimately led to the death of her journalist father, Óscar García Calderón when she was a child.

Specializing in a red, white and black color palate, Plexxo’s abstract, geometric painting style has attracted attention from art connoisseurs around the world not only for its unique style, but for its messages in culture, activism and equality. She has had her work displayed in some of the most prestigious galleries in the world such as the Wynwood Art District in Miami, the Taller 46 in Barcelona and the Van Gogh Art Gallery in Spain.

She also specializes in murals and currently has three murals on display in the United States, Ecuador and Spain. In 2022, Plexxo was nominated for the University of Berkley’s “Young Talent of the Year” at the Berkley World Business Analytics Awards, becoming the first Latina under 30 to be nominated.

Sources: BeLatina, Van Gogh Art Gallery
Photo Credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

Mark Cuban: 4 Powerful — Yet Surprisingly Simple — Strategies Anyone Can Use to Be More Successful
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mark cuban smiling wearing suit

By Jeff Haden

Of the 12 billionaires I’ve met (yes, I keep count), Mark Cuban seems the most relatable. Partly that’s because he’s entirely self-made.

But also because, like most, he believes success comes down to effort and ability. And because, like most, he hates meetings. And because, as most of us like to think we are, he’s a genuinely good person.

As a result, Cuban’s advice often seems more applicable to the average person hoping to achieve success in their chosen pursuit. He’s done what we hope to do — and as a result, he knows what really matters.

Like:

  1. Sales Skills Matter

What would Cuban do if he had to start over again?

“I would get a job as a bartender at night and a sales job during the day,” he says, “and I would start working. Could I become a multimillionaire again? I have no doubt.”

The reason is simple: Everyone needs to be able to explain the logic and benefits of a decision. To convince other people an idea makes sense. To show investors how a business will generate a return. To help employees understand the benefits of a new process.

To motivate and inspire and lead.

Because sales skills are, in essence, communication skills — and communication skills are critical to any business or career.

Which means spending time in a sales role, whether formally or informally, is an investment that will pay off forever.

  1. Constant Learning Matters

What does Cuban feel will drive the next wave of business change? Artificial intelligence.

As Cuban says:

“If you don’t know AI, you’re the equivalent of somebody in 1999 saying, “I’m sure this Internet thing will be OK, but I don’t give a shit.” If you want to be relevant in business, you have to, or you will be a dinosaur very quickly. If you don’t know how to use it and you don’t understand it and you can’t at least have a basic understanding of the different approaches and how the algorithms work, you can be blindsided in ways you couldn’t even possibly imagine.”

That’s not just posturing; Cuban put his mind and money where his mouth is. He frequently recommends books about artificial intelligence, like Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World. And he’s committed millions to expand his AI Bootcamps Program, an organization that teaches artificial-intelligence skills at no cost to high school students in low-income communities across the country.

“The world’s first trillionaires,” Cuban says, “are going to come from somebody who masters AI and all its derivatives and applies it in ways we never thought of.”

While most of us don’t dream of becoming a trillionaire, no matter what your industry, no matter what your pursuit, things always change. Things always evolve. They key is to know how to change with them. Which you can only do if you’re constantly, actively learning.

  1. Being Nice Matters

Think about the best boss you ever had. Odds are they were demanding. They had high expectations. They may have provided occasional doses of tough love.

But I’m guessing they were also nice. Not soft, not lenient. But even so, nice.

That’s a lesson Cuban had to learn. As he says:

“I went through my own metamorphosis. Early on in my career, I was like bam, bam, bam, bam, bam — I might curse. I might get mad. I got to the point… I wouldn’t have wanted to do business with me when I was in my 20s. I had to change. And I did. And it really paid off. One of the most underrated skills in business right now is being nice. Nice sells.”

He’s right. When you’re nice, other people are more forgiving of your mistakes. Other people are more tolerant of your lack of experience or skill. Other people are more willing to work with you, help you, encourage you and, if you’re a leader, follow you.

  1. Finding Your Passion Doesn’tMatter

Ask 10 people if they love what they do — ask 10 people if they’ve found their passion — and at least eight will likely say no.

Sound depressing?

Not to Cuban, who feels “follow your passions” is “one of the great lies of life,” and is the “worst advice you could ever give or get.”

According to Cuban, passion doesn’t come first. For Cuban, passion comes later:

“A lot of people talk about passion, but that’s really not what you need to focus on. When you look at where you put in your time, where you put in your effort, that tends to be the things that you are good at. And if you put in enough time, you tend to get really good at it. If you put in enough time, and you get really good, I will give you a little secret: Nobody quits anything they are good at, because it is fun to be good. It is fun to be one of the best. But in order to be one of the best, you have to put in effort.”

So don’t follow your passions. Follow your effort.

That’s why Cuban completed Amazon’s machine learning tutorials. That’s why he spent time building his own neural networks. That’s why, at one point, he kept the book Machine Learning for Dummies in his bathroom.

“The more I understand AI, the more I get excited about it,” Cuban said.

In short, Cuban didn’t discover a passion for artificial intelligence. He developed it.

Oddly enough, according to a 2014 study published in the Academy of Management Journal, that’s how the process often works for entrepreneurs.

While it’s easy to assume that entrepreneurial passion drives entrepreneurial effort, research shows the reverse is also true: Entrepreneurial passion increases with effort. The more work entrepreneurs put into their startups, the more enthusiastic they get about their businesses.

As they gain momentum, gain skill and enjoy small successes — even if those “successes” only involve ticking off items on their seemingly endless to-do lists — their passion grows.

Can passion spark effort? Absolutely.

But effort can also spark passion, which in turn sparks greater effort, and greater passion, until one day you wake up and realize you are doing what you love.

Even if it didn’t start out that way.

Jeff Haden is a keynote speaker, ghostwriter, LinkedIn Influencer, contributing editor to Inc., and the author of The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win.

Photo Credit: STEVEN FERDMAN/GETTY IMAGES

WBENC Profile — Success Comes Organically for Soraya Benitez
Business
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Soraya Benitez with MommaBear Organics products on table

The daughter of two Colombian immigrants, Soraya Benitez was exposed to many natural/homeopathic remedies as a child that were native to her father’s home of Cali, Colombia. Her parents always kept her and her siblings healthy with simple, natural products. Today, she is the Founder and CEO of MommaBear Organics, a Company that makes artisanal, organic lollipops and suckers that aid with common ailments. Hispanic Network Magazine (HNM) spoke with Soraya to find out more about her WBENC-certified organic lollipop company and how certification has helped her journey to success.

HNM: What is MommaBear USA and how did you get started?

Soraya Benitez (SB): MommaBear Organics is a women-led, BIPOC-owned company dedicated to providing functional candies for common ailments. Our herbal lollipops are organic and free from GMOs, gluten, dairy, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Our lollipops are artisanal and made in small batches with carefully sourced herbal and organic ingredients proudly hand-crafted in the USA.

Several years ago, when my then toddler was sick with a bad cold, he fought me tirelessly about taking his cough medicine. I was sitting on the couch with my husband and said to him, ‘If only he wanted his medicine as much as he loves his candy!’ I asked my husband if there was anything like that on the market. He proceeded to show me a cough product lollipop for kids. When I looked at the ingredient list, I turned to him and said, ‘NO WAY! It had several ingredients I could not pronounce including FD&C Blue a common food dye linked to asthma and other ailments.

As a caregiver and a mom, I feel strongly that moms want to know what ingredients are in the products they use. Clean living and eating aren’t a fad that’s going away. I believe it’s a way of life for families of this generation. Thus, began the journey of MommaBear Organics.

HNM: How did you learn about small business certifications for women and minorities? Why did you decide to pursue certification and which ones have you received?

SB: When I attended the Fancy Food Show in New York City, I came across a few booths that featured the WBENC logo. After learning from several small businesses about the positive impact it had on their business, we decide to embark on the process.

HNM: What were your trials and tribulations on the road to certification? How has certification helped your business?

SB: It was an incredibly detailed and lengthy process. I had to plead with my bank for a few necessary forms! In the end, I am grateful we applied for certification. We have attended some wonderful networking events and met some amazing women who are true leaders in their respective industries.

HNM: What perks have you embraced from being certified, for example, have you connected with any of the mentors, peer-to-peer resources, financial advice, attended conferences or conventions, etc.?

SB: We attended a recent WBENC cocktail reception in New York City where we met with and heard from some inspiring executives. We were able to connect with someone from Amazon and discussed some of the issues we were facing with this channel. It was incredible to be able to connect with someone live, given we had spent months trying to reach someone to no avail! We will continue to lean on WBENC’s vast array of resources.

HNM: If you could offer one piece of advice for women business owners thinking about certification, what would you say?

SB: Absolutely apply for it! Being a small new business is hard enough and comes with enough trials and tribulations! Being part of a community of smart, like-minded women, along with WBENC’s strong and deep network, will be invaluable to our small and growing business over time.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Soraya Benitez & MommaBear Organics

The Mentor Match – Would You Be Swiped Left?
Careers
LinkedIn
Close up of woman using mobile phone

By Allison Struber

Recently, a friend shared with me she was meeting a lot of great people by swiping right. I was a bit taken aback because she is, what appears to be, happily married. My response caused her to grin and clarify she was not looking for romance. She was using a new app to find mom-friends. It has similar features to the infamous Tinder dating app, but the purpose is to narrow down the vast number of moms in an area to those who share similar interests.

As she further explained how the app worked and her success, my opinion of this swipe left/swipe right function began to change. With correct intentions, the technology could be helpful.

HOW TO SWIPE FOR NETWORKING SUCCESS

Consider all of the factors that go into choosing a mentor or mentee. It would be great to quickly swipe through professional profiles to find a good match. I would look for things like: integrity, honesty, enthusiasm, skills and experience. I would want someone who was passionate about growing new leaders and committed to investing the time it takes to do so. But just like the popular dating app, a swipe right on a mentor’s professional profile would not mean a match. My profile would also need to reflect good mentee status.

If you were seeking a mentor, here are a few things you would need to get swiped right.

Availability

Good mentors and good mentees use their time intentionally. It can be difficult to find coordinating availability, so be accommodating. Make this opportunity a priority and accept the meeting time offered.

Prepared questions

Good mentors have a wealth of knowledge, and a good mentee is going to pull out that great information. Think about what you admire in this mentor and ask questions to discover how he/she developed that skill or ability.

Teachable

Nothing is worse than a person who ‘knows it all’ except a person wanting to be mentored who ‘knows it all.’ If the conversation turns to a topic you feel confident about, pivot the discussion to something else with a new question or ask for feedback about a time you have utilized that specific knowledge.

Listener

It is ok and important to open up and share about yourself, but give your mentor the chance to lead the conversation. If you are doing most of the talking at every meeting, the balance is off.

Willing to take advice

No mentor is perfect, but there is an assumption their role has been given because he/she has been successful in an area. There is no expectation that a mentee must mirror the mentor’s experience, however, if instruction/advice/guidance is continually being disregarded, you will be right on track to find yourself without a mentor.

Willing to be a mentor

A good mentor has a goal to inspire and teach others. It is a reward to see the investment of their time multiplied by their mentee becoming a mentor. Honor your mentor and give yourself the joy of pouring into someone else. Swipe right on your own mentee.

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The Roadmap to Social Entrepreneurship
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By Kimberly Gladden-Eversley

Social movements have shaped society into what we see today, from labor to civil rights and women’s movements. Thanks to social media, we can collaborate from the comfort of our homes to drive social change, to expose injustice and to advocate for policies that protect vulnerable communities. As generational values, preferences and ideals shift, and GenZ, the most diverse generation in history, prepares to take the lead, all eyes are on how today’s businesses respond through innovation.

Introducing Chelsea C. Williams, the Founder and CEO of Reimagine Talent, who shared her expertise leading workplace & talent development and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) as a speaker at the annual SHRM Inclusion Conference. Williams shed light on the rise of social enterprises that appeal to a generation who desire to blend profit with purpose. “This makes me really excited because I believe a movement is taking place,” said Williams. “The social entrepreneur is not just focused on bringing a product or service to market…they’re not just moved by revenue, a social entrepreneur wants to make an impact…they want to drive social progress, deliver socially conscious goods, and bridge sectors towards progress.”

William’s journey to entrepreneurship was not easy, considering her quest to entrepreneurship consisted of many obstacles without a roadmap. From navigating childhood as the daughter of immigrant parents, to funding her way through Historically Black College & University, Spelman College, to launching her early career on Wall Street as an “only,” Williams has overcome significant odds. During her time on Wall Street, she represented 1% of Black employees. With that reality came its own set of challenges personally and professionally.

“I believe [in] diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging [and] I can intentionally lead that work now because I lived exclusion,” said Williams. “During my early career, I clearly saw the beauty of belonging and toxicity of exclusion — both of which playing significant impacts on the global workforce & workplace.”

Leadership with Impact

Despite representation barriers experienced in her career, Williams still found the confidence to reimagine the future and write up a business plan that would address real issues she encountered in her roles managing & leading human resources. In 2018, she stepped made the decision to leave corporate America, first completing a social impact fellowship at Teach for America and then launching her firm.

“I early learned that leadership doesn’t have an age, it doesn’t have a look, it doesn’t have a race, it has to do with impact,” stated Williams. “You can have a business that is focused on revenue, but also have a part of your mission statement or part of your strategy that is addressing a social issue. Within the case, entrepreneurs are addressing societal barriers such as the intersection between gainful employment and racism, as two examples, but also tapping into the opportunities that come with entrepreneurship such as financial prosperity and ownership.”

To awaken your inner activist as part of your business strategy takes skill that supersedes the continuous hard versus soft skill debate circulating the workplace. Instead of pinning hard and soft skills in a battle of importance, consider both skills a necessity. “Language is important. Instead of referencing hard skills, let’s say technical, let’s say job function specific skills. Instead of soft skills, let’s say interpersonal skills, leadership skills,” said Williams. “If you’re leading an organization to function or promotion, you better believe that those skills actually become more important than what got you there from the beginning.”

Creating solutions in organizations to fight social issues takes more than diversity; it takes understanding, building and nurturing relationships. “Being open to learning and supporting people, especially those who are different than us, is our ability to lead effectively in 2022 and beyond,” said Williams. “Our mission at Reimagine Talent is to educate the next-gen workforce and empower conscious organizations to build workplaces of belonging.”

Turning a Vision into Action

Despite many years of progression and historical wins, writing the business vision and making it compelling and relevant takes courage. In this case, Williams challenges aspiring social entrepreneurs to turn their vision into a business plan and to consider the economic impact of today’s most pressing challenges. Considering 45.2% of social enterprises only last between one to three years, and 45% earn less than a $250,000 profit, it’s crucial to focus on impact without forgetting the importance of running a scalable business.

“Even with vision for impact, do not lose sight of the fact that you’re still an entrepreneur, and if you’re for profit, you still have to make a profit to grow your team, products and processes; if you’re not moved by profit, you should start a non-profit,” said Williams. “Broadening out to what your vision is for your business, who do you want to serve, answering those questions upfront and really thinking about [the] short and long term is important. In the early days, you want to test out your product or service and make sure you’ve got customers/clients.”

Williams shows the beauty that comes with fully owning our stories and leveraging the roadblocks as a springboard to purpose. Her access and experiences now grant opportunity to future generations. As we reflect on her mission, let’s consider our own and ignite the confidence to become something we may have never seen before.

For more information on Williams and Reimagine Talent, visit reimaginetalentco.com.

Start Up the Right Way: Do Your Market Research
Business
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In order to reach, connect with and sell to your target market, you need to have a firm grasp on who they are. Conducting market research will help you develop a fuller picture of your target customers.

There are two kinds of market research. In primary research, you conduct your own research on customers who match your target demographic. In secondary research, you get information on your target customers from outside sources, such as government statistics or industry surveys.

No matter which type of research you’re conducting, your goal is to gather the following information:

  • Market size: How many individuals, households or businesses make up your target market? Is the market getting bigger (good news for your startup) or shrinking (not-so-good news)?
  • Market demographics: If you are targeting consumers, demographics include factors such as whether they are married, their average age, marital status, gender, educational attainment, employment and whether they have children. Businesses have demographics too: Theirs include average number of employees, industry, annual revenues, age of the business, public or private company, product or service sold and what industry they operate in.
  • Location: Where are most of your customers located? If the region where you plan to open for business lacks enough of your target customers, for instance, you’ll either need to locate elsewhere or adjust your business model.
  • Income: You’ll want to know the average household income of consumers and the average revenues of businesses.
  • Purchasing habits: Beyond income, dig into your target market’s spending habits. How much do they typically spend on the types of products or services you plan to sell? How and where do they buy? How frequently do they buy?

Last, but not least, find out what businesses that are competing for the same target market. Learning as much as you can about your competition will give you an idea of their strengths and weaknesses, and how much market share you can potentially capture.

Secondary Research

Where do you get all this information? Generally, it’s best to start with secondary research to give you a big-picture look at your target market. Here are some secondary sources:

  • Industry trade associations generally conduct and maintain current market research.
  • The U.S. Census Bureau’s American FactFinder has statistics on consumers; the Census Bureau also compiles statistics on U.S. businesses.
  • If you’re planning to do business globally, visit Export.gov for country-specific market research.
  • Are you targeting businesses as customers? Visit Hoover’s and ThomasNet.
  • The Small Business Association (SBA) website links to a wide range of resources for market research on both individuals and businesses.

Primary Research

Once secondary research has given you a general overview of your target market, dig deeper by conducting your own primary research. You’ll need to find a representative sample of your target market, which you can do by mining your own connections, renting email lists or contacting organizations to see if their members are willing to take part. Here are four primary research methods to try:

  1. Surveys: You can conduct phone surveys, surveys by mail or online surveys. SurveyMonkey, Zoho Surveys and QuestionPro are free survey apps that let you create, conduct and analyze the results of your own surveys online.
  2. Interviews: Interviews can be done by phone or in person. They’re often an effective way to capture target customers who don’t spend a lot of time online, but they are more time consuming than online surveys.
  3. Focus Groups: In a focus group, individuals participate in a group discussion about some aspect of your business in exchange for remuneration. You’ll need someone to lead the focus group discussion and someone to record the results. While focus groups can yield good insights, be wary of extrapolating from a small group to your entire customer base.
  4. Test Marketing: Doing a “test run” of your product or service by selling to a limited group of target customers is a good way to work out the kinks in your business model. However, you may need to follow up and ask your test customers questions to determine what influenced the test marketing’s success or failure.

Take the time to do your market research, because understanding your market is key to your startup’s success.

Source: Score

Jimmy Smits – The ‘Law’ Changed His Life
Entertainment
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By Sarah Mosqueda

Not every actor can play a lawyer, cop and galactic senator, but Puerto Rican actor Jimmy Smits has slipped seamlessly into each role. “If you want a long career, it seems to me the more versatility you show as an actor, the better chance you have,” Smits said in a recent phone interview with Hispanic Network Magazine.

And a long and illustrious career he has.

Smits has made a name for himself in television, film and even on stage. He is a pioneer of the police procedural television series, among the first Hispanic actors to have a large role within the Star Wars franchise and enjoyed stints with New York’s Shakespeare Festival. In terms of versatility, Smits is practically a Swiss Army knife.

The award-winning performer credits part of his success to the casts and crews he has worked with.

“I would venture to say all of the shows that have been successful and satisfying in a professional way, whether it be “The West Wing” or “Sons of Anarchy,” have been because of the sense of ensemble,” Smits said. “A group of people getting together, there is a fellowship and camaraderie that is palpable on the screen.”

Smits has likened a cast of actors to the spokes of a wheel when it comes to storytelling, all working together to push a story forward. The importance of community was learned early and it is a theme that has continued throughout his life, both on and off screen.

The ‘Law’ Changed His Life

Born in Brooklyn in 1955 to Cornelis and Emilina Smits, Smits grew up in a working-class neighborhood after briefly living in Puerto Rico. He attended Brooklyn College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1980 and earned his MFA at Cornell University in 1982.

Actors Angela Bassett and Jimmy Smits speak onstage during Broadcast Television Journalists Association’s third annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images for CCTA)
But the stage was where Smits felt most at home. “I was doing theater in New York and I was doing soap opera work to support myself while I was doing plays,” said Smits. “”L.A. Law” brought me to Los Angeles and changed my life in a lot of ways.”

In 1986, Smits landed his first regular role on Steven Bochco‘s NBC legal drama, “L.A. Law,” as Victor Sifuentes. While he earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1990 for the role, Smits again credits the cast and crew as a whole.

“The good thing that I remember about that show is the fellowship, the ensemble was really tight,” Smits said. “We knew that the show was ground breaking in a lot of ways, and Steven Bochco had a lot to do with that.”

Smits said his heritage played a part in his role as Sifuentes, but it was important to Bochco that the character develop in a way that was authentic, rather than making him a caricature.

“On that particular show, with Steven, it was important to him to establish that character first and foremost as a good attorney,” Smits said. “The fact that he was Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano —those other things would come into play, but first and foremost was to establish him as a good attorney. That stands out to me.” Smits’ role on “L.A. Law” lead to another television role on ABC’s “NYPD Blue” as Detective Bobby Simone, and he was awarded a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama in 1995, as well as a Satellite Award in the same category in 1998.

L-R: Guest star Jimmy Smits and Andy Samberg in the Mr. Santiago episode of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” on FOX
L-R: Guest star Jimmy Smits and Andy Samberg in the Mr. Santiago episode of BROOKLYN NINE-NINE on FOX.(Photo by FOX Image Collection via Getty Images)
He went on to play Congressman Matt Santos in NBC television drama, “The West Wing.” Smits said he recently stumbled across a West Wing marathon on TV and was struck by the storytelling.

“I don’t do this very often, but I started watching it and it happened to be the last couple episodes of the show,” Smits said. “I was so appreciative of the fact that I had that opportunity and that John Wells wanted to explore something in terms of a person of color in the political arena.”

Diversity in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Stories centered around people of color — and who gets to tell them — is something Hollywood has been grappling with in recent years, and Smits says he’s noticed a shift in the entertainment industry.

“The flourishing of the #MeToo movement and the BLM movement that happened and the pandemic, it left us assessing a lot of social norms and inequities in a different way, I think,” said Smits. “We felt vulnerable.”

He believes those movements created a change in the way the industry thinks about inclusion.

“It opened another door for more opportunities,” he said. “In regards to the Latinx community, we’ve had big jumps because of that, but I still feel that there is a disparity in regards to what our population numbers are in this country.”

Smits has always worked to create more equity within the industry and is proud to bring representation to the big and small screen.

In 2002, he played Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan in “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones,” one of the first Latinx actors to enter the galaxy far, far away. It is a role he reprised for “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” in 2005, “Rogue One” in 2016, and most recently in 2022 for “Obi-Wan Kenobi.“ Smits said the possibility of bringing diversity to the Star Wars franchise influenced his decision to take the role.

Jimmy Smits and U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis speak at the 13th Annual National Hispanic Foundation For The Arts (NHFA)
Jimmy Smits and US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis speak at the 13th Annual National Hispanic Foundation For The Arts (NHFA) in Washington, DC. (Photo by Abby Brack/Getty Images)
“It definitely was in the mix in terms of making the decision to do it, not only on my part but on George’s [Lucas’] part when we had our initial conversations,” Smits recalls.

Today’s Star Wars franchise is notably more diverse than when Smits first became involved.

“That has changed with this franchise a lot,” he said. “In a good way.”

Moving the Needle Forward

Smits himself has also worked to create more equity in the industry. In 1997, he was involved in the founding of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts — an organization dedicated to the advancement of Latinos in the media, telecommunications and entertainment industries.

“We are making a lot of progress, but of course I want our community to be able to reach its full potential,” Smits said. “Those kinds of steps and the progress that we have made has always been to me, incremental.”

Smits said in each decade, you can name five or six Latinos who’ve made an impact, but the ones he credits with doing the most to move the needle is Latin women.

“When I look to my sisters in the Latinx community, there is no greater example in our community,” Smits said. “J.Lo, Eva Longoria, Sofia Vergara…I can give you 10 names of woman that are really making a wonderful path.”

Smits said he also applauds their leadership behind the scenes.

“They are not content with just being in front of the camera, but they have taken on this other aspect of creating content,” Smits said. “That is a really an important notch in terms of taking our community to the next level.”

Smits says he hopes to continue his work pushing for representation.

In his most recent role, Smits has gone home again, so to speak. He’s returned to a police drama role, starring as Chief John Suarez in his new CBS series “East New York,” which is set in his hometown of Brooklyn. William Finkelstein, who served as an executive producer on “NYPD Blue” in the later seasons, is co-creator of” East New York.”

“I am excited about continuing with them,” Smits said.

He is even more excited about seeing what kind of impact his next character will have, and continuing his long career.

“I had the good fortune and the blessing to be lucky in terms of the roles I have gotten to do and hopefully, I have been able to expand that platform.”

Your first career move, powered by Netflix
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Netflix is partnering with Formation to build a world where people from every walk of life have a seat at the table in tech.

Our program will be completely free of charge for students accepted. It is designed to unlock your engineering potential with personalized training and world-class mentorship from the best engineers across the tech industry.

The below information will be required, and adding why you want to land a New Grad Engineering role at Netflix.

The application requires:

Info about your experience, education, and background

Info regarding your eligibility for the program

A one minute video telling us about yourself

Apply today at https://formation.dev/partners/netflix

Application deadline is March 5, 2023.

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