Daring by Profession: Bea’s Story
Salesperson, trainer, painter, activist, decorator, business owner, yogi, manager, assistant, podcaster. If you haven’t met Bea Sandoval, she has done it all, and she’s here to share her professional adventures. Bea proves that allowing your story to flow organically doesn’t mean you’ll lack purpose and joy.
This interview is a part of Multi You‘s original project: Multi Careers. Get inspired by unapologetic multi careers that defy convention!
Follow Bea’s adventures:
1. Dear Bea, it’s an honor to host you! Like me, you love amplifying people’s unusual stories with your podcast: La Magia de Atreverte (“The Magic of Daring”). What’s your favorite thing about podcasting? What skills should a podcaster have?
Thank you so much for having me! I’m very honored to be here. In fact, this is what I love the most about being a podcaster! It gives me the opportunity of talking to and know wonderful people. The podcast is just the pretext to connect with them.
Podcasting is a very noble format; you don’t need a big production or worry about the looks. It’s a very intimate format that works great for introverts like me who are not looking for the spotlight but the essence of the connection with another human being. Regarding the skills needed for podcasting, they are more than everybody would think, but I think I can group them into two categories:
Communication skills: Clarity in your message, the ability to create a safe space where people feel confident, knowing who you are talking to and how to connect with them.
Being able to build a community around your podcast: Your community will be the lifeblood of your show; they are the ones who give purpose to all your efforts.
And those two are skills I use in many areas of my life all the time! Half of the problems of this word are related to poor communication, so I always try to be very clear about my requests, concerns, and desires instead of assuming that people will magically guess my thoughts.
2. Even though we’re multis, some jobs come more easily than others. Which roles would you say came more naturally so far, and which were tougher? Why?
I especially enjoy the roles where I can always learn something new and no day is the same. Different locations, different people, and new projects are always exciting to me; if you want to kill me, tell me I’ll be doing the same activity in the same room for the rest of my life, I cannot think of anything that would kill my spirit faster than that 😝
Also – and this should be true for most people – working for something I believe in is easier for me, especially if that is a cause close to my heart. I managed the social media of an environmental organization for three years. I grew their impact and engagement hugely in those years because I didn’t mind all the time or effort needed. I was happy to see my work’s impact on a topic I care about.
3. You’ve worked creative roles (painter, decorator), sporty roles (yogi), business roles (salesperson, manager). To outsiders, it might look like there’s nothing in common here. I invite us to challenge this! Looking back, what common things do you see?
That is a great question, and thank you for making me reflect on that! I think that the common theme in all the roles I’ve played is my relentless urge to leave this planet better than I found it, to have the peace of mind that my life wasn’t a waste and was worth it.
As a painter, decorator, and environmental activist, I tried to improve the physical spaces to make them beautiful for those who inhabit them. As a podcaster and community manager, I tried to improve people’s mindsets and spread a little bit of inspiration into their lives. And as a manager, I value efficiency over everything else, so they idea of always being fixing problems is very fulfilling, specially when everything is chaotic and you and your team deliver a satisfactory result that bring peace to everybody, at least temporarily until the next problem arises 😝
4. You often challenged your comfort zone. You opened and closed three businesses, moved countries, and launched a podcast when you feared public speaking! What takes you from “I’m terrified” to “I did it”?
Oh, that’s easy! I usually weigh the cost of doing something versus regretting not doing it and living with the uncertainty of “…what would have happened if?”.
In my experience, living with regrets of your inaction is one of the worst feelings you can bear. I remember being one time in an auditorium where the Hollywood actor Ty Burrel was giving a conference, and he asked if anyone had a question. I had a question! But the audience went silent, and I couldn’t think of anything more terrifying than standing up in front of a packed auditorium, take the mic and ask my question…in English! 😨 (My English was terrible at that time). However, my inner voice kept telling me: “If you don’t raise your hand and ask now, you’ll leave this place feeling like a loser” so I immediately raised my hand and got the mic. I don’t remember my question or anything he said, but I do remember feeling very accomplished after that. I know this might seem like a silly example, but those situations when you act despite fear are the ones that boost your confidence to face new and bigger challenges.
Also, I consider myself very lucky to have a wonderful partner and family who have always supported me unconditionally. I acknowledge that I might not be so daring without that safety net. That is why it’s vital to surround yourself with people who not only encourage you to be better but who are in tune with you. The law of association is real! You will become the average of those you spend more time with, so choose wisely.
5. Regardless of the titles or industry, what would make you look at your current career situation and go: “I’m successful”?
I measure my success by the number of good days my week had. I’m talking about those nights when you hit the bed tired, but it’s good tiredness, the kind when you feel blessed, grateful, and satisfied with your day.
I’ve experienced working like crazy in my businesses for very little money (not sustainable, I don’t recommend it 😝), and I’ve also experienced getting a lot of money in my job but feeling stressed and trapped in a company whose values did not go with mine. So, I swear to myself to never compromise my mental peace again. You can lie to everyone except yourself, and you live with yourself all the time! So you better live with integrity; otherwise, the guilt becomes a hefty load.
Freedom is another important one; living in the digital era, why constrain yourself to a physical place or schedule?
6. In your podcast, you address the fact that many people are told that they “can’t do” certain things due to their age. Sometimes, especially as multis, we feel that we missed our “best years” to pursue certain passions. What would you say to them?
We cannot deny that time is the most important non-renewable resource we have. The important is that the sooner you realize your time is ticking, the sooner you’ll commit to getting the most out of it. And with this I’m not talking about becoming a non-stop productivity machine, but to use your time wisely, some days the schedule is so tight that you even forget to eat! But some other days. this can simply mean staying at home taking care of your plants or talking to your elder neighbor.
Regarding this “it’s too late” feeling, as long as you breathe, it’s never too late.
Life circumstances are different for everyone and there’s not a correct order or time to do things. There’s a “common order of things”, but that doesn’t mean it has to be like that for everyone! I raised my babies and built my first house in my early twenties and now that I’m in my early forties and my sons are in college, my husband and I are starting downsizing to travel when many of our friends are just getting married.
This doesn’t mean that one or another situation is better or worse, those were simply our circumstances and we tried to surf them with all the grace we could. In spite of everything, your attitude and your drive are what shape your life and no one but you have control over them.
7. Many multis feel guilty about craving intellectual and professional variety, novelty and excitement in their lives. They fear that their radical intolerance to boredom is indicative of weakness, lack of focus, inability to commit. Have you been there?
Do you have time? Hahaha…all the time! Especially in my early 30’s when many of my friends started to get promotions in jobs that they took in their 20’s. My new projects were so common that during our annual reunions, their question changed from: “How are things going?” to: “What are you into now?”.
Initially, I felt embarrassed and tried to justify all these changes. I genuinely envied that many of them were so clear on the paths they were building but eventually, I learned to embrace that this is my path, and I don’t want to follow anyone else’s! I’ll probably never get a “Long Service Award” from a company, but that’s okay. Freedom and curiosity are more important to me than that, so I try to remember that every time I’m starting to feel inadequate.
Also, the comments I receive now are more like: “I wish I were that brave!” or “Your life is so interesting!” and I don’t feel like I’ve done anything special! My decisions have been atypical, but they were the only right ones for me and I’ve been willing to pay the price for them.
8. What competitive advantages have you gained with your multi experiences? In other words…how the heck would you answer “Why should we hire you”?
In a world where the only constant is change, adaptability is key – and in that sense, no one beats multifaceted people like us 😛
We are used to playing many roles that we are ready to change hats as needed. For us, it’s difficult to commit long-term to something but once we commit, we take it to the fullest because that means we believe in it. We bring passion, a broader perspective (because of our previous experiences), and tons of creativity. Our profile is not suitable for all positions, but as team members, the value we bring to the table is undeniable.
9. Let’s finish by dreaming big. If money and time weren’t an issue, and if you didn’t have to abdicate from the things you have right now, what kind of hobbies, jobs or interests would you like to explore in the future?
I would love to keep creating digital quality content (in any format). I’m not too fond of being only a consumer, but I would love to continue adding to the digital conversation. I also would lobby for creating legislation that can bring real social change. Children, animals, and the protection of the environment are my causes. I’ve raised money and worked hard with several associations before, but the truth is that nothing is more impactful than structural changes in local legislation. I would dedicate my time and energy to that and to travel! The world is vast and full of incredible adventures; what are we waiting for to live them?
