Meet Delaila Catalino

We recently connected with Delaila Catalino and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Delaila with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My work ethic started long before I ever had a job title.

Growing up, my mom always instilled in me that no matter what role you had — you had to be the best at it. Whether it was school, a summer job, or helping around the house, the standard was excellence.

I learned early to respect being on time, to value people’s time, and to show up looking presentable — because how you carry yourself matters.

I used to attend Take Your Daughter to Work Day and watched how my mom carried herself. She took pride in her appearance, spoke to everyone with kindness, and treated every task like it mattered. Watching her taught me that professionalism isn’t about hierarchy — it’s about integrity and care in how you show up.

Those lessons have stayed with me my entire career.

Now, looking at today’s culture, I see how much we’ve drifted away from valuing true work ethic — the follow-through, respect, and pride in our work. It’s something I think we need to re-prioritize, not out of nostalgia, but because excellence should be the standard.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Right now, I’m in a season of learning how to balance my 9–5 and my 5–9 — and truly thrive in both.

After experiencing a few toxic work environments earlier in my career, I’m finally in a place that feels different. I’m fully embracing a workplace that’s supportive, encouraging, and genuinely invested in my growth. It’s been empowering to sharpen my skills in an environment that sees me as capable, reliable, and a valuable asset.

Then there’s my 5–9 — my purpose work. As the founder of Non-Corporate Girls, I’ve faced my share of growing pains, especially when it comes to funding and expansion. There are moments when it feels like the needle isn’t moving fast enough, but my “why” always brings me back.

In both worlds, there’s an excitement that keeps me grounded — a drive to create impact and be part of something bigger than myself. With Non-Corporate Girls, our mission is to make sure our audience and listeners feel seen, heard, and equipped. We want them to walk away not just inspired, but with real solutions and answers to their own questions.

It’s not an easy balance, but it’s the most fulfilling one I’ve ever worked toward.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are resilience, integrity, and community.

Resilience has been everything especially when navigating toxic work environments or moments when Non-Corporate Girls felt like it wasn’t growing fast enough. Learning to push through uncertainty, to pivot instead of quit, and to trust that small progress still counts has shaped how I show up in both my 9–5 and 5–9.

Integrity is something my mom modeled for me early on. Watching her take pride in her work and treat everyone with respect taught me that how you do anything is how you do everything. I’ve carried that with me — from being on time to maintaining excellence in every space I enter.

And community that’s been my anchor. Whether it’s colleagues who value collaboration or our Non-Corporate Girls listeners who remind me why we started, surrounding myself with supportive, like-minded people has been key to both personal and professional growth.

For anyone early in their journey, my advice is this:

Build discipline before ambition. Show up for yourself and your craft even when it’s not glamorous.

Lead with integrity. How you treat people will always matter more than titles or recognition.

Find your people. The right community will keep you inspired when motivation runs low.

Your path won’t always be linear, but if you stay grounded in those three things, you’ll always find your way forward.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

We’re always looking to collaborate with brands, creators, and professionals who align with our mission to redefine success, creativity, and wellness for the modern working woman.

We want to partner with people and companies who value authentic storytelling, community impact, and intentional growth — whether through podcast sponsorships, content collaborations, event partnerships, or thought leadership opportunities.

If you’re passionate about amplifying diverse voices, celebrating real-life career journeys, and building spaces that are both inspiring and actionable we’d love to connect.

📩 Let’s collaborate:
Reach out to us at [[email protected]] or DM us on Instagram @NonCorporateGirls to start the conversation.

Together, we can create meaningful, culture-shifting content that leaves an impact.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Sam E.
@_artofmemory

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