April 25, 2024 • 24 mins
In this Episode Tani Estefy and Lily B. share some tips that have helped them run a successful business and how Latina Approved began!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ola Almost Latina Approved and we're your hosts Stanni, Stefi
or Amiga that keeps it real and will give you
a kick of motivation. And I'm Lily B who you
can always count on for a good lab and some adventure.
This podcast is dedicated to our biling with Latinas who
are resilient ele changanas and for.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The Latinas that resonate with the phrase zodiaki ida Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
As first generation Americans and daughters of immigrants, we felt
empowered to unite and redefine the narrative of what it.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Means to be Latina.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Latina Approved is a platform where all Latinas can turn
to and feel positively represented.
Speaker 5 (00:34):
Join us on this podcast every week where we engage
in relatable conversations about self love, relationships.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
And share uplifting stories about real life experiences and empower
you to embrace your authentic self.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Amiga.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
We have a lot to talk about, so make sure
you subscribe to Latina Proof Podcasts and follow us on
social media at Latina Approved Arasos. We're gonna give a
little background story on how Dina Approved began and became
this amazing community for bilingual Latinas. And give you some
tips on how we created our dream life together.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, And I mean Tani and I have been friends
for some time now, so it's really how to start
your dream job with your best friend.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yes, and you know, just to touch base, Lily and
I have been friends for like a decade now, so right.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
That's so crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yes, And one of the questions that we often get
is how has this worked out for so long? You know,
there's many fallouts and friendships, especially when it comes to
starting a brand, you know, or a business, or when
you do something with friends. Sometimes they're fallouts. But we're
proud to say that, you know, we've been pretty successful
(01:58):
at launching this brand and creating it into a community.
So we're going to share with you some life tips
on what has worked for us in our journey, right.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah. Absolutely. I mean there's so many challenges that can
come up with starting a business, and there's just so
many differences that one can come across. So definitely excited
to share what has worked with us.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yes, And it's about also, I think you know about friendship, right, Like,
there's many friendships and we love and cherish those close
friendships and together you can create like a wonderful life.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
It doesn't you know, it doesn't have to be.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
With sometimes, yes, with significant others, right, that's the ideal
of creating a wonderful life.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
But you can do that too with your amigas.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Right. So I think we have that, you know, special
bond with Lily. So I think one of the things
that we want to talk about that's really important is respect,
right Lily, yes, ri e spct Yes, So it's definitely respect.
(03:15):
But we can backtrack a little maybe and we share
a story about like how we became friends and how
Latina Prove was born.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Let's start there. That's a good starting point.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
But it does start with respect. Because Lily and I
were actually colleagues. We work together, So just to give
some context, we both have a strong like media and
marketing background, and we met and we became friends at
the company we were working for at the time.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, we were working together and we were tasked with
working on projects together. So that gave us an opportunity
to see how we worked well together.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, So we worked on different my campaigns together and
we found like we developed a friendship beyond just the workplace.
So one day out of the many days Lilly and
I would have lunch together, we'd hang out after work
or on the weekends and all that good stuff. One
day we decided, you know what, let's go out for
(04:17):
brunch of mimosas.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
And so we did, right, we went out for brunch
of mimosas.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And something about both of us is that we're We've
always been very goal oriented, right, so we've always talked
about our goals and everything we want to accomplish in
life goals.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
And also both Tanny and I have always had this entrepreneurship,
entrepreneurial spirit about us. So that's something that her and
I would always talk about, you know, starting some kind
of business and something that had to do with being
creative and content and we would bounce ideas back and forth.
(04:53):
So when we were at brunch.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
We started talking about, what, you know, our goals, and
we knew that something we wanted to do was create
something that would make an impact for Latinas and Muhera
specifically bilingual Latinas, because we felt that that was missing, right,
that was missing and content creation that was missing in media.
(05:17):
That we just felt like, what about us, right, we
speak both languages, we predominantly speak English, but we also
dominate Spanish very well at home and with our families.
But we felt like, you know what we want to represent.
We want something that represents those Latinas that can resonate
with us. And we're like, are you down to create something?
(05:39):
Are you up for it?
Speaker 4 (05:41):
And we're like yeah, We're like, well, how serious are you?
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Because something that we both had experienced in the past
was that we've probably talked to friends about a certain
goal and they're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's do it,
but it never followed. They never followed through, or maybe
the chemistry wasn't there, and things like really fell off
the bandwagon and then you just don't do anything right,
Like yeah, I felt like both Lilly and I we
(06:04):
were we had had that conversation about just different fallouts
and nothing really happening. So when we started brainstorming, we're like, well,
are you sure you're down?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
But are you down down though? Like you're down though?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Or is this something mosta talking Yeah exactly, And then
I was like I'm down down. Lily's like okay, then
all right, then well right now, and mind you there's
there was other people around us to do that, but
we just went into the zone that We're like talking
about our goals and one we you know, our goals
aligned where we wanted to do something in the content
(06:38):
creation space.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
We wanted to do something that was digital.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
We wanted to do something that was meaningful and impactful,
most importantly to the Latina community. And we started bouncing
names back and forth, back and forth until Latina proved,
Latina Proof came about and it was born, and we're like, perfect,
this is what we're gonna do. We're gonna approve things
(07:01):
in the Latina community that are Latina approved while making
sure that we're highlighting and spotlighting those in our community
while empowering them and educating at.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
The same time.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So it just became this whole like full circle for us.
The next day, we're like, okay, we're serious, good morning,
good morning, Okay you ready. Lily's like, I got our
ig handle, I got our Facebook handle, I said, perfect,
I got our email handle, all right, good, I got
our domain handle.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Okay. Then we were like going back and forth, this
is serious.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
And I think since then we never stopped texting that.
You're seriously the person I text the most, like.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Day, like I'm texting you no, same thing, same thing,
and like we can both Valich and say, like, we
have not stopped talking ever since then.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
And it's not because, you know, not because.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
It's forced, or it's because we've always been very inspired
and happy to do it. You know, even if we've
had like a random thought, hey we should do this,
we should do that, we're texting each other, we're communicating
or like what's content looking like this week?
Speaker 4 (08:08):
And whatever?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
It is, like we're caught in communication because that's how
passionate we are about our Latina community.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, and I think one thing to note here for
anyone who's interested in starting a business with a friend
or just even at all, is that you don't have
to have it all together. You don't have to have
this whole mapped out plan. You just have to start, honestly, Like,
you just have to start.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yeah, you just have to start, whether it's a project, right,
maybe even if it isn't a business, and you're like,
you know what, I'd really like to do this project
with my friend, and both of you guys are like, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Or even if it's a you're planning a party or
whether you're planning an event, something that you both mutually.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Want to do. It just just gets.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Started, really like we didn't have a plan on how
far this was going to go for us or anything.
We just knew, you know what, we love, We love
the name Latina Approve.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
We want to make an impact.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
We want to give our stamp of approval on things
that we feel Latina approved for our for our audience.
And we just began and everything, you know, one thing
led to another, and we've had so many opportunities come
our way which have been wonderful due to this idea
and this goal that we mutually had. So first things first,
(09:25):
it's like, how have you guys made this Maine this work?
Because I feel like many people get surprised that we've
been in you know, together throughout this journey for so long,
and honestly, like we're proud to say that we've it's
been nice. Like we always say like, oh, it's a blessing.
Like you know, Lily and I would both tell each
other like, oh, I'm so blessed to have you. I'm
(09:46):
so blessed to have you too, Like we're so grateful
because you know, it's been a wonderful ride. But first
things first, as we mentioned earlier, it's about respect. I think,
you know, first things like we have so much respect
for each other in appreciation that that's so important.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, I know, having respect for each other's ideas because
obviously we can have different ideas, different opinions, but just
always maintaining that level of respect for each other and
seeing each other's point of views has really helped us.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yes, And at the very beginning, I don't know if
you remember this literally, like we were like, okay, we
have a goal, but you know this, this is a
little trick I learned from one of my professors, was like, okay,
we're going to outline a letter of what our vision
is for Latina Proof. We each like outline what our
vision was for Latina Proof to find that common ground, right,
(10:44):
it was very important to find like, Okay, are we aligned?
Is really your vision? Do we really share the same vision?
And if we don't, are we willing to compromise? Are
we willing to make it happen? But at the end
of the day, both of our visions aligned, which I
think that was a bonus, right. We both wanted to
create something impactful, something for the community, something for Latinas,
(11:04):
and we wanted to integrate content creations. So it worked
out that way, and I think another thing that has
really helped us. And we do this every day. And
it may sound like cliche or like it may sound like,
oh my god, another talk about manifesting and maintaining a
positive mindset, But seriously, we can't stress enough how important
(11:26):
it is to maintain a positive mindset.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Absolutely, one hundred percent. You guys should see our text
messages is just filled with just positive messages to each other. Hey,
even though hey, I hope you have a great day. Hey,
good morning. Hey, today's going to be great, just like
little things and it just comes naturally to us. But honestly,
(11:50):
I do have full belief that that has helped us
and we're gonna keep doing it just because we have to.
Just something that we're doing out of passion and love,
and it takes time. So definitely have to keep a
positive mindset.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yes, and you know we do.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
We speak things into existence as if it has already happened.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I think that's a very big component. Like since day one,
like we've always had dreams. I can tell you, we
can tell you both that everything that we have set
our minds to with Latina proved as a brand has
happened or is happening, right, yeap, And it's scary and
crazy to think that, you know, and we're full testaments
(12:34):
that this is no bs, Like it's really true.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Like it's really true.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
The power of having a positive mindset, having a partner
that you can share that positive mindset with, right.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
And along with that, being a good person and being
good to your partner and being just a good person
outside of what you're doing right, doing good and being
good just all around good and having good intention and
being grateful. Tany and I are always just thanking each
other for anything, really just being there for each other.
(13:08):
I think that that's really important.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Yeah, and you said it like it's a big component
is gratitude, like being grateful for the small, the big,
that for everything, right that even even the learning lessons,
even the learning lessons that come our way that might
not be something that we're one hundred percent aligned with
or happy with at the moment, but it's like, Okay,
what what did we learn from this?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
You know, what do we learn from this experience?
Speaker 2 (13:31):
How can we make this experience better in the future,
And being mindful of that which leads us into having
a sincere and open communication and definitely not taking anything personally.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I feel like at the start, remember we were like, Okay,
if we're gonna do this, we need to make a pact.
We're not going to take anything personally, and we're going
to be open one hundred percent with each.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Other and we're going to compromise.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Yes, yes, and exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
We had that conversation initially before we even filed, like
the business entity and everything. We're like, we have to
make sure we got we're open communication, like you tell
me how you feel, you tell me what you're thinking,
and I'll do the same, and we're not gonna take
anything personally, and if we ever do, we're gonna tell
each other, hey, I don't think you're being very nice
(14:20):
about this, or I don't think.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
You know, I don't like your approach on this.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And we made a pack not to take it personally
but instead be open minded to understand each other's thoughts
and emotions.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Yeah, absolutely, and then just being open about how you feel, hey,
this kind of made me feel this way, and then
just hearing each other's point of view and really talking
it out. I know, sometimes it's easier to just let
things go or just like keep but things just always
will end up in the back of your head. So
it's always better to just talk it out and talk
(14:54):
it out in a respectful manner.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yes, and something that you know, Lee has always like,
you know, I'm grateful that you've always reminded or come
come up to, you know, light whenever we probably we
probably don't agree. I wouldn't say disagree, but like if
even we don't agree or align in something that's not
usually a big thing, like literally be like, well, you know,
let's not brush anything under the rug.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
We're gonna talk about it and we're gonna clarify.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
And Lily's like, you know, I'm grateful that you're you're
always like mindful of that, and you know, I appreciate
it because I feel like just with clear communication, open communication.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
It's the best way to go.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
And I think even even a FaceTime I can tell
you Lily and I that makes a difference for us.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
We're always like face timing.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
It's like when we're not facetiming, it feels weird to
even talk on the phone.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
It's like, you know, we have to FaceTime. FaceTime is
a must.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah, it's like or like you know, Google meets or
like wherever right, like we're always like face to face
makes a whole different dynamic and impact versus a simple
text because text messages you can read it differently, you
can understand it differently. Or even a phone call, yeah
you're hearing them over the phone. But something that really
helps us and it's just become natural. It's like the
(16:13):
virtual communication face to face like really helps us. I
think with maintaining like a like a great like chemistry
right throughout our partnership and friendship. Now, what would you say, Lily,
is one of your favorite things about Latina Approved?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I think one of my favorite things about Latina Approved
is getting to see the interaction between our audience. I
love how vocal everyone is. I love how proud everyone
is about their culture, about their upbringing. So I always
love to see that engagement, that representation, like that's what
we're here for. So I just love seeing that on
(16:57):
a daily basis.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
No, yeah, definitely, I agree with you.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
I just love like we see all the tags, all
of the dms like we like, you have no idea
how much that motivates us. A couple of years back,
we did a campaign about latinas right, it was like
this trend that we did and we incorporated a lot
of of our audience to participate where it was like
(17:24):
a before and after like makeover type of thing, right
of like going out and stuff with a makeup brush.
And you guys should check it out. It's on our Instagram.
It's live on our Instagram and that video every time
we watch it back and we see all of your
gorgeous and beautiful faces on their participating and we're together
(17:45):
as one. There's so much meaning and inspiration that comes
from watching that video that we're like man like our
girls like they came through. We feel like you guys
are our friends, you know, the ds and you tell
us when you're happy, you're tell us when you're not,
you tell us, you know, and we love all of that.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Yeah, No, that's what we're here for. We're really a
platform to hear you guys, and hear what you're thinking
and what your thoughts are on certain issues and what
you want to see more of. Like that's what we're
here for.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yes, absolutely, And you know with that being said, like
think about this, like what is a dream life that
you would like to have and is this a dream
life you can create with your dear amigas you know,
or a like it's it's not impossible. I feel like
there's a misconception like, oh, you could create your dream
(18:40):
life by yourself, or you can create your dream life
with a partner, like a romantic partner.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
But the truth is.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Like Lily and I always say this, or Lily says
this all the time.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
What is it that you tell me, Lily that.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
You're the person I'm committed to the most.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
It's in paper, it's in writing.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
We're committed.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Yes, exactly, So I won't forget the very day that
we went to was it the courthouse and we got
everything like signed an official.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
And she's like, oh my god. She's like, I feel
like we just got married. We just got married. We
just got married. And we're like, well, let's take a
picture with the paperwork.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
And we took a picture right out the courthouse at
the paperwork and we're like, oh my god, this is official.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
So this we're in. We're in, and she's.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Like, this is Sierra, this is I'm sweating thinking about
that moment.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, so you know the fact that we both had trust,
because it's really important too, like whoever you decide to
create this dream life with or a partnership with, you
have to trust them, Like you have to have trust
in that person.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Absolutely, And just looking back that moment, like I never
had a doubt in my mind that this was some
thing to do or not. It's just like, yeah, of course,
why not, Like it's you. I trust you, I believe
in you, and I believe in us, So there was.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Never a doubt exactly.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yes, I think like that's super important for you to
trust that person. I feel like our biggest, our biggest
answer is really rely on our gut, like in our
gut feeling, in our heart. Right, So if you have
a slight doubt, maybe think about it twice.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Trust trust your instinct and your intuition for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
For sure, Like we're both very like spiritual about manifesting
trusting our gut feeling, and sometimes we have made decisions
based on our gut feeling no matter how hard it is, right, Lily,
I think we there's been some tough challenges where we've
had to like.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Really make decisions from our gut.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Yeah, And like we'll be open about that and we'll
FaceTime each other and like, how do you feel well,
I don't know, I feel this way and I feel
that way. Well, what's what's your gut telling you? And
we really go based on that.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Yeah, we go based on that, and we're respectful of
each other's like decisions. We had some major decisions, you know,
to make, you know, a couple of years ago, and
one of the things that we always start whenever there's
a big decision to be made, we're like, okay, just
let's remember not to take anything personally.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
We both understand our points.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Of views and whatever the outcomeist, we're going to be
okay with that.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
And if we need space, we need space.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
If we don't, then great, and just be respectful of
those things. And that's really how we fled things and
just having the confidence in each other.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, and one thing we've always said is that we're
friends first and business partners after.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Yes, Yes, I love that because that's how this all started.
This foundation was built off of friendship, out of respect
and out of trust, and that's super important, right, And
maybe others might disagree, but like sometimes you hear people say, well,
business is business, right, and but what has worked for
(22:11):
us is really being mindful of that, like for friends,
first business second, and that's really what has worked for
us and creating this amazing Latina approved community, which now
leads to this podcast where you will hear us talking
about different topics about simply being Latina and what is
(22:35):
approved in the Latina community and sometimes what's not approved
in the Latina community.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Oh yeah, you're gonna get it all and we're here
to share it.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yes, So with that being said, we invite you to
please stay tuned, continue listening to the podcast. There's so
many surprises, so many guests that are going to be joining,
so many different topics that will simply resonate with your heart,
with your soul and your culture right and this community
(23:08):
that all of you have helped build.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Yeah, this honestly, this wouldn't be possible without you guys.
So really want you guys to join us on this
journey that's continuing to evolve, and we're so grateful for you,
and we're excited to just keep this going and to
keep having these conversations because these conversations need to be had.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
And just remember that if you want to create a
dream life, you could probably do it with your avega,
So you don't got to do this alone.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
You don't got to do this with anybody else.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
You can create your dream life together, just how Lily
and I have done it. We've created our dream life
together and you know we're so so grateful for that.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah, nothing, nothing is impossible. You just got to do
it and believe in yourself.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Yeah, believe in yourself. Get started it manifested, speaking into
existence as if it has already happened, and.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Put in the work. We can we can dive into
this in another episode, but no, you can absolutely.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Do it, absolutely, And yeah it is about putting in
the work, putting in the time. But the first thing,
just take that action step and everything else will fall
into place. Yep, So thank you so much. This has
been amazing. This is Fani from Latina
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Proof and this is Lily B with Latina Proof and
a
Ola Almost Latina Approved and we're your hosts Stanni, Stefi
or Amiga that keeps it real and will give you
a kick of motivation. And I'm Lily B who you
can always count on for a good lab and some adventure.
This podcast is dedicated to our biling with Latinas who
are resilient ele changanas and for.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The Latinas that resonate with the phrase zodiaki ida Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
As first generation Americans and daughters of immigrants, we felt
empowered to unite and redefine the narrative of what it.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Means to be Latina.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Latina Approved is a platform where all Latinas can turn
to and feel positively represented.
Speaker 5 (00:34):
Join us on this podcast every week where we engage
in relatable conversations about self love, relationships.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
And share uplifting stories about real life experiences and empower
you to embrace your authentic self.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Amiga.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
We have a lot to talk about, so make sure
you subscribe to Latina Proof Podcasts and follow us on
social media at Latina Approved Arasos. We're gonna give a
little background story on how Dina Approved began and became
this amazing community for bilingual Latinas. And give you some
tips on how we created our dream life together.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, And I mean Tani and I have been friends
for some time now, so it's really how to start
your dream job with your best friend.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yes, and you know, just to touch base, Lily and
I have been friends for like a decade now, so right.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
That's so crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yes, And one of the questions that we often get
is how has this worked out for so long? You know,
there's many fallouts and friendships, especially when it comes to
starting a brand, you know, or a business, or when
you do something with friends. Sometimes they're fallouts. But we're
proud to say that, you know, we've been pretty successful
(01:58):
at launching this brand and creating it into a community.
So we're going to share with you some life tips
on what has worked for us in our journey, right.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah. Absolutely. I mean there's so many challenges that can
come up with starting a business, and there's just so
many differences that one can come across. So definitely excited
to share what has worked with us.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yes, And it's about also, I think you know about friendship, right, Like,
there's many friendships and we love and cherish those close
friendships and together you can create like a wonderful life.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
It doesn't you know, it doesn't have to be.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
With sometimes, yes, with significant others, right, that's the ideal
of creating a wonderful life.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
But you can do that too with your amigas.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Right. So I think we have that, you know, special
bond with Lily. So I think one of the things
that we want to talk about that's really important is respect,
right Lily, yes, ri e spct Yes, So it's definitely respect.
(03:15):
But we can backtrack a little maybe and we share
a story about like how we became friends and how
Latina Prove was born.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Let's start there. That's a good starting point.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
But it does start with respect. Because Lily and I
were actually colleagues. We work together, So just to give
some context, we both have a strong like media and
marketing background, and we met and we became friends at
the company we were working for at the time.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, we were working together and we were tasked with
working on projects together. So that gave us an opportunity
to see how we worked well together.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, So we worked on different my campaigns together and
we found like we developed a friendship beyond just the workplace.
So one day out of the many days Lilly and
I would have lunch together, we'd hang out after work
or on the weekends and all that good stuff. One
day we decided, you know what, let's go out for
(04:17):
brunch of mimosas.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
And so we did, right, we went out for brunch
of mimosas.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And something about both of us is that we're We've
always been very goal oriented, right, so we've always talked
about our goals and everything we want to accomplish in
life goals.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
And also both Tanny and I have always had this entrepreneurship,
entrepreneurial spirit about us. So that's something that her and
I would always talk about, you know, starting some kind
of business and something that had to do with being
creative and content and we would bounce ideas back and forth.
(04:53):
So when we were at brunch.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
We started talking about, what, you know, our goals, and
we knew that something we wanted to do was create
something that would make an impact for Latinas and Muhera
specifically bilingual Latinas, because we felt that that was missing, right,
that was missing and content creation that was missing in media.
(05:17):
That we just felt like, what about us, right, we
speak both languages, we predominantly speak English, but we also
dominate Spanish very well at home and with our families.
But we felt like, you know what we want to represent.
We want something that represents those Latinas that can resonate
with us. And we're like, are you down to create something?
(05:39):
Are you up for it?
Speaker 4 (05:41):
And we're like yeah, We're like, well, how serious are you?
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Because something that we both had experienced in the past
was that we've probably talked to friends about a certain
goal and they're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's do it,
but it never followed. They never followed through, or maybe
the chemistry wasn't there, and things like really fell off
the bandwagon and then you just don't do anything right,
Like yeah, I felt like both Lilly and I we
(06:04):
were we had had that conversation about just different fallouts
and nothing really happening. So when we started brainstorming, we're like, well,
are you sure you're down?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
But are you down down though? Like you're down though?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Or is this something mosta talking Yeah exactly, And then
I was like I'm down down. Lily's like okay, then
all right, then well right now, and mind you there's
there was other people around us to do that, but
we just went into the zone that We're like talking
about our goals and one we you know, our goals
aligned where we wanted to do something in the content
(06:38):
creation space.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
We wanted to do something that was digital.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
We wanted to do something that was meaningful and impactful,
most importantly to the Latina community. And we started bouncing
names back and forth, back and forth until Latina proved,
Latina Proof came about and it was born, and we're like, perfect,
this is what we're gonna do. We're gonna approve things
(07:01):
in the Latina community that are Latina approved while making
sure that we're highlighting and spotlighting those in our community
while empowering them and educating at.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
The same time.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So it just became this whole like full circle for us.
The next day, we're like, okay, we're serious, good morning,
good morning, Okay you ready. Lily's like, I got our
ig handle, I got our Facebook handle, I said, perfect,
I got our email handle, all right, good, I got
our domain handle.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Okay. Then we were like going back and forth, this
is serious.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
And I think since then we never stopped texting that.
You're seriously the person I text the most, like.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Day, like I'm texting you no, same thing, same thing,
and like we can both Valich and say, like, we
have not stopped talking ever since then.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
And it's not because, you know, not because.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
It's forced, or it's because we've always been very inspired
and happy to do it. You know, even if we've
had like a random thought, hey we should do this,
we should do that, we're texting each other, we're communicating
or like what's content looking like this week?
Speaker 4 (08:08):
And whatever?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
It is, like we're caught in communication because that's how
passionate we are about our Latina community.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, and I think one thing to note here for
anyone who's interested in starting a business with a friend
or just even at all, is that you don't have
to have it all together. You don't have to have
this whole mapped out plan. You just have to start, honestly, Like,
you just have to start.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yeah, you just have to start, whether it's a project, right,
maybe even if it isn't a business, and you're like,
you know what, I'd really like to do this project
with my friend, and both of you guys are like, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Or even if it's a you're planning a party or
whether you're planning an event, something that you both mutually.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Want to do. It just just gets.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Started, really like we didn't have a plan on how
far this was going to go for us or anything.
We just knew, you know what, we love, We love
the name Latina Approve.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
We want to make an impact.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
We want to give our stamp of approval on things
that we feel Latina approved for our for our audience.
And we just began and everything, you know, one thing
led to another, and we've had so many opportunities come
our way which have been wonderful due to this idea
and this goal that we mutually had. So first things first,
(09:25):
it's like, how have you guys made this Maine this work?
Because I feel like many people get surprised that we've
been in you know, together throughout this journey for so long,
and honestly, like we're proud to say that we've it's
been nice. Like we always say like, oh, it's a blessing.
Like you know, Lily and I would both tell each
other like, oh, I'm so blessed to have you. I'm
(09:46):
so blessed to have you too, Like we're so grateful
because you know, it's been a wonderful ride. But first
things first, as we mentioned earlier, it's about respect. I think,
you know, first things like we have so much respect
for each other in appreciation that that's so important.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, I know, having respect for each other's ideas because
obviously we can have different ideas, different opinions, but just
always maintaining that level of respect for each other and
seeing each other's point of views has really helped us.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yes, And at the very beginning, I don't know if
you remember this literally, like we were like, okay, we
have a goal, but you know this, this is a
little trick I learned from one of my professors, was like, okay,
we're going to outline a letter of what our vision
is for Latina Proof. We each like outline what our
vision was for Latina Proof to find that common ground, right,
(10:44):
it was very important to find like, Okay, are we aligned?
Is really your vision? Do we really share the same vision?
And if we don't, are we willing to compromise? Are
we willing to make it happen? But at the end
of the day, both of our visions aligned, which I
think that was a bonus, right. We both wanted to
create something impactful, something for the community, something for Latinas,
(11:04):
and we wanted to integrate content creations. So it worked
out that way, and I think another thing that has
really helped us. And we do this every day. And
it may sound like cliche or like it may sound like,
oh my god, another talk about manifesting and maintaining a
positive mindset, But seriously, we can't stress enough how important
(11:26):
it is to maintain a positive mindset.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Absolutely, one hundred percent. You guys should see our text
messages is just filled with just positive messages to each other. Hey,
even though hey, I hope you have a great day. Hey,
good morning. Hey, today's going to be great, just like
little things and it just comes naturally to us. But honestly,
(11:50):
I do have full belief that that has helped us
and we're gonna keep doing it just because we have to.
Just something that we're doing out of passion and love,
and it takes time. So definitely have to keep a
positive mindset.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yes, and you know we do.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
We speak things into existence as if it has already happened.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I think that's a very big component. Like since day one,
like we've always had dreams. I can tell you, we
can tell you both that everything that we have set
our minds to with Latina proved as a brand has
happened or is happening, right, yeap, And it's scary and
crazy to think that, you know, and we're full testaments
(12:34):
that this is no bs, Like it's really true.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
Like it's really true.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
The power of having a positive mindset, having a partner
that you can share that positive mindset with, right.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
And along with that, being a good person and being
good to your partner and being just a good person
outside of what you're doing right, doing good and being
good just all around good and having good intention and
being grateful. Tany and I are always just thanking each
other for anything, really just being there for each other.
(13:08):
I think that that's really important.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Yeah, and you said it like it's a big component
is gratitude, like being grateful for the small, the big,
that for everything, right that even even the learning lessons,
even the learning lessons that come our way that might
not be something that we're one hundred percent aligned with
or happy with at the moment, but it's like, Okay,
what what did we learn from this?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
You know, what do we learn from this experience?
Speaker 2 (13:31):
How can we make this experience better in the future,
And being mindful of that which leads us into having
a sincere and open communication and definitely not taking anything personally.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I feel like at the start, remember we were like, Okay,
if we're gonna do this, we need to make a pact.
We're not going to take anything personally, and we're going
to be open one hundred percent with each.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Other and we're going to compromise.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Yes, yes, and exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
We had that conversation initially before we even filed, like
the business entity and everything. We're like, we have to
make sure we got we're open communication, like you tell
me how you feel, you tell me what you're thinking,
and I'll do the same, and we're not gonna take
anything personally, and if we ever do, we're gonna tell
each other, hey, I don't think you're being very nice
(14:20):
about this, or I don't think.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
You know, I don't like your approach on this.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And we made a pack not to take it personally
but instead be open minded to understand each other's thoughts
and emotions.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Yeah, absolutely, and then just being open about how you feel, hey,
this kind of made me feel this way, and then
just hearing each other's point of view and really talking
it out. I know, sometimes it's easier to just let
things go or just like keep but things just always
will end up in the back of your head. So
it's always better to just talk it out and talk
(14:54):
it out in a respectful manner.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yes, and something that you know, Lee has always like,
you know, I'm grateful that you've always reminded or come
come up to, you know, light whenever we probably we
probably don't agree. I wouldn't say disagree, but like if
even we don't agree or align in something that's not
usually a big thing, like literally be like, well, you know,
let's not brush anything under the rug.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
We're gonna talk about it and we're gonna clarify.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
And Lily's like, you know, I'm grateful that you're you're
always like mindful of that, and you know, I appreciate
it because I feel like just with clear communication, open communication.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
It's the best way to go.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
And I think even even a FaceTime I can tell
you Lily and I that makes a difference for us.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
We're always like face timing.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
It's like when we're not facetiming, it feels weird to
even talk on the phone.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
It's like, you know, we have to FaceTime. FaceTime is
a must.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah, it's like or like you know, Google meets or
like wherever right, like we're always like face to face
makes a whole different dynamic and impact versus a simple
text because text messages you can read it differently, you
can understand it differently. Or even a phone call, yeah
you're hearing them over the phone. But something that really
helps us and it's just become natural. It's like the
(16:13):
virtual communication face to face like really helps us. I
think with maintaining like a like a great like chemistry
right throughout our partnership and friendship. Now, what would you say, Lily,
is one of your favorite things about Latina Approved?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I think one of my favorite things about Latina Approved
is getting to see the interaction between our audience. I
love how vocal everyone is. I love how proud everyone
is about their culture, about their upbringing. So I always
love to see that engagement, that representation, like that's what
we're here for. So I just love seeing that on
(16:57):
a daily basis.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
No, yeah, definitely, I agree with you.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
I just love like we see all the tags, all
of the dms like we like, you have no idea
how much that motivates us. A couple of years back,
we did a campaign about latinas right, it was like
this trend that we did and we incorporated a lot
of of our audience to participate where it was like
(17:24):
a before and after like makeover type of thing, right
of like going out and stuff with a makeup brush.
And you guys should check it out. It's on our Instagram.
It's live on our Instagram and that video every time
we watch it back and we see all of your
gorgeous and beautiful faces on their participating and we're together
(17:45):
as one. There's so much meaning and inspiration that comes
from watching that video that we're like man like our
girls like they came through. We feel like you guys
are our friends, you know, the ds and you tell
us when you're happy, you're tell us when you're not,
you tell us, you know, and we love all of that.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Yeah, No, that's what we're here for. We're really a
platform to hear you guys, and hear what you're thinking
and what your thoughts are on certain issues and what
you want to see more of. Like that's what we're
here for.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yes, absolutely, And you know with that being said, like
think about this, like what is a dream life that
you would like to have and is this a dream
life you can create with your dear amigas you know,
or a like it's it's not impossible. I feel like
there's a misconception like, oh, you could create your dream
(18:40):
life by yourself, or you can create your dream life
with a partner, like a romantic partner.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
But the truth is.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Like Lily and I always say this, or Lily says
this all the time.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
What is it that you tell me, Lily that.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
You're the person I'm committed to the most.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
It's in paper, it's in writing.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
We're committed.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Yes, exactly, So I won't forget the very day that
we went to was it the courthouse and we got
everything like signed an official.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
And she's like, oh my god. She's like, I feel
like we just got married. We just got married. We
just got married. And we're like, well, let's take a
picture with the paperwork.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
And we took a picture right out the courthouse at
the paperwork and we're like, oh my god, this is official.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
So this we're in. We're in, and she's.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Like, this is Sierra, this is I'm sweating thinking about
that moment.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, so you know the fact that we both had trust,
because it's really important too, like whoever you decide to
create this dream life with or a partnership with, you
have to trust them, Like you have to have trust
in that person.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Absolutely, And just looking back that moment, like I never
had a doubt in my mind that this was some
thing to do or not. It's just like, yeah, of course,
why not, Like it's you. I trust you, I believe
in you, and I believe in us, So there was.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Never a doubt exactly.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yes, I think like that's super important for you to
trust that person. I feel like our biggest, our biggest
answer is really rely on our gut, like in our
gut feeling, in our heart. Right, So if you have
a slight doubt, maybe think about it twice.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Trust trust your instinct and your intuition for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
For sure, Like we're both very like spiritual about manifesting
trusting our gut feeling, and sometimes we have made decisions
based on our gut feeling no matter how hard it is, right, Lily,
I think we there's been some tough challenges where we've
had to like.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Really make decisions from our gut.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Yeah, And like we'll be open about that and we'll
FaceTime each other and like, how do you feel well,
I don't know, I feel this way and I feel
that way. Well, what's what's your gut telling you? And
we really go based on that.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Yeah, we go based on that, and we're respectful of
each other's like decisions. We had some major decisions, you know,
to make, you know, a couple of years ago, and
one of the things that we always start whenever there's
a big decision to be made, we're like, okay, just
let's remember not to take anything personally.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
We both understand our points.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Of views and whatever the outcomeist, we're going to be
okay with that.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
And if we need space, we need space.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
If we don't, then great, and just be respectful of
those things. And that's really how we fled things and
just having the confidence in each other.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, and one thing we've always said is that we're
friends first and business partners after.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Yes, Yes, I love that because that's how this all started.
This foundation was built off of friendship, out of respect
and out of trust, and that's super important, right, And
maybe others might disagree, but like sometimes you hear people say, well,
business is business, right, and but what has worked for
(22:11):
us is really being mindful of that, like for friends,
first business second, and that's really what has worked for
us and creating this amazing Latina approved community, which now
leads to this podcast where you will hear us talking
about different topics about simply being Latina and what is
(22:35):
approved in the Latina community and sometimes what's not approved
in the Latina community.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Oh yeah, you're gonna get it all and we're here
to share it.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yes, So with that being said, we invite you to
please stay tuned, continue listening to the podcast. There's so
many surprises, so many guests that are going to be joining,
so many different topics that will simply resonate with your heart,
with your soul and your culture right and this community
(23:08):
that all of you have helped build.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Yeah, this honestly, this wouldn't be possible without you guys.
So really want you guys to join us on this
journey that's continuing to evolve, and we're so grateful for you,
and we're excited to just keep this going and to
keep having these conversations because these conversations need to be had.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
And just remember that if you want to create a
dream life, you could probably do it with your avega,
So you don't got to do this alone.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
You don't got to do this with anybody else.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
You can create your dream life together, just how Lily
and I have done it. We've created our dream life
together and you know we're so so grateful for that.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Yeah, nothing, nothing is impossible. You just got to do
it and believe in yourself.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Yeah, believe in yourself. Get started it manifested, speaking into
existence as if it has already happened, and.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Put in the work. We can we can dive into
this in another episode, but no, you can absolutely.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Do it, absolutely, And yeah it is about putting in
the work, putting in the time. But the first thing,
just take that action step and everything else will fall
into place. Yep, So thank you so much. This has
been amazing. This is Fani from Latina
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Proof and this is Lily B with Latina Proof and
a
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