Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
#107 Intentional Reinvention w/ Camila Duarte
19 Plays8 days ago
At 19, left Bogotá with a suitcase full of dreams and a heart full of uncertainty. Since then, she’s built and rebuilt her life across continents—through marriage, divorce, loss, and profound reinvention.
Today, she’s a career strategist, life coach, and business advisor helping multi-passionate women and newcomer entrepreneurs create lives and careers rooted in alignment, intention, and freedom. In this conversation, Camila shares how every setback became an invitation to start again, and why no experience is ever wasted when you’re paying attention.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Camila Duarte
00:00:31
Find A Way Podcast
Hi everyone, this is episode 107, Intentional Reinvention, and today our guest is Camila Duarte. At 19, she left Bogota with a suitcase full of dreams and a heart full of uncertainty.
00:00:44
Find A Way Podcast
Since then, she's built and rebuilt her life across continents through marriage, divorce, loss, and profound reinvention.
Setbacks as New Beginnings
00:00:52
Find A Way Podcast
Today, she's a career strategist, life coach, and business advisor helping multi-passionate women and newcomer entrepreneurs create lives and careers rooted in alignment, intention, and freedom.
00:01:04
Find A Way Podcast
In this conversation, Camila shares how every setback became an invitation to start again, and why no experience is ever wasted when you're paying attention. Welcome, Camila.
00:01:16
camilafoundher
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. Honored to be part of your podcast. So thank you. Thank you for the warm welcome and introduction.
00:01:28
Ingrid
Thank you for being
FoundHer Space: Empowering Women and Immigrants
00:01:29
Ingrid
here with us. So Camilla, before we start talking about you personally and your story, can you share more about your business?
00:01:36
camilafoundher
Absolutely. So my business name is FoundHer Space. And it's been it's been a journey for me for the last five years. It's all about life, career and business coaching.
00:01:49
camilafoundher
ah not only for women across the globe, but also for immigrants, entrepreneurs who really are struggling not only with adapting to a new country, but also the struggles of culture, society, a place in the world where they don't feel very welcomed at the moment.
Mental Health Post-Pandemic
00:02:08
camilafoundher
And more than ever, we've seen the rise of mental health um epidemic and all the ah struggles people are going through the last after ah the pandemic is specifically.
00:02:20
camilafoundher
So i dedicate myself to do what I love the most, which is coach, help, support ah people, women, and ah specifically um um immigrant entrepreneurs who are ready to jump into a new phase of life full of potential, excitement, and where okay is not enough.
00:02:43
camilafoundher
And so they want to go to the next level and really start living the life that are there I believe we're all meant to be.
00:02:50
Find A Way Podcast
I love that. And um I love the the last phrase of your bio that we were, we just went through and when you said why no experience is ever wasted when you're paying attention, that is so profound.
Adapting to a New Culture
00:03:03
Find A Way Podcast
And I'm curious, ah when you think back arriving at age 19, so like very young, what's the most vivid memory of that moment? And how does it feel different nowadays looking backwards?
00:03:18
camilafoundher
Wow, it's such a good question. and I'll try to unpack it in the most efficient and shorter way. But I think when I came when I was 19, I was so ah scared of not being part of the culture I arrived.
00:03:35
camilafoundher
I didn't know English. I didn't know French. I arrived in Montreal and I i i remember so vividly I arrived into a restaurant and the person first said, bonjour.
00:03:47
camilafoundher
And I was like, oh my God, I do not know French at all. and nor English. And I felt this giant fear and vertigo and all these strange things so ah around me of place, you know? i felt like, oh, I just left home with no return ticket. And then I came here and I always remember that like, oh my God, you need to adapt, you need to learn languages, you need to create a new life.
15-Year Journey to Belonging
00:04:20
camilafoundher
And fast forward, I would say now it's gonna be 15 years later um that I managed to learn languages, English, French, and and meet so many people and change so many lives.
00:04:35
camilafoundher
I now feel the insane journey that we all have to go and move through to get to a place where you feel that you belong and to get to a place where you feel like, quote unquote, I made it. No, i made it to the end of my journey or my dreams, but I made it to a place where I can move across the culture and and facilitate things for others.
00:05:02
camilafoundher
So I always think of that 19-year-old that i was struggling, so lost, not knowing what the hell was she going to do for the next day or so. And now it is such a pleasure to be able to offer a hand to other women and immigrant entrepreneurs who who are in that place, in that first day where you feel, what the heck am I doing here? And why did I leave my home, my food, my culture, everything that at the end is so cozy for us? So It's been such a journey. And I think sometimes I jumped into it crazy, not knowing, not thinking, to be honest, like, oh, yes, I go and and just go because why not? I'm a very adventurous person, but I didn't have that concept. And I think I'm glad I didn't. Otherwise, I don't think I would have done it.
00:05:52
camilafoundher
ah the concept of migrating and changing lives. and And that was the first chapter of many, many. But yeah, thats that's how I feel.
00:06:03
Ingrid
um I love what you said, because that's exactly one of the reasons why we created this podcast in the first place. Right. We created this podcast to like tell the stories that we heard and we wish we heard before we even moved to Canada.
00:06:16
Ingrid
um and talking about like your experiences, like, oh, like now I'm here. And I think we all have like that moment. I moved to Canada also by myself, which is like, OK, like carry my own bag. So the Airbnb is like, this is my life now.
00:06:30
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:06:30
Ingrid
um But you know you mentioned before letting go of certain versions of yourself.
00:06:37
camilafoundher
okay
00:06:37
Ingrid
And which version was the hardest to say goodbye to and
Letting Go of Perfectionism
00:06:43
Ingrid
why?
00:06:43
camilafoundher
Oh, wow. um I love this question. I think I have let go so many versions of of myself, but like I'm happy to, i I have three in mind right away because I i have those moments where I knew I had to let go. And the first one that it comes to mind was that perfectionist version of myself, where I wanted to control absolutely everything.
00:07:09
camilafoundher
And I was relentlessly trying to be good at my job and conquer the culture and be the best at everything I did.
00:07:20
camilafoundher
To the point that I didn't i wasn't enjoying life anymore. And that has happened, I think, in through different chapters in my life where I realized, okay, why am I doing this? What am I running? what i what are I just feel sometimes we're getting to these hamster wheel situations.
00:07:39
camilafoundher
And it's hard to jump because that becomes kind of our default or comfort zone. And when lives throw you lessons and tells you, no, that's not the way to live, or you get sick, or you have a problem at work, or all these lessons that you get, ah okay, you realize this is not working. And the only way to move forward after the lesson and the pain the lessons bring is to let go, let go that sense of control, let go that sense of perfectionist.
00:08:16
camilafoundher
And with letting go that part, you start welcoming change and accepting yourself. And I think that's what allows you to change your life, change careers, change your business.
00:08:29
camilafoundher
But it's only when you let go. um i have had to let go an identity of I am right, an identity of I need to be perfect, an identity of I have to do it all.
00:08:43
camilafoundher
all the time. It was not serving me at all. And each of those things caused me so much to let go. I was so attached to that identity.
00:08:55
camilafoundher
I'm a superwoman. i can't do it all. Because as immigrants, we know that we have to survive. We have to survive in order to to say that you belong, that you provide for your family. And then...
00:09:11
camilafoundher
When you attach yourself so much to that, when I started in Canada, the first two years were just bumps over bumps, emotionally, physically, ah personally, professionally.
00:09:23
camilafoundher
And I was in survival mode for the longest time. And then five years, seven years later, i was operating under the same idea of I can do it all.
00:09:35
camilafoundher
I don't need help. So it was so hard for me to say, oh my God, i'm I'm struggling with this. This is too much. And I was trying to do a lot because as women and immigrants, we try to do it all, right? We want to do the super woman. And I think now...
00:09:53
camilafoundher
I had to let go the idea that Superwoman was the one who did it all and rather say I'm a Superwoman because i work hard, I have a great work ethic, I want to help, I want to create impact, and because I'm just me, I don't need to to do more to prove my value and my worth.
00:10:15
camilafoundher
So out of all those
Growth Through Hardships
00:10:17
camilafoundher
identities that I had to let go, the hardest for me was to Let go the attachment of my accomplishments to prove my worth.
00:10:26
camilafoundher
And that's a big lesson that only life tests put me to perspective and say, yeah, you you are enough and and you belong just because you are, not because you're doing everything on your own.
00:10:43
camilafoundher
And I see so many people going through the same path and and I'm like, oh, we just need to be a little bit more kind, more compassionate, more accepting.
00:10:54
camilafoundher
But I understand because I've been there that it's only when you let go those identities that are from culture, society, circumstances, you know, childhood trauma, all these things that you realize, okay, I am exist, so I'm worthy and I can do anything without pushing so hard or alone.
00:11:17
Find A Way Podcast
We have to give ourselves a little bit of grace, right?
00:11:21
camilafoundher
Oh, yes. Yes. And it's so hard sometimes.
00:11:24
Find A Way Podcast
Yeah.
00:11:25
camilafoundher
you I forget sometimes.
00:11:25
Find A Way Podcast
It's hard. It's hard. it and me too. Me too. And every time i I step into that, you know, trying to be the super woman, super professional, super mother, super everything.
00:11:36
Find A Way Podcast
You're just like, Hey, no, what do I want? And again, I i totally agree with it what you said. um We are the ones to get determined what our worth is and, you know So I thank you for sharing that.
00:11:49
Find A Way Podcast
It's really important.
00:11:49
camilafoundher
Absolutely. I love that. Yes. Without grace, we will not let go of anything that doesn't serve us anymore.
00:11:57
Find A Way Podcast
No. And having lived through, you know, so many setbacks of like through financial, emotional and spiritual losses, what's one expected gift that these moments, because I always believe that there are outcomes, positive outcomes in everything we go through.
00:12:14
Find A Way Podcast
So what would you say that was one expected gift that these moments gave you through this, um, these losses?
00:12:23
camilafoundher
Oof, you know, just hearing the question makes me emotional just because, um you know, thanks to all those freaking hard lessons that I've lived the last 15 years.
00:12:27
Find A Way Podcast
So...
00:12:37
camilafoundher
And it's funny, all my friends are like, yeah, something happened. Yeah, Camila was the person that that happened because they know I've been gone through so much. But ah the biggest gift for me is to, I have become a better person for it.
00:12:54
camilafoundher
And I'm so grateful that all those hardships happen because I'm sitting here feeling so proud of what I've done and and dreaming bigger than ever, and believing in me, despite it all. And so when you start going through so many hardships, and then you start letting go those layers that don't serve you and learning the lessons if you want to, then you start feeling like, okay, am appreciating that about me. Oh, that lesson was great, because it gave me
00:13:27
camilafoundher
a little bit of more confidence next time I know how to manage this or that better. And it's nice to feel that you're becoming a better person, because no matter how much success you have, you don't feel like you're a good person.
00:13:43
camilafoundher
It's not the same. It's not it's not the same taste of happiness or joy or peace. And i have worked so hard to understand every single setback and i go back to the same gift. Oh, this made me a better person. This made me a stronger woman.
00:14:03
camilafoundher
This made me a better business woman. And I have so much to learn. You know, we never end that phase of life where we learn um or from all the lessons. But to feel that I have learned and that I have built so much resilience that sometimes problems come on me.
00:14:24
camilafoundher
And I just can put them in perspective. That's not that that that bad. I have overcome so much more bigger monsters. um So becoming a better person is a joy of oh witnessing for myself, not for anyone else.
00:14:42
camilafoundher
It's just nice to see all the mistakes you made in life. you If you want to, you can make them a superpower later on.
00:14:53
Ingrid
And I think that the next question is related. So, you know, a lot of people that we listen to our podcast might be in a situation where like they feel like they lost everything or they feel they didn't like and they they hit the bottom of the barrel.
00:15:07
Ingrid
Right. Like, so if you could send a message to the Camilla that was in that position who had lost everything, what would you tell her in like one sentence?
00:15:07
camilafoundher
oh
00:15:16
camilafoundher
Yeah, well, I think I've been there a couple of times where, you know, I i feel like I remember myself being 19 and breaking up with my partner and not having where to leave.
00:15:30
camilafoundher
And then I think of 23, I had another boyfriend in And it went really bad with him. Then I lost my house. And I think ah last year i had a really, really setback professionally and it hit me hard.
00:15:46
camilafoundher
And at those three times, I have, I mean, I would tell to this person, um it's okay today. It's okay to cry. It's okay to feel bad. It's okay to be ah sad, feel weak, feel that yeah, you lost it all.
00:16:04
camilafoundher
And oh my, now what? And once you accept that, the only way is upward. And I think we all have hit rock bottom. And I know how many people are there.
00:16:18
camilafoundher
um but if you next day put one foot on the floor and you start showering and you start brushing your teeth, that'll be enough. That means that you Deep, deep, deep, deep down, you still believe in yourself.
00:16:35
camilafoundher
And that's something that I see from many people. Well, you're here. Let's say my clients on ah on a call, you're here. So that tells me you believe in yourself somehow. You don't want anything. You don't believe in yourself.
00:16:48
camilafoundher
You think nothing is possible positively, but you're there, you're here. So, so that shows, just pay attention to those little details that shows that you do believe.
00:17:00
camilafoundher
and put one photo after the other and one step at a time. It's it's about the journey, not about how fast you get there.
00:17:10
Ingrid
I love that. And there's a phrase my friends sometimes say, it's a bit harsh, but I am more of a, pra like, i'm really pragmatic person. And I tell myself, like, when in this situation, which is something that I was just like, well, this is not fair. It's like, well, life is not fair.
00:17:23
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:17:24
Ingrid
Life is not fair.
00:17:24
camilafoundher
Yeah. Oh my God.
00:17:25
Ingrid
Which is like, it sounds bad, but it like, life is not fair.
00:17:26
camilafoundher
No.
00:17:29
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:17:29
Ingrid
It's an audacity for me to think that it would be fair to me when it isn't fair to others. So I have to deal with the cars that I'm telling.
00:17:37
camilafoundher
Absolutely. And when you know it's not fair and you accept the fact, you become empowered because it's like, okay, I know it's not fair. What can I do? Rather than ah staying in that powerless position of, it's not fair, I am powerless. I have nothing to do. It's more like, okay, it's not fair, but what role can I play? What can I do differently?
00:18:02
camilafoundher
how What is my role to play then if life is unfair and How can I change that?
00:18:08
Find A Way Podcast
And I love when there's this phrase that they say life is 20% what happens to you and 80% how you react to Right.
00:18:15
camilafoundher
Oh, yes.
00:18:15
Find A Way Podcast
So you have a choice there.
00:18:17
camilafoundher
I love that.
00:18:18
Find A Way Podcast
So um
00:18:19
camilafoundher
I love that.
00:18:21
Find A Way Podcast
Camila, you, you help multi passionate women and newcomer entrepreneurs find their like inner alignment. How do you personally define alignment in career and life?
Defining Alignment in Life and Career
00:18:35
camilafoundher
um You guys ask such great questions. I'm loving this.
00:18:38
Find A Way Podcast
Thank you.
00:18:40
camilafoundher
I'm like, oh my God, this is so good. Okay. ah Great question. I love that. And that's the basis of what I do. it's It's to find the alignment on people ah in life, career, or business. And how I define that is to ah creating a profile that is holistic.
00:19:00
camilafoundher
You are more than your work and your education. So alignment to me is taking your values, taking your interests, taking your life experience, taking your skills, taking your abilities, and taking your dreams.
00:19:17
camilafoundher
And bring them all together into picture that you truly want. It's not what society wants you to do. It's not the order that culture asks you to do something.
00:19:31
camilafoundher
Alignment means that the plan you make, it's so ingrained in your soul, heart, and body. And you find what you love. You find how to do it.
00:19:44
camilafoundher
and you get the best out of what you have to build it. Sometimes you need an extra education peace Sometimes you need a little bit of volunteering. Sometimes you need a little bit of mentoring.
00:19:55
camilafoundher
But at the end of the day, the answers of alignment lie on you, waiting you, because you have certain values, you have certain interests, you have certain things that make you unique.
00:20:11
camilafoundher
And by that uniqueness, that's where you can find the sweet spot of a life with alignment. what is What is work-life balance for you, if that exists? ah what is What is play for you?
00:20:26
camilafoundher
What is work for you? And what is your priority? Some people prefer ah remote workplace because they do certain things. Some others prefer the social component. And it's unique to each person. Some people want to not have kids and some people do.
00:20:45
camilafoundher
And so it's so unique. and And one of the things that I love working with people is That uniqueness of I never find a person who has the same set of values, the same priorities, the same lifestyle, dreamed the same plans for the future, the same business, the same career pathway.
00:21:05
camilafoundher
But I always think this alignment will allow you to live the life you always want. And I never want to start by saying, what do you want to work on? Never. I just always say, what are your values? What what is that? How you want to live?
00:21:21
camilafoundher
What is the lifestyle that you look for? And then let's go backwards. What do we need to do to get there? Because we always think of I need to get a job. But I always talk about you need to get a lifestyle that you love.
00:21:35
camilafoundher
and then find the the work that you that that fits that, not the other way around. So alignment is that, is is holistically looking at a person, building that profile that compasses all that you are, you want, and you're good at.
00:21:51
Ingrid
I love that because even when I'm, I do some like mentorships with, with companies that end up being a lot of, I say like low key therapy sessions, not real therapy sessions, like we end up talking about their, their lives.
00:22:01
camilafoundher
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
00:22:05
Ingrid
Right.
00:22:05
camilafoundher
yeah
00:22:06
Ingrid
And um i don't think that there's enough, like people usually go to the therapist, which is super necessary. And sometimes talk about career stuff, but like there's, when you're talking about your career plans, usually people leave that as like a separate entity to their life plans.
00:22:21
Ingrid
And then what you're saying is because it's something that I've worked really hard on the last years, which is matching the life that I want to live with the career that I have.
00:22:30
camilafoundher
Yes, absolutely.
00:22:31
Ingrid
And what I'm good at, right? So that that's the intersection that gets like on the icky guy, as we say, but like that we can really get there.
00:22:36
camilafoundher
Yes.
00:22:39
Ingrid
um So I'm curious to hear you've, you know, revealed your career multiple times across different continents.
00:22:39
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:22:45
Ingrid
And how has starting over in Montreal, like in Melbourne and in Montreal, shaped your approach to strategy and coaching? How has that like shaped you and the way that you do your coaching?
Lessons from Starting Over
00:22:58
camilafoundher
ah One, I think everything is possible. So I just truly believe that no matter where you are, no matter how much you tell me that I cannot get out of here, i believe that, yes, there is a way.
00:23:13
camilafoundher
Because I have lived through so many lives and starting from zero, from that place of I don't have anything. And that helped me believe, oh, there's always a way if you want to.
00:23:27
camilafoundher
So that belief kind of motivates me a lot when I hear a lot of people who resist change, who tell me how I'm 45 years old. You're telling me I can't change my career.
00:23:39
camilafoundher
You're telling me that like I can start my business right now. You're crazy. And then I say, wait for it, let's work through it and and you get there. So it has allowed me to believe and kind and be confident that anything you want is possible.
00:23:55
camilafoundher
It also has shaped me as a very flexible person, which means that ah you get to new a new country, you don't know anything. So in in Australia, Australia,
00:24:06
camilafoundher
I didn't know they they were the job market at all. I never planned to go there, so I was like, how you find a job here? Like, what what is that?
00:24:19
camilafoundher
and And then you start by looking, by talking, and and you you find a way. And I set a lovely life. One of my favorite chapters in my life has, and will always be Australia.
00:24:32
camilafoundher
And it was an unexpected surprise. So that's the second thing. And I think The third thing that has helped me shape my coaching is to ah really push for that networking piece to really get out of your comfort zone. And that is the best, you know, most efficient, most productive ways to ah start from zero.
00:25:00
camilafoundher
And, and so when I'm working with clients and doing my coaching, it's so fascinating. i do a workshop on networking and, and they're like, oh, there is a, there's a framework that is possible for networking because most people are afraid of it.
00:25:15
camilafoundher
And, and the, so many lives i've I've started always is through people that you find another thing and another thing. And like just a hassle to, to start a new life and start building.
00:25:28
camilafoundher
But if you don't want to get out of there, it's harder for sure. But if you have flexibility and open mind and you're curious, I totally believe that there is ah there is a great way to to make change happen.
00:25:45
camilafoundher
So I'm less resistant to change now that I have it started from zero so many times. If you tell me tomorrow, Camila, there is an opportunity Europe, I'm like, yeah, okay, I could do it. Just because I have it started and I know it's possible.
00:26:00
camilafoundher
So that's something nice, I feel. And I just want always to tell my clients, don't worry about it. We find a way, which is something that maybe I wouldn't believe if I hadn't changed so much countries and places.
00:26:14
Find A Way Podcast
Yeah, and it's a it becomes a ah superpower that we carry right like being able to start over and just not looking at anything as impossible.
00:26:19
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:26:22
Find A Way Podcast
So I think the immigration journey brings that it adds that characteristic to our kind of like personality traits that is so valuable.
00:26:30
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:26:31
Find A Way Podcast
But one thing I'm curious and curious, and I know that you might get many different types of clients and for immigrant women, some of them, they really come boxed in their circumstances. And I quote boxed because,
00:26:47
Find A Way Podcast
ah They feel like they're boxed, but in truth, none of us are right so and that's after we liberate ourselves from that.
00:26:51
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:26:55
Find A Way Podcast
It's so empowering but for the clients that you get that are feeling boxed in by their circumstances. What is the very first step that you recommend for them to take toward freedom and self trust.
00:27:09
camilafoundher
Yes, i I agree
Shifting Mindset and Self-Perception
00:27:12
camilafoundher
with you. Most of them, if I wouldn't, I would dare to say 100% of the people I talk to they feel that way.
00:27:21
camilafoundher
um And I truly believe it's ah it's a mindset shift that we have to work on. Because when you know how to shut the noise and then you look within, you realize there's no box.
00:27:35
camilafoundher
But I understand that that's something... um limiting belief that we most of us have so one of the first thing that I work with clients is the perception of themselves so we start by understanding and figuring out who you think you are and not in a mean way but in like real way of if If I was your best friend, how would she describe you?
00:28:06
camilafoundher
And on the same lens, and I'm going to give you a very practical exercise that I do do with everything everyone I work with. And after they give me the perspective from the best friend of the person that they love the most, and I made them describe them as they were the other person, then I asked them to describe me ah their perspective from a stranger point of view.
00:28:30
camilafoundher
And 10 over 10, 100% of the time, you realize that the stranger description comes from a judgmental place, a very negative kind of nagging description of that person, the box.
00:28:48
camilafoundher
This person looks frustrated, sad. ah She doesn't do well her work. All the things that I hear. And from the most loving side of things, sound like, oh, she's struggling. She doesn't know what to do with two kids at home and having to find a job.
00:29:06
camilafoundher
um And when we look at that gap, I think that's so effective for women to realize like, oh, I'm the one who's judging. I'm the one who is saying that I'm lazy or that I'm not doing enough.
00:29:22
camilafoundher
And when we start to closing the gap through work and mindset work and, you know, different strategies and tools that I give them, they become little will by little more confident.
00:29:34
camilafoundher
And they become a little bit more like, oh, I thought I was lazy, but that was a box I put myself on. I thought my accent wouldn't allow me to get that ah director job.
00:29:45
camilafoundher
And that's a very common one that I hear. Oh, I'm so scared my accent. And that's a box from the stranger perspective. So when we bring that radical acceptance, compassion, kindness, not from, because I say it that they are because it doesn't work that way, but because they click on their neural pathway through neuroplasticity, then they understand that the boxes are set by ourselves most of the time.
00:30:16
camilafoundher
And even if it's a societal box, you can change it because it's just a perception. It's a mindset shift again. And it's incredible how they are starting the journey when they start working with me.
00:30:30
camilafoundher
And at the end of, let's say, three months, sometimes six months, um they're like, I can't believe I feel confident. It's such a strange feeling. And it's fascinating. There's no boxes anymore because we realize that the voice as has been starving and not getting as much attention in the negative side of things, but rather the positive.
00:30:54
camilafoundher
Yes, I can do that job. Yes, my accent doesn't matter. Like you would still understand me. So whatever. ah so yeah, it's it's fascinating to me how those boxes are kind of thrown away and They understand that, okay, it was my own books and I can't create anything I want.
00:31:16
Ingrid
i I love what you said and especially reminds me of like a process that Ambia knows this that i went through. So i I've been often called intimidating, right?
00:31:27
Ingrid
And as women, we usually get the...
00:31:27
camilafoundher
Oh.
00:31:31
Ingrid
negative of like, so if it's confident, but if it's a woman is intimidating, right?
00:31:35
camilafoundher
Oh, yes.
00:31:35
Ingrid
most for We always get that. And like, I actually, at the beginning of my career, I always try to smile more and like reduce my facial, like make sure that I, and I'm actually totally the opposite. The other day, someone at work was like, well, cause Ingrid, you're scary. was like, thank you. That's actually a compliment.
00:31:52
camilafoundher
I love that.
00:31:52
Ingrid
You'll find it scary. And that means that you're doing the things I asked you to do. Thank you. You know, if that's what it takes.
00:31:58
camilafoundher
I love that.
00:31:59
Ingrid
I mean, so and then the person like got to get back.
00:31:59
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:32:02
Ingrid
was like, yeah, I actually don't mind being scary. I don't mind being intimidating because I, I know that it helps me get my job done.
00:32:06
camilafoundher
I love that.
00:32:09
Ingrid
And also it's me being confident as where I am. If that is, it makes other people intimidated, which is a difference between me being intimidating, then there's nothing I can do about that.
00:32:20
Ingrid
But like working out those boxes that, ah a lot of women are put in and being like, okay, but what is actually the good side of what you're talking about? And can you lean into it?
00:32:32
Ingrid
Right.
00:32:32
camilafoundher
Yes, I love that. And I love that you're owning that. Oh, you feel I'm scary. Good for you. Like I'm being me. I love that. And also, most of the time, the feedback we get is a projection of others.
00:32:46
camilafoundher
So there's something there, right?
00:32:47
Ingrid
Yeah.
00:32:48
camilafoundher
And but you know who you are. So it's nice that you say, oh, yeah, I'm being like this. And I love it.
00:32:54
Ingrid
Yeah, and if actually break it breaks people's like, because people think, because they're like, oh, you're scary.
00:32:57
camilafoundher
Yes.
00:32:59
Ingrid
And tooid and I usually thank them. like, thank you. That's like, that's a really nice compliment. And they're like, wait, what? i was like, what?
00:33:04
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:33:05
Ingrid
I don't want it Love it. Keep saying it.
00:33:06
camilafoundher
Oh, I love that.
00:33:07
Ingrid
It's the best way to compliment me, actually.
00:33:09
camilafoundher
i love that, Ingrid. Good for you.
00:33:11
Ingrid
um Okay, so as we said, it as we told you before, our previous guest always leaves a question to the next guest.
Reflecting on the Journey: Regrets?
00:33:19
Ingrid
So the question that we have for you today is, if you had to do this again, would you do it?
00:33:25
camilafoundher
Absolutely. No question about it. a i And I was actually telling my niece, I talked so much to my niece about all these things she asked me. And I told her, no matter how much pain I've gone through, the biggest and the highest and the best moments of my life have been through those 15 years.
00:33:52
camilafoundher
And I wouldn't dare to change anything because I met the love of my life. I have done the wildest things that I never thought possible for me.
00:34:04
camilafoundher
And I have loved dearly and I have lost dearly. ah But I think to me, that's what life is about. And my always, what all that I want in life is to live to the fullest.
00:34:19
camilafoundher
And I think despite all the mistakes, the setbacks, the change of countries, the loss of all all these kinds of things, ah something constant in my life has been the adventure and the, the cess for life.
00:34:32
camilafoundher
And refuse to lose it. And no matter how hard things are thrown at me, ah hundred percent, I'm happy to leave it. And I think for people who go through so much struggle and take something and, and take a, a power and empowerment position of it is that you can make something out of it.
00:34:55
camilafoundher
And, I wouldn't be here. i wouldn't be in love. I wouldn't be baiting on my business if I hadn't gone through all those setbacks. And I'm happy, you know, I'm not happy that my, some of my mistakes have cost me a lot, but I'm happy.
00:35:12
camilafoundher
that I have chosen to to to improve and to become better. So yes, I am so happy i am here. oof it's It's a lot of suffering, yes, but hell is worth it. I wouldn't do it any other way.
00:35:31
Find A Way Podcast
I love that. And um I always constantly mention this when I'm asked also when like ah regarding the immigration journey precisely, i think I'm a better, the immigration journey, that' sticking to that, not only the entrepreneurial journey, but the immigration itself, it is a way of, it has made me a better version of myself and I can see,
00:35:56
camilafoundher
Yes.
00:35:58
Find A Way Podcast
I feel it was so empowering, this journey, and it made me tap into this best version of myself. And constantly, it's a constant reminder. I think you can constantly evolve because the journey is long. it's It goes through many ups and downs, many cycles, but we're always evolving, evolving. So the growth is the, you know, it's the steady, it's it's of constant growth.
00:36:21
Find A Way Podcast
So I'm glad you you do it over and over again. i think I would.
00:36:25
camilafoundher
yes
00:36:26
Find A Way Podcast
i'm And I'm sure, I'm curious. How about you, Ingrid? Would you do it over and over again? Yeah.
00:36:30
Ingrid
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
00:36:32
camilafoundher
ah Nice.
00:36:32
Find A Way Podcast
right
00:36:32
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:36:33
Ingrid
Absolutely.
00:36:34
camilafoundher
Hell yeah.
00:36:34
Ingrid
It is.
00:36:35
camilafoundher
ah okay
00:36:35
Ingrid
I think that the challenges that I've experienced definitely put me in a place where it challenged a lot of my thoughts and it challenged a lot of the way that I saw myself.
00:36:47
Ingrid
But same as you, Camilla, I ended up finding the love of my life in Canada. So it definitely worked out.
00:36:51
camilafoundher
Yay. Yeah, that's a good plus.
00:36:52
Find A Way Podcast
Thank you.
00:36:53
Ingrid
Yeah. And just like finding, I think that like, you know, similar to what you said, I think like my early career, it was always about grinding and looking for the next thing and looking. And now it it was totally worth it. And I think it was worth it in the sense of like, it gives me the opportunity to choose what I would like to do now.
00:37:12
Ingrid
But at the same time, taking the time to step back and be MBO was part of this process with me. It was like, what is actually my, like, what am I good at? But also what i like what do I like to do with what I'm good at?
00:37:25
Ingrid
So that that was a huge process within itself. That was definitely, that was a challenge, but totally worth it.
00:37:29
camilafoundher
Oh, I love that.
00:37:32
camilafoundher
Yes, and I, yes, yes.
00:37:32
Find A Way Podcast
So liberating. liberating.
00:37:34
camilafoundher
And I think that's why you're here. And I'm sure that's one of the reasons you created the podcast because we know how hard it is, the journey, but we know how good it is at the same time.
00:37:45
camilafoundher
And that's why we're talking so happy here, right? It's like, you know, it's painful, but it's it's so cool at the same time.
00:37:48
Find A Way Podcast
Exactly.
00:37:53
Find A Way Podcast
It's worth it.
00:37:54
camilafoundher
Yeah.
00:37:55
Find A Way Podcast
Um, Camila, if you had, if you could have dinner with any person, we're tapping into a even more personal questions here now. If you could have dinner with any person alive or dead, who would that be?
00:38:08
camilafoundher
Easy question for me. Anthony Bourdain, the chef, he passed away a couple of ah years ago. He is honestly ah very interesting person to me. I'm so fascinated by his books.
00:38:22
camilafoundher
He talks so raw about vulnerability and, um you know, personal struggle. And I love deep conversation. So I feel like with this person, I would have the deepest conversation of my life.
00:38:36
camilafoundher
I don't do superficial. I can't. I don't have the capacity of shallow or I go deep right away. So I think Anthony Bourdain. And then can I add another one? Because I can't i wouldn't be able to choose.
00:38:50
camilafoundher
oh Obviously, Maya. ah Maya Angelou, that she's the one of wisest women that I ever read. So I wish she was alive.
00:39:01
camilafoundher
But I think at dinner, the three of us, it would be, okay I can die ah in peace.
00:39:07
Find A Way Podcast
Hello.
00:39:10
Ingrid
um And what, like, if you could tell us in a phrase or a sentence, what is success to you?
Defining Success
00:39:19
camilafoundher
so Success to me is freedom. And ah freedom to me is to live with no fear. So eve if you're living your life free, which means no fear, ah you did it.
00:39:28
Find A Way Podcast
on
00:39:36
camilafoundher
And I don't care what that means ah work-wise or the way that you live your life, as long as it's good and you know obviously all positive stuff, but yeah.
00:39:51
camilafoundher
success to me is to feel free, free of the noise, free of the societal rules, feel free of choosing how to love, how to grow, how to move.
00:40:05
camilafoundher
And I think success is very attainable if we choose the right definition for ourselves. Um, so i'm learning. I'm still, i think the fear piece is so hard to navigate.
00:40:18
camilafoundher
Um, But that's that's what I want to get and and that's success to me.
00:40:25
Find A Way Podcast
It's funny that you're mentioning that because the other day i was yeah just writing a few things and one of them based on a conversation I was part of was that every decision we make is either from love or fear.
00:40:38
camilafoundher
Yes, absolutely.
00:40:38
Find A Way Podcast
There's no in between. So every single decision we're making, it's either choosing love or choosing fear.
00:40:44
camilafoundher
Absolutely.
00:40:45
Find A Way Podcast
So, and that was interesting reflection. I think I'm going to post about it sometime because it was it came out a really nice text. So thank you for giving me the inspiration to do that.
00:40:55
camilafoundher
Oh, yeah. I'm so glad.
00:40:56
Find A Way Podcast
But it is true when we reflect on that, it's one or the other. There is no in between.
00:41:01
camilafoundher
It's just the two of them. I absolutely agree.
00:41:02
Find A Way Podcast
Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:03
camilafoundher
i i teach and I coach my clients a lot into where is this decision coming from, fear or love.
00:41:09
Find A Way Podcast
Exactly.
00:41:10
camilafoundher
And 100% of the time when we choose love, it's so much easier to choose.
00:41:11
Find A Way Podcast
I love it.
00:41:15
camilafoundher
Oh, yeah, I want to quit my job and start my business. Okay, let's do it. Yeah.
00:41:20
Find A Way Podcast
but Exactly. I love that.
00:41:21
camilafoundher
yeah
00:41:22
Find A Way Podcast
Camila, if you could choose one superpower, what would it be and why?
00:41:27
camilafoundher
Okay, this is this might be controversial, but I would like to just disappear and be able to travel everywhere I want every day, like wake up in all the places.
00:41:40
camilafoundher
Yes, ah I freaking love traveling. It's my favorite. I could dedicate myself to that for the rest of my life and get to know cultures and the world and the little places and big places.
00:41:54
camilafoundher
So if I could do that without taking planes, oh, it'd be amazing. And I think we bring so much weakness to conversations we have everywhere in the world. And once you travel, you learn so much about the world.
00:42:08
camilafoundher
Your mind expands, your world expands. And then I think where I've been, Now, right now, I bring all those things that I've seen in the world to my coaching, to my advising, to my consulting, to my life.
00:42:25
camilafoundher
So I think traveling can give us so much that we think. So if I can do that and becoming better and better and learning, I'm obsessed with learning.
00:42:35
camilafoundher
I think that would be cool.
00:42:39
Ingrid
I love that. So we have some rapid fire questions for you. So we'll ask you, give you two options and you can choose one of them.
00:42:45
camilafoundher
Okay.
00:42:48
camilafoundher
Okay.
00:42:49
Ingrid
um So city life or countryside?
00:42:52
camilafoundher
City light.
00:42:53
Find A Way Podcast
Sweet or savory?
00:42:55
camilafoundher
Sweet.
00:42:56
Ingrid
Adventure sports or relaxing spa day?
00:43:01
camilafoundher
ah Okay, i go with relaxing spell it.
00:43:05
Find A Way Podcast
Would you prefer comedy club or a live music concerts?
00:43:09
camilafoundher
Live music concerts.
00:43:11
Find A Way Podcast
Amazing.
00:43:14
Ingrid
Awesome. So um as we told you before, we'd love to ask our guests for book recommendations. And I see a lot of books behind you there. So do you have you would like to recommend us?
00:43:23
camilafoundher
Yeah. Oh my God, all of these, they're great books. ah Oh, so hard to choose, but I would choose one that has for thinking of entrepreneurs and immigrants and women power empowerment. I think one of a really good book that I read It's called The Tools of Titans.
00:43:49
camilafoundher
And it's a book where this person went around the world interviewing the a thousand, the most successful entrepreneurs around the world.
00:44:00
camilafoundher
And the interviews are in this book. And it's so fascinating, the advice, the words of wisdom, the ah intrinsic details of very successful people that he interviewed.
00:44:03
Find A Way Podcast
So
00:44:14
camilafoundher
it and he did it instead of doing an MBA. So he put all the money that he had for an MBA into this mission of the book. And he interviews so many women. and And we don't see that many entrepreneurs, successful interviews from men, unfortunately. Yeah.
00:44:32
camilafoundher
ah And he this guy interviews so many cool, cool women, smart, intelligent, successful. um So I recommend that because if you're studying a business or you're immigrating, the best place to look into is to people who have done those things.
00:44:49
camilafoundher
And you have to learn from things from people who have made it in the way that have succeeded and made a business or, migrated somewhere. um So I think that book be be really, really cool read for anyone who's kind of a starting or feeling a little bit lost or all all kinds of things.
00:45:09
Ingrid
I love that you mentioned this book because I've read it many years ago.
00:45:09
Find A Way Podcast
Thank you.
00:45:12
Ingrid
And one of the things that stick out now that you mentioned is like, oh, wow, I should reread it. But also I remember that he also added the no's that he got for interviews when they were good answers.
00:45:21
camilafoundher
ah hot
00:45:22
Ingrid
So like also as a tool, which is like they wrote such a good rejection to him and for his interview that ah he actually added on the book, which I found it was an incredible twist.
00:45:34
Ingrid
It's just like, yeah, one of the tools is saying no. Here's how they said it. Yeah, awesome.
00:45:38
camilafoundher
Absolutely. It's Tim Ferriss, the writer.
00:45:42
Ingrid
Yeah.
00:45:42
camilafoundher
And i i i I open that book sometimes in random pages and it gives me a ah nice insight And so it's a really, really cool book that I think it's underrated sometimes. So I recommend it.
00:45:56
Ingrid
I love it.
00:45:56
Find A Way Podcast
I'm adding to my list right now.
00:46:00
Find A Way Podcast
And Camila, before we close the episode, um we'd love to know what question would you like to leave to the next guest?
00:46:07
camilafoundher
o I think I would like to ask the next guest at the end of their life, what would have made them proud of having lived?
00:46:19
Find A Way Podcast
Amazing. Camila, thank you so much for telling your story. Thank you for your time. Thank you for being here with us. Is there anything you'd like to add before we close our episode?
00:46:31
camilafoundher
No, I had so much fun. This is so much fun. There's nothing better to me than have nice, deep, awesome conversations with two lovely women. So thank you for giving me the opportunity. Thank you, Ingrid. Thank you, Bea, for inviting me.
00:46:45
camilafoundher
It's been a pleasure. And I can't wait to hear all the other episodes of your podcast.
00:46:52
Find A Way Podcast
Thank you so much, Camila. um This was our episode 107, Intentional Reinvention with Camila Duarte. We'd like to thank all of our listeners and would like to remind you that we will be posting one episode bi-weekly, always with a different guest.
00:47:07
Find A Way Podcast
So make sure but to subscribe on your favorite streaming platform.