Staying Calladita Is Costing You More Than You Think

If you've ever stayed calladita when you should've spoken up, this episode is your permission slip to stop. This week Jannese sits down with Hady Mendez — bestselling author of Calladita No More, speaker, and leadership coach — to talk about what happens when you finally decide to use your voice. They get into Hady's corporate STEM career, the promotion that got away, the negotiation that made her a director overnight, and the real, unfiltered story of betting on herself by moving to Madrid in her 40s. This one's for every mujer who's tired of playing small. WE GET INTO: 1:06 – Welcome & living in the "f*ck it 40s" 1:50 – Hady's origin story: wanting to be a writer 3:03 – Growing up in a traditional Puerto Rican household 4:15 – From social worker dreams to computer science and Accenture 4:55 – Advice for parents raising kids with "unstable" dreams 9:39 – Unpacking the "calladita" messaging from her mom 12:17 – The moment staying quiet started costing her 13:31 – The "Chad" story: watching someone else get promoted 18:20 – What self-advocacy actually looks like 19:57 – The negotiation that made her a director overnight 23:57 – The "brag sheet": self-promotion without bragging 26:45 – Navigating the "difficult Latina" stereotype 32:36 – Leaving corporate: the layoff that led to entrepreneurship 35:07 – One year of Calladita No More: reader reactions 37:19 – The decision to move to Madrid 43:32 – Microaggressions and advocating for herself abroad 50:16 – Rapid fire questions + where to find Hady KEY TAKEAWAYS: → Staying "calladita" has a cost — missed promotions and raises add up over time → The first offer is never the final offer, in salary negotiations or in life → Self-promotion isn't bragging — if people don't know what you've done, they can't trust you with more → The "difficult Latina" stereotype is real, but it's not a reason to stop speaking up → Career paths don't have to be linear to be successful → Community — not just individual grit — is what reminds you who you are CONNECT WITH HADY: 🌐 Website: https://www.boldlyspeakingllc.com 🤝 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calladitanomorebook 📚 Subscribe to Hady’s Substack: https://hadyunfiltered.substack.com/subscribe TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH YO QUIERO DINERO: 📕 Get the book, Financially Lit!: https://financiallylitbook.com 💸 Download the FREE Dinero Guide: https://courses.yoquierodineropodcast.com/ 💬 Book a free Money Call: https://yoquierodineropodcast.com/links/ FOLLOW YO QUIERO DINERO: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoquierodineropodcast 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yoquierodineropodcast 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yoquierodineropodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.