Ana Barreto is a Brazilian-American author, transformational teacher, coach, Feng Shui consultant and speaker. Her mission is to help women find their inner-compass to live a great life through inspirational self-help books, classes, coaching, energy management modalities, feng shui and mentoring programs. She believes that, by helping women,  all those around them will find their lives improved.

Ana shares her journey from experiencing financial instability in Brazil, involving parental eviction and personal sacrifices, to her transformation into a leader in women's empowerment and financial independence. We discussed Ana's bold move from Brazil to New York, her climb up the corporate ladder, and her transition to a mission-driven focus on uplifting women. 

Our conversation underscores the significance of women building confidence and taking action for personal and professional growth. Anna's work, through her Mind, Body, and Wisdom School for Women, aims to empower women through mindfulness, confidence building, and financial awareness. Ana's message resonates deeply with the idea that financial success is more than just numbers in a bank account; it's about living a life that echoes our deepest values and intentions.

“Nothing happens without women, and it's time for us to change the way we think, because it has been ingrained in us from generations. We can say, "oh, it's the man's fault, it's the man's fault," but a lot of the things are coming from ourselves. My boss or my coworkers never sabotage me, I sabotage myself. So it's time for us to change that and get this word out that: women, you can do more. You can be yourself. You don't have to adjust the way you lead to get what you are. There is a way, but there's two pieces that are missing. The confidence is one, and the other one is the action, taking the steps, because by sitting and complaining and worrying and being complacent where you are, nothing's going to happen. So that is what I really, really want to do.”  - Ana Barreto

Key takeaways:

- Recognize the mission that is calling to you. Ana grew up in a very patriarchal society in Brazil. She shared that in her own family, her mother did not make any decisions without her father, including the color of the curtains and what dress to wear to church on Sunday. When Ana announced that she had been offered a well paid job at a hotel, she had to move out of her parents house in order to accept it, because her father forbade her to work there. As a result of this upbringing, Ana felt called to work on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace.

- Confidence is a skill you can learn. Ana was instrumental in starting a program at her company that identified women leaders for promotion. The program began by helping women build their confidence; lack of confidence was often the #1 thing getting in the way of them getting ahead. The program helped the women build their interpersonal skills, since first impressions are so important, and then their confidence to make big decisions. 

- Mindfulness is the secret ingredient missing in everything we do. Ana believes that mindfulness can help with time management, with leadership, basically with dealing with the many stressors in our lives. Scientific studies have shown that meditating just eight minutes a day can help us feel calmer and sense more congruence between our actions and feelings. 

- Pay attention to your money. Ana shared that there was a time in her life when she ignored her money. She didn’t open her bills for months - she even found a check for over $5,000 that she had totally forgotten about!! She recommends knowing your net worth, the sum of your assets minus your liabilities, have a number in mind that you’re working towards, and know where your money is going.

About the guest:

Ana Barreto is a Brazilian-American author, transformational teacher, coach, feng shui consultant, and speaker dedicated to empowering women to find balance and fulfillment through mindfulness. She brings 35+ years of business experience with a bachelor's degree in business and an MBA.

After overcoming burnout and self-sabotage in her corporate career, Ana discovered her passion for guiding others towards greater purpose and joy. She is the founder of the Mind, Body & Wisdom School for Women, and her writing, motivational talks, meditations, and courses have been featured at Insight Time, Mind Bliss, Best Self, and others.

With over 20 years of studying Transformational Leadership and a dedicated focus on Women, Empowerment, and Mindfulness, Ana Barreto has published six books on personal growth topics for women, including her latest book Embrace Your Success: 8 Tool to Improve the Quality of Your Life.  

"Embrace Your Success” is a powerful yet concise book that empowers women to unlock their full potential and release common behaviors holding them back. In this transformative work, Ana Barreto seamlessly blends timeless spiritual wisdom with modern psychology and practical strategies, delivering eight potent tools to revolutionize the way you think, feel, and act.

Website: www.ana-barreto.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-chaves-barreto-mba-92b7533/

Instagram: Instagram.com/ana1barreto

Facebook: Facebook.com/ana1barreto

Free resources: Find Clarity workbook

Free class: Bring Your Best Self Forward

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.