Hot take: Everyone can benefit from a personal brand! Especially women of color. Whether you're an employee or a business owner, everyone needs to have a personal brand because only you know what the best parts of you are and how to market yourself. Your dreams come true when you believe in yourself, and personal branding gives you the framework to do just that.

Now, the idea of figuring out your personal brand may seem daunting, but it's really not. First of all, I am going to share my 3-step framework on how to identify your personal brand, so I've got you covered there. And secondly, because your personal brand is really just a blend of your It Factor and how you tell your personal story. People aren't looking for the most glamorous influencer to follow anymore. The people are looking to connect with real, authentic stories, and that includes your own.

In this week's episode, I'm going to help  you identify what stage of personal branding you're in. By using my proven 3-step framework, you'll be able to market yourself for a better promotion, attract more clients, and present yourself more authentically online. And, there's a special bonus available for my listeners for free! Tune in to this week's episode to learn how to identify your personal brand with my 3-step framework!

Resources Mentioned:
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Follow Erika on:
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TikTok @‌theerikacruz
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Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Join the waitlist for the Courage Driven Latina program here!

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.

Financial trauma is tricky - it's a nuanced conversation that plays a part in our everyday lives. And that's because money touches every part of our lives. Our families, businesses, and even we ourselves depend on money to a certain extent. So when you get that guilty feeling in your stomach that makes you refuse to look at your bank statements, it can feel overwhelming. That's why we called in a professional.

Alejandra Rojas is an entrepreneur, Forbes contributor, writer, and founder of Brown Way To Money, a financial mentoring platform that helps women overcome financial trauma and improve their relationship with money. She is also the host of the Brown Way to Money Podcast. Alejandra provides a unique blend of financial expertise and trauma-informed coaching, empowering women of color to break free from limiting beliefs and create financial abundance. She delves into the emotional and psychological roots of money problems, helping women heal from past experiences and develop a healthier, empowered relationship with their finances.

In this week's episode, we're healing our financial trauma and talking about why Latinas struggle with money. It's time to break free of our financial trauma and take our power back. Alejandra is a trauma-informed money expert, so she knows exactly how to navigate the nuances of our financial trauma within Black and Brown communities. So if you've been wanting to let go of your guilt and anxiety about money, tune in to this week's episode to learn more!

Follow Alejandra on:

Website: https://brownwaytomoney.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandrar2019/

IG: @alejandrarojas.money

The Money Experience Survey (open until December 19th): www.brownwaytomoney.com/survey

Alejandra's TEDx Talk, "3 Ways People Relate to Money" https://youtu.be/-Wy9IhVnkWY?si=oyc8TsuX2zNCCJD1

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Join the waitlist for the Courage Driven Latina program here!

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.

As we close out the year, we naturally start thinking about everything we've accomplished and everything we still need to work on. And if you didn't achieve all your goals, that's ok! That's what next year is for.

For now, let's organize our thoughts and reset our mindset. Because if you're anything like me, there comes a point when you're tired of hiding, and you're ready to be more visible. That's how I felt back in 2019, and now I have a successful business, a thriving podcast, and I've appeared on National television on multiple TV segments. It is possible, and you don't have to do it alone. Let's face our fears together!

In this week's episode, we're working through 10 questions to ask yourself before 2026. If you're tired of hiding and ready to be visible, pull out your journal and get ready to get reflective. We are entering the new year with clear minds and open hearts. Tune into this week's episode to kickstart the new year with 10 insightful journal prompts that will help your next courage project become a success.

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Check out our limited-time Black Friday Special for the Courage Driven Latina program!

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.

I've been talking about personal branding on my Instagram, and something that I noticed is that your personal brand and your self-concept go hand in hand. And as Latinas, our self-concept can be all over the place. We were told to do all the things, get all the degrees, and be as successful as possible, but we were also told to be quiet and be humble. That doesn't make sense, does it?

Our self-concept dictates our entire lives - and nobody talks about it! Our self-concept decides if we are worthy of taking action, accepting incredible opportunities, and putting ourselves out there. I have a ton of clients who rejected their manifestations because they're self-concept was so low. But as a business owner, a content creator, or even just as a person, we cannot keep walking around with a low self-concept. We can change it for the better.

In this week's episode,  I want to talk to you about the difference between your personal brand and your self-concept, and how your self-concept is the direct reflection and the direct mirror of your life. You can have an amazing personal brand, attract incredible opportunities, and still feel like you're not worthy of what you've manifested. Some of my clients have even gone so far as to reject the very things they were manifesting because of their low self-concept. It's ok, we've all been there. But now, it's time to take our lives into our own hands and raise our self-concept to match our manifestations.

Resources Mentioned:
EP. 113: Cultura and Cash: Managing Finances & Cultural Expectations w/ Giovanna González
EP. 147: Behind The Scenes of Writing a Book with Giovanna Gonzalez

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Check out our limited-time Black Friday Special for the Courage Driven Latina program!

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.

One of my Courage Driven Latina clients, Sarah Tulloch, is a podcast production manager, and fun fact: she's been managing this podcast for over three years! She created the podcast launch course that's in the Courage Driven Latina Portal, and she's even helped her fellow courage driven Latinas launch their podcasts and post consistently. Today, she's an expert on all things podcasting with a successful business, but her life was very different just a few years ago. She lost her courage and didn't know how to get it back, so she joined the Courage Driven Latina program.

Sarah Tulloch is the founder and the lead Podcast Production Manager at CCST (Content Creation with Sarah Tulloch). CCST is a boutique podcast and content production studio dedicated to supporting creative entrepreneurs with done-for-you services and proven growth strategies. Sarah helps her clients grow their reach, promote their services, and attract their ideal clients through eye-catching and consistent content. In just 4 years, Sarah Tulloch has produced audio and video podcast episodes, copy, and social media materials for +15 podcasts nationwide. At CCST, they provide the essentials of podcast production so that their clients can focus on staying creative and growing their businesses. Sarah is passionate about women's stories and education. When she's not producing podcasts or creating content, she's writing romantasy novels cafes all over NYC.

In this week's episode, we're talking about how Sarah built financial freedom through entrepreneurship. Before she started her own company, she was laid off during one of the worst tech layoffs to date. After applying to 234 jobs and hearing almost nothing back, she decided to throw herself into her business idea and never look back. Since then, she's helped people launch and maintain their podcasts, earn an extra $10k to go to her friend's destination wedding in the Dominican Republic, and find the clarity she was looking for by taking aligned action. Tune in to Sarah's episode to hear how the Courage Driven Latina helped her find her courage again.

Follow Sarah on:
Website: https://www.sarahtullochwrites.com

Instagram: @podcasts.by.sarah

TikTok: @podcasts.by.sarah

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-tulloch-4629a3156/

Check out her Podcast Production services here!

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Sign up for the FREE webinar, Make 2026 Your Main-Character Year, here!

Join the waitlist for the Courage Driven Latina program here.

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.

Getting a live TV segment on Telemundo was a huge life lesson for me. I am a confidence coach, and I teach my clients to have courage, but I was also so freaking scared when this opportunity came to me. For one thing, it was completely in Spanish, and Spanish is my second language; it was live, so I couldn't ask it to be edited in any way, and I only had a few hours to prepare to be on national TV. The universe was giving me what I wanted, but I was so scared of messing it up, I thought about saying no.

In the end, I did the interview. And if you saw my post about it on social media, you know I am so glad that I actually went through with it. But the hours that led up to the interview taught me a few things: that I have an incredible community around me and that I can take my own advice.

In this week's episode, we're talking about the behind-the-scenes of my Telemundo interview and lessons in courage, confidence, and doing it messy. As soon as I got off the call with my point of contact at Telemundo, my perfectionism started filling my head with so much doubt that I almost threw up. But by following my own coaching methods, I was able to calm my nervous system down, reach out to my community, and have the best interview I could. Tune in to hear the ups and downs of these crazy 24 hours and what valuable lessons I learned that day.

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Sign up for the FREE webinar, Make 2026 Your Main-Character Year, here!

Join the waitlist for the Courage Driven Latina program here.

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.

So many of my clients feel trapped because of their financial situation. And it sucks because when you're living from paycheck to paycheck, it's hard to manifest a new life because you're living in survival mode. There is, however, a way to break free from this feeling and finally manifest abundance. And we're going to show you how to do it.

Evie is a Latina Salary Negotiation Coach, Speaker, and Podcaster who specializes in helping women negotiate five-figure salary increases. Through her coaching and the Self Worth Accelerator Mastermind, she has empowered women to step into their highest selves, overcome fear, and unlock their full potential in salary negotiations. As of today, Evie has helped her clients secure over $750k in base salary increases.

She's been featured on Yo Quiero Dinero, Ch*ngona Revolution, Save 6 Figures with Gina Knox, Say Hola Wealth, Life as a Gringo, Chisme that Matters, and Vida Wish I Knew Then podcasts.

In this week's episode, Evie and I talk about how she learned how to feel rich in courage. Before she joined Courage Driven Latina, she had already taken the steps to living a more courageous life by advocating for herself and negotiating her salary. The company that was paying her white male colleague twice as much as her only offered her an additional $1,000 annually. So instead of internalizing or spiraling, she applied to other companies in her industry and almost doubled her salary through her negotiating skills. Money was tight, but she believed in herself and took smart, courageous actions anyway. Tune in to hear how Evie is helping Latinas close the wealth gap and how you can learn how to negotiate your salary today!

Follow Evie on:
Instagram @‌lamalamujerblog

Her Podcast: Págame

Her Website: https://lamalamujer.com/

How to Negotiate Your Salary Blog Post on La Mala Mujer

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Sign up for the FREE webinar, Make 2026 Your Main-Character Year, here!

Join the waitlist for the Courage Driven Latina program here.

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.

Sometimes you're stuck for a season. Sometimes it's a few months. For me, it was an entire year. All during 2024, I felt like I had a little rain cloud following me around. It affected my work, my life, and my creativity. And after reading some of the survey answers I got back, I realized that a lot of you were going through the exact same thing.

I was able to get myself out of that weird funk I was in, so I wanted to help you guys do the same. That weird funk is survival mode, and it can happen at any time. Whether you're fighting with a loved one, having a hard time at work, or even just seeing what's going on in this country. It's upsetting, and it stops your creative energy from flowing. So how do we reconnect with ourselves and get back into that creative energy?

In this week's episode, we're talking about the real reason you're not taking action and how to finally start. Life is gonna get you down; what matters is that you get back up. Listen to this week's episode to learn mindful strategies on how to reconnect with yourself, how to tap into your creative energy, and how to manifest from a place of abundance rather than in survival mode.

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Sign up for the FREE webinar, Make 2026 Your Main-Character Year, here!

Join the waitlist for the Courage Driven Latina program here.

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.