Hello, it's Pilar

Once upon a time, I was as a single parent for 10 years. And I was really good at it! I thrived on creating order out of chaos and living with instability. I eagerly believed I had to do everything on my own and gladly shouldered every responsibility because I believed that no one else could or would help. That belief became fuel and it also became armor. I never wanted anyone to see me falter or as anything other than an endless well of get-it-done energy.

 

My breaking point came in a place that should have been my breakout: a massive, well-known company that believed in my talent and value. They even speed-tracked my employment so that we could move to LA from the Bay Area before my son started elementary school. I poured everything into my role, but when I faced retaliation and bullying from managers and directors, no one stepped in, not my leaders, not the company culture that I thought would protect me. Worse, some of them even seemed visibly entertained by my struggle.

 

It wasn’t just demoralizing, it was terrifying.

 

I was all alone, staring down the barrel of a struggle I wasn't familiar with and felt I had zero control over. I couldn't outwork, outsmart, or outmaneuver the forces against me. I knew how to get things done. I had influence. I had grit. But I couldn't untangle the net of toxic politics closing around me neck. In an industry where reputations travel fast and scars linger, I was afraid of being labeled a problem employee.

 

And yet, something inside me knew a big change was on the horizon and forced me to see the truth: I deserved better.

 

Years later, that very company would become part of one of the largest class action payouts in California at the time for equal pay violations, sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation.

 

Your life will be full of breakthroughs. This experience helped me remember what I found joy in. It was with small passionate organizations, supporting individuals at dire cross-roads and getting to support them through the journey of self realization and growth. I got to help people see themselves again with clear hopeful eyes. 

 

Today, I’ve traded fear for calm confidence and the need for external validation with relentless self-curiosity. I am proof that life is not one size fits all. If you are willing to learn more about yourself honestly, you make yourself available for more than you ever imagined.