Today’s profile shows the old Spanish phrase: “Gato con guantes no caza ratones” (literally, a cat with mittens cannot hunt mice.) What it means is that you need to get involved and be willing to get your hands a bit dirty to get the job done. We’ll let her explain!
Please introduce yourself to our readers…
My name is Lourdes Ramón. I’m an entrepreneur, working on launching a one-of-a-kind Bilingual Early Childhood Development Program. I was inspired on the challenges I confronted as a mother looking to provide a solid foundation for my children, while ensuring my kids learned Spanish as well as English.
Can you tell us what company you work for?
Kids’ Candor – Bilingual Early Child Development
What is your title there?
Co-Founder and President, but other versions of my title include: mother, wife, bilingual advocate, entrepreneur, CEO and founder, manager, brand, product and process developer, consultant, DIY expert, engineer, WAHM, creative, work in progress, and more.
My three-year-old daughter provided her favorite title: Super Mamá.
What are the exact responsibilities of your job?
I am the general manager, so so I’m ultimately in charge of everything.
As an advocate for Bilingual and Multi-language households, my main responsibility and what motivates me is to find, improve, create and innovate tools and resources to empower families to teach their children their language(s) of preference. To meet my goal I’m launching Kids’ Candor.
Our team is small, so I am doing product development, design, website development, strategy, marketing, sales, supply chain, etc.
What is it about your job that makes you love it?
My job is meaningful; it gives me flexibility and freedom. My gut tells me that I am doing the right thing. Kids’ Candor will be my legacy, and it will make the life of many parents better.
What particular skills or talents are most essential to completing your tasks?
My mother use to say: “Si no sabes, inventatelo” (If you don’t know how to, invent a way). In this job I have to be really hands-on. Before, I was mostly in charge of the strategy that others executed. Now I am responsible for the cycle.
I taught myself how to use Adobe Illustrator, and now I’m learning Adobe In-Design. I learned how to do a website and even how to code a bit. I have done tons of research on Children Development and Bilingualism, and continue learning everyday to train myself to think as an educator. I’m writing my own questionnaires for consumer research. What ever I don’t know how to do, I find a way to do it.
Focus, adaptability, flexibility and perseverance are essential for my job.
What level of education would you say is required to perform your role?
I don’t know.
I’m using my formal education, personal experiences and diverse career to create Kids’ Candor. My education includes a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from NYU. Spanish is my first language, and I watch YouTube tutorials to learn about what I don’t know.
Some education is required, but passion is probably more important.
Do you find that you bring your work home with you? (And is that a good or bad thing?)
Ha Ja Ha (FYI: “Ja” is “Ha” in Spanish) With Kids’ Candor there is no line between work and life. Work is life and life is work, and both sides contract and expand in perfect harmony.
After years of jobs in Corporate America, I felt empty, stressed and unhappy with the way I was balancing (or not balancing) life and work. I’m the mother of two young children, and it broke my heart to see them grow so fast while our interaction was limited to 1-2 hours a day. Now, my family life can be applied to my job, and the things I’m learning in my job can be applied to my life.
For example, I research for activities, toys and books for business, and I use the same tools to teach my children and fulfill my goal of raising them bilingually. It also gives me pleasure to share my knowledge with other parents that face the same challenges. Also, we are writing original bilingual music. I get to sing that music to my children, and it’s also included in the monthly Educational Modules we will be sending consumers.
How does this job compare to other jobs you’ve held in the past?
As a Co-Founder and President I really, really care about results. I have to take responsibility for everything, and I am the one making the decisions. I’m also using everything I learned ever.
What is your favorite food?
This is the hardest question! I love to cook and I love food, but if I must pick one thing it will be Sushi.
Thanks for sharing, Lourdes! You can reach her on Twitter @lourdecita
Check back next week for another great job.