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How would you describe your journey? Brief us on the inception story of your career.

I am a Chilean Token Economist, Financial Innovator and Investor based in Italy. My career is constantly evolving, I would describe it as the continuous holistic relationship of internal and open innovation. With studies in economics, public policy, investments, financial markets then I have transitioned to technology, with expertise in blockchain and digital assets innovation. This brought me to specialized in Fintechs and financial innovation. In this way my trajectory converges from economics to financial innovation, rethinking even monetary systems. Today I am recognized as a leading voice in crypto-assets and crypto-economics.

Throughout my career, I have collaborated with research and innovation departments of financial and academic organizations. I have been a multilateral investment banking consultant and have advised private banks, central banks, financial regulators and governments on the implementation of cryptocurrency monetary systems and services. And in turn, I have been a board member in the pension fund industry in Latin America and to publicly traded IoT & cybersecurity companies in Europe and North America.

I have had the opportunity to live and work in the UK, Chile, USA, Spain and Italy, which has allowed me to transform myself into a citizen of the world.

Enlighten us about your role in the organisation you are leading / associated with?

I am founder and CEO of Maqueveq & Co, a consulting firm dedicated to advice on the innovation strategy for digital asset projects.

Currently, I am professor at the course “Web 3.0 and Metaverse: Disruption and Foresight in Business Strategy” in the MBA program at the Pontifical Catholic University in Chile. And in recent years I have been invited as Guest Professor in the most prestigious Business and Extension Schools in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, United States and Italy. In addition, in recent years I am board member of tech listed companies, and I have been a columnist for Latin American Economics and Finance media.

Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to work harder?

I have always been a woman who constantly challenges and compete with myself in search of my best version. On the one hand, I am passionate about financial innovation and where it is starting to go as a result of the convergence of technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and IoT. This allows redefining complementary monetary systems and linking financial assets with the real economy. In this context, they pose ethical and geopolitical challenges that we have to be aware of and take charge of. What motivates me is to innovate in the financial and economic systems by taking advantage of the technological convergence that is part of this “Digital Renaissance” that will lay the foundations of the productive, economic and social structure of the next era of Digital Revolution.

I am inspired by “rebel” women and men leaders, those who invest in their work and in their personal relationships and who persevere even when the going gets tough. In those who excite and inspire those around them with what they do and what they know. I am inspired by leaders who question and have a different perspective when everyone agrees. For it is precisely these maverick leaders are the ones who change the world with their unconventional views. And in an environment of uncertainty and change that demands more and more innovation and reinvention, we can learn the most from them.

Something that I became more aware of during the pandemic and that motivated me to work harder in those moments of discouragement was the realization that just as I am inspired by women and men who are rebellious leaders, I also inspire others with my rebelliousness. Particularly women in my sector and that it is possible to break our own glass and cement ceilings.

Kindly mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your person.

I have recently been highlighted as one of the TOP 100 Women of the Future in Metaverse & Web3.0 and Bloomberg Linea named it as one of the Crypto Leaders in Latin America in 2021. In addition, among others, I have been awarded in Spain by Grupo Pro Arte y Cultura with the Mayte Spinola Gold Medal for my contribution to cryptoeconomics.

What is the one thing you wish you had known about women in your line of work before you started working?

I wish I had had more role models and access to advice from women leaders who have paved the way for my generation who are tremendously inspiring and full of wisdom in their stories. Having an experienced woman to consult with when you are going through tricky situations allows us to better navigate through different leadership styles and better cope with crucial conversations. Their stories are inspiring and allow us to be certain that it is possible to conquer leadership spaces.

As a woman, what has been the highlight of you career? What are the changes you wish to make for the better in your professional life post-pandemic?

Recognizing myself for my value and capabilities professionally has been my greatest accomplishment these past few years. I have achieved things and leadership position I didn’t even set out to do and my dreams have grown. And with that I have grown as a person and as a Latin American woman living in Europe. Despite my achievements, my story is still in the making and I still have dreams to fulfill, including writing another book.

Brief us on the changes the pandemic brought to your sector and your market. Has the work-culture altered?

The pandemic has been beneficial for the financial innovation sector, increasing interest in various cryptoassets and in the tokenization of the economy. These topics were once primarily the interest of niche groups and are now the main challenge for companies in the traditional global financial system and their regulators. This is accelerating both the adoption and design of a new era of financial assets and monetary systems.

There has been an increased interest of women in participating in the crypto economy, as investors, entrepreneurs and in leadership positions. Notwithstanding the progress in different areas within the ecosystem, there is still a long way to go.

Why is it important to have more women in leadership positions in your industry?

We are in a time of such a profound paradigm shift as a result of technological convergence and it is important that the “Digital Renaissance” we are in is built with the eyes and leadership of men and women alike. This improves the scope of the innovations made and is the way to anticipate, identify and correct biases that may exist both in algorithms and in the data they use.

What words of wisdom/ inspiration/ advice would you offer to the next generation of female leaders?

I would tell them to be “rebels with a cause” who transform the worlds in which they operate. As Francesca Gino defines in her book “Talento Rebelde”, cultivate a taste for novelty, curiosity, perspective, diversity and authenticity. And that even though being a rebellious talent is not easy, as Indira Kempis, Senator of Mexico for Nueva Leon, says: “The woman you are becoming will cost you people, relationships, spaces and material things. Still, choose it above anything else.”

• How would you describe your journey? Brief us on the inception story of your career.

My journey as a leader has been one of variety. I started my entrepreneurial journey as a Personal Trainer with my own clients and then shifted into co-owning a business training motorsport drivers. From there I became co-owner of an automotive detailing business ‘BecauseRacecarBox’ and a coffee business ‘Vitamin Coffee’. Through my success within these businesses, I was then appointed the CEO of Giving To Services within the fintech industry. My time in business has spanned just over a decade in which all of the different industries I have worked in have given me insightful lessons and have enabled me to learn transferable skills to pass into the next one.

• Enlighten us about your role in the organisation you are leading / associated with?

I am the CEO of Giving To Services a blockchain company that uses crypto for good. My job is overseeing the organisation’s direction, making decisions creatively and overseeing the logistics with our COO. I approve marketing decisions, tech delivery and communications and am responsible for the growth and scale of the company. My role varies from day to day and I always offer a hands-on approach so will get involved in all aspects of the business. It is a role that I was honoured to have been appointed and take the responsibility with pride and commitment.

• Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to work harder?

My motivation is highly intrinsic and is deep within me at all times. I’ve never really sought out inspiration from others but motivated myself by trying to be better than I was yesterday. I apply the notion of giving 100% effort to everything I do and thus am able to keep myself inspired by my own goals.

I set large goals for myself, ones that some may call unachievable however rather than looking externally for inspiration I find this allows me to have tunnel vision and stay focused on myself, rather than what others around me are doing.

Creating a vision board and sticking it as my phone wallpaper has been really useful in visualising my goals each day. Once reached I replace the image with a new one! It also gives you a really sense of achievement when you are able to change it, knowing that they thing you were staring at day in and day out you now have!

• Kindly mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your person.

I was recently on the Forbes 30 under 30 2023 list for Finance, Europe which was a complete honour! I also won the Women In IT Award for Social Impact Project of the Year as well as being named in the Rising Women In Crypto Power List and winning Best Newcomer by Wirex.

Furthermore, I have won the ITV Chwarae Teg Womanspire Awards in the Entrepreneur Category as well as being named a Top 10 Entrepreneur to watch globally alongside Ben Francis of Gymshark and Grace Beverly of Shreddy/Tala.

• What is the one thing you wish you had known about women in your line of work before you started working?

I wish I had realised how bad the stereotyping could be within male-dominated lines of work. I also had no idea how much women were often still portrayed as ‘unintelligent’ and furthermore that we would be judged on our clothing choices and general appearance. It seems that when a woman makes a move within a business that someone may disagree with, the first thing people do is comment on appearances which I don’t believe happens with a man. Moreover, in that situation a man will be seen as a ‘risk taker’ however a woman will be seen as ‘incompetent’ and I think the narrative there needs to change.

• Do you believe it is compulsory for a woman to manage a household alongside her work?

Absolutely not. I think the dynamics of a household depend on those who live within it. I am a firm believer in breaking down the barriers of the ‘traditional’ household and do not feel that it should simply be the woman’s job to run the household. It is my belief that everyone within the household should contribute and that we shouldn’t be held to gender stereotypes for this.

We live in a time where women are sometimes the ‘breadwinners’ and their partner does more of the household management and we also live in a time where both partners take an equal role in both work and home life and I think it’s fantastic that we can do that. Whatever works for you is what is important, if as a woman you wish to manage the household solo whilst also working then that’s fantastic, however, it shouldn’t be expected based on gender.

• As a woman, what has been the highlight of your career? What are the changes you wish to make for the better in your professional life post-pandemic?

I think my career highlight has to be getting on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. It was a goal of mine for many years and so to achieve it really feels like an accomplishment. I also feel that being a woman within the Finance category on the Forbes list is a great achievement as the Finance industry is still heavily male-dominated. I hope it encourages other women to have the Forbes list as their goal too!

I think the biggest change I wish to make post-pandemic is with my networking. Covid-19 meant that face-to-face communication stopped and now that we are able to meet again I still feel like this is minimal as we are so used to zoom! I would like to get myself back out to events and meeting face-to-face as much as possible over the next year to ensure that I build on connections and of course keep my confidence for such things high

• Brief us on the changes the pandemic brought to your sector and your market. Has the work-culture altered?

I wouldn’t really say that there have been any changes as such due to the fact that the blockchain industry is all online already. Perhaps the event side of things was hindered however these are starting up again and actually a lot more events are now doing a hybrid attendance with in-person and online which makes it more inclusive!

Personally, the work culture I don’t feel has altered as we are all remote workers however, I can imagine for those that work in offices, the pandemic would have made things much harder for day-to-day communications!

• What words of wisdom/ inspiration/ advice would you offer to the next generation of female leaders?

To be fierce always, to not second guess yourself, to never feel inferior to a man just because they are a man, to stand up for yourself regardless of the situation and to be yourself. It’s easy to feel like you need to ‘change’, wear a certain outfit or feel expected to be a certain way based on the pre-conceived notions we are accustomed to from years of male leaders, but in reality, you were put in the leadership position for being you, so embrace it. We need more leaders that stand out from the pack and that lead with conviction!

Finally, I would say do not be afraid to ask for help from anyone. There is no shame in not knowing something and by asking we can gain knowledge. Knowledge is power in any industry and it is vital that we make decisions with underpinning knowledge where possible!

The best all-time lesson for my corporate sales journey was learning how to stand up to bullies at age four. I was instructed at home, ‘If you do not stand up for yourself, no one else will.’ For the most part, on my end, whenever a startling demand arises, I ask, ‘Why?’ to realize the motive behind it and then drill down with more questions. The other at-home instruction was to be respectful of all. Coupled with not fitting in in my hometown, I began to travel at age 16, becoming aware of the varying cultures and experiences of those I met.

As a graduate of UCLA, I was excited to pursue a career I would dedicate myself to, but it was not to be. The only possibility was to do secretarial work, but I was beyond the discriminatory and unfair offers. A friend surprised me by asking how I would like to be in the party-giving business with her. Not knowing much about operating a business or how we would go about it wasn’t a showstopper. Instead, I wholeheartedly agreed. Our first client was the KFWB Rock ‘n Roll Station in Los Angeles 1968. We created an elaborate event at Universal Studios to rave reviews! Publicity was ours, including being featured on the cover of Mademoiselle Magazine and the L.A. Times Newspaper. But sadly, the market dropped dramatically, KFWB became a news station, and the job hunt was essential for me.

Again, secretarial positions were offered, but I negotiated the job with the owner of a marketing firm. I stipulated that he teach me about marketing, and he did. Realizing I am the creative type, he offered I create a theme for a billboard. My idea was ‘skydiving,’ and that billboard appeared on Sunset Boulevard, for which I was proud! One of the clients was a news reporter for CBS-TV. Upon making friends with him, I found an opportunity to share my previous party-giving experience. He asked permission to interview me on television; I accepted!

Several years later, I married, we traveled internationally, and the time came to raise a family. My husband taught me well how to encourage children in their development, and soon the favor was returned by each of them. We can uncover the best ideas for advancing when we are willing to learn from everyone, regardless of nationality, generation, or beliefs.

As a stay-at-home Mom, I created Words On The Go, a word-processing business for a side income. Clients included lawyers, a college professor, and an ophthalmologist. Being the mother of two was an outstanding experience and continues to blossom further each day. It was my teenage son who taught me a valuable business lesson. He incredulously asked why he could never win an argument. It stopped me; I apologized and said he was right. I changed my demeanor; later, when the time came to help earn college money, it was the differentiator for my sales career. Listening with curiosity became my differentiator to becoming known as ‘A breath of fresh air.’

All the above allowed me to flourish in corporate sales. I rose above the corporate bullying and established a trusting clientele to become the top producer at all the companies. But being an embarrassment to the men, my accounts were given to them, my quota tripled, and it was necessary to seek new work every year for eleven years. As an aside, I became savvy about’ selling myself on interviews.’

‘Our worst experiences are our gifts in disguise.’

One day off from work, finally, I was severely rear-ended at a red light. I was in pain, but no doctor would touch me. Ten years later, as a passenger, I stated, ‘You better call an ambulance.’

A near-death experience was mine as I lay on a stretcher awaiting admittance to the hospital. Two visions appeared, the first showcasing me as a speaker. I replied, ‘Yes! That’s what I always wanted to do!’ Suddenly, a brilliant gold light encased my entire body, the first vision faded, and a second appeared as a report card. I had high life marks, but the right-hand side was blank, entitled ‘Community Service.’ I instantly vowed to begin giving back to communities. Always a salesperson, I added that to do my best, I must be able to walk out of the hospital independently. A blink of light indicated I would be well, and the gold light over my body slowly faded. My plan for giving back to communities began that night, mentally, in E.R.

After surgery, the entire medical staff on duty referred to me as a walking miracle. My motto became, ‘Believe, Become, Empower.’ Believe in yourself, become that person, and empower others to do the same. Entrepreneurship was essential.

My daughter named my business, Smooth Sale – https://smoothsale.net. According to her, I earned every single account I ever desired; the title captures the theme of my work. The first step in assisting communities was to teach job seekers how to incorporate relationship-building skills into their interviews. My commitment was never again to seek employment but be self-employed to teach others how to step up to advance their careers. I received an overwhelmingly appreciative response for teaching people how to attain their desired jobs, plus teams on how to sell well.

Shortly afterward, we moved. My introduction on stage at a new event to about 200 people proved humiliating. Upon announcing I was a sales trainer, the men rudely laughed out loud, and the women shrieked, believing I was highly manipulative. Fortunately, another took me aside to say, ‘To establish credibility, you must write a book.’

My phone wasn’t ringing, and there was nothing to lose. I captured the most awful and the laugh-out-loud stories throughout my eleven jobs. The manuscript and then the book broke many records:

–      In 2006, the first publishing house said, ‘Yes!’ to become known as ‘Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results.’

–      The book was soon featured in TIME Magazine plus other known outlets.

–      Nice Girls quickly became an International Best-Seller.

–      The all-time honor is that the book is now Evergreen – among the Classics!

The stock market fell in 2008, and people were anxiously seeking work. My initial community service work taught job seekers how to incorporate relationship-building skills into their interviews. Upon receiving an overwhelmingly appreciative response for attaining their desired jobs. The favorable response motivated me to write the book HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews.’ Recognition was received written on White House stationery.

Most of all, I always remembered my promise of community service. I find inspiration everywhere, from hearing people speak about their experiences, reading and hearing the news, and taking enjoyable bike rides on the beautiful paths on the U.S. East Coast. Upon relocating to the eastern U.S., I was invited to several business events. But upon entering the events, seeing me as an older female, no one wanted to speak to me. It was a waste of time and money for me.

Upon learning about blogging, I created the Smooth Sale blog dedicating the effort to empowering young people with insights to move their careers further with a bit more ease. Over time, its popularity continues to increase both for contributors and readers. Realizing a collaborative effort is best, I invite leaders in varying fields to contribute their stories about overcoming hardships to achieve success.

Stuck at home during the pandemic and reviewing all my previous experiences, I gladly accepted an invitation to be on the social media committee for Inclusion Allies Coalition, a global organization dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Sadly, not much has changed in the work environment. Harassment, discrimination, lack of equal pay, and unequal advancement opportunities are pretty much the same as the many years prior. Authentic leaders encourage others to do their best, offer help, and cheer them on with each achievement. It’s no wonder that remote work has become popular and will remain the same for many. Smooth Sale began to flourish during the pandemic, and during that time, Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building that Gets Results became evergreen, among the classics.

Throughout my lifetime, most females have been too timid to speak up or stand for what is fair, just, and proper. Another element is that statistics are momentary; we can change them individually, but together, the changes are far more significant. Change becomes possible when we take united strides to change what is unfair and encourage others to join the movement, returning to the motto, ‘One for all, all for one!’