Some people can go to their parents for help, but often, we are the ones people look to during a crisis. If you’re a first-gen, eldest, and/or Latina daughter, you are the point person for your family. You make sure everything works out in the end. So what would happen if you can’t be that person anymore? This week, we’re talking to someone who had to not only survive breast cancer, but figure out how to do life during and after treatment.  

Eileen Lopez Tome is a resilient, compassionate, and bold first-generation Cuban-American woman, mom of five, breast cancer survivor, public servant, and certified professional coach. After being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2016, she turned pain into purpose – becoming a certified coach in 2018 and dedicating her practice to guiding women through life’s most defining transitions. Rooted in faith and fueled by love for her community, Eileen helps women – especially Hispanic and Latina women – release perfectionism, surrender control, and trust their own intuition. She believes healing is communal, cultural heritage is power, and legacy should be designed – not dictated by circumstance. Through coaching and advocacy, she helps women restore balance to their ecosystems – mind, body, spirit, family, and work – so they can live joyfully, creatively, and unapologetically.

In this week’s episode, we’re talking about how Eileen went from survival to service. In just a few short years, Eileen built a brand that helps others as a breast cancer survivor and is not only helping people survive during this period in their lives but also thrive. Tune in to hear her breast cancer survivor story and how she’s helping her clients navigate their most difficult moments with care.

Resources Mentioned:
Click here to claim your Manifest Your Marca bot!

Follow Eileen on:

Instagram: @eileensita1124 

Coaching Instagram: @eileen_lopez_tome 

Website: www.eileenlopeztome.com 

Follow Erika on:
Instagram @‌theerikacruz
TikTok @‌theerikacruz
LinkedIn

Website:
http://www.theerikacruz.com

How to work with Erika:

Sign up for the Courage Driven Latina program here!

Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here!

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio. 

Episode Transcript:

Erika: Hello. Hello. Welcome back to this week’s episode of Ana Revolution podcast. I am [00:01:00] your host, Erica Cruz, and today I am joined by one of my incredible clients,Eileen Lopez, Thomas. Eileen is a 10 year breast cancer survivor, a mother of five, a life transition coach, and a woman who turned one of the hardest experiences in her life into a mission to support other women, other Latina women navigating cancer.

She turned one of the hardest experiences in her life into a mission to support other Latinas who are also navigating cancer. In this conversation, we talk about resilience, asking for help, overcoming the fear of being seen, as well as how she is building her personal brand, rooted in lived experience, and in service.

This is such a good interview. You do not wanna miss it. Let’s get into it. Eileen, welcome to Chin Our Revolution podcast. How are you? I’m doing well, Erica. Thank you for having me. Okay. I cannot wait for this conversation because from the moment that I met you, your story has completely blown me away. [00:02:00] Obviously, I know who you are. The women inside of my program know who you are, but for the people listening that have never met you before, would you mind just giving us a quick introduction?

Eileen: Of course. Thank you. So I’m Eileen Lopez Tome, I’m in Miami and I’m a 10 year breast cancer survivor. I have five kids ranging in ages from 12 to 34. I’m gonna be a first time grandma in April. And um, I’ve worked for the federal government for 27 years. And I’m also, I guess I should say this is part of, part of the reason I’m here.

Um, I’m a life transition coach, and I especially help breast cancer survivors. 

Erika: Wonderful. I cannot wait to share more about your story because it’s a story of resilience, surrender. As well as, uh, community, like really bringing you closer to the people around you. So I, I’m wondering if you can just take us back to that moment [00:03:00] when you learned that you were diagnosed with breast cancer, and what was that experience for you as somebody who had always been the person that people were relied on, because you’re the.

Eldest daughter. In an immigrant family, you are a mother of five and also you hold a pretty high role in your work in the workplace. So just kind of the person that everybody ran to. So what was that moment like when you learned of the diagnoses? 

Eileen: Um, so many different ways and places that I can start.

But in August of, uh. 2016. Um, I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. Uh, it was August 22nd, and I remember the date because that is the day that our three-year-old, uh, at the time started school, started preschool for the first time. And I was actually at lunch with a colleague when I got the call from my doctor, letting me know the results of the biopsy that I’d had, um, the week [00:04:00] before.

And. Like you said, I was, um, a chief of staff at the time, which is a pretty big, it’s a lot of responsibility. Not that it’s a big role or important role, but it’s a lot of responsibility. had a 3-year-old, um, very involved in the kids’ school in my community and church, the eldest of, you know, three daughters.

And, um, I just remember thinking. The first thing that my mind went to, aside from, oh my God, like I I have cancer, is who’s gonna do everything? Like, who’s gonna take care of everything. Uh, and part of my story is that I am an epic to-do list maker and, um, still, still, I have my to-do list more digitized and automated now, but at the time it was definitely pen and paper.

And on that to-do list, I had everything work. Play kids activities and schedule mammogram. [00:05:00] And, uh, I wasn’t afraid of getting a mammogram. I’d had mammograms before, but I kept moving that schedule. Mammogram to the bottom of the list. Don’t have time for this now. There’s too many things going on. Okay.

Gonna have to move that down, move other things up. Uh, so yeah, it, it was, it was a shocking time. It was a terrifying time as a mother of five. You know, your first thought is like, what does this mean? Am I gonna live? Am I gonna die? And it was, uh, the beginning of a huge lesson that, um, I don’t take care of myself and I’m not gonna be able to take care of anything else.

Thank 

Erika: you for sharing that. And it’s so interesting that you shared one of the first thoughts you had was, wait, how am I going to take care of others? And I feel like that’s so indicative of. Latinas where we’re, and just women in general, right? Where we’re constantly worried about the people around us and caring for their needs.

Um, I think it was yesterday [00:06:00] I was scrolling as I normally do, and I was, um, I came across this divorce, divorce lawyer where she talked about how. There’s a skill that men have that women need to learn to adopt, and that skill is to be more selfish and that they don’t see it as something that’s self-centered, but just they, they really do consider their needs and put them first.

But women have constantly been conditioned to. Think how is this going to make people feel? How will this affect others? And I feel like you got a masterclass in that through your experience. So, um, yeah. So what was the next few months like for 

Eileen: you? Because I feel like it really was a big identity shift in an identity crisis.

It was, it was. And, and I have to say, I have a wonderful community. I mean, I live close to my mom, my sisters, my sisters-in-law. it’s not like I didn’t have help. It’s just that pressure, like you just said, that we put on ourselves because we’ve had that example. And the women [00:07:00] in our lives, our mothers, our grandmothers, that, that, you know, self-sacrifice at all costs, um, which is admirable.

And at the same time, we can’t, help others and support the people that we need to support if we don’t take care of ourselves. So the next few months were, thankfully I was able to start treatment right away and. Uh, it just, the hardest part that, um, brought on like the most amount of shame was having to reach out and ask for help.

I needed help. Kids needed to be dropped off school in the morning. They needed to be picked up and brought home in the afternoon. They needed to be taken to afterschool activities, dinner meals had to be, you know, prepared, um, doctor’s appointments, school events. Uh, work, you know, at work. I, I mean, I had a wonderful, um, you know, boss who said, take the time that you need.

I was allowed to, you know, do some work from home and have some [00:08:00] flexibility. And I think I shared this with you recently that I, I delegated almost everything that was on my plate at work and just kept one primary portfolio and that took up, I mean, I basically was still working full-time. Even though, um, you know, I was taking time off for chemo and all of that, and as I needed to and, and after chemo, if I didn’t feel well.

So it was a big identity shift, you know? if I wasn’t the one in control of everything, if I wasn’t the one taking care of everybody, if I wasn’t the one who was making sure that the trains were running on time, then who was I? What, what, what, what exactly, you know, was my purpose. Uh, and I struggled with that, you know, for, for a long time.

I still, you know, I still work on that control thing even today, but from a very different 

Erika: perspective now. Definitely. You know, as, as you said, you delegated a lot at work and you still had enough on your plate for a full-time job. If [00:09:00] it wasn’t for this diagnosis, where do you think you would be now if you kept going on that?

Route with all the pressure you put on yourself, because sometimes we don’t realize how much we’re actually doing. And I bet you your inner narrative was, I’m not doing enough. Which is crazy because once you stripped away these other things, you’re like, wow, I’ve been doing all of this. 

Eileen: That’s right. No, that’s exactly right.

That my inner narrative was at, even as I was stripping things away and realizing how many people, you know, it took. To be me. And, um, I say that with so much love for all the moms and working moms and, and working women and women who are taking care of parents and neighbors and, you know, we’re just.

Caregivers, uh, in so many situations. So I say that with all the love that it take, it, it took a lot of, it took a whole village, um, to step in and, support, you know, my family and take on the roles, uh, you know, that I had previously taken on. and I, and I have a, a wonderful, super supportive [00:10:00] husband who, Co-parents and, and, you know, is a, is a partner. and still to your point earlier, there’s just something that’s like built in. men are socialized a certain way. Even like, I, I feel even progressive, like wonderful, supportive men are socialized to like, know their boundaries and set their boundaries.

So if I hadn’t, if I hadn’t been diagnosed with breast cancer. I think at some point my body would have given me a sign, maybe not such a dramatic one, because of all the stress, you know, not only that I was experiencing and there’s a healthy amount of stress, right? Everybody needs to experience.

But, um, I wasn’t, I wasn’t processing that stress. I wasn’t, you know. Doing anything for my physical or my mental health at the time. So I, I think at some point, at some point, you know, my body and or my mind would’ve just been like enough. But I probably would’ve continued for years in that state of like, burnout and just constant go, go, go and achieve.

Which is the [00:11:00] other thing, right? It’s, we’ve got all these things that we’re holding together and, um, that we’re responsible for. And like, like you pointed out just a little while ago, we’re still driven like more, but I have to do more and I have to do more. so I am grateful for that diagnosis and for the experience that followed.

Because not only did it stop me in my tracks, it also, just taught me so much about boundaries and taking care of myself in a selfish way that allows me to be as selfless as I wanna be in helping and supporting others. 

Erika: Definitely. Yes. And you know what stood out to me with what you were describing earlier was you said you felt shame for asking for help.

And I find that it’s such an embedded thing in women where we feel like we can’t ask for help or shouldn’t rely on other people. And almost, I, I’m not sure if it’s. This like women empowerment thing where we’re like, oh yeah, like we can do [00:12:00] it too, where it almost takes us to this hyper independent extreme.

But I see this also with coaching where people are like, oh, I, I really wanna work with this coach, but I’m afraid that if I, how shameful that I can’t figure it out on my own. 

Eileen: Yes. 

Erika: And so can you tell me more about the shame of asking for help? And then I know you also worked with a coach, so how did that happen?

Eileen: Yes. so the shame of asking for help persisted throughout my breast cancer journey. Um, I started with chemo, as I mentioned after chemo. I had, um, surgery and I remember running into, A friend of mine at, at church, while I was in chemo and, and she had been through breast cancer and I told her that my surgery was coming up and she was like, oh my gosh, you’re not gonna be able to lift your arms.

You’re not gonna be able to feed yourself. You’re not gonna be able to bathe yourself. And I just thought to myself, how much worse can this get in terms of like, who, how I’m gonna have to be. Completely surrender to someone for [00:13:00] my own physical care. and that was just devastating. And so going through that process, I realized that, you know, I, I needed help to not just cope with the diagnosis and with the fear about the future and the unknowns, but also just to.

My identity was shaken up and I needed to work on that. I needed to understand why. And so I had had coaching, at work. you know, when I got promoted to chief of staff, like I said, it was a very big role for me. It was one of the best roles I’ve ever had, and I loved it very much and I needed coaching to help me really fully, um, you know, step into that promotion.

And it was a wonderful experience. And when I was midway through treatment, I reached out to a coach and I received coaching, for several months. And I went to an event with my sisters and my daughters, uh, it was like a vision boarding, you know, type group event. And the woman who led it was a [00:14:00] coach.

And I just thought to myself, I was in the middle of treatment. You know, it felt like a luxury to think about the future. And, um, I thought, this is what I wanna do. I wanna do this, for someone else. Not only what, you know, the co the help that I got from my career coach, but the help that I got from a life coach when I was going through cancer.

It’s something that I just felt really called to at that moment. And, um, something that I felt would help me to pay forward all of the support that I got both formally through a coach. I also. I also got a therapist. and also all of the help that I got informally from my community, from my church, from my neighbors, from my sisters and sisters-in-law.

Just everybody who would just show up with food or show up and take the kids out so that they could, you know, have some fun. and that’s where my coaching journey started. 

Erika: That’s beautiful. And at what point did you realize. And maybe it was at that vision board party, but at what point did you realize that this [00:15:00] experience might allow you to also support other women navigating the same things?

Eileen: That, I mean, it, it certainly, I realized it like at that vision board event, but the realization didn’t really fully come until later, until I was done, you know, with breast cancer and the first person. Recently diagnosed, called me, you know, now I’m a, I’m on the other side of treatment and someone’s calling me and saying, I just got diagnosed.

And, they weren’t calling me as a coach at that point. They were really just calling me kind of as a, as an, as an advisor, as a mentor. And I just remember thinking like ticking off. Like, these are the things that you need to take care of. Like you need to protect your peace. And what does that mean?

Like, there’s gonna be a lot of really well-meaning people who are gonna offer you, Turmeric and all kinds, resveratrol and all kinds of supplements, and they’re gonna tell you to, bathe in, you know, certain herbs and, I’m, I’m not against any of that, but when you’re trying to figure out like, what [00:16:00] do I do and what’s the right thing to do, and you know, that’s one of the first boundaries that’s helpful to set is like, protect your peace, get somebody to run interference.

 the woman that I ran into a church who told me how terrible her surgery experience was, it was like I had to kind of like set a boundary and say, okay, I’m not gonna maybe talk too much right now to other people about, you know, what they’re going through because it may not be the way that I wanna approach this experience.

And so when I spoke to that person and just even gave them advice about, I had a port that, that was accessed every time I went to chemo. And the first time I went to chemo. no one told me, including, you know, at the cancer center, that I had to use like a topical anesthetic so that it wouldn’t hurt when they access the port.

So I learned that the hard way, and that’s sounds silly, but it’s a piece of advice that I pass along now to anyone who calls me, um, recently diagnosed. And it was in that first conversation that,I thought not only do I have advice to give, but [00:17:00] I have an experience that I’ve lived. And I can hold space for other survivors.

and yeah, just help, help to guide them or help walk with them on their journey in the same way that, my coach, my family, my, you know, so many people walked with me. Yes, 

Erika: exactly. And you described what we call a niche based on your lived experience inside of courage driven Latina. So, and I know we talked about this on the last call where I said, you know, even if you’d gone through all the training to be a coach, to support women.

Had you not gone through the lived experience that you went through, you couldn’t help them at the level that you can help them today. And when people are thinking about building a personal brand, I think there’s a misconception with, oh, I have to go get another degree, or I have to go get a certification, or I’ve got to go do all these things before I can help people.

But the truth [00:18:00] is, yeah, let’s say you are, I don’t know, you work in HR and you wanna start. Becoming a career coach, that’s a great transferrable skill that you can do on your own. But what I love about your story is that you went through a big experience in your life that people don’t understand unless they’ve been through it.

And that is what makes you such a wonderful coach and makes your personal brand so much more relatable and trustworthy because it’s based on that lived experience of yours. So you, um, went to this vision board event. You said, okay, I love what the, what this person’s doing here. I think I wanna do this.

I’ve loved how my experience with my coach and therapists have been, and this has really been helpful for me. You learn to surrender rather than, than control. And then so what happened? Then? You became a certified coach, and what was that journey like there? 

Eileen: Oh, it was wonderful. I went to a coaching program for [00:19:00] about a year.

I graduated, became a certified professional coach, and then I just kind of hid, I was coaching, but primarily, uh, so I’m an internal. I do coaching inside my agency, not as a full-time job. it’s more like, you know, volunteer. I did coach, you know, some breast cancer survivors, pro bono. Here and there.

At one point I started an Instagram account around, you know, a coaching business that I wanted to stand up, like as a, as a side business to my nine to five. Post it a few times. but I, yeah, I just, I hid it. I just let that go and I just thought, all right, first, I’m not sure if I’m enough of an expert, which is another thing that I love and I hate about us women.

I’ve been, I’d taken all the classes I’d had the lived experience. by the way, that’s something that really blew my mind when you laid that out. It’s like, yeah, I’ve lived this. I mean that, that’s my number one qualification. If I didn’t have anything else, I’ve [00:20:00] lived this and I can sit with someone else who’s going through this experience, and help them through that.

But I just thought, I need to take more classes. I need to learn social media. I need to, I’m not doing this right. It’s not perfect. Oh, that post is so cringey. I mean, and that’s something that I shared even when I joined Courage Driven Latina. what am I doing? And so I just kept, I stayed in my lane, right in the lane that I thought I belonged in.

Like, you know, I have this career, I’m doing career and leadership coaching. And it’s safe. ’cause I don’t, I don’t have to put myself out there. and so I’ve been a certified professional coach since 2018 and I’ve been coaching since then, but, never on my own, which has been a long time dream of mine is to own my own coaching practice, and to serve breast cancer survivors.

And, um, so until last year. When I came across you on Instagram and, uh, I just loved the, I’d been in other coaching [00:21:00] programs before, but I just really appreciated the cultural aspect, you know, for me. and that’s really the first time where I, I kind of said, all right, enough, enough, enough with the, um, fear and the, uh, fear of being judged and the fear of being seen, and the fear of not knowing enough or being enough.

It’s time to be. Driven by courage. and so that’s where I’m at today. You know, just taking the leap and experimenting and, um, putting the focus on, not on myself, but on those that I could possibly serve, by building a personal brand. 

Erika: I love it. So what was your experience like within, I guess, the first 30 days of joining the program?

So I was going to ask how you found me, but you already answered that. So you found me on Instagram. You, and you know, this is a really common thing where people think the moment they get their coaching certification, they’re just gonna be confident and ready to go. But all the fears that you brought up.

Are not new fears. These are fears I’ve heard over and [00:22:00] over and over, and I’ve been running this program. It’ll turn six this year. It’s crazy to think about. Yeah, and the, even if the, the goals are a little different, the fears are always the same, right? The fear of not knowing enough, the fear of being judged, the fear of getting it wrong, the fear of failing publicly.

These are all. The normal fears that women in general face, especially Latinas, especially first generation, when, you know, our family has traditionally told us, like, oh, just stay quiet, don’t share your stuff, and, and yet here we 

Eileen: are. 

Erika: Exactly. Exactly. so I, it makes so much sense that even though you had the coaching certification, there was still something that was blocking you from, from showing up.

So you decided, I think you mentioned this, right, where you were like, it’s been 10 years since my diagnoses. I really wanna do something with this. Now I’m taking all the steps I need to take now. It’s really about putting myself out there. So you joined Courage Driven Latina, and what were, what was your [00:23:00] first 30 days like?

What was that experience like? 

Eileen: So, um, it was wonderful. I was, you know, very excited. I dove right in and started watching the videos. one of the first things that you asked us to do at the time was to pick a courage project, and I think there were like four or five possible paths. I was like, I spent probably a week or two overthinking that.

Do I want this? Do I want, you can go on a CEO. Do I want a content project? Do I, what do I wanna, what do I wanna do? What direction do I wanna go in? and then I joined a group coaching call with you and, uh, raised my hand for coaching and I kind of blurted out all that. Like, I don’t know what to do and I’m thinking of doing this.

And I started that and I just submitted my courage project, for this path. And you said, okay, look, we’re gonna start a visibility challenge on Monday, and that’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna, ’cause I, I probably expressed, I don’t remember exactly right now, but I’m sure I expressed. And I’m, I’m on Instagram as, as a follower, of my kids, as [00:24:00] a poster of like family and vacation things, but I’m not, I’ve never.

I, not never, but the few times where I’ve tried to put something on there about my coaching or about a coaching practice, I post and then I run away and I never post again. So, the first 30 days were included this visibility challenge, which helped. What’s wonderful was, had prompts and you have the, the bot that helped us to, you know, formulate like some content.

There’s a wonderful community of other, Latina and Hispanic women who have, um, full-time entrepreneurs who are have side gigs, 1, 2, 3 businesses. It was so encouraging ’cause I thought, you know, I can do this, I can do this. And, the community was very supportive. You are very supportive. So I just felt, yeah, I felt supported and, 

Like if anything bad happens from me posting something, from me being visible, I had this community of, women who would be there to like, help [00:25:00] walk me through it or help me realize it’s really not as bad as you think it is. ’cause I was very much in my head about, you know, worrying about, the visibility and, uh, possible rejection or.

Or not being able to help anyone. ’cause nobody’s even consuming what I’m posting or just doing it wrong, which is a big, as a recovering perfectionist is a big thing for me. Like, I’m, am I doing this right? and that’s the other thing that I really appreciate about the program is, there’s no right or wrong.

There’s just ghetto first draft learning from that. Yep. You know, growing from that, then trying the next thing and improving. so yeah, it’s been great. 

Erika: Wonderful. So you brought up the, the Courage project. So I mentioned earlier that this program is turning six this year, so you can’t have one program with the same exact curriculum and, and all the different things.

So. The, the program goes through iterations and updates. And you joined right in the middle of a transition. So when you joined, that’s why I was like, [00:26:00] 

Eileen: you doing the but talking about divine timing. Yeah. It was like divine timing. It is exactly what I needed in that moment. 

Erika: Exactly. 

Eileen: So. I love 

Erika: it. And I found that that was a hiccup for people because the, the picking of the courage project.

So now when people join the program, if they have not yet created consistent content, the first project they work on is showing up to build their brand. If they’re already showing up and posting, but it’s not working, then it’s about, okay, let’s adjust your messaging. But if they’re already, if they’ve already made some money or they’re already showing up, then the project becomes, let’s turn your personal brand into a profitable one.

So let’s help you make money now. So now it’s really easy. Now you come in based on where you are, this is the project you pick. So. Thank you for being a part of that initial, it was my ghetto first draft of, let’s see how this works. So for those people listening, as soon as you come in, [00:27:00] you’re, you already kind of have your project assigned now.

So now I’m curious. I actually remember vividly because you were one of the winners of the visibility challenge 

Eileen: and I determined 

Erika: Yes. And it was like day one and you were like. This is so scary. Does it ever get easier? And then day two, you’re like, this is still really hard. And I think it was like week two.

You’re like, do I ever get over this? And now you were posting, I mean, your, your latest post about your journey. It. I mean, I don’t know. I think I told you to do that and within the next day you maybe had it done. I was like, wow. So what has that experience been like? Where at the beginning it was, I don’t wanna get it wrong.

How does it feel easier for you now? And what happened as a result of the visibility challenge, which for people listening, the visibility challenge was, A challenge where I challenged the clients to be more visible over 30 days. So Monday through Friday, they had a [00:28:00] dedicated prompt. So the, the what do I post was already kind of taken care of for you, and all they had to do was show up and do it.

So just for context. So yes, how was the visibility challenge from the perspective of showing up and the overthinking, and then what results came of it? 

Eileen: So, The visibility challenge was exactly what I needed. It was scary because I, I, you know, that isn’t just gonna go away in, in one day of posting or in one week or in two weeks of posting for that matter.

 but it was exactly what I needed because I didn’t have to think or overthink like, okay, today this is what the theme is. I’m posting about this. I started to overthink at the beginning about. The right picture, or do I have, you know, I, I joked about this on the coaching call, I think on this past Tuesday with you that, someone mentioned B roll.

On a call that I, um, that one of the community calls that I was on, and, um, it was Yaz shout out to Yaz and I was like, what’s a b [00:29:00] roll? So I’m starting to overthink things at the beginning and Googling and now I need a course on, like, I need an Instagram course. I was thinking I need to learn all the things.

And you know what, the challenge just kept me going. I would just sometimes come home from work and I’d sit in a chair in my living room, take a selfie, and that’s the picture for today. It’s a selfie with some text over it or the caption based on whatever the prompt was. So for me, it really just helped me to get unstuck and it helped me to get out of my own way and to stop overthinking things, um, and to just realize.

That consistency is key. connection, just trying to connect and I’m trying to tell people about myself and, uh, and so the result was that, I had a lot of engagement. so I’m, I’m still learning about the metrics and all that and Instagram, I’m like in part two of my, of my, and no worries.

Erika: Those trainings are coming. 

Eileen: Yes, I know. I’m super excited. 

Erika: In a couple of weeks, those trainings will be out. 

Eileen: I know I’ve had engagement because I’ve [00:30:00] learned enough to know that, when people respond right, when they comment, it’s not just likes or number of followers, although I have seen a little bit of an increase in my followers.

Uh, it’s, it’s the, that the content resonated. I haven’t shared this with you yet, but I will share it with you, here now and with all your listeners that, you’ve been posting about like that first moment where. Someone dms you and says, this really resonated. This really helped. And I hadn’t gotten that.

and just this past week, uh, I did get a message from someone saying, thank you for posting. I’m gonna get emotional. Thank you for posting your journey. I’m going through a similar journey now. 

Erika: Oh, you’re gonna make me cry too. 

Eileen: I know. 

Erika: Yeah. These are, this is what it’s about though, right?

These moments make it so worth it. Bumps, 

Eileen: it, makes it so worth it. And so I just, it was just another little sign. I mean, I talk about divine timing. I really do believe in. Synchronicity and serendipity and just divine timing. And there’ve been little [00:31:00] things and big things, joining Courage Driven Latina has not, has been no small thing for me.

But getting that message this past week was like a, like, just a sign, like, keep going. you are on the right path. And that is, I think the biggest thing that I’ve walked away with so far is, it’s not just about like personal brand for me, it’s not about. monetizing me or what I do or how popular I am or, you know, all of those things that have previously just felt cringey.

It’s about the impact I can make. It’s about, you know, my, how can my, my brand as I build a brand, be of service to others. and I never thought of it that way. And I think that was another thing that was, you know, blocking me. And I remember saying this to a, you know, a coach in the past, like, it feels cringey.

To go out there and say, I’m a breast cancer survivor and I’m a coach, like, sign up and I’ll be your coach. because I was just thinking of it from a sales perspective, like I’m selling something and that just ugh. But part of [00:32:00] the, shift that I’ve experienced, in your program is that mindset shift of.

This is not about me or what I’m selling or product. This is about impact and about being of service. and there’s nothing wrong with, offering that service for, you know, return for payment in return. so that’s kind of where I’m at right now. 

Erika: Wonderful. And you also had, so you did have people in person coming to you about the visibility challenge and saying that they’ve been seeing your content and that they’ve enjoyed that you even won an award, right?

You were nominated for an award. So tell us a little bit about that. 

Eileen: Yes. So, it’s funny because I, I think I mentioned this recently that, some folks like family members and, you know, community and friends were like. First question was like, are you okay? Like you’ve been posting about like breast cancer stuff, everything okay?

Yes, I’m okay. Um, I [00:33:00] kept my breast cancer journey pretty private at the time, 10 years ago. ’cause I just really, again, felt like I needed to focus my energy on healing, on treatment, on taking care of my family and circling the wagons around my, you know, my community here. Um, that supported me. So that was kinda the first question I got.

Um, and then. You know, I got, I got some questions about like, but what are you doing? And, but aren’t you, you know, don’t you have a law degree? Like, like if you’re starting a side business, like why are you doing coaching? So, you know, it gave me an opportunity really, is how I looked at it, to kind of talk and practice.

You know, talking a little bit about, um, about that. And so, um. The town that I live in has it’s Women’s History Month, so shout out for Women’s History Month. And the town that I live in, um, has a Women’s History Month program called Women of Distinction. And um, one of the women who is on their cultural affairs committee and runs this program reached out to me and said, um, I wanna [00:34:00] nominate you for a Woman of Distinction Award in the category of government, women who work in government.

And, It was, you know, she asked me about my journey as a breast cancer survivor and about, you know, the work that I’ve done over the years as a volunteer and different, you know, organizations. And, um, so she, you know, put me in, she nominated me and, and I won. And so tomorrow actually I’ll be, um, attending the, uh, the town has like an event where they recognize all the winners and they honor them.

My sisters will be there, my mom will be there. And, uh, yeah, I, again, I took that like as another. I mean, it’s a tremendous honor. I have to, believe it or not, like, work on that thought and not be like, oh, it’s no big deal. I was actually talking to Sarah and I was telling her about it, and I was like, oh, it’s no big deal.

It’s, I live in a little town. Like, you know, it’s, she’s like, I have to stop you, you know? It’s a big deal. You should be very [00:35:00] proud. Yeah. Um, and I love my community. I’ve lived here for 27 years and, uh, and this, uh, woman who nominated me as someone that I admire and respect, you know, very much. And so, yeah, very, you know, just kind of, um, for me it was confirmation that, uh, it’s okay to put myself out there and that I have experiences to offer, and I’m.

I have expertise to offer, in service of others, and of my community. 

Erika: Yes, definitely. And the DM that you received was, uh, evidence of that, because those are the moments, right? Those are the moments that 

Eileen: affirmation. 

Erika: Exactly that. Remind us the why behind putting ourselves out there and tho, tho those dms are what make everything else worth it.

All the fear of, oh my gosh, am I gonna be misunderstood? Or what if somebody comments something mean? Those dms make everything worth it. So anytime you get in your head, I have a little exercise for you, I want you [00:36:00] to think about that dm. So take a screenshot of it, put it in a folder, because. It’s, it’s inevitable that there will be moments in which we begin to maybe doubt ourselves again, and we’re human.

So 

Eileen: yes, 

Erika: having a folder where you save all of these sweet messages, it’s a great reminder of your mission and the why behind why you’re doing what you’re doing. 

Eileen: Yes. Thanks. I’m gonna do that. 

Erika: Great. So you’ve shared how helpful some of the tools inside the program have been, such as the content idea generator, as well as, the mindset miha.

Have you had a chance actually, to use the mindset miha? Yes. I know I gave you coaching on it. Yes. So 

Eileen: yes. And you gave me homework and I Yes. And I did the homework, um, which was to write down some of the stories. That I’m telling you. Yeah. Myself. and the thing that I find ironic is I’m a coach.

I coach other people. I coach women, especially women, you know, as an internal coach, women who are, um, making career transitions. And we talk a lot about mindset and the stories that we tell [00:37:00] ourselves and the gremlins. And, so you challenged me to write down a few of the stories that I was telling myself, and to use the mindset miha, um.

And yeah, I was, I was challenged in a good way and reminded these are things that I’ve worked on, including as a career, professional, which sometimes can feel frustrating. I have to remind myself that the work is never done. It’s ongoing, and that’s okay. The difference is that I can catch myself sooner now than I used to years ago.

Yep. Having those, negative or self-defeating thoughts and I can rely on, you know, my coaches and my mentors, to help catch me and to point me in the direction of resources and tools like the mindset Miha. And it’s been very helpful. You know, I had more stories than I realized and you said, you know, maybe put two in at a time.

And I thought that’s a good idea. I’m gonna, uh, I’m gonna overwhelm the, the mindset miha, uh, tool. So let me just [00:38:00] start with a couple, but I’ve got a whole list to, to use. Um, 

Erika: and you know, I find that when people are become coaches, they have this idea, oh, I have to be perfect or I have to have it all figured out, or else how can I help others?

And what I find is it’s actually the opposite. It’s about. The fact that you struggle or have struggled with some of the things that your ideal client also struggles with is what makes you such a wonderful coach. And the reason I can be the coach of courage driven Latina is because I’ve constantly had to overcome my fears.

If I, if I was born without fears, I would not be the best coach for this program. Just like if you didn’t have your lived experience and your own struggles, it would be really hard for you to empathize with others who are going through that as well. 

Eileen: 100%, yes. 

Erika: Yeah, definitely. So what feels different now when you sit down to create content compared to before you joined the program? 

Eileen: I overthink it [00:39:00] way less if at all. It’s really more about, uh, what I’m thinking about is more about impact. thinking about the person that I’m trying to reach as opposed to thinking about myself. I mean, this is something else you talked about early on as well, is, um, the spotlight effect, right?

The spotlight. When I’m, when I’m worried about being seen or failing or being criticized, the spotlight is on me. and if I turn the spotlight to the group. To the one person, even if it’s not a group, the one woman who could be helped by me, by my content, by me sharing my story, me sharing my journey, then it becomes about them and not about me.

And. The fears and the, the, um, insecurities don’t vanish, but they, you know, spotlight’s not on them anymore. So they, they definitely move, out of that, you know, central like, center stage. So what’s different now is that I’m not overthinking it. I’m enjoying it. I look forward to it. Like I said, I still am learning, things that.

Will just make it [00:40:00] easier in terms of like efficiency. You know, I still don’t know how to like batch content and, some of the Instagram tools are, I’m still figuring them out, but, um, I’m enjoying that. It doesn’t feel frustrating anymore. When I first started with the visibility challenge, I thought, my God, I’m so behind.

I don’t even know what a b roll is, like how am I ever gonna catch up and, and actually, um, use this in a way that’s productive and helpful. And now, uh, when I create a piece of content, I am just feeling, yeah, like excited about it. excited to see who it reaches, who it might help, who it resonates with, and. I really appreciate the thought that I’m building something. So when you talk about building a personal brand, I really love that building part. it’s exciting that I’ll be able to look back someday, and say, oh my gosh, look at where I started and where I am today, and how many people I’m reaching and how many people I’m helping, and how many, how much of a difference I’m making.

 as opposed to how I used to think about [00:41:00] posting content or building a personal brand, like, ugh, so cringey, so self-centered. See, I’m still struggling with that. Like, that’s so selfish. Like, I, I don’t want it to be about me. I want it to be about somebody else. Um, so yeah. I feel like I, it, it’s incredible because it was a 30 day challenge and it wasn’t that long ago.

Erika: Yep. 

Eileen: And it’s made such a huge difference. 

Erika: Yes. Well, I’m looking forward to the, we won’t have the same exact challenge, but you will have something to do next that’s going to help you get to the, the next stage. So I’m excited about that. 

Eileen: Me too. 

Erika: And, um, so let’s say that a Latina has just been diagnosed with cancer and she finds your content.

What do you hope she feels when she finds that, when she finds your content? 

Eileen: I hope she feels a couple of things. The first thing I hope she feels is less alone. Even though there are so many women who are being diagnosed with breast cancer every day in this, in this country, and many of them increasingly younger.

 [00:42:00] sadly it’s still a very lonely. It can be a very lonely experience, and especially depending on what you have access to. I mean, access is a big challenge for. Um, women of color and, and Latina women in particular. Do you have access to healthcare? Do you have access to, I got treatment at a cancer center at a, at a premier cancer center here in Miami.

Do you have access to something like that where you’re at, do you have access to community who can support you? So the first thing I hope they feel is less alone and that they feel like they’ve come to a place where they can. Join a community and be part of a community where they can share. And, and there are a lot of, really great Facebook groups and, you know, breast cancer survivors who are sharing their experiences and helping, 

You know, women every day, and I hope that mine is, you know, becomes a part of that. beautiful, diverse community of breast cancer survivors. I hope they learn how to, love themselves enough to put themselves at the [00:43:00] top of their to-do list and not feel guilty about it, or not feel shame or selfish.

 I hope they learn how to ask for the help that they need, and not just. In an emergency, right? Because I, I had to learn to ask for help because I was in an emergency. but that you, that they learn how to ask for the help that they need on any given day, even for the smallest thing that they, that might feel so insignificant.

and yeah, I think if they feel those things when they come across my content, then. I have, answered this call that I have felt for so long and that I’ve been hiding, and I will feel complete. 

Erika: Wonderful. And where can people find your content? Where can they follow along for your journey? 

Eileen: So I’m on Instagram at Eileen Lopez tome coach.

So Eileen Lopez, tome coach, uh, is where I’m primarily showing up right now. I also have a [00:44:00] website, which is, eileen lopez tome.com and that’s really, where, you know, they can find me right now and check out my content. DM me. I would love to hear from breast cancer survivors no matter what journey, what point in your journey you’re at.

And I don’t think I said this, but important to say that, from the minute that you’re diagnosed, you’re considered a survivor. And, so whether you’ve just been diagnosed or you’re in the middle of treatment or, you know, we would probably need another hour to talk about, survivorship and everything that comes after you’re done with treatment.

And, uh, you know, the expectation that, okay, you’re done. You made it, you’re good. That’s, you know, your, if that’s your story, the expectation that everything goes back to normal now, and the last thing that you feel at that point is normal, nothing is normal anymore. So, would love to hear from, breast cancer survivors and, you know, women who are going through big [00:45:00] changes and invite them to come.

Join us. 

Erika: Wonderful. Well, we will all have Sarah link all of your links down below your website as well as your Instagram. the last question I have for you is, if somebody’s considering joining Courage driven Latina, but they’re unsure if it’s the right step for them, or maybe they’re questioning, is this actually going to work for me?

Do programs like this actually work? Am I going to actually show up for it if I sign up? Right? All these questions that can come up as we’re thinking about an investment, what would you want them to know about your experience in the program? 

Eileen: I’m so happy that you used the word investment because as a coach, and I’m sure you know this, um.

Sometimes, probably more times than I care to admit. The first question I get is, but how much do your services cost? And so kind of shifting that narrative, especially as a a woman, especially as a woman business owner, especially as a Latina, Hispanic woman, is, um, this is an investment and that’s, The way that [00:46:00] I looked at it, you know, when I joined Courage Driven Latina, I had all those same thoughts, like, is this the right time?

You know, am I gonna show up? Life is busy. I have a full-time, nine to five, and I just had to go back to the lesson that I learned 10 years ago and that I can continue to remind myself and others of, if I don’t take care of me, I can’t take care of anyone or. Anything else. And so this is about taking care of you, about nurturing your dreams, about investing in, um, your future and the future of your family and the people that rely on you.

yeah. And just growing your dreams.You’re, you’re gonna find a beautiful and supportive and dynamic and diverse group of women who are at different points in their journey. we have a great Slack community where we all com, we all communicate and we share our wins and we support each other and we cheer each other on.

 these tools that you’ve built and the content that you know, that you’ve built and the trainings that you give, meet. Each one of your [00:47:00] participants where they are. So, where I was, I’d never posted before, and that visibility challenge met me where I was and gave me what I needed in that point.

If you’re further along, like you said earlier, Erica, you know, than I was, then you have, something for that person who’s further along and maybe needs to refine their message or, you know, tweak their personal brand. If you’re further along than that, then you know, the program has, Wonderful, resources and, and training that just meets you exactly where you’re at, and, helps you to go and on in the journey and take that next step and to be successful.

So do it. Come join us. Uh, we have a wonderful community. We have a wonderful coach, And we just have a lot of fun, to be honest. 

Erika: Thank you for your sweet words. But more importantly, thank you for having the courage to bet on yourself and to put yourself out there because in doing that and in getting over that fear.

That [00:48:00] DM was only the first of many. Right. And I am so excited about, yeah. I’m so excited about what you’re doing. You’re changing so many lives. Soon you’ll also have a podcast that people can go and listen to, which is so exciting. And you know, that’s all. That’s all service. That’s all in service. And. The Yes, obviously the goal is like how can you be profitable enough to impact more people?

But in doing that, it’s really about how many lives can you transform, and the real transformation is the fulfillment that one feels. Running a coaching business and impacting people with their personal brand, and I see that within you. So I’m just so honored to have you inside of the program and we still have so much time together.

Yes. We still have all of this year together. 

So 

Eileen: excited. Yes. So you’re gonna get tired of me. 

Erika: Definitely not. We’re gonna have to have you back on the podcast at the end of the year so you can update us on how everything’s [00:49:00] going for you. 

Eileen: Yes. Wonderful. 

Erika: Okay, Eileen, thank so much. Thank you so much. Yes, thank you for coming on.

Thank you for sharing your story. I’m sure there’s many people listening to this episode that were like, wow, this is exactly what I needed to hear today. So for those of you listening, if you took anything away from this podcast episode, please take a screenshot. Tag myself, tag Eileen. We wanna hear from you or DM us.

If something really resonated with you, we will be looking out for your dms and I’ll see you all next week. [00:50:00]