We were lucky to catch up with Bessy Martinez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bessy, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I was born in El Salvador and migrated to the US at the tender age of 2. So much of my up brining has led me to advocate for Latina woman and to elevate and empower their journey. So much of what I saw growing up was founded in community. My mother and I surrounded our selves with people who looked like us, spoke like us, had similar lives like us. But our stories and struggles always stayed within our community. We relied on each other to lift us up.

Fast forward to today, I moved to Austin with my family during the hardest time our world had been facing, COVID. The sense of community had been taken from us. I didn’t know any one. As an entrepreneur, a mom and a wife I craved a community that understood me. Looked like me, spoke like me, and wanted to help others just as much as I did. So I created Austin Latinas Unidas. Because Unidas somos mejores! I curate events that connect woman like me and they in turn take back their experience and share that with their own communities. I’m a firm believer, that if you can’t find what you’re looking for you create it or become it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Both my journey as an empowerment business coach and the creation of Austin Latinas Unidas, a Latina focused community group, root from my mission to elevate and give spotlight to those voices and stories. Austin Latinas Unidas is a Latina focused community organization that unifies the Latina woman from Austin and surrounding cities through curated events centering the needs they have both personally and professionally.

We all have a story that can and will inspire, even for the small business owner or brand. My work is to give back the power of each person through experiences and connection. Our future is so beautifully curated with struggles, pain but inspiration. We need it to all be shared. That is what makes us uniquely us and elevates our futures. Austin Latinas Unidas brings our roots to create a community that empowers each other because we all want to see us grow. When one grows, we all grow.

As a couch, the same thing applies. I guide my clients to take back their narrative and breakdown the barriers of what their business should sound, look, and feel like to what THEY want it to represent. Create their own community that will continue to show up and support them, even during the hard times.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I remember when I started Austin Latinas Unidas, I didn’t know anyone so I started following accounts of Latina woman that looked like someone I’d one day like to be friends with. I would like their posts, share it and comment. Then I stared going into their DMs and introducing my self. I shared my mission and genuinely offered to support them however they needed me to. And to my surprise, they returned the gesture.

Behind the IG feed is a real human. And so you need to talk to them as such. People can smell BS a mile away. Especially going through the pandemic, people learned how to tune into their sense of character. So if you’re genuine, and intentional people will see that and return the favor at some point. Be you.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Be 100 authentically me. As consumer we shop where we shop because that place talks to us. Identifies with us. We shop there because of what they represent. Same applies to relationship/community building. You are your business, brand, non-profit, etc YOU are the reason why people want to know more about what you do and how they can support your mission. I’ve always been me with out asking for anything in return. I give expecting nothing because to me, giving is what I believe I was created for. Clients work with me because of who I am more than what I bring to the table. Collaborations for events happen because they know who is behind the brand. My voice is behind the events, my client sessions, social media content, website, and anywhere else I want to show up.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.austinlatinasunida.com www.bessymartinez.com
• Instagram: @austinlatinasunidas @justbessym
• Facebook: Austin Latinas Unidas
• Linkedin: Bessy Martinez, Austin Latinas Unidas
• Twitter: justbessym

Image Credits
myself