Speaker 1: What started as a DJ gig and radio led our next guest to a wildly successful career in Hispanic branding and marketing today, Bonnie Garcia runs a national Hispanic marketing firm market vision that has blue chip clients all over the country and offices in several states.

She's also worked with some pretty cool companies like Coca Cola and some really neat people like Selena and Michael Jackson.

She's come a long way from her humble beginnings on the south side, Bonnie, welcome to the show.

Speaker 2: Thank you.

It's great to be Speaker 1: Here.

So I have heard you, Bonnie credit, your parents, specifically your mother for your work ethic.

How did she inspire you to become the woman and the leader that you are today?

Speaker 2: Both my parents worked very, very hard.

Um, you know, they, uh, my father worked at Kelly air force base and my mom was the same stress I just saw over the years, how hard they both worked to provide the family with what we had, you know, she was my inspiration.

And, um, and I think that's where it started.

Speaker 1: Did you always know that you want to be in Speaker 2: Marketing actually?

No.

I think, um, how that all transpired.

I was a disc jockey at, uh, K 98 radio in Austin.

That's how we worked my way through college.

And, you know, I learned production.

I learned about event marketing.

Uh, they fired us all in one day and we ended up, uh, I was jobless.

I came to San Antonio and interviewed him and got a job with KTFN radio.

And then my father, uh, was my biggest fan and he passed away.

I couldn't go on the air anymore.

And so I decided I wanted to get, um, I need to get a real job.

I ended up with the muscular dystrophy association as a program coordinator.

I went to the program director and I said, I really think you need to do something that's really focused more on our community.

So I did the first fajita cook-off in San Antonio and we raised more money, um, in that one weekend in October, uh, than we did with all the bolt-ons and skate Athens for six months.

And that's when I realized, you know, there's something in this when you learn to are you understand marketing to the culture and to the community, um, you can be successful.

And that's really where it started.

Um, my Hispanic marketing throughout the course of Speaker 1: Your career, you've had a chance to interact with some really cool people and clients.

What has been the most surreal moment for you over the course?

Speaker 2: I think the most surreal moment was when I was asked him, see the Michael Jackson concert, uh, in the arena.

And, uh, I was so nervous that night.

I remember walking into, uh, into the backstage area and they walked me into the dressing room and Michael Jackson was there with the Jackson five and I met Tito with, and all of them, they were all very, very sweet, but I knew that within seconds I was going to have to get on that big stage in front of thousands of people and introduce him.

I knew that night that if I could do that, I could do anything Speaker 1: Clearly you did well because it led to other successful avenues for you and your career.

Yes.

As you went on to these different large corporations, and then you shifted to running your own successful, successful national marketing firm, what was that shift Speaker 2: Worked in corporate America for probably about 18 years during my time.

You know, there weren't a lot of women of color, uh, and I didn't have a whole lot of mentors or anyone that would help me and guide me through, you know, those ranks and, you know, you just, you hit a glass ceiling.

I needed to make a change.

And if I was ever going to be a CEO or president of a company, I needed to create that opportunity on my own.

So I, um, I started my own business.

I took everything I learned from my DJ years, my years in corporate America and just put it all into market Speaker 1: Vision.

So talk to us about what that means to you.

Speaker 2: The story behind that book, I got a call from a really good friend that used to work with me at Coca Cola, Adrian Johnson.

She was responsible for, um, African-American outreach.

And she and I were just really, really close.

I said, well, what are you up to?

She says, well, I wrote a book and she said, you know, Bonnie, you should write a book.

And I'm like, well, what would I write about, you know?

And she says, okay, I have so many stories.

And, you know, um, and from a Latina perspective, my parents always throughout my life gave me these little words of advice.

You know, don't burn any bridge because you never know when you have to cross it again.

And that's what my dad would always tell me that.

And you know, so my mom in Spanish, you know, don't make any noise, you know, and, and make any trouble.

So, so I took some of their, uh and, and peppered in some of my own.

And, uh, and that was the outcome.

And I just sat down and started writing stories, real stories of my life and my journey.

Speaker 1: I also have to ask you over the course of your career, what was the best advice Speaker 2: That you didn't take?

When I was promoted from manager here at the brewery I was working with to Detroit, I let my mom and my brother know that I was going to move.

And my brother said, absolutely not.

You know, big brother, you're not going to Detroit.

It's too dangerous.

Don't go.

I'm telling you, you'll be back in a month.

And, and so I, I, I didn't take his advice and the best advice that I didn't take his advice.

And I went and I, I was fearless about it.

So that was really the best move I ever made.

Because from there as director of, um, national marketing for the brewery, I was able to then get a job with Coca-Cola and worked for them for about 10 Speaker 1: Years.

What have been your biggest challenges?

Speaker 2: I remember sitting in these huge conference rooms full of men, um, and, and just not being heard.

I remember walking out of those conference rooms being so frustrated, they were not taking a woman's perspective in some of the decisions that they were making.

You know, I just felt I didn't have a voice Speaker 1: Back then.

Thank you so much for your, for your advice, your counsel, and for being on salute with Speaker 2: Us.

Oh, thank you.

Speaker 1: It can be said that all business women pack a good punch, but our next guest really packs a good punch.

In fact, she has to it's her business.

She's the CEO of mission pro wrestling, and she's an internationally recognized female wrestler.

The one, the only thunder, Rosa, welcome to the show.

Thank you for having me.

So how did you turn your love of the sport?

Something that you were so good at wrestling into a business.

Interesting.

And while we were doing, especially having strong matches, um, my husband and I, we decided that, uh, we should have great something.

And then on top of that, I felt like I wasn't getting the opportunities that I felt I, I deserve.

So I feel like I could help some of my friends from other people that I know that they had a lot of talent, but also to make money and make money for, for our organization.

I understand that you did some work out in the bay area and you were actually in social work.

Yes.

And you transitioned to wrestling and then now to managing your brand and your business.

So what, what actually fueled that Wrestling found me?

Uh, I, wasn't a point in my career and where I was very depressed and, um, wrestling was my, my out, when we realize the possibilities of what I could become in the professional wrestling business, my husband and I, this is, we made the decision together.

We were going to dive in, I quit my job.

He worked so I could have insurance.

And I started traveling all over the country.

And then when I start seeing that people started liking what I was doing.

And then, um, and then I start seeing that there was a market for having women's professional wrestling show.

I was like, oh, maybe I can invest some of this money that I'm making to make opportunities for other girls.

That's how we started growing our brand.

And with like having shows in different states, uh, or in different cities.

And we treated everybody with respect.

I decided that if I was going to do something and if I was going to sacrifice time, money, and everything else, I was going to do it the right way.

And that was what was building all their women and older men up by mentoring them, by helping them with their merchandise, by helping them with opportunities and other places.

That was it.

It's like I said, it's not about me at the end of the day.

It's about them and where they can go.

And thanks to that, like, those have been opened for many promotions for some, some of the girls that have come and work for us.

So I know that what we're doing, it's, it's, it means a lot.

It was believe me when I first got into, into TV, the first thing that I heard is like, you're stupid.

What are you doing here?

You have no, you have no business being here.

You can't wrestle.

I heard it over and over and over and over again, that, that scars you for life.

I work with a young woman and she's nervous and she's won her first match on TV.

I'm going to make sure that she has the best experience in her life.

This is, um, just so much more than wrestling.

Absolutely.

What drives you?

What is your, what is your motivation every day?

And we, one of the most, uh, influential and successful Mexican born wrestlers, and I never seen a woman that was born in Mexico that came to the United States and strain in the United States and being like super successful.

He's always the man.

Right.

But I never really seen a woman like that.

You know, like being the example for the Latinas and the ones that get me the most is like all my Latina sisters, I come and they're like, you know what, sister, it was about time that somebody that looks like you, that is driven in that is like so passionate about what you do.

It's on TV and is, is not the typical Mexican chola or it's not the typical stereotypical person that comes on TV is.

Yeah.

And it's, it's authentic.

So did you have anybody that you looked up after, or that you were inspired by For wrestling?

I used to do a lot of, um, organizing for students.

Uh, I work as a social worker for a long time.

Not all the people that were my bosses or mentors were women.

One of them, what we'll say her name is.

She was my, uh, my mentor in college.

And she's one of the strongest women.

I know.

And so I observed what she did and whenever I had an issue, like she definitely, um, helped me a lodge.

And then in high school, like the teachers that pushed me the most when I was like at my lowest, because I couldn't go to college at that time, it was my English teacher and my history teacher.

Like they offered to give him money for me to go to college.

They took me to college to take the test.

Like they went out of their way to help somebody that, you know, she had a dream and, and, and dry.

What Was the biggest challenge that you've had to overcome, Not getting opportunities and being overseen, like always saying like, you're good, but you're not good enough.

We don't like your, what you have on, let me put your mask on.

That goes telling you a stereotypical, why do you have to put me on a mask?

Why?

Because I'm Mexican because of where I grew up.

You don't believe in what I have.

You don't believe in this.

And so I made sure that I show everybody every time I was in the ring that I needed, I didn't need to have a mask.

That thunder also was going to come out one day.

Wow.

So if you had one piece of advice to give other Latinas that are looking to follow in your footsteps, both on the, the, the business track, wrestling, track, you name it, you've been successful in so many different rights.

What would that advice You can not give up when somebody tells you not what three people tell, you know, when 10 people tell, you know, when things are really bad and you're just getting, you're not toss around and nobody cares for you.

And you just feel like you're going to give the current, you can not give up.

That's when you're getting the closest Tutor role yeah.

On pushing through.

It also sounds like you've got a great support system and your team and your family supporting along the way.

And you have to be, you know, aware that it takes a village, you know, sometimes to help yourself to get where you need to get Before we wrap, how was I really supposed to introduce them to Rosa From the graveyards off Tijuana, Mexico, Our next guest has been involved in all things, growth, progress and improvement in San Antonio.

She is a successful entrepreneur and former state official.

In fact, she was the first Latina secretary of state for the state of Texas workforce commissioner and department of transportation commissioner.

And the list doesn't stop there today.

She's the chairwoman of the San Antonio chamber of commerce and a board member of visit San Antonio.

I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that is a San Antonio icon.

Hope, thank you so much for being with us on Sunday.

Speaker 2: Um, well, first of all, Jenna, thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity.

Speaker 1: I hope you've been involved in so many different diverse areas over the course of your career.

What has been the driving factor?

Common thread that's led you into so many different, Speaker 2: You know, as an entrepreneur, I took a big risk and, um, my driving force at the time was a one I had to prove my husband wrong, cause he didn't want me to quit my job.

Um, but it was always about providing for my family.

And that, that was the goal was I had to make sure that I was successful then in these, um, uh, state positions and civic involvement that I've had, um, I've been grateful for the opportunity, um, in, in, in all the work that I've done.

And, and so what I always wanted to make sure is that, you know, when my community recommended me to the state for the state physicians, I had responsibility to make sure that I made my community proud of their recommendation.

And then when I learned that I was in some of these roles, the first Latina, the first woman, I felt like I had a responsibility to make sure that I left that door wide open for others to follow.

Now that I've gotten a little bit older, um, I get a chance to reflect.

And I've often said is, you know, back then I did it because I wanted my parents to be proud of the little girl that they had adopted.

Then I wanted my husband and my son to be proud.

And now I want my grandkids to be proud.

You know, I always thought that I wanted them to walk into the state Capitol and see their grandma's picture.

And that someone would say, let me tell you the great things about your grandma Speaker 1: After having served at the state level and having done so much here at the local level, where do you feel like you've had the most infamous Speaker 2: At the state level?

Um, I got to travel the world representing Texas and meet so many great people, but also those people will proud of Texas for having a Latina woman as the secretary of state.

Uh, and, and everyone was proud.

And, and so it was just a great honor.

Um, I remember walking in, um, and sometimes before I'd walk in the room, I wished that I was taller, um, because everyone expected that I'm from Texas, everything is bigger and all of a sudden I'd walk in and they'd say really, you know, she's a secretary of state.

Um, but then locally, you know, after I finished, um, my state positions, um, I came back, of course, again, I was grateful that the immediately, the community reached out and asked me to get involved in issues that were important.

And so I'm proud of the fact that, that I use that experience, all that, learning all the relationships to come back and help the community.

Speaker 1: You talked a little bit about your team and I have heard you say a time or two that you surround yourself with people that are smarter than you.

Uh, tell me a little bit about your leadership philosophy.

What does that mean?

Speaker 2: Well, I practice servant leadership.

Uh, I will tell you that I, I am not here today because of me.

I am here today because of the amazing people that I have had a chance to work with.

You know, when I was first in business and I started growing and people would come apply, I would think, oh my God, they want to work with me.

You know, why would they want to work with me?

They're so smart.

They're so experienced.

Um, and then, you know, in my state positions, you know, when I would be told what I was expected to do, and I would think, how am I going to do this?

I'd have no clue of some of the things that they're asking me to do.

But when I meet the team that was in place, I knew that I didn't have a thing to worry about.

All I had to do was cheer them on, you know, make them proud of their work and, and, and just help them understand how important they are.

And so what I learned was that they would work hard.

You know, whoever team I was on would work hard to make me proud.

And I in turn would work hard to make them proud.

And we were successful for the state, for the community, for my businesses.

It's just been one.

Speaker 1: Yeah.

And you certainly can't make everybody happy, um, at all times, right.

As you're, you know, in these, uh, influential positions and, you know, taking policy positions, et cetera.

And so what's your kind of life motto as it relates to leave.

Speaker 2: Gotcha.

Well, you know, you don't have to love me, but you do have to respect me.

Uh, I think that I've got a special sense for people.

Um, uh, I think a lot of my success, I also have to acknowledge the fact that I've had some great business partners.

Uh, I've always, uh, teamed up with someone that is not like me, but that we compliment each other.

And that's why we've been successful as business partners, but I've always needed people.

I've needed God and people, and, and, um, I've been blessed to have both Speaker 1: Or the recipe for success.

Absolutely.

Thank you so much.

Hope we were happy to have you.

Thank you.

Uh, love for education and a passion for authentic community engagement.

Those two things.

Describe our next guest Dalia Florida's phone.

Fidesz extremely well.

Her career has taken her from the classroom to the boardroom.

She's been a teacher, a principal, a superintendent.

And today she's the CEO of Citi education partners.

Dalia, welcome to the Speaker 2: Show.

Good ass.

Yes.

It's good to be here.

Speaker 1: So education, why did you pursue education as a career?

Speaker 2: I grew up in the west side of San Antonio.

My parents and grandparents came from.

They were entrepreneurs, small business owners in the west side.

Um, but we also had a lot of challenges growing up in poverty.

Um, you know, made it very difficult by the time I graduated high school, that was my 19th move.

Um, and so when I went into high school, I was reading at a third grade reading level.

I had never passed a formal standardized test, and I had really amazing teachers.

Um, but the two teachers, three teachers that I really look back and attribute my success to.

They saw me for my potential and they treated me that way every day until I believed it.

And that type of love is what was transformational for me.

I wanted to do that for other students.

And so teaching was the way to go.

It was a way to connect and give back.

And I felt like, you know, if you can understand your students, if you can relate to them, if they can see themselves in you a lot can happen.

So Speaker 1: What drove the transition from the classroom to the boardroom to city education part, Speaker 2: That's where you're at today.

So when I was a classroom teacher, I'd have my, you know, principal evaluation and someone would come into my classroom once a year and give me feedback and we would receive all of these directives.

And there was always a curiosity, well, like who's making this decision.

So I always wanted to grow up and up and up, right.

It was like, okay, is this cool principal?

I can make an impact across classrooms.

And then things would come from central office that didn't really make sense and felt very disconnected from the work.

And so I said, well, what's happening at central office.

Let's go there.

And that's kind of led me to city education partners as well.

City education partners seeks to make an impact across San Antonio.

And, you know, the things that we do are going to impact the classroom.

Speaker 1: So beyond city education partners.

So you're also an entrepreneur.

I understand you make earrings and you do some other things.

Tell me about these.

Speaker 2: I do.

I do.

I think about my NCI, right?

My ancestors are and, you know, they taught me that our hands are tools.

Uh, and so that passion for creation that creativity, that ingenuity has always been a part of the fiber of our Familia.

So I own a business, a clay earing business called S a and I make polymeric clay earrings like this clay earing here.

Um, so that's one really fun place where, you know, we're bringing our and our identity to our culture, talking about what does a Latina CEO look like?

You know, she's got colorful, um, clothing, she's got red lipstick and she has big earrings, you know, and that's professional and that's acceptable.

Um, and so we're trying to challenge know old concepts of professionalism, um, and just help us feel celebrated.

Speaker 1: Did you have any examples or mentors that you look to emulate along the, Speaker 2: Oh my goodness.

Absolutely.

I remember Ms. Wanda pogonos.

I hope she sees this.

She was my science teacher.

Um, you know, when I first went into physics, I got a D maybe even an F my first semester.

And I was like sciences for not for me.

I don't understand it.

And she just, her persistence with me, um, until it just like a light bulb turned on and she never gave up.

Mr. Sherdon was a teacher that did that to Ms. Maguire.

Um, she taught me to be a debater and a national public speaker.

They helped me see what was inside and they helped me persist through failure, even in the field.

I have found coaches and mentors in Chicago when I lived there.

And in Tulsa, that really helped me figure out value.

You're a gatekeeper, you're in a system and institution and you hold power you're at the table.

What does it mean for you to be at the table?

And how are you changing things so that you're leaving it better than you found it?

And so they really pushed me not to just settle for being good at the job, but for changing the conditions to create equity in, Speaker 1: What are some of the biggest challenges that you've had to deal with in your career or that you're dealing with now that you're working through and how are you doing?

Speaker 2: Ooh, I would say the imposter syndrome.

It was huge.

I'm doubting myself second guessing myself, not thinking that I was worthy or smart enough or experienced enough for spaces.

Um, I would say also fear of failure.

You have to work 10 times harder, harder.

We have to be perfect.

We can't make mistakes.

You know, we don't have the safety networks or, um, you know, systems to make a mistake and pick up from it quickly.

Right.

And then also, you know, the, the, um, the weight on our shoulders, I was told by a mentor, if you're not at the table, you're on the menu.

And so it creates the need for us to be in different seats, which means a lot of pressure, you know, work-life balance really, isn't a thing I always say, it's not work-life balance.

It's, work-life violet, right?

It's like, how do you get in the rhythm of making all things work?

Um, and then sometimes just saying, you know what, I know I have a slew of meetings today.

I'm canceling them and that's okay.

Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your feedback and for being with us on the show.

Thank Speaker 2: You for having me.

Speaker 1: For media icons, few, have the staying power and heritage of one Kita columns.

Most San Antonians know her from her time broadcasting on Ken's TV here locally, but she's been on many national outlets like CNN, Fox news, MSNBC, and so many others.

She's also worked for three presidents in her role as governor for the broadcasting board of governors, and was recently elected into the Texas radio hall of fame.

Blanquita welcome to solid.

So Lou, thank you for having me.

So when you started in your role in broadcasting, how was that for you?

My first job on the Air was actually at kite radio where your boss, ours, her Emerson was at kite radio.

And I was there as to work with a guy by the name of Tommy on the show that was known at the time.

And Tony show, they didn't let me go by my real name now.

I don't know.

I guess that they thought maybe it was TNT and it would sound better.

But you know, I figured San Antonio with a name like Len Keitha, I mean, was the name like Medea?

The one that, I would appease everybody in the audience had a stake in that day, but it was, uh, it was taught me a lot of lessons.

And I learned things about not letting things bother you when you think the chips are down.

Because I was one of those women that unfortunately, uh, you know, I was married and I got fired when I was pregnant.

And I'll tell you the story, because it was a great lesson.

He said, listen, the boss said, you know, you're just probably going to get fat.

You'll wear a lot of makeup.

You might work at justice.

And I learned a lesson that if you lose it, meaning if you lose your cool, you lose the battle.

So what I tell women, especially those of us that are starting, don't take things so hard that you can't see that every obstacle was in it somewhere.

There's an opportunity.

One of your biggest challenges that you had to overcome, I'm sure you've had several.

And how did you navigate through it?

Well, there are different kinds.

For example, I think the great thing about starting my career in San Antonio was we're very community oriented to the fact that years ago at Ken's.

I had the great opportunity to interview George Burns a great comic, and he liked me because I knew a lot about it.

And he said, you know, kid, you're going to do okay, but I'm going to give you one piece of advice.

Don't forget the folks who buy the tickets.

So the obstacles, how we came that I learned from San Antonio when I eventually went to Washington DC, there were a lot of rules.

It's a very funny town because it's power oriented.

The first person that I worked for, he said, you're pretty smart.

He said, you look like you play a good game of checkers.

I'm going to teach you how to play political chess.

And that is what saved my career.

And to be able to accomplish things, you have to be able to not feel like it is at the end of the rope.

You have to be smart and resilient On the board of governors.

I read that you were the first Latina, and I don't know if there have been many Latinas that followed after you.

What was it like being the only Latina at that table?

It was a real blessing because we dealt with Martine going into Cuba.

I had to go into Venezuela would Travis was there and it helped me in crazy ways because you'd be surprised how important it is to have that little open door of being able to speak Spanish.

I think it's been a blessing because you have a foot in one culture helps you understand many other cultures Or advice would you give to other young Latinas that are looking to follow in your footsteps?

Have a Mind of not being afraid when the hard thing happened.

Okay.

Because you know, I, I know what it's like to have been fired and sometimes you're taking a side track.

Okay.

For example, I, I thought I was going to be able to get into broadcasting right away, MTC, but I had to go working through the census.

I was a Hispanic marketing director with the census.

Then I ended up going to FEMA.

I became a white house liaison at FEMA.

And then after Mr. President Bush, George Herbert Walker, Bush was not reelected then of course, because I was a political employee.

You know, you, you serve with the will of the president.

That's how my radio career started again.

But I made so many friends and I learned how that town worked.

I've always said, sometimes I can see in an opportunity, a little something sparkly, little, I take it.

It's going to be good and take the risk.

Well, you strike me as someone that would seize every opportunity and optimize it and truly maximize it.

So that doesn't surprise me at all.

Um, I love communication.

I love, I love working with people.

I love hearing their stories Or what's your philosophy on leadership and engaging people?

Well, I think you have to be fearless.

You have to be willing to go into the battle and lead with honor.

I know what it's like to see people in the south, and that's why I want people to take action in their own lives and be Fearless.

Oh, well, keep that.

Thank you so much for being on solid.

Oh, and thank you so much, my honor to be with you all again.

So Salute is presented by Texas mutual insurance company, WorkSafe, Texas.