Meet Iris González

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Iris González. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Iris below.

Iris, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
This is a great question – as an engineer, as a women, as an LGBTQ+ person, as a Latina, I have found myself in this position often for more than a decade. There are three levers that have helped me – one was to observe how senior leaders (2-3 layers above me) communicated and led themselves in order to create a roadmap for myself on capabilities to develop when in the room. The second was leaning in as seeing myself as a strength in the room who brought valuable insight and perspective to the room. Third, is getting reps in – I prepped to build my confidence before entering the room, I executed and that built confidence and normalcy over time until I fully owned that I belong in these spaces and that they’re better with me in it than not.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Over fifteen years of proven, credible, and trusted operations experience across value-based healthcare, fintech, and industrial engineering industries, I thrive in connecting the dots between an organization’s mission, vision and values to daily behaviors that nurture both customers and employees to fulfilling experiences. As an engineer and healthcare advocate, I focus on increasing inclusion and equity in STEM, and lifting up women and LGBTQ+ people in business. I lead with a style that models leadership through action. I provide services to companies and rising executives and details are transparent at www.irisjgonzalez.com

Alongside of this work, I co-lead a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Lucky Lightyear Foundation, where we are creating a world without barriers. We are committed to removing barriers and supporting the wildest dreams of every LGBTQ+ person through connection and generosity. We understand the unique challenges LGBTQ+ people face navigating the intersections of identity, finding safe spaces in community, and pursuing opportunities and connection without fear. We provide scholarships, grants, events and other programs to connect, build skills and give back. Find out more at www.luckylightyear.com

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?
This is a great question. Reflecting back, I would encourage others to have a clarity roadmap of capabilities, roles, or general experiences they would like to have. After doing that exercise, I would encourage folks to look for others who are currently successful in the areas on your roadmap and build 1-1 relationships there. Find ways to add value to that individual’s life, and along the way, you will be learning the exact skills you are in search of while developing a deeper relationship to that person. Do your best and go deep (vs wide – try to avoid exhausting yourself by “boiling the ocean”) and these connections could open the doors for where you are trying to go. That was a game changer for me in my early twenties that allowed me to become a company’s youngest executive in their 30+ year history.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
For business clients, the ideal client is generating $500K – $3M in annual revenues and looking to scale their operations with confident and consistent performance reliability. In the past decade, I’ve supported a company in growing from ~$200M annual revenues to $4B at the present.

For individual clients, the ideal client is a aspiring or rising executive who wants to be consistently seen as a high-performing, high potential asset to their organization. I have also found first time leaders or executive directors that report to C-Suites or Boards thrive in partnering with me as well to accelerate and shorten the learning curve to successfully lead in the role that breeds confidence and competence to C-Suite or Board members.

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