Meet Paulette Piñero, a trailblazing Boricua entrepreneur on a mission to transform narratives, empower mujeres in business, and drive societal change through authentic storytelling. With over 16 years of experience dedicated to elevating brands and fostering tangible impact, Paulette's journey from a recovering perfectionist to a champion of transformation is nothing short of inspiring. Her unique blend of cultural insight, strategic acumen, and unwavering dedication shines through as she navigates the demands of being a CEO while embracing her identity as an introvert with ADHD. As a LinkedIn Top Branding Voice, Paulette's strategies for cultivating a strong presence on the platform are as insightful as her work with overwhelmed business owners, guiding them to overcome challenges, embrace imperfection, and thrive as CEOs of their ventures. Join us as we delve into Paulette's remarkable journey, passion for multicultural marketing, and empowering vision for a more equitable and joyful world of entrepreneurship
1) Can you share with us a bit about your journey from being a recovering perfectionist to becoming an advocate for transformation among mujeres in business?
My journey started in Puerto Rico, where I was born and raised by strong and loving women. Then in my early twenties, I became a mom and I went from college student to full-time career. Being so young in an environment full of professionals and experts really made me question every career move. Even though I launched a non-profit with my grandmother at age 11 and started working in media around 16, having a “real job” by 20 was a big step.
Later moving to the United States with a resume full of leadership and managerial experience but only 25 years old was double the shock for my employers. Not only did I have to prove myself as the only Latina in leadership roles, but also as a newcomer in the US. The pressures at work, life, and motherhood came to a boiling point in my early 30s when the burnout and stress were so high that I would have panic attacks on the train to the point where I considered unaliving myself. I had two choices: give up or try something completely different. I chose the latter.
In addition to therapy, I focused on building the one thing I was taught to not do, lean in my community. Instead of keeping everything “en la casa” or being “calladita” I decided to grow my network and openly speak up about my experiences. At the same time, I was doing freelance creative work with my husband and small consulting projects with peers. All that work seemed like the creative outlet I needed to survive, but now looking back it is the foundation for my business and brand. Growing a community of mujeres for personal and professional growth was the catalyst to my journey of imperfectionism. Now I see the results, a thriving network of powerhouse jefas and amigas that are always ready to give a helping hand.
2) As an introvert with ADHD, how do you navigate the demands of being a CEO while ensuring you maintain balance and focus?
The first step to acceptance and finding the right flow of work was owning my neurodivergence. Instead of trying to “hack” productivity and find shortcuts to do more with less time, I just sat with my thoughts. Asking myself “What would it look like if my business worked for me and not the other way around?” Doing this intentional mindset work allowed me to reenvision entrepreneurship and my role as the CEO of my company.
As mujeres we have this notion of what it means to be a leader or a business owner, so we don’t permit ourselves to create something new. Making my business work for me as an introvert with ADHD and chronic illnesses looks like having an unlimited rescheduling policy for both my clients and myself, measuring client impact over revenue, shifting my business model from B2C to B2B, and filtering my leads with a questionnaire. What these changes from the norm give me and my clients is the opportunity to create a long-lasting partnership where we are both supporting each other. I call myself your business mejor amiga because that’s exactly what happens. When I can show up authentically for my clients, I am their biggest cheerleader. By taking care of myself I have the capacity and time to build strong relationships.
3) Your focus on multicultural marketing and brand strategy is fascinating. What led you to specialize in this area, and how do you believe it impacts the industry at large?
I kind of ended up in this industry by mistake. After working in human services for over a decade I realized that the parts I enjoy most were developing the strategy and then building partnerships to make a vision come to life. Because I was working in non-profits, I had tiny almost non-existent marketing budgets, so I learned marketing on my own as an extension of my work. My husband is a lifelong graphic and web designer so having him to bounce ideas off and get direction on what to learn made him my first industry mentor. But the more I learned about marketing and branding the more I realized that it was centered around whiteness and marginalized communities were a secondary thought. With a background in human behavior, community development, and equity programming I started to teach others the purchasing power of communities of color.
My gente cannot be an afterthought in your marketing campaigns. This led me to become a fierce advocate for removing the wage and revenue gaps for women, especially Latinas, and mothers, and how the impact of closing the wealth gaps creates a sustainable and equitable economy for all. In my business, Unstoppable Latina, I guide service-based entrepreneurs and small business owners to harness the power of their cultura and serve their communities. Because this is something that most marketing and business “experts” tell you not to do. My first business mentor told me “Latinas don’t have money, how are they going to pay you for what you do”. And so many of my clients and followers get the same feedback when research shows that the opposite. Marginalized communities not only drive the economy, they actively seek value-based businesses they can champion.
4) You've been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Branding Voice. Could you tell us about the strategies or approaches you've used to cultivate such a strong presence on the platform?
There are 2 things I learned in my journey of entrepreneurship that allowed me to grow such a strong brand: hang out where your client hangs out and speak directly to them, no one else. I’m not talking about niching down, the goal is to understand your ideal client’s behaviors and where they are in their journey before they find you. For example, in my business, I do my best work when I get to collaborate with an entrepreneur who’s been in business for 2-3 years, has a clear understanding of what they offer, but is struggling to grow consistently because they are personalizing every service and that’s exhausting. They know what they don’t want to do or the clients they don’t want to work with, they just don’t know what the next step is going to be. Oh most importantly, they’ve tried traditional marketing and branding tactics, but lack a roadmap to achieve their vision. Because I understand my audience’s psychographics I can create content that resonates with them 1 or 2 steps before they are ready to work with me.
My audience feels lonely because no one in their family is an entrepreneur, and I totally get that, so I start all of my posts with the word “Amiga”. They are looking for an amiga that understands them, and so am I, so why not be friends? I love sharing resources and they are craving tools to grow their businesses, so why not share them? I’m comfortable sharing the imperfect parts of being an entrepreneur, why not show others what’s possible? The goal is not perfectly curated posts and threads, the goal is to be consistent with your messaging, in the platforms and spaces where your client is craving your content speaking directly to them. Once you do this, the accolades and recognition might come, but the biggest win is to have strong lifelong connections with amazing people.
5) In your work with overwhelmed business owners, what are some common challenges you've observed, and how do you help them overcome these obstacles?
Let’s get the first obstacle out of the way, and that is systemic oppression. All challenges we face as marginalized folks stem from the systemic roadblocks created to keep us from celebrating our differences, collaborating over competing, and prioritizing profit over impact. Getting that out of the way, the second biggest obstacle my clients face is the stories we tell ourselves. That we are not worthy of success, that growing a thriving business is something others do not us, and that we don’t have the skills we need to make it work out. Our mindset is what’s holding us back. The first two exercises I do with my clients are a skills assessment and a life map.
My goal isn’t to make Unstoppable Latina a 7-figure business but to guide mujeres to share their imperfect stories and become the CEOs of their ventures. The revenue comes from that larger purpose of empowering others. And the money will come. Once my clients realize that they do have the skills to grow their business and they just have to shift their focus to what aligns with their values everything clicks. Then we fill in the gaps. By creating the soul of their business, the brand, and giving them a strategy for their business growth through our marketing services. The last question I ask my clients before we wrap up a project is “Do you feel like the CEO of your business” and they all respond “Yes”. That is my definition of success.
6) What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who may be struggling with perfectionism or feeling overwhelmed in their business endeavors?
My first advice is to work with a therapist on your mindset and responses to challenges. No coach, mentor, strategist, or friend can walk you through these feelings better than the right therapist. The second thing is to focus on building your entrepreneurial community. In the first 2 years of my business, I set a goal to connect with 1 entrepreneur a week. Some of those virtual cafecitos were a bust, but most of them were connections that turned into business partnerships, clients, media features, and friendships.
You have to actively seek community to find your business mejores amigas. Sometimes we are feeling overwhelmed because we are work-crastinating, or doing busy work to not spend time on selling or promoting our business. Or maybe you should be delegating small parts of your business to others but you don’t know where to start. You can get out of your head and see new possibilities when you are surrounded by folks who’ve done it and can give you objective advice. There’s nothing better than sending a message to your group chat full of business besties telling them “I’m ready to give up” and not only receiving encouragement but also actionable steps. And finally, if you can, seek business coaches and mentors that have experience in your industry or with your ideal clients. A great mentor will show you different avenues and help you identify your priorities.
Website: www.unstoppablelatina.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulettepinero/
