We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Débora Mendonça. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Débora below.
Hi Débora, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
<b>Resilience isn’t the easiest gift to have or acquire. How do you continue to push despite the adversities of day-to-day life? Serious health conditions? Unbalanced emotional health? An exhausted schedule? Where does the motivation come from—and how do you keep it?</b>
For me, resilience is a matter of self-love and faith in yourself, in your self-worth. It’s that certainty that you deserve better. Is knowing you can be in a better place—financially, mentally, emotionally, or even physically.
Resilience starts by giving yourself a chance at the life you desire. In my own life, from leaving home at 16, to leaving my country alone and moving to the US at 21, the amount of challenges that come with that can be crushing at times. But in my case, despite the thoughts of giving up (and yes, I believe self-doubt is normal sometimes, just not too much), I always knew where I wanted to go. My goal for the last decade was to become successful in my career. At 30, I achieved that by becoming the COO of a successful and established hospitality company, The Glass Knife, here in Florida.
Resilience was the key factor that got me here. It was there for myself when things got rough, because I knew I was solely responsible for making my life better. If not me, then no one. That goes both ways—for the good and the bad. Throughout my career, I’ve faced horrible people who wanted me to quit. But the saying “I am the driver of my opportunities and my life” always reminded me of the endless possibilities in life—no one can dictate your destiny.
And for the good as well—it’s okay to have a hand, mentors, and gurus along the way. But no one is responsible for your journey. It is only you who can put in the work. Don’t rely on anyone’s handouts. Build it yourself. Lastly, Resilience isn’t a linear experience, you can get down sometimes, but you come back up. It is a journey rather than an instant switch, put in the work, and the results will come.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
In my career, we’re expanding and opening a second location of The Glass Knife on the prestigious Park Avenue in Winter Park, Florida. The owners, Lance Koenig and Steve Brown, are true visionaries. The Glass Knife is a magical concept—meticulous in every detail—and I’m honored to have served as Director of this company for over four years. I take pride in having helped shape our management team into the best versions of themselves, fostering a culture of transparent coaching, open communication, clear expectations, and genuine support—whether in professional or personal matters.
Recently, I was also elected as the incoming President of the Advisory Leadership Board for the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, ranked the 3rd most impactful chamber in the United States. Community involvement continues to be a core part of who I am, and giving back will always be a priority.
In my personal life, I’ve been undergoing deep internal changes. The habits and patterns that once fulfilled me in my 20s no longer serve me in my 30s—in fact, they’ve begun to take a toll on both my body and mind. As a result, I’ve made the decision to dramatically shift my lifestyle.
Change is often uncomfortable, sometimes painful, and deeply emotional. But I’m learning to release control, lean into surrender, and trust the process. That practice alone is consuming most of my energy and attention—and yet, it’s proving to be one of the most powerful experiences of my life.
In parallel, I continue to support small businesses through my consulting company, DM GROWTH SOLUTIONS, offering tailored guidance and solutions for niche challenges. (www.dmgrowthsolutions.com)
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe I’ve been greatly shaped by my resilience, commitment to myself, dedication and passion.
If you’re early in your journey, read, listen, learn—but always look within. The answers are inside you. Put in the work. Don’t compare yourself to others. Map out your own path. Be mindful of the endless information out there—it can be overwhelming. Take time for yourself. No social media, no news—just you and your dreams. And dream BIG. You are deserving of any life you want.
Define success based on what truly matters to you. Remember, immediate financial gain can sometimes distract you from building a meaningful career—one that may start in a lower position but offers long-term growth and a solid foundation. Success looks different for everyone. Take the time to discover what it means for you.
Be yourself—always. Everyone has something unique and special to offer the world. Don’t let negativity linger in your life for too long—it can cause lasting damage. Don’t be afraid to cut the cord, whatever it may be—bad habits, toxic relationships—because you’ll discover that setting boundaries is one of the healthiest things you can ever do for yourself.
And finally, know this: life is not linear. You will fail. You will make mistakes. But if you know where you’re going, just keep swimming. If you get down, try not to stay there too long—even the hard phases bring important lessons.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
So many people today are chasing a perfect life—one where emotions are always stable and everything feels neutral. But that’s not real. Life is messy. It’s emotional. It’s full of challenges. And that’s okay.
When I feel overwhelmed, I take it as a signal that something is out of balance. That’s when I pause, make space for myself, and ask:
Is there something in excess in my life? What truly needs my attention right now?
Right now, I’m on a healing journey. These days, I’m living a much healthier lifestyle—daily movement, mindful eating, and exploring complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). More than anything, I’ve learned to pay close attention to my body’s signals, and to what’s happening with me mentally and emotionally.
I’m not saying this exact path is for everyone. But I do believe each of us has a responsibility to explore what feels true for our own journey. And let’s be clear: it takes work. Nothing meaningful comes without effort. But when you do it for yourself, the reward is a more aligned and grounded life.
And one last thing—life isn’t about avoiding emotions.
For me, it’s about facing them, understanding the “why,” and then choosing to forgive, let go, or rewire my response to it.
That’s the strategy I’ve embraced—and so far, it’s guiding me toward a healthier, more intentional way of living.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dmgrowthsolutions.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/debmendonca
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deb-mendonca/
Image Credits
Professional Headshorts by Carol Rodrigues Photo
Me interviewing for the podcast B STUDENT by Betsy Gardner
Construction Side for Store number #2 The Glass Knife on Park Ave
Store number #1 The Glass Knife celebrating 4 years of COO
Debora Mendonça and Susan Boucher at the grand opening of the non-profit The Good Pour
Deb Mendonça graduation speech for class 35 of Leadership Winter Park
Amie Morgan VP of programs for the WP chamber of commerce (in purple) congratulating me for the incoming president elect role.
Me nominated as Leader of Impact by The American Heart Association at their fundraising gala
