Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolina
Carolina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Carolina Baena, I am the middle child of three siblings and I’m from Colombia. I was born in a small town called Caicedonia Valle. A beautiful and warm town where very kind and hard-working people live, and in turn where the smell of coffee and the countryside characterize us. I grew up there, studied and lived there for 28 years.
When I was ten years old, my father had a very difficult time finding a job, so he decided to emigrate from Colombia to the United States in search of the long-awaited “American Dream.” My older brother was twelve, and my younger sister was one month old. My mother raised us and took care of us while my father, from a distance, sent us money to give us a better quality of life. But we all had hope of being reunited. We didn’t know when, or how long it would take, but we did know that it would become a reality.
My mother ran a soft drink and alcohol distribution business in town. So my grandmother took care of us while my mother worked, and I helped my grandmother take care of my little sister because she was a baby. So part of my childhood was being a mini-mom to my little sister. In my innocent mind, I felt like I was playing dolls with a real baby. Haha.
The years passed, we all grew up, and we still couldn’t be reunited with my father because our visa was denied, and he was forced to stay in the US because if he left for Colombia, the lifestyle we had would most likely disappear.
When I finished high school, I studied English for six months while I decided what to do with my life. Then I began studying business administration, and, surprisingly, I met the man who is now my son’s father. I got pregnant at 18 and decided to stop studying while my son was born. I had a wonderful pregnancy. My family adapted to the great news as time went by and gave me their full support, as did my son’s father and his family.
After two years, I resumed my studies in business administration and decided I was going to get a college degree because that was the only way I could get a good job and give my son the life he deserves. I was a very good student. Out of the 10 semesters I attended at the university, I earned a scholarship for seven of them thanks to my strong academic performance. I graduated in 2014 and felt like I had my professional future covered, but that wasn’t the case.
Finding a good job in such a small town was very difficult because there was a lot of competition and very few job openings.
One of my first jobs was as Executive and Management Director for a nonprofit organization. I know the position sounds impressive, but the salary wasn’t, but the work was incredibly difficult but significant. We worked for the benefit of children and adults with cognitive and physical disabilities. This work taught me the meaning of a humble heart and the fortunate life I had.
Returning about two years ago to this part of my life, my mother and sister managed to obtain a visa to travel to the United States and finally reunite with my father after 15 years. It was a dream moment. Then, two years later, it was my son’s and my turn, and in 2016, we traveled to the United States for the first time and reunited with my sister, my mother, and my father. We were very happy, although the only one missing was my brother.
I spent almost two months in the US, spending time with my family and getting to know places like New York, the beaches of New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
This visit to the United States opened my mind to a country full of opportunities, and I convinced myself that the United States was where I wanted to work and live for a while. So when I returned to Colombia, I promised myself I would return the following year and that my stay would be at least six months.
Eleven months passed and here I was again, in the United States, with the expectation of living, working and studying for 6 months to prove to myself how strong I could be, and wow, they were a challenging few months.
I found myself confronted with the fact that life in the United States isn’t very easy for Latinos, not because it’s a difficult country, but because of our culture and mentality. Our countries advance at a more patient pace compared to this country, and that sometimes makes Latinos settle for a stable job and stay there for many years until we retire and return to our countries of origin. We simply let fear win.
My parents are examples of this, as are some of my uncles and cousins. I looked at them and wondered if this was going to happen to me. I didn’t want that in my life because I didn’t see happiness in them, only exhaustion disguised as financial stability and resignation to being away from their families. This made me sad and powerless.
The months passed, and new situations arose in my life. I reconnected to an ex-boyfriend I had in Colombia, who had lived in Texas for over 18 years. He suggested we return and build a life as a couple again in this country. So, I made the decision to stay in the United States, initially out of love. The hardest part of this decision was sending my 10-year-old son back to Colombia alone to live with his father for a few months while I adjusted to my new life in this country. I moved to Texas in December 2017 and have lived here in Arlington, TX, ever since…
Who would have believed that a woman from a small town in Colombia would be fulfilling her American dream?
as I mentioned before, I arrived in the United States with my 10-year-old son in 2017 with many expectations and goals to accomplish, given that I didn’t find many job opportunities in my country, even with my degree in Business Administration.
For the first five months, we lived with my parents and sister in Elizabeth, NJ. After that, I moved to Arlington, TX and sent my son back to Colombia temporarily while I managed to adjust to this new change.
Adjusting wasn’t easy. I was away from my son for 7 months. I cried a lot because I missed him. I was away from my parents again, away from my siblings and childhood friends. Thanks god, my husband was a great support during this time.
My family, they are the ones who keeps me steady on my path to success. Each one of them gives me immense support, motivates me, and helps me whenever I need it. I love them so much because without them, I know I wouldn’t be the woman I am.
When my son returned to US, his adaptation was not easy, learning the language and making new friends were not either, but he has been so strong and so understanding with himself and with me, that this has been an example that obstacles can be overcome, that one can start over, that blessings do exist, that the process of growing as people requires a lot of faith and belief that we are as capable of achieving what we want as how we think, and what I mean is, if we think big we will achieve great things, but if our thoughts do not overcome our fears, what we achieve will be of that same size.
Let’s talk now about the jobs I’ve had in this country. They’ve been different kinds of jobs that I never thought I’d do in my life, not because they’re bad jobs, but because I didn’t think I had the skills necessary. I’ve worked in ice cream shops, Mexican fast food restaurants, cleaning offices and cleaning bathrooms, selling shapewear for women, making air conditioning filters, in shipping warehouses, as a quality assurance technician in a tortilla factory, as a shipping office clerk, and currently as a dispatch manager assistant in a logistics and transportation company; in that specific order.
Although I have evolved in various types of jobs, I have always had a flame in my heart and a little voice in my head that tells me that I can achieve more, that God gives me the life to do great things and inspire others to achieve their dreams and goals, and why not do it in this country, the country of opportunities and the country that teaches us as people the value of what it means to achieve each thing.
I convinced myself that if I wanted to achieve more, I had to do more. And by this, I don’t mean working longer hours or holding down multiple jobs at the same time. No. I mean educating myself and understanding how I could grow as a person and as a professional.
Of course, I started learning English. I also validated my high school studies and earned my GED because validating my university studies was very expensive. However, I found an association called USCES LLC (a member of NAFSA, AACRAO, and TAICEP) that could certify my business administration degree so I could find a better job and continue studying in the US.
I remember that when I first arrived in this country, many of my coworkers and even some friends told me that my education here was worthless, that I couldn’t practice my degree here, much less earn more than $15 an hour. Thank God I didn’t listen to them. I persisted in my goal of moving forward, in getting to where I am now, even though I haven’t even reached where I want to be yet. Every time I achieve something new, I go for more.
I know I’ve perhaps been too patient in my process, and I try not to be too risky in my decisions. I always think a lot before making a decision. Sometimes it works out, other times it doesn’t, but I always learn, because every failure brings with it a reward, and it’s called experience, and no one can take that away from you.
In short, I’ve been in the United States for almost 8 years. I’ve had approximately 8 different jobs that taught me a lot, and for which I will always be grateful. I’ve always had the support of my family and friends, I’ve met wonderful people, and I’ve seen beautiful places in this country, especially in the state of Texas.
I’m not a finished product; I’m still in the process of formation, and I always will be, as long as God allows me to. I’m a firm believer that whoever is faithful in a little will be faithful in much. That’s why I’m grateful for every lesson this country has taught me because it has contributed to the person I am. I’m not one to give advice to others because in the end, everyone will do what feels right in their heart.
But I would like to tell all the Latinos who left their country to make a new life here that the difficult part has already been done. So don’t stop. Keep going and invest in yourselves in everything that makes you grow. Dream big because only then will you reap the rewards of the hard work you’ve put in to get here. Do good to others and be grateful for every experience this new country offers you. One of my mentors says that success likes speed, and to go faster, you must choose your vehicle very carefully. So don’t waste time on distractions, because momentary sacrifices will bring permanent rewards.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been an easy road, but it hasn’t been a hard one either. Making the decision to become an entrepreneur brings some challenges. One of them is that even though I have a full-time job as a dispatch manager assistant for a logistics and transportation operations company, the demands are threefold. During my regular office hours, doing the work I need to do there, my mind never stops thinking and creating ways to make my digital business stronger and more attractive.
I would like to dedicate more time to my venture, but for now I’m dedicating two to three hours a day. It hasn’t been easy because there are days when my work is hard, and then coming home to do things around the house and then focusing on my business, sometimes very tired, doesn’t allow me to move forward the way I would like. But I will continue doing it because I know it’s a great opportunity for me and that it will be for those who want to be part of my team.
But I’d say one of the main challenges I’ve faced is getting out of my comfort zone. It’s very difficult to leave the couch, Netflix, or social media to invest in yourself, your education, your growth, and your well-being.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a business administrator by profession, with an entrepreneurial heart.
I am currently developing an entrepreneurial project in Digital Business. How did I do it? I partnered with a network marketing company specializing in technology and education. It develops mobile applications where you can learn how to invest in financial markets and leverage artificial intelligence to minimize risks when trading in different markets. Our AI assistant is designed to take investment signals sent by our institutional traders.
We have a comprehensive online educational platform where you can learn how to trade from your phone from scratch, thanks to classes and live operations from our educators. They also teach you how to program your AI assistant, called Sage Master, so that when you’re sleeping, you can continue trading in the market and continue generating income.
We are the only network marketing company with this specialty that is regulated by the DSA UAE (Direct Selling Association).
Our Founders created an unparalleled, ever-evolving company with a unique ecosystem that spans from online learning to e-commerce. Fueled by one of the most rewarding compensation plans in the industry, a cutting-edge marketplace to promote products, and phenomenal training and support, we provide our partners with everything they need to grow their online business.
I feel like I’ve finally found a place where I can work on something I truly love and that I can take with me wherever I go and have internet access.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Our mission is to create a place of work for millions of people worldwide, provide a source of income for them, regardless of their background, experience, and skillset, by being connected to the internet via their mobile phones. We have a presence on 5 continents and in more than 48 countries.
So for anyone willing to invest time in educating themselves and learning new skills, this project will open the door to a world worth dreaming about. Many of the people on our Latam team have fulfilled dreams they never thought they would have, and they’re people I’ve known since school. That’s why I believe this business works, but it only works for those who truly desire to change their current reality.
My personal mission is to help the Latino community find another source of permanent income, where they won’t have to work grueling hours, where they will be able to develop an online business from home, using their cell phones and leveraging AI to learn how to manage their money intelligently.
We know that many Latinos working here have two or even three jobs, don’t see their families or are far from them, don’t get enough rest, and even when they’re sick, they go to work because they have no choice. And I don’t blame them. Maybe there weren’t other opportunities to generate income, and now the job market for Latinos is more complicated, regardless of whether they have a college degree or not; it’s a reality.
That’s why my invitation is always to find new paths that allow them to generate income while educating themselves in skills that, according to statistics, are some of the best-paid skills in the world. What are they? Networking, trading, and digital business.
Pricing:
- $ 2,199
- $ 1,889
- $ 1,359
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beclub.com
- Instagram: @carolbaenadigital
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolina.baenagiraldo.1
- Other: https://linktr.ee/carolbaenag
