Those who know me know there’s no playing small. When I’m committed to something, I’m all in. When I see a way forward, I charge down the path at full force.
I’m a doer. A mover. A change agent. The ability to make the lives of those around me better, to remove the barriers and obstacles that are holding them back from their highest potential, deeply moves me.
Being a leader is one of my most cherished roles. Over the years, I’ve learned a tremendous number of hard lessons about what it means to lead. Am I practicing what I preach? Am I the type of leader I’d like to follow? Am I serving to the best of my ability?
As with everything I’ve navigated throughout my life, when it came to leadership, I had to start with the person in the mirror. What do I stand for?
Two decades of professional experience has uncovered my why: bringing humanity back to business. I’ve been fortunate to expand that mission’s impact throughout my career. From the first true business lesson I learned from my former mentor, Bob Abt, “the answer is yes to any reasonable request,” to serving hundreds of small-to-mid-sized businesses and their employees at EmPowerHR, and founding Bestola Consulting, where I work hand-in-hand with businesses to help them create excellent people experiences, I am fully living my purpose through my work.
Yet, I’m also human. I’ve lived in Chicago for most of my life. I’ve seen the celebration of diversity and the degradation of it. As a child of Mexican and Jewish descent, I’ve been picked on for my heritage since I was in grade school. I’ve also had incredibly rich experiences of unity and connectedness with people of all backgrounds. But with time, I’ve witnessed how those who are different from the majority have been increasingly discounted and minimized. And I’m heeding the call to do something about it — to bring humanity back to not only business, but to the city of Chicago.
Today, I’m very honored to share that I am stepping into the role of executive director of Rise Chicago, a non-partisan coalition of community leaders committed to restoring our status as a world-class city where people want to live, work and visit. Rise will start by understanding and advocating for the needs of our collective electorate, raising funds to support aligned policies and leadership, and ensuring a diverse range of voices are heard.
We’ll be promoting civic engagement and awareness through dialogue, debate and education. We’ll work to identify and support innovative solutions to the city’s most pressing challenges. We’ll empower elected officials who align with the people of Chicago — those like you and me, who simply want to see the city return to its full glory; a glory which came through the hard work, hustler mentality and collaboration of the unique people who moved here to build a better life.
Idealistic? Maybe. Realistic? Absolutely. While Rise Chicago is doing the work required to revitalize the city, it also serves as a beacon of hope. Hope that the Chicago of today is better than that of yesterday, and that we’re setting ourselves up for an even better tomorrow.
The best businesses prioritize their people. As a global powerhouse, this is also true of Chicago.
Speaking of business: Wondering about Bestola? She’s not going anywhere. All the ways I serve and get involved are extensions of my why, and they all fuel each other. Bestola Consulting’s work of bettering the business community is far from over. In fact, fresh off the one-year anniversary, it’s only just begun.
But, we can’t do it alone. We need your help. Donations of time, leadership, funds and expertise are what it will take to make this mission a true reality.
Like all pivotal moments in life, it starts by looking at yourself. As I’ve asked myself countless times over the years, I’ll ask you now: What do you stand for?
Together, we will rise.
Your support means everything to us. To continue the conversation, visit our website, risechicago.org, where you can connect with me directly and learn more about how to get involved.
