Today we’d like to introduce you to Indira Cano
Hi Indira, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
During my final year at university, I was ending a journey to obtain my license in accounting and finances, akin to a bachelor’s degree in the United States. Together with my university peers, I formed a tight-knit group of students with the shared goal of crafting a business plan as part of our final project to obtain our degree, which had the potential to blossom into an entire business venture.
As the months rolled by, our business plan started to shape, melding theoretical knowledge with the real-world application I was getting from the project I was working on. At the time, I created a nail Salon Business ( because, if I haven’t mentioned yet, I’m multi-passionate, and during my teen years, the Beauty industry was my jam) that served as a guide model at the beginning of our business plan. We compiled all the essential information and research and presented our meticulously crafted business plan before a discerning jury. Our business plan was about creating a marketing agency; little did I know that it would be one of my primary skills later.
Shortly after graduating in 2011, I worked with a consultant firm assisting small businesses and budding entrepreneurs. Working alongside the consultant firm, I was exposed to a wealth of established strategies and a well-defined roadmap. There was a certain degree of comfort and structure, but what truly stood out was the freedom I had to implement and customize these strategies to suit the needs of the entrepreneurs I was assisting. It was an incredibly nurturing experience, allowing me to learn and grow alongside the entrepreneurs I was privileged to work with.
This hands-on experience honed my skills in supporting and guiding entrepreneurs, equipping me with the necessary tools to bring their dreams to fruition.
However, life’s twists and turns led me to transition to a different role as a virtual assistant in the real estate industry. Despite the change, the theme of helping and assisting others remained constant. This new chapter provided me with an explosion of experience and a deep understanding that there was more to just being an intermediary in helping others succeed. It sparked my curiosity and opened doors to the world of freelancing, where I could further explore my potential and offer my expertise directly.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The bumps along the way made me resourceful and motivated me to figure things out every step of the way.
Within six months of my marriage, we moved to the United States, for my husband was returning home. As for me, I began embarking on another adventure. This new chapter brought challenges and hurdles, mainly because my hard-earned bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance was not recognized here in the USA.
And so, the tale continues—a story of resilience, adaptation, and the unwavering pursuit of opportunities that will propel me towards new horizons and unlock my untapped potential.
One of the first things I had to figure out was how to learn the language and lose the fear of making mistakes when I was trying to communicate. I spent six months practicing and learning until I could have conversations with no teacher or school help.
I visited my husband’s hometown in early spring when I first came to the USA. Then we headed to Ohio for a work contract he got for six weeks. At the end of that trip, we received a call from his mémère, telling him that her cancer was back. I know this news was devastating for him, and that was the moment when we made the distinction to be with her and the rest of the family.
She was crucial to my rapid progress in learning the language. She was a teacher back in the day and still had it in her. She had no problem helping me and laughing at my attempts to say the right words. By the time she closed her eyes, I was able to say goodbye.
From there, some other bumps came along. I was getting bad flares-ups with sinusitis that would put me in bed for days on end. This condition had me discouraged for a long time. My husband recommended that I wait a while before I started thinking about getting a job due to the constant relapses in my health and the job requiring him to travel across the country.
For a while, I felt defeated, with a degree that was not serving me, health that was holding me back, and a sense of loss.
As time went by, I tried to stay busy learning vocational skills. 2016, I took a six-month 1:1 class to improve my English grammar. Around that time, one of the places we went for work was Austin, Texas. An opportunity for a job opened up, and I blew it! I was still so afraid to make mistakes. On my first day, the phone rang; everybody had their hands full, and I couldn’t have the courage to pick up the phone to answer. I felt so embarrassed and like a failure. I can still feel the emotions when I remember that day.
I attended a seminar/networking event with my husband two years later. I had the honor to work on a booth for one of the main characters in their industry. I assisted the team and attendees, and it felt great; I gave it all. I remember one of the speakers said at the end of his presentation: ‘’Make your goal for this year to create one video a month and showcase your expertise.’’. That was brilliant, I thought to myself, but I didn’t have anything to share that I would consider myself an expert, or that is what I was wrongly thinking.
When I returned home to Pensacola, I started going through a process to develop my ‘’zone of genius’’. The thing is, I was looking outside and around when I had the key and solution all along. I’ll tell you in a minute how I figured out.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Peerless Assist?
Peerless Assist was initially created to provide Virtual assistance services for Real Estate Agents in 2020. I’ve provided VA services to an agent with a small team for almost two years. My work consisted of helping with Social Media Marketing, research, sales, and strategies. This was the same agent I provided my first gig services as a freelancer in 2011. The second time I worked as a VA, it reiterated that there was more to being an intermediary in helping others succeed. This meant that I could be and could become the ONE assisting others to succeed.
At Peerless Assist, I guided real estate agents who needed help with their online presence. I knew where to take them and had the knowledge and tools that, as the founder of Peerless Assist, I was able to provide.
I’m very proud of the long journey, the learning, and the growth the past experiences have brought because they have prepared me to be more empathetic, a better listener, assertive, and a team culture builder.
One thing I kept using as a reference with clients and my brand was my background as a BAF; my knowledge and previous experience helping small businesses set me apart from other service providers. I must stay current by studying programs and courses that help me update relevant knowledge. Recently, I was admitted to a select group with the Women Leaders in Sales and Marketing Scholarship for the Execute MBA 2025 class at Valar Institute.
Another program that resonated with me and polished how I offer and deliver my services has been the OBM School. This program has enabled me to regain confidence, and it’s a new addition to Peerless Assist’s continuing education policy.
Peerless Assist has undergone a significant shift. As an online business management service provider, we now offer a range of services to help small businesses streamline their processes, systems, and automation. We create strategies for their marketing and communities through a strategic VIP call or a 3-month, hour-based retainer package.
Additionally, those clients who have received a VIP session will be eligible to upgrade their investment and hire me as a speaker or train them on a specific topic.
This shift brings a new level of excitement and opportunity for our clients.
What does success mean to you?
Remember when, at the beginning, I mentioned that I was looking outside and around when I had the key and solution all along?
So, even though I don’t have thousands of followers on my social media, the different facets of my journey have helped me get to know and connect with inspirational and amazing people who have believed in me and given me a chance to improve, try, push me, celebrate with me, and collaborate with me.
All that time, I thought I needed to reinvent the wheel to be seen as an expert. I was creating a lot of self-doubt, self-defeating, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism.
I was causing myself to be stuck and unproductive.
Whenever I got unstuck, figured out a better mindset, learned a new skill, or risked being told no and didn’t die, it proved that I was hitting a milestone of growth and perseverance. Every challenge has been a new learning opportunity to innovate, expand, and push my limits. That, for me, has been a success!
Think about this. If everything was served to me, ready and finished, just for me to take it on, would I be proud and call it achievement and self-development?
In Spanish, there is a saying that goes: ‘’ Everything valuable and worth it comes with a high cost.’’
Money and recognition will be a subproduct of my milestones; true success is within yourself.
I’m currently reading the book Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Daniel G. Amen, MD, and Charles Fay, PhD. During my reading, I learned what Dr. Amen called ‘’the Four circles of mental strength’’: biological-phycological-social and spiritual. The balance between the four impacts our lives and promotes brain and mental health; it helps us find meaning and purpose.
If I don’t give up, if I keep fighting for what’s important to me and my beliefs, and if I can serve as a role model for others who are still trying to figure out and feel stuck, my story might serve as a road map and inspiration. That is how I define success!
Pricing:
- Efficiency Booster $1,450/month -20hrs *3 months
- Growth Accelerator $2,600/month- 30hrs *3 months
- VIP Strategic Blueprint Session $1,166
Contact Info:
- Website: https://peerlessassist.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiradcano/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indira.cano.547
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@indiradcano9823
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/peerless-assist-pensacola
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/peerlessassist/