Erica: Hey, girl. By now, you know I have HER Collective, my online community for ambitious women who are done doing it alone. HER Collective is for the women who are smart, capable, and driven, but they find themselves stuck on the sticky floors like self doubt, burnout, and waiting for permission that quite honestly never comes. Inside HER, you get more than motivation. You get real support, real strategies, and real momentum.

Erica: We work on things like clarifying what you want now and what's coming next, building confidence without burning yourself out, navigating hard conversations, career moves, and leadership moments with clarity, and surrounding yourself with women who actually get it. This isn't about hustling harder. It's about moving intentionally with the right tools and the right people in your corner. If you're ready to stop spinning, start choosing yourself, and build a career in life that actually feels aligned, I'd love to welcome you inside HER Collective. You can learn more and join us at www.joinhercollective.com.

Erica: Because honestly, girl, you were never meant to do this alone.

Erica: Welcome to the podcast from now to next. I am your host, Erica Rooney. And today, I have with me Adriana Crawford. And Adriana is the CEO of the Elan Principle, and she is on a mission to make sure that women are seen, heard, and my favorite, paid. So how does she do this?

Erica: She integrates her professional experiences across the sectors and stories with the life that she is determined to live on her terms. So not only does she do coaching, but she also leads diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the advertising industry and consulting work. So, Adriana, welcome. I am super excited to have you here today. How are you?

Adriana: Yes. I am happy so happy to be here, and and thank you for reaching out to me for this. I am well. And I mean that honestly. I know a lot of times people will just hang and say, oh, yeah.

Adriana: Well, I'm well, but but I'm I'm well, today. So thank you.

Erica: Yes. I know. We talked briefly right before we hit the record button on here, but just Yeah. Is here. We've had our first week of summer, and I'm with you.

Erica: I'm feeling the vibe. I am feeling the vibe. Mhmm. Well, tell me a little bit, more about yourself. I mean, that was a great intro, but I wanna hear more about you.

Adriana: Yeah. That that it's just a big question. I think I think that to to make it as as simple as possible without taking up the the entirety of our time here, I am someone who has traditionally spent my refusing to be boxed in. And that's started really right from the origin of of my birth. I'm a first gen gen American.

Adriana: My family is Jamaican. And, I grew up in in a dual almost a duality. So inside the home, we were Jamaican. We had a very distinct culture. My godmother is Cuban.

Adriana: So so speaking speaking and learning, the language, Spanish. But then when I stepped outside in school in Queens, New York City, which is, ethnically the most, diverse space in the world, at least last time I read it, I very quickly, and I don't say assimilate, but I had to very quickly learn and understand all these other cultures, identities, spaces. And that really informed my life and and the direction that I wanted to go in. And, the thing that there's a saying in among immigrant families that you have three choices, when it comes to, the career that you wanna choose. A doctor, a lawyer, or a failure.

Adriana: Right? And that and that was, kind of the path of my my path, was carved out. It was supposed to be being a lawyer. Following in my sister's footsteps, she was supposed to be a doctor, and she is a doctor, all albeit she's a PhD. And so she set the tone, shout out to my big sis for that, and she opted to be a sociologist instead.

Adriana: And so when I saw that that she bravely forged that path for herself and she realized she wanted to study human interaction and and society, I took a similar path as well. I took a gap year after college, worked for nonprofits and law firms. And when it all came down to it, I took the LSAT and the GRE and opted to go to grad school instead, and made my way working in what I what I would best call equity work. So that's where the industry's factors come into play. I worked for governments, both local, federal.

Adriana: I worked in the nonprofit space. I did a ton of volunteer work. I still do a lot of volunteer work. But ultimately, who I am was always injected in that. Whether or not the role was defined there for me, I always found a way to add my own flare, my own elan, which we'll probably get to at a certain point.

Adriana: And, I always recognized that I had a deep love for for the arts, for creativity, and for adding my own spin to it. And that's where my my love for different cultures, for languages, for countries, for dance, which is a huge part of my life, that's where all of that came in. And so, in a sense, fast forward to now, moved a couple of different states, a couple of different times. And where I'm at now and, and where the Elan Principle is now, is a representation of everything that ever really mattered to me. How it felt when I was at my lowest.

Adriana: When I was ignoring the things that really that I should not have been ignoring. When I was so gung ho on achieving monetary success or visible success that I wasn't paying I was paying more attention to doing instead of being. And and and and in that time, so many young women, older women, my my counterparts, would come to me or work with me as a coach, as a consultant. I was very good at what I what I did, and I was also traditionally the youngest in the space or in the room, so I had that talent. And I recognized that there was always something missing, that the that the coaching or the or the work that they were looking for, whether it be a job, a promotion, a salary negotiation, maybe it was they just wanted to maybe be a better public speaker.

Adriana: There was always something missing in in what I was, connecting with them on. And that's when I started to find different ways and use my experiences to to add different pieces. So I would say, for example, alright, let's outside of the traditional coaching model, let's do an improv class. Or, why don't you try going somewhere going somewhere by yourself and working on on on what those internal blockages are for you. And so in the question of who I am, and and what matters to me, ultimately, I'm I'm here for women, and I'm here for, all women.

Adriana: I wanna be really clear about that. So all all women identifying women and femmes that want to be seen, not just visibly, but truly seen, and having the space and safety to be seen, heard. So having the avenues, the the the kind of avenues that that can best amplify their voices, their mission, their their brand, and paid. Because, we live in a world where where money work money is the transaction of choice. Money is the the resource of choice.

Adriana: And, we often undersell ourselves. Women are statistically most the most likely to volunteer and donate a whole lot of time, undersell ourselves, under or to price ourselves. And I work with women on that. And so, hopefully, that is what that that encompasses a little bit about, who I am and and what I'm all about.

Erica: So first of all, I love all of that, and I feel like you need to, like, drop everything and go write a book because I feel that there are so many stories to be told just from your your childhood and from growing up and and all of the different things that you experienced and saw. And and being that first generation American, like, there is so much to be told there. So

Adriana: Yeah.

Erica: After this podcast, of course, then drop, then go write this book a piece. I mean, it's there. Right? But I absolutely love it. I I love your mission, and I don't know a single woman that wouldn't connect with what you're saying because, yes, being seen, heard, and paid is a big deal.

Erica: And so many conversations in today's world, especially as it relates to women, revolve around the fact that we do not feel seen, we do not feel heard, and we know for a fact that we are not getting paid because all of the studies show that women are making less than men, that women are selling themselves short, that we

Adriana: don't want

Erica: to ask for what a man would ask.

Adriana: Yeah.

Erica: And all of those things. So, again, super awesome. I absolutely love it. Tell us a little bit about the Elan Principle because I I wanna share that with the team as well that's listed.

Adriana: Yeah. Yeah. So so the Elan Principle on its face is what I call, an equitable, inclusive personal branding, firm. We do, equity consulting. So, so we have members of our team who may, conduct public speaking sessions or one off consulting sessions with with companies and organizations.

Adriana: We have the biggest aspect of it is the coaching. So working with our one on one clients who engage with us, and they are looking for that something special. They know they wanna maybe get a promotion or navigate a new space in their career. Maybe they wanna prepare. I had I had one of my favorite clients, and I had a client who, wanted to prepare for a TED Talk.

Adriana: And so we have we have clients from all the main thing that they all have in common is that they are dynamic. They are ambitious. And they have a they have a a some type of vision that's really important for for our client base. So be able to articulate some kind of vision, even if it's not airtight. Because, I mean, who who can really articulate their life's purpose, you know, In that way.

Adriana: But they have some type of vision for themselves, and they want the space and the avenue to do that. And so, the Elan Principle was, it is the second iteration of my first consultancy, which I started about six, seven years ago, which is focused almost solely on career consulting. And we did and we did a little bit of nonprofit consulting as well, like, within strategic planning, organizational development. That's where that inclusivity and DEI, really comes into play here. But then I realized again with the career consulting, it can't in my in my space, it couldn't begin and end with an interview preparation or or a resume.

Adriana: That was kind that was really my bread and butter. And if I wanted to, I could have just stuck with that. But I always wanted to dig a little bit deeper, do a little bit more, weave in my the other fact other factors that really matter to me, particularly when we talk about things like executive presence, which depending on who you talk to, there's a bunch of different there's a bunch of different definitions. And that was that almost je ne sais quoi that, folks had a hard time articulating, but knew that they wanted to exude and to embody. And so that's where the Elan Principle was born.

Adriana: So, on its face, we are an executive coaching consult executive coaching firm that works with dynamic women who wanna elevate their executive presence, through personal branding strategy. As we continue to grow, we are so much more than that. We are a space and a haven, but founded on inclusivity and authenticity for all women who want to commune with each other, learn from and with each other, and ultimately elevate in the best way that in the best rightest way for themselves. So that's that's what we do. And and to your point around the book, that's that's coming.

Adriana: I've I've I've sat I've sat on on this idea for a long time. So so the book is coming. There there's a lot of different things that that that I'm thinking about it in in over the next year or two, conferences, bigger events, things like that. Even even collaborating with, like, my my personal trainer and doing and doing, like, fitness wellness events. So, yeah, we're we're we're doing some some really interesting stuff.

Adriana: Oh my gosh. It all

Erica: sounds amazing. I love it. And thank you too for sharing. I think this is a really important piece to touch on that the Elan Principle is your second iteration. Right?

Erica: So you are you're getting out there. You're trying something. It's not a 100% sticking with you the way you want it to. Not fully authentic. And then you put more work into it, and you really have really nailed out a really amazing concept, company, vision, and purpose.

Erica: I couldn't tell you one woman that I don't think would benefit from those surfaces. So kudos to you. I think that's really awesome, and I appreciate you sharing that it is an iteration. We are constantly inventing what we are doing. Yep.

Erica: So I think that's really cool. So as you I am a firm believer in it's not necessarily our the glass ceilings that holds back, that it is our own sticky sticky floors, anything from imposter syndrome to perfectionism to the systemic issues in society. Talk to me about your sticky floor moment, and what is that sticky floor? Just anything you wanna share.

Adriana: Yeah. Yeah. And and thinking about about this, which I love, by the way, because it's real. The sticky floor are some of the the systemic issues, some of these internalized limiting beliefs, some of which are very much validated by said systemic issues. And and taking time to think through this, there, I I have quite a lot.

Adriana: I'm clearly, I'm I'm a visibly black woman. I, what some of my sticky floors have definitely been related to sexism, sexual harassment, weight discrimination when I was much heavier, for sure. But I think particularly in in line with just recent events and then things that things that go on really important for me to bring in the mental health aspect. Mhmm. So for me, one, it's important to know for your listeners that, black women in particular are about 50% less likely to engage with a therapist than than their white counterparts.

Adriana: And a lot of that, has to do with the lack of availability of practitioners. A lot of times, black women would prefer to work with other black therapists. And there there's simply not not as many. There are also other challenges related to socioeconomic status. So I am in the minority, unfortunately, as a woman who, one, has healthcare that covers this, who also has the means, if I really needed to, to pay out of pocket.

Adriana: And, coming up in in the world as someone who, was very much burdened. Although, I didn't know that's what it was. But I was very much burdened with a responsibility to do well, to be an example, to be a representation of my race, my gender, my my my nationality as a Jamaican American. I did not recognize anxiety. I did not recognize depression.

Adriana: I just figured I wasn't trying hard enough or that I was tired. And the those sticky floor moments happened in during those moments of depressive episodes, which in my in my world, I would just call it I just needed some time to regroup when I would disconnect or when I would have may major panic attacks or anxiety attacks. And then, and I would call it something else. Or I would just say, I just need a moment. Right?

Adriana: Yeah. And I think that in those spaces that are compounded by systemic issues, because you, we want to succeed. And this notion of trying to, of trying and doing twice as hard to be, to be seen, to be acknowledged, though that sticky floor moment really came when I recognized that I quite literally could lose everything if I didn't get help. And particularly within the context of the, of the work that I was doing, which I was at the height of my career. I had, I had checked all of the boxes.

Adriana: The boxes that one thinks that they should check from a visible, from a visible standpoint. But I had not properly paid attention to what was going on mentally. And and that was manifesting physically as well. I was the heaviest that I that I ever had been, and and that's that's a whole other topic. And so it was in that space where and I, you know, really wanted to be, imparted really clear to your listeners that so many of us are we are ambitious.

Adriana: We are powerhouse dynamite women, and we are out here doing basically, doing the damn thing. So people would let's people would look at us and be like, oh, she's killing it out here. Business, property, investments, blah blah blah. Whatever you see on LinkedIn. Right?

Adriana: That being said, there's a reason why you occasionally hear these stories of these beautiful successful women who may may unfortunately, pass away through through attempted through attempted suicide, and or have attempts, or have certain, mental collapses or breakdowns. And you would say, well, there where were the signs? And the signs in many instances are blind even even to those of us who are actively experiencing it. So so for me, I would say that when I got the help, and I'm still very much actively in help with with a therapist and with doing the things that I need to continue to to stay healthy, holistically healthy. So mind, body, spirit, all that good stuff.

Adriana: I thought I was doing well before. It's not even compared to how well I'm doing now because those, things that were holding me back that kept me from being truly vulnerable, that kept me from connecting, I think, more deeply and intently with people, a lot of that has been let go. And in this business of work, the work that you and I do, you gotta show up as your whole self for the most part or people always kinda tell that something is missing. And my business ballooned, once those I guess you could say once the adhesive loosened up a little bit off that floor and and that and I was able to rise even even higher. So when I think back to who and where I was four or five years ago, then, like I said, I thought I was doing well then.

Adriana: It's not even a comp it's not even compared compared to how how things are going now, which makes me that much more excited, because I think we all have still some sticky floors. We all have our sticky floor moments, so I'm sure I have things going on now. So it makes me that much more excited for the next five years.

Erica: Yeah. Well and I think that's a really well, first of all, it's just it's awesome that you can look back and you can see this noticeable difference of how far you've come now that you've cleaned up that sticky floor. Right? Yeah. And I think the sneaky thing about sticky floors is we don't always recognize that we are stuck in them

Adriana: at the time.

Erica: Right? So especially with mental health. We know we're kinda struggling. We know we're not at our best, but we are still gonna fight through. We're gonna do all of the expectations that everyone else expects of us, that we expect of ourselves too.

Erica: Right? Because we hold ourselves to those standards and do all of those things. And then like you said, from the looks of LinkedIn and social media and an exterior standpoint, it's all there. And it looks great, but to peel off the layers and really dig down deep and think about what's going on internally is such a huge, huge thing. And I think too, especially with COVID and all of the attention that that brought to mental health, I think that is a good thing, but I think we are still so far away from people being in a place like this where they feel confident and comfortable in talking about it.

Erica: Right? Because it is that important. And that's why I think it's so important too that you're sharing your story here because I can guarantee you there are women out there who are listening, who are identifying a 100% with that. Right? Who are crying in the shower so their family and their kids don't see them, but then they are getting out and just going about their day doing the damn thing because they don't have a choice.

Erica: So I think it is, number one, so powerful that you're sharing your story. But, also, too, like, exploring the fact that mental health care is not available to people of color in the same way that it is for a white person for so many different reasons. And I totally understand that there's not as many people of color who are therapists, which also limits the access as well because people want to talk with people who can understand how their their lens of the world and and how things impact them versus if they're different. So it is so critical and so important for sharing that. So first of all, thank you for for being so open and honest.

Erica: I really I love all of that.

Erica: Hey there, listeners. If you have ever felt like you're stuck in a place, held back by self doubt, perfectionism, or that pesky inner critic, you're not alone. We all face those sticky floors that keep us from reaching the heights we dream of. But guess what? It's time to shatter those limiting beliefs and toxic behaviors to uncover infinite possibilities.

Erica: My book, Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, is your ultimate guide to smashing through barriers, overcoming limiting beliefs, and stepping into your full potential. This book has been endorsed by none other than the great Mel Robbins, best selling author and motivational powerhouse. It's also been featured in Success Magazine, so you know it's packed with insights that work. Inside, you'll find real life sticky floor stories, practical strategies to help you navigate your own sticky floor moments, and a whole lot of inspiration to keep you climbing. This isn't just a book.

Erica: It's your road map to success, confidence, and freedom. Grab your copy of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors today at www.ericaandersonrooney.com. Whether you're in the boardroom, the classroom, or just starting out, this book is for you because no one, and I mean no one, deserves to stay stuck. No one deserves to feel small, and you have glass ceilings to shatter. Let's do this.

Adriana: And one one thing that I that I wanna share in line with that is one of the critical components of the Elan Principle is to donate coaching hours and donate consultings to to community based organizations and to individuals. So I've just recently signed up to be a pro bono coach. This is something that's really important to me, which is part which is part of the many reasons why, why I I intend to I always carve out time at to at least have one pro bono client at at any given time largely because and when we talk about this access to to mental health and and I wanna be clear. Not everyone may have a diagnosable condition. However, life happens.

Adriana: Things happen. People pass away. There might be a global pandemic. There might be situations where the news just becomes unbearable, and you and people may have a hard time coping. And without that access, and there are certain organizations that I bring in the lead donate donate to, for example, the Loveland Foundation being one of them.

Adriana: But without that without that consistent access for for therapy and or for coaching, a lot of people just operate in the best way that they know how. Maybe maybe they'll go to some type of faith based organization, maybe maybe a a church or synagogue or or or mosque. But for the most, we people have a tendency to operate doing what they think they know best, which is shovel the emotion in this invisible box. And so, to your point, that's why it's really important for me and I think for any coach and or entrepreneur who has the means to do so, to donate to donate some of that. Because what we do in our work is not cheap and nor nor should it be.

Adriana: Right. But if we have if we are able to do so to offer, something as transformative as coaching, to those who who need it and who would benefit the most from it, then I think we should.

Erica: Yeah. Absolutely. And that is that's wonderful. I really I think that is a really great thing that you're doing there. One thing too that I think is so important to this piece of it is also just the stigma around mental health care and people's fear to identify as someone who may suffer from depression or anxiety or even situational.

Erica: Like you said, you may not have something that is clinically on your record for life, but you are going through this thing called life, which has its ups and downs. And and you need that health care, which it truly is. Health care is mental health is part of your health care, which you need, and you need that access to insurance and availability to talk to a therapist Yeah. Who understand you and listen to you and connect with you. So I think that's wonderful.

Erica: We will have all of your contact information too in the show notes as well, but I'll also be sure to put a whole bunch of other mental health care resources in the notes as well so that if anybody can't reach you or feels the need to reach out, they will have access there, and we can get them all of that kind of help. But in today's world too, I think I do think one thing that has been great with the pandemic is the remote access to some of this mental health care that people can just flip open a Zoom and have a conversation, but still it's not cheap. And a lot of insurance doesn't cover it, and a lot of people don't wanna put it through their insurance because they are worried that their companies are gonna find out when it's gonna be held against them. So from a systemic issue with mental health care, it's it's still an uphill battle.

Adriana: You know, it it it definitely is. And and that's one of the things that I that I'm so glad that that you're bringing up because, as much as limiting beliefs or imposter syndrome may may have some effects and impact on on women and on women, right, without offering and mentioning the other side of that, that that's only half that's only half the job, only half the issue. Because sometimes is it imposter syndrome, or have I spent my life be having doors shut in my face even when I knew I was qualified? Is it imposter is it a limiting belief, or do I legitimately need help to to maybe work with someone to to work with, I don't know, trauma informed care and and things like that. So, yeah, these are all aspects that, may seem kind of uncomfortable or weird to talk about when we when we talk about a woman's entrepreneurial journey.

Adriana: But that's part of what's really important to me, just to step into a space where, yeah, you can be successful and you can look a certain way and still very much face or deal with certain challenges, like, the way that someone may have, I don't know, back problems or dental issues or whatever. And this is just another aspect of of health care, that the more we talk about, the more normal it is in the way that like I said, in the way that someone would talk about, hey. I gotta go to the chiropractor because because I'm having back issues. And it would be the same to to casually mention if you're gonna go see your therapist. So

Erica: Yeah. Absolutely. It would be completely normal, I suppose, if somebody was like, but I need to take a week off because I'm having ACL surgery. Everybody would be like, okay. Just get your PTO time in.

Erica: Make sure you take care of yourself. Do what you need to do. Whereas if you have to say what, like, I am at my capacity. I'm burnt out. I have to take a week of of PTO to just focus internally on me and reset.

Erica: People will be going, oh, is she okay? What are we gonna oh, what are we gonna do? And there's there's a lot of chatter that I get why people don't want to just openly sit here and say something like this because it's not the same as having to a lot of people as having ACL surgery, but it's a health issue and a health issue.

Adriana: Exactly. That and that's that's something that, from an organizational standpoint, I really, really work with organizations and include including my own and making sure that that kind of conversation and dialogue is normalized, That it's part it's part of our lexicon. Oh, I'm, you know, I'm taking a mental health day. Alright. Cool.

Adriana: See you tomorrow. Or, you know, or or whenever. And and have that, in a sense, be the end of it. And whether or not the person even chooses to disclose more details, that's entirely up to them. Because, again, should be super, super normalized.

Adriana: I think that, thankfully, the tide is changing. The conversation is much, much more, prevalent between advertising and social media and things like that. But we do have a long way to go. And I also recognize that I work in an industry where that trend's younger, that trend's more open. I mean, advertising and social media is very much one where where where things are things lean in a particular direction.

Adriana: They're very open minded kind of direction. But there are certainly other spaces regionally, age group wise, ethnicity, culturally, where it's still very much taboo. So

Erica: Yeah. And I just wanted to share with you, one thing I I believe it was I saw it on LinkedIn. I don't know. I read so much, listen to podcasts. I can't remember where I saw it, but there's a company out there that has what they call a parachute day.

Erica: And this is for when there are things going on in the world that just hurt your heart, they impact you, they don't you're not in the right mind space, whether that is the George Floyd murder or that is the Texas shooting at the school for the children. Like, these things have real impacts on people, and this company has recognized that our our people are not always okay. And we can't expect them to see these things on the news, feel these things however it relates to them, however they take it to heart, and then expect to come to work the next day like nothing happens. So they have what they call parachute day where you can just pull the cord, and you say, I'm taking my parachute day. And then no questions are asked.

Erica: You take your time that you need to process what's going on. And and then, hopefully, when you're ready, you can come back. And I just thought that was such a cool concept because it recognized like that. Yeah. It recognized that there's a lot of, pardon my French, shit going on out here

Erica: that is really impactful to people. Yeah.

Erica: And, I mean, I'm a mom with two little kids. I have a seven year old in a classroom. So when that whole Texas thing happened, it just hurts your heart. How do I explain it? And when George Floyd and all of the other just senseless, ridiculous murders of black people out there right now, how does that not impact black mothers when they send their child to the store?

Erica: So you've got to give people the time and the space to deal with it in whatever way they need they need to, and it's not gonna be at work. And if it is at work, it's not gonna be productive. So I think that's something that's extremely important, and I thought that was such a cool thing that the organizations were doing.

Adriana: Absolutely. I I think that I I love that concept of the parachute day. It's it's right it's right on on the mark of, I think, we're just where we are. But especially in recognizing that the news have, for better or for worse, has never been more accessible to all of us. And, again, for better or for worse, because it's so accessible, we're open to that much more of everything.

Adriana: So

Erica: yeah. Absolutely. So awesome. We talked a lot about mental health care and having access to mental health care. Is there anything else that you want to share?

Erica: Any kind of about how you overcame the sticky floor for you?

Adriana: The the last piece that I would share is the importance of building a a council. I call it a council or a team of support. So much of, I think, what women, particularly women of color, black women, I I think, face and deal with is that we often suffer in silence. We suffer alone. There is that fear of admitting defeat or weakness.

Adriana: And what that does is it further just compounds the problem. Because now we're suffering in silence, we don't have anyone to check-in with us, nor tend to, that that particular part of us. So when I say a team of support, do I just mean having a group of friends? Not necessarily. Your friends are great, but they're also not trained professionals.

Adriana: And so if you have the means, I'll use myself as an example. My team of support at at when I started to really rebuild my life, which is what I call it, included a therapist, a coach, a trainer, a spiritual adviser, and a mentor. And each person, had my best interest at heart, and each person engaged with me and with my life in the way that they knew how. So having a therapist to to help me with to help me with all the things that therapists help with. Having a co having a coach to to help me continue to navigate and unravel and work through, some of my professional areas.

Adriana: I was doing great professionally, but I knew I wanted to make a transition, which I eventually did. Having a personal trainer who was really inclusive because I'd I'd popped her I'd popped around different different trainers who were not great, but having a trainer who truly was inclusive in her approach and in how and how she did things. And and that was incredibly important. Having a nutritionist and having a spiritual adviser. I'm a deeply spiritual person.

Adriana: And so checking in and and and making sure that things are in alignment with the things that I'm doing is in alignment with my my higher calling, my highest self. Now, again, I'm not saying that that that whoever's listening has to have the exact type of team of support. But, when you think about, where where you see yourself so when I mentioned just being able to articulate this vision for your life, whatever that kinda looks like, and what that looks and and who that person is, who does she have around her to to tend to to those different parts of her that she wants to to thrive in? What does what does that look like? And so that's I can't impress I can't impress upon that enough.

Adriana: And I know that in many cases, there's an access issue. It's it's hard work trying to find everyone to speak to those different areas. But sometimes it starts with just one. And in many cases, these individuals have access to others. Because the the coaching community, for example, it's big, but it is relatively small.

Adriana: And many of us are connected with each other. And so sometimes it it comes with finding finding one person and using using them or their resources to potentially find another. And or just working on by by maybe buying books if if money money is a challenge or watching certain videos. But really just having someone to is, who you pay, I would say ideally if you can pay them, to hold you accountable in that space with the exception of a mentorship. Mentorship are a little bit different.

Adriana: So, yeah, that's that's what I would add in addition to

Erica: recipe for a tribe. You know? And I like it, and I think it's important because I think so many people, when they hear tribe, they think about their friends

Adriana: or their

Erica: very close colleagues. And those people are important too, but what you are speaking to is find these trained professionals in the areas of your life where you need some help and some guidance and a sounding board

Adriana: Yeah.

Erica: To guide you through life. Right? Because it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a village for a woman to get through these glass ceilings. Right?

Erica: And I think that when you're talking about, I got one for all of the areas of my life that could help me elevate. Could you do it on your own? Yeah. Probably. Maybe.

Erica: Would it be a struggle? Absolutely. Yeah.

Adriana: Yep. I I I say it all the time. Time time is the one resource we don't get back. So could you get there? Possibly.

Adriana: It's gonna take a hell of a lot longer than if you go there with folks who know what they're doing and who are gonna hold you accountable because life happens. And and detours detour detours and pauses hap and pit stops happen all the time. But if you got someone in your corner who was like, hey. What about that thing we talked about last week? I'm much more inclined to to move further.

Adriana: And so, what folks asked me about my progress and how things change relatively quickly in my in my life, this wasn't quick. This was kind of a long time coming. But within a span of two years, it's because I had it. It's because I had this this tribe, this group, or this council. So

Erica: Awesome. Yeah. Absolutely love it. And let's see. Are there any challenges that you're currently facing?

Adriana: Yeah. I mean, I think I think there there are always challenges. Right? I I think right now for me, the biggest thing is creating good space and time for myself and balancing work and my personal life. Mhmm.

Adriana: I I think that's that's a challenge that that a lot of people face regardless of gender. And for me, especially as I lean into a space where it's it's great, where the the offers and opportunities continue to come in. But then it starts it starts getting to the point where I've gotta start saying making strategic noes and strategic yeses and looking at what how does this fit into my my bigger plan? And then also, okay. Well, I still need a life.

Adriana: I still need friends and Yep. And partnership and all and all that good stuff. So it's it's at the point where it's just not navigating that, in in a way that feels good and and and true to me. So

Erica: I love it. And I've had a lot of really great conversations with different women around the topics, and a lot of people have said, like, you have to say yes to everything. You have to so that we can do all this. And I'm like, I can see that on certain instances, but at the same time, when you say no to something, you are saying yes to something else.

Adriana: Yeah.

Erica: And so I love how you framed it as strategic nos and yeses. So don't maybe don't necessarily say yes to everything or no to everything, but really be strategic in how you are choosing what you are saying yes to, what you are turning down, and making sure that it's lining up with your core values and your your business plan and the vision that you have for yourself.

Adriana: Absolutely. One of the things my my therapist had shared with me, this is this was a while ago, almost about a year ago at this point, where she said, for those who who are listening, if you envision yourself kind of with your hands open, letting go of something. And she said, in the way that your your hands are open, letting go of something, you're also welcoming something in. And so when you when you keep that in mind, you recognize that you're saying no to whatever opportunity may be may be presented in front of you because you inherently believe that that there's a better one coming right behind it. What so something that, you know, I I I found to be very powerful when I heard it.

Adriana: That is powerful. I love it.

Erica: And I haven't heard that one before, so thank you for sharing.

Adriana: Yeah. You're welcome.

Erica: So we've talked about the book, which I'm already so I'm gonna need you to get on that. But what is next on the horizon for you?

Adriana: So next on the horizon gosh. It's a great question. I am working on really leaning into, cosponsoring a conference, a conference slash event, ideally this fall. This would be an intimate event, for women, particularly who work in the equity space. Based in Washington, D.

Adriana: C, where it would be two days of learning, wellness, and having true safe spaces to to thrive with really, really good coaching. And potentially even being matched with a coach. So we're working on sourcing some good funding for that. Because ideally, I would I would love something that either their employer could offer and and or subsidized, or it can be subsidized through through grants. So that's my vision.

Adriana: I this is something that I wish that I had access. I mean, hell, I I wish I have access to had access to something like that now where you can be in a space that's truly for you with dynamite coaches and just great just great, great programming. So I've got I've got a couple of got a couple of irons in in the oven or pots in the oven, whatever that phrase is.

Erica: Irons in the fire.

Adriana: Irons in the fire. Yep. That one. So to get that going. But but in the meantime, considering to to do what I'd to do what I do.

Adriana: So later this month, I will officially be opening the doors, for applications to work with me as a very, very limited limited slots are open. But but when they are but when they are open, LinkedIn is the best way to engage with me and find out and or to go to my website to be on the mailing list. So you can be the first to know when those, slots are open. And in the meantime, I'm continuing to do the things that, again, that I I really love. I have a pro bono coaching client, considering to do some speaking engagements, great great things like this, couple of interviews lined up, but but, ultimately, yeah, just considering to to see more of me and more of my team as well.

Erica: Awesome. I love it. So you answered one of my questions, which is where can I find you, which is LinkedIn and your website? So I will be sure to put those in the notes so people can find it, and get in touch with you to hear about all of the exciting stuff and continue to follow your work. And then the one question that I love to end all of my my sessions with are knowing what now.

Erica: If you could go back and talk to the Adriana who was really struggling dealing with having to be a doctor or lawyer or failure and trying to navigate her life as a first gen American in Queens, what would you tell

Adriana: her? Goodness. Knowing what I know now, I would tell the 21 year old Adriana that as many voices or nuggets of advice that she can seek externally, the only one that really matters is herself. And trusting herself, trusting myself will not steer me wrong ever. That is the biggest lesson I can say that I still apply to this day, trusting myself.

Adriana: Take the counsel. Take the advice from those who love and care for you, but ultimately, it's you. That little voice inside, that elan, that's that's the one that's the one that that you can get rid of. That's the one that will guide you to where you gotta be. I love it.

Adriana: I love it. Thank you.

Erica: Well, thank you, Adriana, for your time and for sharing. I really enjoyed it today, and I wish you all of the best of luck in the future. I'm so excited to to follow you and keep up to date on all of the things that you're doing.

Adriana: Same same here. And I just I really love really love this this concept you have. I love engaging with with women, engaging with with those who, have navigated that space between the sticky floor and the glass ceiling. So all the best to you and and the I I don't wanna say the best of luck, but I wanna say I I know this will be just this is your space, and you're you're definitely clearly great at what what you do. So thank you for having me.

Erica: Thank you so much.