🔑 Episode Summary

This episode is a very personal reflection on the core lessons 2025 taught me about business, leadership, and myself. I share why I almost didn’t record this episode, how self-censoring and people-pleasing showed up for me, and why remembering my voice is essential to the work I do.

This is about building a business that doesn’t require abandoning yourself. It’s about softness, vulnerability, discernment, and being honest about what actually sustains long-term success.

📌 In this episode, I talk about:

• Why business gets harder when your needs aren’t being met, especially when you isolate, hide, or feel shame around money and success
• How surrounding myself with women of color and people with lived experience expanded my range, depth, and leadership in business
• Why I no longer allow people who are not trauma-informed into the “cockpit” of my business
• How letting the wrong voices influence my vision caused me to abandon my softness, intuition, and mission
• Why vulnerability is not optional in business, but a rite of passage for leadership, trust, and meaningful growth

💬 Quotes from this episode:

“Business problems start to align when you align.”

“Who you allow into the cockpit of your business matters more than their technical qualifications.”

“Vulnerability is not something you opt into. It’s required if you want a fulfilling business.”

“If you want to be transactional, there are a million other places to go make money.”

🔗 Resources & Links

• 🗓️ Book a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/mariacamilaphoto/30min
• 🎓 Free Training – How to Become Brand Shoot Ready: https://fabulous-surf-71618.myflodesk.com/brand-shoot-ready