MBG: I absolutely love how you proclaim that “There Is No Prince Charming” – I blame the media (and especially Disney) for embedding that idea into young girls’ brains. What are your thoughts?
NG: I think it’s a very innate human desire to feel, deep down inside, that someone is there to look after you and save you. It’s this image of someone that’s God-like who is going to see you, understand you and change you for the better. We all want to be taken care of and saved, either through a God-like figure, through a significant other or through a boss and/or mentor. But everyone has their own problems. When you aren’t being paid attention to, you may wonder, why aren’t they helping me? Everyone has their own battles to face, and you need to be self-reliant and save yourself.
MBG: In your opinion, who are some women in the media that are kicking ass and embodying what Self Made is all about?
NG: On the website, there is a series called Self Made Stories. There we tell the stories of the women who are embodying the Self Made message. They are real life heroes who, out of difficult situations, are realizing their potential as Self Made women.
As for the media, I think women now are just crushing it. There are so many amazing examples out there. But you don’t have to be the lady that invented Spanx or have the next billion-dollar idea. You can do anything.
Famous women like JLo or Beyoncé are great, but that’s a one-of-a-kind talent that most of us don’t have. We can still have an extraordinary life. We can create something magical with talents that are right under our nose.
MBG: Are some people just born with the passion to become entrepreneurial? Or can anyone take it on?
NG: No, it’s not something you’re born with, it’s a mindset more than anything else. It’s like a muscle that you have to engage. If you’re working in a corporation and you’re unhappy, change your mindset or move on. You need to think like an owner – someday I may do this for myself or someday I may run this company.
You have to engage the entrepreneurial muscle while you work for other people. I’m not telling women to quit their jobs and start their own business. What I’m saying is to work out that muscle – and if anything were to go wrong, you know that you can support yourself in any situation. You always have yourselfas a backup plan.
MBG: You participated in Celebrity Apprentice, with Donald Trump, as the first Latina contestant. What are your thoughts on Trump as the Republican Nominee for President?
NG: What can I tell you? He continually disappoints me. I had a wonderful time on Celebrity Apprentice, but the Donald Trump I see now is disappointing. I keep thinking that he will apologize for the negative and awful things he continually says, but he doesn’t. Listen, when someone shows you who they are, believe them! He has raised wonderful kids, but he is negative and not uplifting at all. As a Latina, I feel called to speak out. We are the #1 emerging market, the #1 consumer in the U.S., so how stupid is it of Trump to put us down?
Culturally it’s our fault because we are still allowing him to remain on this platform – we are taking the abuse & we are allowing it. African Americans wouldn’t allow it and neither would the Jews, so why are we?
We can’t allow it to happen – we need to get out and vote. Latinos need to speak out. I need to go crazy! Maybe it’s because I don’t work for anyone, so I don’t care what anyone thinks, but I need to speak out. I look at all of you young women, I see you as my daughters, and I wouldn’t want any man to treat you or speak to you in that manner, so why are we allowing Trump to do the same? For someone that comes from a dictatorship, Trump really scares me, and I don’t scare easily!
For more on Nely Galán, follow her on Twitter or learn more about her Adelante Movement.
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