Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Suazo.
Hi Jasmine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 2017, I quit my 6-figure corporate DREAM job in hopes of finding a deeper sense of purpose and freedom to live life on my own terms. A native of Chicago, I was raised by two hardworking parents who preached daily the importance of graduating from college to achieve the American Dream. Like millions of women, I believed that the more degrees you have, the more money you make. Two degrees and a ton of student loan debt later, I finally had the title, salary and office of my dreams but there was one problem – I was MISERABLE! While working in my office one Friday night at 9pm, I nearly had a panic attack after realizing how much more work needed to be done and how I was no longer passionate about the role I once eagerly accepted. I made the decision to resign from my company and proceeded to put my two weeks notice in. I don’t recommend this for women who don’t have at least 6-12 months of savings. I was comfortable in knowing that I would figure out my next steps and wouldn’t need to stress about finances short-term.
In 2018, I started a business in the life insurance industry with zero experience. Sounds crazy, right?! While I was completely new to the industry, I knew that I wanted to be in a recession proof industry that was credible and where there was a proven system of success. After learning that African Americans make up only 8% of life insurance agents, I welcomed the challenge. In just four years, we’ve been able to grow our agency to over 400 licensed agents across the country. After experiencing the success and failures of building a business from scratch, I started my own podcast to help women transition from employee to entrepreneur. Girl, Fire Your Boss podcast is the #1 destination for savvy career women who want to take actionable steps to learn systems, strategies, and solutions to build a sustainable business. We’re having a lot of fun pioneering The Great Resignation for multicultural women and the best part is that we’re just getting started.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Haha…is this a trick question? The truth is entrepreneurship presents a set of challenges that school doesn’t prepare you for. The way we all learn how to become successful entrepreneurs or business owners is by learning the lessons from our failures. Failure is inevitable for any entrepreneur; however failure is not a final destination if your vision is real. Each level of growth will unlock new obstacles. In the beginning, I struggled with multitasking competing priorities. Like most new business owners, I didn’t have the money to hire staff or implement more effective systems. I also didn’t understand tax liabilities and the necessity to invest your profits back into your business. I learned these lessons by making mistakes; which is why I firmly believe in hiring an experienced business coach/advisor and leverage their learning curve as your success curve. Simply put – struggles are merely speed bumps to your final destination. The only way you lose is if you quit.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Girl, Fire Your Boss is a podcast teaching savvy career women how to successfully transition from employee to entrepreneurship and ultimately fire their boss. There’s no other podcast like ours…GFYB podcast is the perfect blend of Happy Hour x Forbes x Essence Magazine. I created Girl, Fire Your Boss for the career woman looking to unwind and learn new skills, systems, and strategies to build a business. Through one-on-one interviews, in-depth behind-the-scenes strategies, and a comprehensive one-year plan, our listeners will gain the confidence and competence to ultimately fire their boss. Our audience loves our weekly Happy Hour segments where we recap the week’s episode and dive deeper into our audience’s questions about navigating work-life and entrepreneur ambitions.
How do you think about luck?
I believe that good luck is God’s way of winking at us. I’m blessed to say that He’s winked at me numerous times throughout my career, and always exactly when I needed Him. Despite the many obstacles along my path, I’ve always believed that things will work out in the end because I know that I’m not afraid to fail; I’m not afraid to take risks, and I’m not afraid to ask for help when I need it. I think that’s how we create luck. Through embracing our current season of life, preparing for our future and focusing on increasing the value we bring to the marketplace. No matter what’s happening in life or business…I show up every day. That’s why I’m lucky. I’m willing to out-work, out-strategize and out-last my competition.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/gfyb
- Instagram: @girlfireyourboss
- Facebook: @girlfireyourbosspodcast
- Twitter: @fireyourbosssis
- Youtube: https://www.facebook.com/GirlFireYourBossPodcast
- SoundCloud: https://open.spotify.com/show/0k1Q7ZQeQ4eqIl1Ot11G6X?si=809b663f62194921
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/girl-fire-your-boss-podcast/id1603662560?i=1000547117710
Image Credits
All photos by Rachel Bires Photography
