Doing what makes me happy, supporting others, and doing my best to leave this world better than I found it.
Valentina Jaramillo’s escape from the corporate world came as a blessing in disguise. In September 2020, they were told that their job was being eliminated due to restructuring and that their last day would be January 31, 2021. When they heard the news, Valentina was scared and unsure of what would happen, especially because this was the middle of a pandemic. As time went by and we approached January 31, 2021, the feeling of unease started to dissipate, leaving space for excitement and opportunities. After leaving their corporate job, Valentina and their wife also had to leave their house because the owner wanted to sell. So, they made the decision to move to San Diego and escape the New York winters.
After moving to San Diego, Valentina started a coaching business, and with their wife, they conducted mindfulness workshops for both corporate clients and individuals. They created their community without using social media, relying instead on printed flyers and one-to-one recommendations. It grew slowly but turned into a solid community. By the end of 2022, they decided they needed a break from everything and that in 2023, they would take a sabbatical to unplug and disconnect from everything—a reset in every aspect to see where they each wanted to go with their lives. “We traveled in Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, meeting wonderful people living in so many different ways that didn’t involve a 9-to-5 life. People living as diving instructors, hosting retreats, opening restaurants, offering experiences, and more. This was so reassuring. To really see that the 9-to-5 corporate life is not the only way to live was wonderful. “
Taking it All In
During this year of reflection, Valentina realized that what they were here to do is help people create brave spaces where everyone feels included and can thrive. As a gender nonconforming person, Valentina noticed that in the realm of sex, love, and relationships, there aren’t many spaces in which LGBTQIA+ folks can truly be their authentic selves without fear of being hurt. “The amount of microaggressions I experienced when attending retreats, group coaching, or one-to-one coaching experiences was significant, and I realized that I didn’t want other people from the community to go through what I had to endure. Many LGBTQIA+ folks avoid these kinds of work for fear of being mistreated, and I experienced that, so I know it’s real. However, I have also benefited from this work, and now it would be beneficial for the community, which is why I decided to commit myself to it. Since returning to the US in January 2024, I’ve been actively working as a DEI consultant, and I couldn’t be happier.”
What Valentina values most about the freedom they have is that they get to live their life how they want to. “I don’t owe anything to anyone, and I can structure my life however it pleases me. We get to travel whenever we want without needing to ask for permission or sit in front of a computer from 9 to 5 to prove something.”
Mistakes Along the Way
One important lesson Valentina learned is that there is never a perfect time to ditch the golden handcuffs of the 9 to 5. At some point, you just need to take the leap. Another important lesson has been shifting a lot of limiting beliefs. “Without first achieving inner alignment, it is very hard to reach your goals. Unfortunately, we’ve been raised with so many limiting beliefs about ourselves and how life should be that it is not easy to make the shift. I’ve done a lot of internal work to understand that I am worthy and deserve my success. Also, shifting from the scarcity mindset this culture promotes to living in abundance was a big one!
https://www.Lastly, never forget that done is better than perfect, so stop waiting for things to be perfect and start doing and putting yourself out there. There are no failures, only lessons to learn.”
One of the mistakes Valentina made once they were out of their corporate job was starting a business in a way that sounded logical. This included creating a website, registering it as an LLC, and spending a lot of time on these tasks instead of finding a way to test the service and monetize it first. “This year, I am first putting the idea out there, testing it, getting some clients, and later, when I know it’s working, I’ll build a website and handle all the technicalities.”
Another mistake was working on the perfect offer and never sharing it in advance to see if it’s really what people want and need. After creating offers that took a lot of time to put together and gaining no traction, Valentina learned to test their ideas with their audience first and then start creating the service based on their feedback. “One more mistake I made, which taught me a great lesson, was thinking I could do everything myself. When you start your own business, you suddenly have too many roles—more than you can actually handle. Learning to delegate from the beginning was something I learned the hard way.”
What’s Next
Valentina is currently working on an online group coaching experience aimed at sex, love, and relationship coaches and counselors. This program is designed to help them create brave spaces for their clients to thrive, enabling them to serve more people effectively. “My biggest challenge is existing as an openly gender nonconforming, queer, Latine being in a country that seems to want us hidden.”
Follow Valentina at https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentinajaramillo/
