Meet Lydia Gomez | Educator + Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lydia Gomez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lydia, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Early in my twenties I was fascinated and intrigued by the idea of being my own boss. I attempted other business ideas in fashion and accessories that did not workout. From those experiences I gained some important information about starting a business because I did tons of research on the topic. I also realized a few key aspects of myself that contributed to (most likely) the reason why those ideas did not work out. In my journey to finishing my Bachelors of Science degree in Biology, I gained valuable experience working in the Education field. I noticed that all the jobs I had were in different areas of education and it was what made me feel the most happy and fulfilled. I worked as a Floortime Specialist for kids with autism, an after-school teacher at an elementary, and as a program coordinator at an elementary that promotes social skills and problem solving. More recently I was a Child Development Specialist, assisting children with early childhood developmental delays (online and in-person) as well as parental education.

During the summer of 2020, I found myself in a situation where a job opportunity had fallen through and I found myself jobless. It was stressful as I attempted to find a position in education. At this point I was more confident in my abilities as an instructor/teacher. I felt many students during this time needed additional assistance in their academics as it was difficult for them to be in a large group in online schooling. I just wanted to help and most importantly to TEACH. Seeing as at that moment I was not being contacted for a position, I decided to create my own.

This is when I decided to offer services in what comes most naturally to me, which is helping students and families in their educational and personal growth. I am sharing the information I have gained in my own journey. Through Birdie Learning academy, I am also gaining tons of knowledge in the way kids learn and finding patterns in that. This makes me come up with other ideas that I hope to add to the educational services we offer. I am excited to introduce a new service to my education business in the next few months.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Birdie Learning Academy is an academic online tutoring service. We also offer a weekly Kids Club and we have an online educational shop. I am excited about building a business that is aligned with my core beliefs. Birdie Learning Academy stand for:

Inclusivity specially of girls/women and people of color,
Learning through play,
Diversity especially when it comes to math + STEM,
Holistic learning,
Promoting independence, boundaries for self care and mental health.

I am also excited to soon introduce a new service to Birdie Learning Academy. Our new service will assist kids and young adults who do not understand math and are behind from where they need to be in order to get a career in STEM.
Our service will assist children to reach their highest academic potential, including self-esteem required for mental health and overall wellbeing by mastering math concepts required to achieve in all levels of math (pre-algebra and algebra), including classes that also require math. Stay tuned for the rollout! 🙂

I am still in the initial stages of my business and I am striving to be able to help my students more and better. Almost, if not all, the steps have been challenging. As I mentioned before, being a first generation Latina, I do not necessarily have direct access to people who have started a business which leaves me spinning my brain wheels most of the time. I figure things out as I go and I am trying to take wiser steps as I learn. I have overcome challenges by continuing this journey even when I am scared, nervous, insecure, and confused, lol!

I would like the world to know that Birdie Learning Academy is striving to build a sustainable and ethically fair company. We want to be able to serve others and create more opportunities to those that have a similar story as I do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would direct them to one of my favorite parts of Southern California, which is Pasadena and neighboring towns. Then make our way towards the coast, perhaps Malibu and the Pike in Long Beach. I would suggest Chinese food at Grandview Palace in Pasadena, King Taco in Highland Park, and the Standard for some drinks in Downtown LA. There are also beautiful hiking trails and mountains in the Pasadena/Altadena area.

After exploring this area we can go down to Nobu in Malibu for the best Japanese food and later kick off your sandals for a walk along the beach. Lastly, I would suggest the Pike for a short relaxing boat ride, lunch in any of their local spots followed by drinks at a nearby bar.

I love California because you get everything, lol! There’s so much diversity in our foods, from Mexican, Japanese, Korean, you name it, and in scenery as you get Mountains, beaches, city, + country life in rural areas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am confident that my success comes from the love and support of my parents, siblings and my husband. I grew up in a loving and nurturing environment where my parents highlighted the importance of education and striving for progress in life. I was taught that we need to be able to self-reflect to change or correct in pursuit of self-improvement.

I also give credit to my siblings as they have definitely paved the way and shown me what is possible. They are loving, funny, and strong individuals of which I am lucky to have in my life.

My husband has been a major contributing factor in starting a business as he encourages and supports me in my professional endeavors. When I have been at the brink of giving up, he has been able to remind me of some good points that lift me up and allow me to continue.

As a first generation student and start-up, everything feels much more challenging because I am figuring things out as I go. Having this amazing group of people is amazing and I am grateful for them! Gracias 🙂

Website: www.birdielearningacademy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdielearningacademy/

Facebook: https://fb.me/BirdieLearningAcademy

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdczqQQK3t3M-8_N29WXHg

Other: Shop: https://www.birdielearningacademy.com/shop