What's happening? With the goal of advancing an entrepreneurial vision, Endeavor Puerto Rico held AmplifyHER on March 19, AmplifyHER, a one-day event where entrepreneurs and senior executives shared their experiences of growth in their careers, the decisions that brought them to where they are, including ones that rarely get discussed, and how they exercise their leadership.
About a hundred college students, executives, entrepreneurs and leaders took part in the five panels and one workshop at this first networking event, which aims to be a space for multiplying opportunities, visibility and connections for women leaders, entrepreneurs and allies across all sectors.
Why does it matter? Endeavor's mission is to support founders of companies that are growing globally. With AmplifyHER, the focus is on women as a driver of entrepreneurship, given that fewer than 25% of startup founders on the Island are women, according to the study Catalizando el Emprendimiento y la Innovación en Puerto Rico.
"The dream is that in a few years that number of startup founders will grow… What can we do to inspire more women to take on leadership positions, to start businesses, and to not feel pulled down by fear? That is the method behind AmplifyHER," said Angelita Gómez Campiz, EX & Community Engagement at Endeavor Puerto Rico.
AmplifyHER: strengthening women's leadership
The AmplifyHER: Women Who Multiply event focused on authentic conversations with founders, executives and business leaders from a range of industries. It included:
An interactive workshop on how to build your professional brand, led by Frances Reyes, senior event production manager at EDGENCY.
Panels exploring professional growth, power and presence, and the impact of mentorship, with leaders including Sofía Stolberg (CEO and co-founder of Piloto 151), Mercibel González (EVP & Chief People Officer at Abarca Health), María Cristina González (EVP, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer at Popular), Mari Evelyn Rodríguez (Chief Retail Banking Officer at Oriental), Graciela Salcedo (director at V2A Consulting), Mónica Santos Gil (founder of Santos by Mónica), among others.
A keynote talk on leadership and growth, given by Sandra Campos, global executive and board member of Narvar, PDS Limited, PetMeds & PetCareRX and Diane von Furstenberg, and Lisanne Dorion, board member of Bacardi Limited and Endeavor Puerto Rico.
These were some of the pieces of advice for entrepreneurs:
1. Go for it even when you're not sure.
"Walk into that room, look people in the eye, give a firm handshake" and take up the spaces that open to you, Sandra Campos, CEO of three companies and board member of several fashion and other brands, recommended. For Campos, courage comes first and self-confidence follows, something that requires a lot of reading and the willingness to ask questions.
2. Practice what you want to say and project.
"Self-confidence, number one, is your responsibility, no one is going to give it to you. But, number two, it requires practice. You have to practice what it is you want to achieve," suggested María Cristina González, executive vice president and chief of Communications and Public Affairs at Popular.
'3. Have mentors
"Mentors mean everything to me," said Coral Cotto, CEO and founder of Cibergente. Mentorship can come from people in your close circle, like your mother, but it can also come from anywhere in the world. Don't hesitate to reach out to someone you admire who could become your mentor and guide, recommended Sofía Stolberg, CEO and co-founder of Piloto 151.
4. Build a community
"They say if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together," said Graciela Salcedo, director of V2A Consulting. For her, beyond mentors, it's important to have friends, colleagues, buddies, who support you and whom you support in the process. "Having that support network has been key for me," she said.
González agreed, recommending: "Find yourself a couple of buddies who will help you in situations at the office and give you that push extra that you need."
Campos, for her part, said it wasn't until several years into the corporate world and entrepreneurship that she began to identify as a Latina woman in the United States and discovered the strength of that community. She was recommended for the Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCAD) and felt the warmth and support she wished she had had for years.
"I would have loved to have found it (that community) decades ago… They support me and I support them," she said, referring to Latinos in the United States.
What is Endeavor Puerto Rico?
Endeavor Puerto Rico is an organization that was founded in 2018 and aims to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem on the Island. It is not only affiliated with Endeavor at the global level, which allows it to connect entrepreneurs across various countries and strengthen their communities, but it also offers workshops and networking spaces, funding for new ventures, and an analysis of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Puerto Rico and how it compares with other countries, among other things.
Photos: Suministradas/Daniel Morris for Endeavor
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
