SAN ANTONIO — Latina leaders in our community are working to help others jump-start their businesses and careers through networking.
Samantha Najera, owner of HeartFire Media and co-host and creator of Bean & Chisme, took a leap of faith when she decided to start her business from the ground up.
"When I started my company, I was 26 years old. Nobody knew who I was, they didn't take me seriously, especially as a young woman and I had to really prove myself and I had to do a lot of jobs for free," Najera said. "In the meantime, I actually had a daughter within my first year in business and I don't know how I managed both and there were a lot of tears, a lot of tears but I just kept going."
Now, Najera shares her story to inspire and help others who are launching their careers and businesses.
"We found that there's really a need to have other women leaders to speak about their experience and to give words of encouragement and show the struggle is real but we can overcome it," Najera said.
She is teaming up with a local organization, Bossy Latinas, giving women the guidance and tools they need to thrive as entrepreneurs.
The next workshop, 'The Year of the Chingona' will be held February 21 and tickets are available for men and women who are looking for networking and career advancement. You can find more information here.
"A Chingona in English means you're just a female boss babe, a power women," Najera said. "What we're going to do is just talk about our experience and I will share my story of how I struggled but I overcame and now I'm doing things that I never thought I would do."