Meet Pauline Victoria

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Pauline Victoria. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Pauline, 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?

There is a small percentage of people in the world who look like me, a multi-ethnic woman born without limbs. This means that I’m often the only person like me in a room, especially related to business. Since I was born, I have gotten used to living in a world that is not made for me. I have gotten used to the stares, the pointing fingers, and the uncomfortable banter strangers try to have with me, like, “Stop speeding!” I get that my presence can challenge people’s perspectives and provoke reactions of pity, compassion, curiosity, prayer, and inspiration. But I have learned to separate who I am from others’ perceptions and reactions to me. I have come to understand that how people feel when they’re around me is more of a reflection on themselves than it is of me. With that detachment, I am then able to place my focus on my growth and what value I bring to the table. I have become radically comfortable with myself by constantly putting myself in uncomfortable situations and that ease and comfort with myself automatically makes others feel comfortable with me and themselves. I believe that the level of acceptance you have with yourself will determine the level of acceptance others have of you.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Life whispers at you, but if you don’t pay attention, eventually it will scream. Life was whispering to me, trying to guide me to the path I was created to be on. This path was the one where I used my voice to bring hope and inspiration to people who needed encouragement and empowerment to lead a life with a no-excuses, can-do spirit. But because of my own fears, I tried to ignore the little nudges and soft whispers. Until one day, life screamed. At a network marketing event, world-renowned Motivational Speaker, Les Brown approached me about wanting to train me to use my voice. Recognizing the scream, I said Yes and traveled to Los Angeles four days later which began my entrepreneurial journey as an Inspirational Thought Leader.

Now, I primarily help other entrepreneurs overcome what is stopping them from achieving their goals. In my experience, it is not the next best strategy or tactic that creates one’s success, but their mindset and motivation. I’d say I have a lot of experience with achieving the seemingly impossible because I believed in a vision, I worked on myself internally, I then found the appropriate strategy and resources, practiced gratitude and took action. This is how I came to create my VISTA (Vision, identity, Strategy, Thanksgiving and Acton) framework in analyzing how I have done what I’ve done in my life. It is how I have manifested a fulfilling business and a beautiful life. When working with clients, we apply this framework to whatever goals they want to accomplish.

I’m most proud of each of my clients who commit to their dreams and are willing to go out of their comfort zone to make a positive difference in the world. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a person stand in their genius, utilize their gifts and step into their greatness. We all have this potential and I’m here for it. I do this through my 60-Second Impact Visibility Challenge Program where Speakers, Authors and Coaches enter a space surrounded by cheerleaders and champions that promote increased visibility which can lead to increased impact, authority and income.

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?

Self-Awareness
I once interviewed Gina DeVee who said, “Being an entrepreneur is like personal development on steroids.“ This is so true. Being an entrepreneur will confront you and reflect to you your deepest fears and insecurities. The successful ones are willing to sit in that discomfort in order to grow their self-awareness. In putting myself out there and having the courage to be vulnerable in my visibility, I have experienced rejection, ghosting, and negative comments, but I keep on going. Why? Because I believe in my vision of creating a better world by developing people. I am willing to stand for those who are not willing to stand for themselves. I am willing to allow my belief to be bigger than their disbelief. I show up and shine my light so that others will feel inspired to shine theirs.

Resilience
Resilience is apparent all over my life and it is said how you do one thing is how you do everything. So even though most of my resilient moments have been in my personal life, this can be applied to my professional life as well. Being resilient doesn’t just mean getting back up, but getting back up with a stronger and more positive attitude. On this entrepreneurial journey, there are a lot of strategies and tactics that you put in place through trial and error. Some work and stick and some don’t. Resilience is the key to being a successful entrepreneur.

Risk
Something feels risky when it pushes the edges of your comfort zone. Any growth I have experienced has been preceded by struggle, discomfort and even suffering. Sometimes that struggle is brought on by circumstances out of our control and growth is a byproduct of that challenge. However, we can activate more of our growth by voluntarily putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations. These situations don’t have to be extreme. It could be talking to a stranger, ordering something different on the menu, travel to a foreign country. There are things around us everyday in which we can engage that invites us to walk the edges of our comfort zone. Taking calculated risks will slowly build up your confidence, which will grow you into a successful entrepreneur.

My advice to an emerging entrepreneur would be to do the inner work in order to see the success of your business come to fruition. Be open to the breakdowns so that the breakthroughs can occur. With each breakthrough, you’ll make a quantum leap in your growth, personally and professionally.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

Going into parenting me, my parents had no idea how to raise a child with such severe disabilities, but what they did was pivotal to my development. They parented with a combination of nurture and tough love. They loved me and encouraged me but they also created space for me to explore what I was made of. That meant that they held themselves back from helping me at every whim. They allowed me to struggle, get frustrated and figure out my capabilities. This combination made me the person I am today. Now I do this for myself. I don’t shrink in the face of a challenge because from a young age I was able to explore and exercise my capabilities and inner strength. This is what we need to do in our businesses. You may not know everything you’re capable of and you may not have the confidence starting out. Set your audacious goals anyway and as you journey toward those goals, you’ll discover more of your abilities and build up your confidence.

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Image Credits

Carola Gracen
Lisa Schwenneker

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