She is an award-winning International Speaker, Relational Capital Expert, author and entrepreneur. She is a mother, mentor, coach, and publisher. She is Verónica Sosa, founder of Business Fit International, Business Fit Magazine, and SHE (Seminar and Society for Hispanic Entrepreneurs). She is leading Hispanic women entrepreneurs on their professional journeys toward greatness and success.
From ‘the crazy life of youth’ to becoming a successful entrepreneur
Born in Venezuela as the eldest of four siblings, Verónica always knew she had an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire for adventure and travel. At the age of 18, she persuaded her parents to let her go by herself to the U.S. to study English. This was just the beginning of her journey and adventures abroad.
By the age of 25, Verónica found herself living in the gorgeous Canary Islands off the coast of Spain. This was yet another exciting adventure full of beaches, parties, and drinking.
“It was the crazy life of youth,” she says.
During this carefree time, Verónica had the joy of settling into a serious relationship and soon decided it was time to have a steadier lifestyle.
“I started a job as a secretary in an English advertising company and within six months I was heading up the business and I was fascinated by finding my ability to lead,” says Verónica. “I discovered I had a creative mind. I was an innovator, a generator of ideas and able to grasp a macro vision for the business.”
Verónica’s next big career milestone came at the age of 33, when she was hired as the Sales and Marketing Director for a German company.
It was during this time that her entrepreneurial journey truly began. Her experiences starting out as an entrepreneur fueled her desire to help other Hispanic women entrepreneurs find a community and offer guidance, mentorship, and coaching.
“I believe I have always been an entrepreneur,” she says, “but it wasn’t until I moved to Belgium that the circumstances led me to start my entrepreneurial path with the Business Fit Academy and SHE.”
Follow us on Instagram at @latinasinbusiness.us to see Veronica on her LIVE Interview on Friday July 24, at 3pm EST time.
Taking back control of her life
Verónica was destined to move yet again, this time to Belgium–quite a change from her life in the Canary Islands. Two years after her daughter Laura was born, it was decided as a family that they would move to Belgium as it would give Laura greater opportunities as she grew up. However, the move brought about more obstacles than Verónica initially expected.
“This became the biggest challenge of my life,” says Verónica. “I had left behind a successful career and I naively assumed I would be able to pick up and continue where I left off once I arrived in Belgium. I couldn’t have been more wrong.”
In a short space of time, Verónica went from being an accomplished person who was stable and secure to the exact opposite.
“I became this sad woman where everything was a problem, the weather, the cold, the language barrier. Everything was an issue. My clothes weren’t appropriate for the climate, no one would employ me as I didn’t speak Dutch or French. I hit rock bottom and no longer recognized myself in the mirror.”
Then one day she decided enough was enough. She needed to make a change and take back control of her life. She learned the language and began working on her personal development. Veronica read several authors who inspired her to grow and become a better person. Then, she began practicing more self-care and revamped her entire lifestyle.
Most importantly, she found her mentors, phenomenal leaders like Viola Edward and Ismael Cala, and true friendship and partnership with Vikki Thomas, and was able to cultivated her tribe of supporters and build a solid community of other like-minded individuals call family SHEmprendedoras and SHEmbajadoras around the world.
“Never underestimate the value of having a good mentor,” Verónica says to other aspiring Hispanic women entrepreneurs. “Believe in yourself and find your tribe, the people who lift you up and who recognize your strengths and are aligned with your values. I always remember this quote: ‘People come into your path for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.’ To teach you a lesson to grow.”
Her biggest pillar of support throughout her entrepreneurial journey has been her mother, supporting her both financially to get started and helping Verónica believe in herself and create her businesses.
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Building a community of Hispanic women entrepreneurs
Once she got her footing in Belgium, she began working in the community, studying and getting better at defining her purpose in life. Now that she is established and successful in her businesses, she’s working to give back through coaching and mentoring others who are in the same place she once was.
Through SHE, Verónica is giving Hispanic women entrepreneurs a community of like-minded women. It is the first community in central Europe that helps women entrepreneurs build their business and achieve their dreams. SHE offers resources, community, mentorship, and special events that help women build their skills as entrepreneurs and business owners.
During this time as a result of Covid-19, they are also offering online courses in place of their in-person events and presentations.
Follow us on Instagram at @latinasinbusiness.us and see Veronica on her LIVE Interview on Friday July 24, at 3pm EST time.
Together Is Better!
One of the biggest driving forces behind Verónica’s passion to help others is her tremendous empathy. Empathy rests at the heart of all of Verónica’s business ventures.
“I am an empathetic woman,” she says. “I have always led by my heart, so I have learned how to build bridges and deal with logic but still letting my heart lead the path.”
To quote the go-to brand phrase, “Together is better.” Empathy means understanding. Empathy means connection. It’s what brings us all together, despite cultural difference or language barriers.
“Spanish is my mother tongue, so I have an accent when speaking English or Dutch,” Verónica shares. “This has led to some very funny misunderstandings, but I love it. I love my Spanish accent. I love my roots and being international. For me that’s the key.”
Verónica’s compassion for others is one of her many tremendous strengths. Her other fundamental strengths include her creativity, innovative instinct, and interpersonal intelligence. All of these strengths have helped her create her relational capital, and her multicultural experience position her to be able to connect and understand of Hispanic women entrepreneurs from all over the globe.
“The fact that I have lived in four different countries has helped me to learn and understand other cultures,” she says. “I am trilingual and one of the most important things for me is the empathy I feel for women and helping them to become holistic entrepreneurs. I do what I do because I am passionate about helping others to realize their dreams and I want to help them reach their own success. I prefer to go to bed with my mind and heart expanded and proud.”
This empathy is especially needed in our current business climate as we face economic trials and tribulations amid the Covid-19 pandemic. With many business-owners struggling during these uncertain times, it is important for us all to practice more empathy.
“Now we are facing new challenges, we are going through an era of transformation, of healing and being part of an ecosystem which cares about the world and where we live,” says Verónica.
If you’ve been searching for community and the guidance to get started on your business venture, consider joining the many Hispanic women entrepreneurs who have already taken that first leap toward accomplishing their dreams and check out SHE.
And remember: ¡JUNTAS ES MEJOR! Together is better!
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