Behind The Mic with Shirley Baez

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Hello, hello Amplify You family Michelle Abraham your host here today. I have I got a great interview lined up for you today. I am bringing to you a behind the mic interview with a very special guest Shirley Baez. So surely How are you doing today?

Hi, good afternoon, Michelle. I'm doing swell. Thank you so much.

You're so welcome. So surely is the inspiration igniter. For others seeking greatness? How cool does that sound. So I want to share a little bit more about Shirley Frey to you guys. She is from the Dominican Republic, but was raised in New York City. She was in the military from the young age of 18, even during 911. And so since then she has been a leader and she's been wanting to help people climb that ladder. And she's been helping other women just exude their greatness and become the become the leaders that they're meant to be. And I'm really excited to dive more into this with you, Shirley. And there's more about your background and your story that we want to dive into. I had the pleasure of meeting Shirley at a book launch a couple weeks ago in Dallas where they were launching the volume I volume one right here, but Volume Two of the powerful female immigrants and it was so cool, oh sorry, powerful female immigrants who inspire greatness. And it was so cool to meet you there and give you a hug in person and learn more about your story. So you also just launched another book. Not just but you have another book that you're the author on, which is called Lead your ship. And I want to talk about that too. So let's dive right in. So you're one of our FIU featured podcast guests, and you're over getting on podcasts right now we want to show an amazing guests that you are for others, pilot podcasters, who might want to steal you bringing them bring you on their show. So I tell us a little bit about how you got started in the work that you do.

Yes, thank you. First and foremost, again, thank you so much, Michelle, for having me here. It's such an honor to just have the opportunity to keep sharing my stories. So the way that all of this came about, it's me transitioning from the military. Actually, I served for 20 years, I just retired. I went in at during 911, which really gave me the enticement to serve my country. And so during during that time, I acquired a lot of great skills that I needed at that time that I needed to grow. I needed a bush structure needed discipline. And so the while my you know, throughout my time in the military, I grew a lot. And I saw that I was starting to become a great influential leaders for other young soldiers coming up, especially with women as well. And so when I decided to start transitioning from the military, I knew that I wanted to go back to my roots of, of doing the things that I love. I've always been a very creative and artsy type of person, I love creating things. And so I wanted to touch back on that and see where that led me when so I just kind of started, you know, writing the next chapter of my life. And I knew that I always love journaling and writing. And so one of my mentors told me, hey, you've been having such success in your trans during your transition and the networks that you're making. Why don't you write a book and it was first thought about writing a book of transition. But, you know, I knew that there was a lot of books on transitions out there. And so I, you know, I told myself, how can I go about telling a story that can touch people that can that people can relate? I'm more of a personal memoir, so to speak. And so he connected me to to another gentleman that coached me and helped me write my book and essentially, my book is called Lead your ship. So obviously, when you say it quick is leadership because I know that leadership in my life, first and foremost self leadership To help me become the leader I am today. And so being aware, being conscious being accountable, we're so many values that are acquired in the military. And I saw that when I say when I taught, coached, and mentor others, through the self leadership and all the attributes that that came about, that really changed their lives. And so I wrote a book, just really highlighting, where I came from the struggles that I've had the struggles growing up as a leader, and as a female leader in a mostly male dominated environment, and how I overcame those obstacles to now really doing what I love and being very influential and impactful in people's lives.

And what would you what some advice you would give to some women that out there today they're thinking about joining the military.

So I would tell them, the military is a great baseline for for people searching for, for a structure in their life for people finding, trying to find meaning, trying to find purpose, trying to find camaraderie, because there you meet people from all over the United States all over the world, actually. And you begin making some a lot of really special bonds. And as a woman, you know, being challenged in different obstacles in different environments, really will enhance your, you know, you're you're being able to do things, your confidence, you're leading others is such a great environment to do that. And you just become much more better as a person and as a leader when you go through it.

Amazing. And I'm sure like reading your book has been really like cathartic as well, like, oh, my gosh, just looking back on all that experience, and all those times. And how cool is that, that you now have something that you can share with the world that others can kind of like model and in and read your book and read your stories and feel empowered to go out there and be great and have find the greatness in themselves? See you. That's amazing.

Absolutely. I always said that writing a book is the most vulnerable that you'll ever get. So trust me, it was a leap of faith that I took. But I saw the response of people and they responded really positively amazing. And so I'm so happy about that.

Oh, that's awesome. Um, what is the message from that book that you really want to make sure that really lines for people when they read it.

Definitely be accountable to yourself. Because I always believe that you can never lead anybody anywhere, unless you know how to lead yourself first. And you have to do the internal work to know who you are, what you do, and why you do it is so important. Because a lot of people walk through life not having a purpose, not knowing where they're going. But if you do the internal work and know that you have some special gifts from the inside, that you can render on the outside will change not only your life, but others.

Yeah, that's so so it's so good. Do you add the work that you do now? Tell us a little bit about that work that you're doing right now? Because I know it's like, it's a it's as you've said before, it's a passion project. It's something you're really passionate about, and it fits with your mission. So, network.

Yeah, so it's a journey. And right now I'm still a normal w two employee. But of course with everything comes commitment, and, you know, and in a lot of work and so I'm working on my passion project, which is building my coaching business, for specializing in mindset and leadership. I think that there's a lot of people nowadays especially even incorporations in in personal lives in organizations, nonprofits that need to enhance their leadership capabilities, so that they can you know, guide well and lead work well their teams and so I'm right now actively working on on that coaching business. Absolutely.

You're gonna be a rock star at it. I know it because, you know, there's one thing that I've heard from a lot of women in that are in leadership, especially in corporations, we're, you know, when one woman gets kind of promoted, there's a little bit of like, cattiness that goes on this so unnecessary, like we should be each other's like best champions and like really support each other up in corporations, but I've heard and I don't know because I'm not in that space. But I've heard there's like this kind of it is not so great. So when you're, you're you're being called to be a leader. In those organizations, it'd be so great to have someone to coach and someone that's on your side to help you through stepping into the leader that you're meant to be. Because I think there's a lot of drama that could happen within the organization. And especially if you're in a male dominated organization, like how do you become a leader that's in your own feminine way without or without you having to resort to the masculine way of doing things, but like, still, you're still able to step into your power and be in that power?

Absolutely. And I always say, you know, you just step into it with confidence and your femininity, like don't lose that, you know, even though yes, I was in a heavily male dominated environment, they knew that by being a female and a female leader in a high position, I brought unique skills, right, that were easier for me to render, versus them, especially when we would go out on missions, and we needed to, you know, to talk with other women, you know, in some of the cultures, men could not talk to other women. And so we were there to be that unique capability to get with, you know, the population. And so that helped a lot. And, of course, here, working here, and leading soldiers, it's, I think it's just so important to never lose your identity. Just be proud that you're a woman, but you're a woman that is there to care, and to mentor others to become great leaders, you know?

Yeah, like being the best you that you can be. I feel like the best leaders are the ones that are reaching down and pulling up the people that are coming along with them. So I feel like that's, you know, a big part of what you do like you, as you say, in your name, your inspiration igniter for others seeking greatness, right. So I see your was bringing those people along with you on this journey?

Yeah, absolutely. That's so important to me. And my other my other passion project is being a mentor for soldiers transitioning out of the military, and just showing them that there is another life after the service, you know, that they can be happy and excited about. And now they can create their own future, right? So,

so great as so many things that you that you speak about, and that you're passionate about. What is what is something that you want other podcasters to know that you can have bringing value to their show, when you come on to their show as a guest? What's something that you want them to know?

Yeah, no, absolutely. I think that a lot of times we hold ourselves back from being our truest and greatest self, I block to just inspire others to dream again, to go back and be a child right and experiment with their different realities with the different goals and dreams that they have, not to be afraid to attain, what they rightfully deserve, and at the same moment, also help other people because I think that's where sometimes we fall short when I get for ourselves, but at the end of the day is all about helping others and making others be great. And so that's the message that I want to bring

love it. So obviously the the audience that you're best at us land the message that aligns best as audiences with women in their audience, podcast audience, also not necessarily women already in leadership, perhaps women that are starting businesses or like becoming leaders themselves, but also young entrepreneurs and young young professionals as well. And then also your openness, speaking obviously, on shows that are helping military transition to because I think your your, your message is obviously very relevant and relevant to that target market as well. Is that correct?

Yes, absolutely. I actually was invited to apply to become a speaker this year at the military influence influencer conference in Las Vegas, and on October and so I'm just waiting to hear back from them. But definitely, it's gonna be exciting because, you know, there's so much uncertainty when you when you had such a long career in an institution to now having to start all over again. And I just want to show them that anything is possible. I mean, the sky's the limit, right. And it's so funny that you mentioned, you know, the younger generation as well like young entrepreneurs, because I know in my mind's eye for me, in the near future, I actually want to establish a nonprofit for young females or young creators to go to a place where they can feel so free to just play around with their creativity and their imagination and just be the best they can. Because I know that when I was growing up, I never, I didn't have that. And so I was always a very creative and imaginative person. And I want to render something like that for young kids.

Yeah, I mean, I look back on my entrepreneurial journey and like, it would be so great to have had like, a female mentor who is kind of done what I wanted to do or been in the space I want to do. I mean, in the podcasting space is very male dominated as well. It wasn't really a female, that really model my dad's amazing entrepreneur. And he he was my role model growing up is that is like my inspiration for becoming an entrepreneur. Like someone specifically the podcast, he says, female it was really hard to find. So I would imagine that, you know, same same in your world, like having a female mentor, someone who's been in the service for so long, or been in a career even for so long. And then now started her own thing and, and is now you know, sharing her message is be really, really powerful for those women to be in your, in your presence and a part of your community. So I think that's an amazing, amazing goal and mission to have coming up.

Yes, I'm so excited for the future.

Yeah, that's so exciting. So well, we wish you luck on your AI speaking because I hope that you get your hope that you get that as well speaking at that conference, sounds really exciting. And I know you have a gift for our audience today. Can you share what that is?

Yes, I have my free gifts, my free ebook for self leadership. And so you can find that at www.shirleybaez.com/free gift. Awesome.

And can you spell your last name for us? Just in case anyone has trouble spelling it?

Yes, it's B as in boy, a E Z as in Zulu.

Perfect, awesome. So yes, make sure you go check out Shirley's free gift for that. And tell us a little bit about the free gift.

Yes, so the free gift, it's a wealth of knowledge for you to start digging deep into your Inner Inner Inner leader. And so it just gives you a lot of good tips in a lot of areas that you can take into consideration as you cultivate yourself as as a leader.

Awesome. That sounds great. So guys, make sure you go check that out. And if you've found truly story, super interesting today, you want to book her on your podcast, please feel free to reach out to us at amplify ie Michelle amplify you.ca is my email address. And we would love to hear from you. And we are booking surely on shows coming up really soon here. She's a fabulous guests in and as you've heard, she's got a great story, great stories and a heart of gold. So surely we wish you all the best. And thank you so much for spending your time with us today. We've enjoyed it. Thank you, Michelle,

thanks so much.

No problem. All right, and amplify your family go out there and have another fabulous be we will see you again. Same place same time next week.