During this quarantine, I was so amazed and proud to see my entrepreneurial friends get extremely creative in finding new and effective ways of making money during this unusual time. They sought out to offer one-on-one mentoring and group workshops that focused on teaching people new skills from home through a video platform you may already be familiar with called Zoom. I was very impressed with how effective ZOOM webinars were for them. The cool thing about hosting workshops on Zoom versus video content on YouTube is that it is very interactive so you get the chance to actually talk to your audience and answer questions on the spot, versus a pre-recorded video.

Being the curious and confident gal that I am, I sought out to find out if I could also partake in the ongoing Zoom trend. But what would I have to offer? What could I teach that is of value? What am I particularly good at? Fashion, of course, was my first response. However, I have a blog for that and I am always sharing my knowledge on social media. I wanted to offer something more. I began to really dig deep and put some thought into it. I then realized that ever since I was 18 years old, I have actively been involved in several successful startups ( Soon to be 9 start-ups, stay tuned to find out more on this ;)) To be honest, I don’t know of anyone better who knows how to open a business – in what I like to call an interesting and strange market of El Paso, but myself. Not only have I helped develop 8 successful startups over the years, but I also worked for a genius and powerhouse master, the former owner of Tres Mariposas, who taught me everything there is to know about owning and running a successful boutique. I have also been heavily involved in other industries beyond fashion ranging from party halls, hair salons, The Gal Brunch, my mom’s store Tesori and so much more. The more I walked down memory the lane, the more I added to my list. I have experience and sharp skills in marketing, networking, buying, sales, accounting, managing employees, travel, and even architecture! I have done it all during the last 11 years of my life. As I added more and more to my list, I could not help but feel the adrenaline rush through my veins. I
I was so confident that if I was able to help my mother turn her dream into a profitable and successful company with my knowledge and experience, I could help others get their business off the ground! It was then that I realized I had it in me to help others achieve and accomplish their dreams! I was born to inspire, motivate, mentor, and execute.

I rolled up my sleeves and started a 4-series workshop. Each session would be 60 minutes long and I would host two sessions every Friday. I was so nervous to get started. However, I want to add that my motto lately has been “expect nothing, get everything.” In a gist, this reminds me to be present and make the most out of every situation knowing that there is always a lesson to be learned, whether it is failure or success. This mindset and attitude have completely changed my perspective and turned my life around. To my surprise, my first session was completely booked! People wanted to hear what I had to say, but more importantly, they were ready to learn from my experience. I was both humbled and extremely excited. I began my first Zoom session with great confidence knowing that I have put a lot of hard work, passion, and love into this and reminded myself that everything would work out just fine. Well, let me tell you, it turned out to be better than just fine! My first class was actually an hour and a half long ( disclaimer - it only felt like the best 10 minutes of my life! ) To be honest, the only chance I really get to talk about my experiences is through my blog, and although I love sharing them with you, this was different. I was sharing with a group of listeners who were eager to learn and know everything about my career of 11 years in fashion, retail, and business.

Most importantly, I got the opportunity to know each attendee firsthand by name and learned about their dreams and what they wanted to accomplish. I was able to connect with them on a different level sharing words of compassion, care, and shared interests. I have always said, when you do something out of love and passion, the results come in abundance. I was so amazed and surprised by the success and the positive feedback that I received. The sessions were a hit and people wanted more and more. Being able to help others by doing what I love was completely awesome and extremely gratifying.It made me realize that not sharing my knowledge and experience would be selfish of me. I can’t describe what it feels to be able to help and inspire others to make their dreams a reality, other than by sharing that my heart is full of gratitude. This coming Thursday, I will be hosting “The Net with Gesuina” to meet all my fellow students and mentees. I have a lot of surprises in store for them because this is only the beginning of Zoom with Gesuina. Stay tuned.

-

The last few months have been unexpectedly insane, to say the least. In the midst of living in panic and uncertainty during this pandemic followed by a series of unfortunate events fueled by hate and racism, it hurts my heart to experience a continuous thread of backlash, bullying, and hatred. Now, more than ever is the time when we need to come together to bring peace and comfort to others and restore faith in humanity. In order to advocate change, we must be willing to initiate change within ourselves.

With that being said, I want to challenge all my readers to practice acts of kindness, gratitude, and courage daily, so that together, we can create a movement that will incite positivity and create a progressive impact in society given the situation that we are currently living in. I invite you to lead by example, and with our example, let us inspire others to do the same and thus create an endless chain of actions.

Kindness and Respect You may be familiar with the old saying “ You can’t understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” We don’t know what people go through, therefore we should be slow to judge. No matter what religion, skin color, or sexual preference we are all from the same race – the human race. As such, we should speak with kindness and treat one another with respect. Let your actions be driven by compassion and words fueled by love, because believe it or not, kindness is contagious.

Gratitude If you have a roof over your head, food on your table, and something to look forward to every day, know that you are beyond blessed. Let us not take the little things in life for granted. Your trips and gatherings can wait. They won’t make an impact on your future, but who you spend your time with during these days will. I challenge you to keep a gratitude journal and write down 10 things you are grateful for every day. Today, I am thankful for having the opportunity to share this with you. I am grateful to be able to have a voice that inspires others.

Courage Dare to be different and dare to be bold. Don’t fear being different and most of all, don’t be afraid to act with braveness, stand up for your neighbor and do the right thing. It is through acts of courage that we grow as individuals. It is through the seeds of endurance which we plant on this earth that will grow trees of hope in the future. Have the courage to act with righteousness and speak with words of wisdom and hope, especially today, when the world needs it more than ever. With this being said, I really want my readers to take a step back and realize that there is so much hate going on right now and we need to be wiser and use this opportunity to love and bring light to others. It is a time to unite, support, and come together as a community. I would really love for the city of El Paso to be an inspiration and an example. Let’s stand up for peace and hope for a brighter future.

-