Meet Rosa Benavides | Professional Development Coach and Founder of Speak Up Mujer

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

Hi Rosa, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
Work hard, study hard, and your work will be recognized.

Perhaps once upon a time this was true. Perhaps it’s a saying that was repeated to give hope to the possibilities of a fruitful future.

But it’s not true.

At least, it’s not entirely true.

Yes, working hard and studying is a strong foundation for success. I don’t think employers go out looking for lazy people who are not knowledgeable in their field of business.

But, what is also true is that working hard and going to school alone is not going to get you the compensation, job, and life you desire.

There’s a lot more to it than that.

I worked hard and studied hard, waiting and expecting for others to recognize my dedication to the project, and the effort I put into it. I expected others to notice the fact that I had tackled all the backlog tasks that no else could. To notice that I did my job well.

Then, nothing.

What was I missing? Why wasn’t I being recognized?

Well, there were various things I had missed.

For one, I was doing the job I was hired to do. Yay. Hold the applause, please.

Later, I realized that I was missing a huge component of the formula.

Now, 20+ years later of professional experience, I realize I hadn’t built rapport with others. That no one really knew who I was, what my talents were, and what I was capable of because I didn’t speak up.

I blamed “them” for not seeing me for my talents and efforts. After all, it should be obvious! They should know!

Nope.

Work hard, study hard, yes. AND, also build rapport with others, show up for yourself and others, speak up, take on projects and share what you have done, let other people know who you are. Despite the fear or self-doubt, practice showing up for yourself.

Because, if people don’t know who you are, how are they supposed to trust you?

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?
For many years, I believed that if I was going to achieve something, I would have to do it myself.

I believed I had to work harder than others, longer hours than others, and that my work would be recognized and I would get promoted for it.

As I climbed the career ladder, I began to develop other insecurities. I was in different spaces with people I hadn’t worked with before. People I considered powerful, confident, and some, upfront rude and disrespectful.

I started to feel incompetent and wondered if I had what it took to be in such a space.

Until I got a professional development coach.

I started to learn things about me in a light I had never imagined I could or should.

I began to define who Rosa was from my inner truth, and not by the light of others.

I owned who I was, including my talents, superpowers, quirks, skills, and everything that made me who I was.

And, I started to show up for myself.

With this new empowering sense of self, I started mentoring other women and I saw the power behind that. I saw them grow, promote, and take daring steps that they wouldn’t have before.

As the founder of Speak Up Mujer, I am passionate about helping women and first-gen professionals find their talents, own them, and show up as their authentic selves. To stop hiding behind shadows from our past that are holding us back. We offer one-on-one coaching, workshops, training sessions, and cohorts focused on developing new skill sets and building confidence, while developing community.

I am a visionary, life-time learner, developer, keen problem solver, and love creating meaningful relationships. These talents, compassion, and my 20+ years of professional experience as a first-gen Latina, have prepared me to be a mentor to others and share the wisdom and knowledge, so they too can reach their version of success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The best spots around the Los Angeles area are the ones with great food and friendly ambience. This, coupled with excellent company makes for an ideal day! No one wants to go to a place where they are greeted half way or even ignored! I’m going to walk you through some of my favorite somewhat low-key spots. For a cafecito, I would recommend the TRO Coffee shop in Glendora, CA. It’s spacious and it has a relaxed modern comfortable vibe. Here, we would enjoy a top-notch coffee (or tea!) with baked goods from the delicious Crust & Crumble Bakery in Glendora. If we are up for a light walk, we would go to the Big Dalton Canyon trails in Glendora. Along the trail walk, we will be surrounded by tall shading trees hugging the pathway. As we get deeper into the trail, we are greeted by a creek with a floor of stones of all sizes, and water that trickles and flickers down in a crystalline fashion. After our walk, our bodies will be craving a yummy reward, so we will go to Clandestino, a restaurant bar in Azusa, CA. Clandestino has a scrumptious selection of foods for differing taste palettes, coupled with explorative drinks. Here, we will enjoy our food and marvel at the day we just completed, along with great conversation.

If the weather permits, we would start the following morning at the Malibu Lagoon Beach. This beach is perfect for sunbathing as we listen to the waves inching up to our feet and the surfers go after their perfect waves. After a full morning of beach relaxation and rejuvenation, we would head back for sushi at Sushi Ni in Glendora. I love the quality at this restaurant and more importantly, feeling welcomed. After our bellies are full, we will head for a light walk at Downtown Glendora to visit the small shops filled with curiosities.

This would be a day dedicated to our inner healing. As such, I would invite them to Dr. Cristina Gómez’ Wellness Workshop in Glendora to reconnect with our bodies and gain insight on healing factors already available to us. Feeling reconnected with ourselves, we would enjoy an evening stroll to share our new findings about ourselves.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to give a shoutout to Jessica Anguiano, founder of Maravillosa Movement, who has been instrumental in mentoring me as I grow my business. She has shared her wisdom, expertise, and knowledge in such a way that helps me see I can do it, too. I would also love to thank the mujeres who believe in and practice the power of empowering and lifting each other. Atalie Oliva, founder of The Bitter Woman, LLC exemplifies holding space for each other and what beautiful things we can do together when we are in community.

Website: https://www.speakupmujer.com

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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speak-up-mujer-765b76326/

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Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupmujer