I am honoured to introduce you to Christina Jovanna Olivarez (she/her) who shares how every season of business brings new challenges—even when you’ve been in business for 10 years!

Christina is an award-winning Visibility & Leadership Coach, TEDx Speaker, Business Strategist, and the Founder of Hustle + Socialize—the premier leadership and visibility movement for Latina & Women of Color founders who are ready to rewrite the rules of hustle, legacy, and joy.

For over a decade, Christina has been at the forefront of helping high-achieving Latinas and Women of Color break free from being the best-kept secret. Her work centers on guiding these ambitious leaders to become powerfully visible.

Christina’s clients are six-and multi-six-figure Founders. Through her signature 1:1 coaching programs, private intensives, speaking & trainings, her podcast Unaopologetically Visible, and her flagship Hustle + Socialize platform, Christina helps Latina and WOC founders elevate their personal brands with unmistakable authority and cultural pride.

Whether on stage, behind a mic, or inside an intimate leadership container, Christina stands for a new era of Latina & WOC leadership—one where being visibly powerful, richly compensated, and deeply rooted in joy and culture isn’t the exception, it’s the standard.

Hola Christina, I’m so honoured that you’re taking the time to share more of what you do with our readers!

What inspired you to start your business?

The inspiration for starting my business in 2015 came from the fact that I was being rejected from opportunities in the television news industry. There wasn’t a main problem I was trying to solve other than the fact that I knew my voice and my presence deserved the “mic”. 

So I decided to take my destiny into my hands and build my own stage. 

Throughout the last decade, I’ve used my voice and built award-winning brands like The Social Butterfly Gal, and Hustle + Socialize. I’ve coached and trained thousands of Latinas & Women of Color to land aligned, high-revenue clients and collaborations, secure paid speaking engagements, and redefine what wealth, joy, and leadership look like for Latinas and Women of Color, on their own terms. 

The little idea I had on my couch in 2015 turned into a legacy driven movement and a bold invitation to reimagine visibility and what it truly means to be seen as a Latina.

That’s the exact kind of story that makes this community feel like anything is possible—when we see someone say, “Nah, I’ll build it myself”. How do you differentiate yourself in an industry filled with so many coaches?

I differentiate myself by truly living up to my brand philosophy: “Unapologetically Visible”. 

What you see is what you get. I’m not here to play games, I’m not here to be part of the status quo. If I make you feel uncomfortable, okay. 

I infuse all of the aspects of me: from my childhood, teenage life, young adulthood—all the parts so many wanted me to hide or change—and who I am now, to create a powerful brand. 

I am a ball of energy and I love bringing so many elements of that in how I show up in the world to all of the lives I touch.

You showing up as you are is the exact permission slip our community needs. What advice would you give to someone from a similar background looking to break into your industry?

One piece of advice I would give someone is: Get ready to unlearn every rule you thought you had to follow to belong here.

Because this industry, whether it’s leadership coaching, business strategy, speaking, or building a platform, has been dominated for decades by voices, frameworks, and standards that were never built with us in mind. They weren’t built for our cultural nuances, our families, our generational stories, or our brilliance that often looks different from the mainstream. 

Start by grounding in your story and your cultural identity. Your lived experience is not a liability. It’s your power. 

Master your craft deeply. It’s not enough to just be passionate. Study this industry like your life depends on it. If you’re coaching—learn sales psychology, human behavior, how to build frameworks, how to create transformations. If you’re speaking—learn stagecraft, storytelling, breath work, presence. And master nervous system regulation. 

Invest in your visibility early. Don’t wait until you “feel ready” to get on podcasts, stages, or collaborations. The more people see you, the more they trust you. Start sharing your insights even if it’s imperfect. Imperfect content builds more momentum than perfect silence. 

Decide you’re not here to play small. Don’t shrink your pricing, your messaging, or your mission to fit other people’s comfort zones. Your job isn’t to make yourself palatable, it’s to stand so fully in your power that the right people are magnetized to you.

Oof, that reminder hit hard: we’re not here to play small or wait to be ready—we’re here to be seen, even if it’s imperfect. 

Can you share a moment when you almost gave up, and what kept you going?

I’ll be real with you. One of the moments I almost threw in the towel completely was last month right before the 2025 Hustle + Socialize Conference. So many things were shifting right before my eyes:

• Corporate Sponsors weren’t stepping up the way they used to due to DEI cuts,
• The economy was crippling how our audience was spending their money, and
• Influencing what they deemed a priority in that moment.

I lost a lotincluding my mental and emotional well-being. 

“Was this even worth it?” was a question that I kept asking myself throughout April and May. 

I was so burned out. I felt betrayed by my business I had built to empower women like me. And I questioned everything—my purpose, my talent, even my own identity outside of Hustle + Socialize. 

What kept me going? Honestly, it was remembering who the hell I am and my God given talents. It was seeing the faces of the women I serve— brilliant Latinas and WOC who told me, “Because of you, I see what’s possible for me.” 

After the conference, I felt called to take a break for about a month. It was my initiation into an entirely new paradigm of power, softness, and wealth on my own terms. To reimagine what visibility I want for myself for my next decade in business.

The honesty here is everything. This is the kind of behind-the-scenes moment we rarely get to witness—and it’s so validating.

What’s a defining moment in your life that shaped your career or business?

Landing my TEDx talk in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. I didn’t apply for this. I was chosen to lead and give this talk. My TEDx talk was called, “Reimagining the Way We Use Social Media.” presenting the idea that social media is more than just for vanity’s sake but the idea that shapes perspectives and influences power. 

That red circle felt like standing on the shoulders of every woman in my lineage who never got to use her voice. Every woman who was told to stay small, stay quiet, stay grateful. 

That TEDx stage didn’t just grow my speaking career, it became the cornerstone of my entire brand and business philosophy.

It showed me what happens when a Latina stands in her full brilliance, unfiltered and unapologetic. It anchored my mission to make sure other Women of Color never have to question if their stories are powerful enough, or if their voices are worthy of stages and wealth.

It’s why my work today is so deeply rooted in visibility. Because I know visibility is how we break generational patterns. It’s how we preserve power. It’s how we become living proof of what’s possible, so the next little girl watching knows she doesn’t have to be the best-kept secret.

Talk about visibility with purpose. That TEDx moment wasn’t just yours—it cracked the door open for so many more stories to follow. Speaking of, what legacy do you hope to leave behind through your work?

I want to leave a legacy where Latinas and Women of Color no longer have to hustle for their worth, shrink their joy, or water down their brilliance to fit someone else’s standards. I want to dismantle that generational script that says our power is only validated when it’s earned through burnout or sacrifice.

Ultimately, I hope to be remembered as a woman who lived richly—not just financially, but richly in love, family, culture, God’s purpose, and unapologetic self-expression. A woman who taught other Latinas that they could build spacious, joyful, culturally-rooted lives and businesses that don’t just accumulate money, but redefine what visibility & wealth even means for us.

I want hundreds, thousands of Latinas and WOC to one day say:

“Because Christina showed up as her full, vibrant, culturally proud self, I believed I could do the same. I built my business differently. I raised my babies differently. I loved myself more wholly. And I became the cycle-breaker for my entire family line.”

The crazy thing is this is already happening! So many women come up to me while I am alive and tell me that!

You’re not just leaving a legacy, you’re living it out loud—through community, culture, and joy.

What’s one fun fact about you that most people don’t know?

I have a talent for dancing. I’m self taught—never took a dance lesson. I was one of those kids who just watched choreography on the TV, memorized it, and performed the heck out of it. I was very stage-friendly as a kid. Always performing in our elementary school talent shows. Nowadays, you can always find me dancing to Britney Spears. 

When I got married my husband and I learned a dance off of YouTube to Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors. We learned it in six weeks and performed it for our first dance as a married couple. I think I even danced to a medley of Britney Spears Hits since our wedding date is also her birthday! 

I am always meant to be on stage and dancing is when I’m in my truest happiest element.

Okayyy, this is peak main character energy! Britney Spears stage presence? We love to see it. 

You’re clearly a very energy-filled person. How do you recharge when you’re feeling creatively or professionally drained?

I love journaling. I got my first journal when I was six years old and I was hooked—I felt like Harriet the Spy! It’s one habit I picked up on, even transitioning to a digital journal in the early 2000s, “LiveJournal”.

Journaling sooths my soul and any time I’m in a creative rut or just need to vent, my journal is my number one friend.

Yes to finding ways to reconnect with your voice off stage too. What’s your go-to mantra or affirmation?

It’s a quote from Grey’s Anatomy.

Cristina Yang said this in Season 4 episode 14:

“Have some fire. Be unstoppable. Be a force of nature. Be better than anyone here and don’t give a damn what anyone thinks. There are no teams here. No buddies. You’re on your own. Be on Your Own.” 

That stuck with me. Because at the end of the day, you are your own change-maker.

That’s an awesome quote and so aligned with your whole presence. Loud, proud, and in your own lane. Can you share a memorable speaking experience that had a lasting impact on you or your audience?

A memorable speaking experience I had was kind of laughable. 

I had a Keynote Speech in Oklahoma and I felt so out of place because I was the only Latina there and it was a sea of White Women. To start the speech I had everyone get up and dance to Selen’s Techno Cumbia. It showed how each of us still has fears around being who we are and leveled the playing field. 

It was powerful to lead an audience in a Cumbia Circle—Texas/Tejana Represent!

You turned a keynote into a dance floor—and a moment of representation. That’s powerful. What’s the biggest misconception people have about being a speaker?

A massive misconception is that speaking is only for extroverts or naturally charismatic people. That’s a lie. Speaking is a skill. It’s a craft. And it’s actually about service—channeling your voice to create transformation for others.

You can be quiet off-stage and still command a room. Be scared every single time and still change lives. You can be unconventional, culturally nuanced, and stand in your full Latina expression, and that’s precisely what makes you unforgettable.

If event organizers were looking for their next speaker, why should they book you?

I ignite transformations. I stand on stages to liberate. I bring a bold, culturally-rooted perspective that gives Latinas, Women of Color, and high-achieving leaders permission to redefine what power, joy, and leadership can actually look like.

I’ve spent over a decade building businesses, crafting conferences, navigating burnout, recalibrating my identity, and learning how to rise again. My sessions are electric because they’re personal. I bring raw honesty, unmatched energy, and soul-stirring storytelling that cuts past surface-level motivation and drives right into the heart of why we lead, why we build, and why our visibility matters for generations to come.

Book me if you want your audience to:

• Experience deep personal ownership of their leadership, not just listen to theory.
• See a Latina on stage who disrupts norms, challenges scarcity narratives, and models a new blueprint for culturally-rooted, spacious success.
• Walk out with more than notes—walk out forever changed by what they believe is possible for themselves.

Thank you so much for sharing more of your journey and perspectives with us, Christina. To wrap things up, I’d love to ask you 3 rapid-fire questions.

What does success mean to you on a personal level?

Success is about waking up every morning knowing I am living a life that is profoundly mine.

It’s about spaciousness, to decide how my energy gets spent, on my own terms.

It’s about joy that bubbles up in my chest. About being able to laugh loudly, work in true joy, travel when we want, give generously, and say yes to experiences that once felt out of reach for a girl from a South Texas border town.

It’s about being richly compensated, not just with money—though that matters because it funds the life and impact I’m building—but compensated with time, intimacy, health, creativity, cultural pride, and the privilege to take care of my family in ways my ancestors only prayed for.

Success means knowing that my life is a living proof-point for what’s possible for other Latinas and Women of Color. That my joy, my softness, my leadership, my faith, and my audacity to be visible are cracking open new standards for how we get to exist, lead, and thrive. 

That’s success to me. Deep joy. Generational impact. Freedom. A legacy that feels like home.

What’s an exciting project you’re currently working on? 

My podcast—Unapologetically Visible.

If you could share one message with the world from a stage, what would it be?

Stop waiting for permission. Stop contorting yourself into boxes that were never built to hold your brilliance. Stop postponing your joy, your voice, your visibility for a someday that may never come.

Because the world doesn’t transform through perfectly polished people. It changes through the ones who are willing to stand fully in their humanity, their scars, their culture, their wild dreams, and say, ‘Here I am. Watch what’s possible when I stop hiding.’

Take up space. Be seen. Be heard. And let your life be the loudest testimony that it was always safe, and always necessary for women like us to stand unapologetically in the light.

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