Rodriguez stepped into her “badass” and became the best version of herself, and now supports women in daring to risk it all and truly live their dreams just as she has. Her goal this year is to assist 500 women in becoming entrepreneurs.
March is Women’s History Month, and one of the top recommended ways to show gratitude for heroic women is by supporting female entrepreneurs. It takes hard work, vision, and perseverance to succeed even in 2022, but there were undoubtedly some trailblazing visionaries and suffragists who paved the way for this generation of women. One of the current shining stars among young female entrepreneurs in America is Victoria Jenn Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of VJR Enterprises and founder of The Female Collaborative and the Dare to Leap Academy. Rodriguez has a fantastic success story and is going above and beyond to enhance women’s lives across America.
Rodriguez is multi-talented and has an incredible ability to multitask. The long list of services she offers includes Master Mindset and Business Coaching, Personal Brand Strategy, Talent Management Consulting, and she is an acclaimed international Keynote Speaker. Her company, VJR Enterprises, is a leading diversity talent management firm. Her business revolves around advising clients on creating inclusive workplace cultures and retaining and attracting diverse, high-performing talent. “We create cultures that promote entrepreneurial authenticity,” says Rodriguez. ”VJR Enterprises is positioning our clients as socially conscious drivers of meaningful change and supporting clients in thinking differently and bravely about talent management.” As a business consultant, Rodriguez coaches organizations on mindset and emotional wellness, including morale and competence-building.
When Rodriguez was in college, she experienced the power of mentorship and collaboration under the direction of a successful woman who took her under her wing. She allowed Rodriguez to witness the magic that happens when women collaborate and genuinely support one another. This experience was a game-changer for Rodriguez, inspiring her to continually devote a large portion of her energy to the advancement and development of female leaders.
One of Rodriguez’s initiatives was founding a nonprofit called The Female Collaborative, which teaches women how to collaborate and partner. “Women in the network get to see what they can accomplish through collaboration when all nonsense and BS is checked at the door,” says Rodriguez. “When women share their assets and skill sets, it’s like baking a cake. We rise together!”
The paternal side of Rodriguez’s family is from Puerto Rico, and her mother was Irish and Italian. Although she jokingly refers to herself as a “mutt,” she proudly aligns with her Latina roots. She grew up in her father’s care and spent summers in Puerto Rico as a youngster. She lived most of her life in New York, but she has been what she calls a “Jersey girl” for the past six years. She was the first in her family to go to college, which could have become a box or measure that alone defined her, but Rodriguez would have none of that. She has been referred to as “smartly disruptive,” a label she embraces as a great compliment. She is firm in her belief that her vibrancy and complexity is woven into her many layers. She is determined not to be labeled as just one thing. “The beauty of this is that I get to show up as myself,” says Rodriguez. “That’s the dream- making a living from doing what I do best, speaking my truth, and educating and inspiring the world to step into their power as their most unedited, authentic selves.”
Everything Rodriguez has learned and experienced is being poured into her latest venture, the Dare to Leap Academy, an online learning platform she founded to equip ambitious women with the structure and strategy to help them take the leap from employee to entrepreneur. She is following in the footsteps of the pioneers in the women’s movement, extending a hand to those who need encouragement and inspiration in career advancement. Rodriguez is well-aware of how much fear and self-doubt can stifle a woman’s dreams. Her initiative is geared toward supporting women in becoming courageous enough to believe they can do anything they aim for. “You have to step into your ‘badass’ and become the best version of yourself,” says Rodriguez. “Dare to risk it all and truly live your dreams.” Her goal this year is to assist 500 women in becoming entrepreneurs.
Rodriguez has an impressive client list, including Amazon, iHeart Media, Comcast NBCUniversal, Barclays, BlackRock, Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, Moodys, Jet, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, PWC, Food Bank of NY, and Yum Brands. She has over 20 years of experience and has trained over 15,000 leaders and entrepreneurs, helping them optimize performance while focusing on emotional intelligence, reflection, and life balance. A topic that comes up often in her work is what some perceive as problematic “imposter syndrome.” Rodiguez is quick to claim imposter syndrome is a good thing, signaling that a person is stepping outside their comfort zone and doing something they have not done before. She views this as “evolving.” Rodriguez has programs and processes ready to bolster confidence and help clients prepare in advance for the imposter syndrome that is sure to show up when they step into new territory.
Rodriguez was the host of the incredibly popular “Women Who Roar” series on Victoria Jenn TV on YouTube, which produced millions of downloads. Full of life, enthusiasm, wisdom, and experience, Rodriguez’s optimism is contagious. Her professional life has taken her from Wall Street to various executive-level positions. Every experience prepared her for the roles she is engaging in now as a business founder and leader. She is smartly disruptive and a perfect role model for women aspiring to leap into entrepreneurship. Hats off to Victoria Jenn Rodriguez for making the world a better place for everyone, especially women. To learn more about her, explore https://www.victoriajenn.com/ and LinkedIn.
