Hidden Gems: Meet Sandra Gonzalez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Gonzalez.

Sandra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a Retired Marine Officer turned Executive Coach and Speaker. I served 20 years of honorable service as a U.S. Marine. Now, I guide and train high-caliber entrepreneurs, and Business Executives so they can TAKE COMMAND of any room they step into and magnetize opportunities for growth and impact. And the thing that will help them achieve this is the ability to cultivate Sexy Confidence. Sexy confidence is a high-performance state of mind, it’s an attitude that will help you master yourself so you can stay calm during stressful challenges or situations.

Growing up, I had an immigrant father who later became a proud American citizen who exuded sexy confidence. He was assertive, confident and even though he didn’t have a high school education he was guided by his core values, his principles and he lived his life grounded and had direction. Everybody highly respected my father.

When I joined the military, my first Commanding Officer was Colonel James N. Mattis. Everybody highly respected Mattis, “Maddog” as they called him, had a command presence. When he spoke, everyone listened. When he gave an order, everybody took immediate action. Mattis later became a four-star general, and he was the U.S. 26th Secretary of Defense, where he served under President Trump.

I share this with you because I’ve learned that the most successful people and leaders I’ve met have this ability to cultivate sexy confidence. As an entrepreneur, the most successful leaders have sexy confidence, the ability to master yourself and stay calm during stressful challenges and situations. As a coach and speaker, this is what I help high-caliber entrepreneurs achieve because it’s this state of mind that will help you develop the resilience you need to persevere and stay committed to your vision.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not! As I’ve created my brand, I’ve realized that there’s a nagging naysayer along the way that will try to derail you. A naysayer that’s camouflaged, but it’s really fear, self-doubt and uncertainty. And we must learn to kick self-doubt to the curb so we can achieve our goals along the way. And in order to do so we must challenge the “inner critic” to see who is really sabotaging our way forward. That’s where I come in as a coach: to help leaders see what they might not be seeing at the moment. Someone who can help them surface self-imposed limitations so they can navigate entrepreneurship with less resistance.

My journey has been a tough one, being in the military for 20 years, I was a drill instructor for three years and learned a lot about what holds people back. I trained over 500+ women recruits for the rigors of combat. I trained them so they could survive and thrive in a hostile environment. I helped them cultivate sexy confidence so they can pull the trigger and be comfortable stepping into uncertainty. I learned how to trust myself in a male-dominated environment and lead them with confidence and authenticity.

On a personal aspect, I experienced a difficult divorce. For 3.5 years, I had to hire four attorneys to deal with a complex divorce case that left me emotionally, mentally, and financially depleted. In the midst of that divorce, I found my father unconscious and with my mother’s help, we picked up this 240 lb man and took him to the emergency room where we temporarily saved my father. We did subsequently lost him two months later to covid pneumonia. My father’s demise taught me so many lessons. It allowed me to let go of my ego. It was my ego that was fueling my animosity towards my ex-husband. I wanted to teach him a lesson for hurting me and letting go of 15 years of marriage. I realized my ego is not my amigo and learned to forgive myself and my ex-husband. He did the best he could with what he had, and he deserves to be happy. After my father’s demise, I just wanted to be free and happy even if it meant starting all over again with no financial assistance from my ex-husband, so I let him go of any responsibilities.

My father’s demise taught me that life is too precious to live with resentment. To focus on the cure, not the disease. To lubricate my mind and heart with peace. Life is short, and we must learn to be present and appreciate every moment. Learn to master ourselves so we can stay calm during stressful challenges and situations.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sandra Gonzalez is a Retired Marine Officer turned Executive Coach and Inspirational Speaker who helps organizations and high-caliber entrepreneurs and business Executives TAKE COMMAND of any room they step into so they can magnetize opportunities for impact and growth. I help leaders cultivate sexy confidence so they can trust themselves and lead others with servant leadership through integrity and authenticity. Leaders must know how to positively delegate authority and establish the emotional climate that drives brain functioning. As a NeuroChange Practitioner, I help leaders create high performance with themselves and others so they understand the right behaviors that drive results. I help leaders develop character and the soft skills they need to develop high-performance teams.

What sets me apart from others? My 20+ years of leadership and military experience and I’ve spoken in Dubai, the United States, and Mexico. I’m looking for speaking opportunities all over the world and speak Spanish fluently. I’m proud of my brand because it was my journey and trajectory that led me to cultivate sexy confidence so I can authentically serve others. I learned to listen to what was “calling” at me, not what was “clawing” at me, and have clarity and direction as I move forward. So many people are easily distracted and allow the self-doubt to hold them back. I offer a free “inner critic” assessment to give value and show others what may be holding them back. I also offer free training and would love to connect if they need an inspirational speaker for their next event.

https://sandragonzalez.com/training/
https://sandragonzalez.com/

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
What I’ve learned is that my “femininity” is my Superpower. I used to think it was my masculinity. My ability to be assertive, confident and lead others with conviction. For so many years, it was my masculinity that made me successful. My ability to be competitive, be a perfectionist, and be relentless with high standards of performance.

But with my father’s passing, I learned that my ability to forgive myself and others is what has truly strengthened me and my soul. Learning to give myself a healthy dose of self-compassion and learning to empathize with others allows me to understand the trials and tribulations they might be dealing with. The human element is complex, but at the end of the day, it’s love for other human beings that will keep us going. Sexy confidence is about loving yourself unconditionally so you can love and serve others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sandragonzalez.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachsandragonzalez/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachsandragonzalez
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-gonzalez-62a469b5/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRepQiK6jR6ut50Sl70_Dvg
• Other: https://sandragonzalez.com/training/