Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera
Bettina Rodriguez-Aguilera, LLM, is a Miami-based consultant, keynote speaker, and best-selling author specializing in leadership development, economic empowerment, space governance, and women’s advancement. With more than 30 years of experience in consulting, public speaking, and training, she is the founder of Mission Resilience: “Mastering the Astronaut Mindset,” where she translates research from NASA and space exploration into practical tools for resilience, innovation, and high-performance leadership. A contributing author to The Big Secret alongside Jack Canfield, she is also the author of multiple publications on business development, government access, and personal transformation, with new works focused on space economics and women’s entrepreneurship.
Bettina’s expertise is grounded in a multidisciplinary academic background that includes studies in psychology and social work, a Master of Laws in International Human Rights and Space Law from St. Thomas University, and advanced doctoral studies in psychology and neuroscience. Over the course of her career, she has assisted in the development and growth of more than 1,000 businesses, helping entrepreneurs secure government contracts, minority certifications, and strategic financing through SBA and other lending pathways. She also created one of the first women’s executive office incubator programs in the United States, designed to accelerate female-led enterprises and expand economic participation.
Her leadership experience extends into public service, having served as Councilwoman and Vice Mayor of the City of Doral, where she previously acted as the city’s first Economic Developer and helped position it as a leading municipality for business growth in Florida. A longtime advocate against human trafficking and a champion for democratization and human rights, Bettina has trained more than 10,000 professionals across 30 countries. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she remains dedicated to empowering individuals—particularly women—to build businesses, cultivate resilience, and discover their purpose, guiding them to “light up from within” and align their work with a higher calling.
• St. Thomas University
• Pontifice Inst. de Estudios Religiosa Brasilia
• Safe Space Women Shelter Foundation
• FIU Women Studies Board
• Miami Dade County C-VAC Against Human Trafficking
What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to never giving up. When things don't work out, I find another way of doing things. I've learned to pivot and find a way to make things work even when they seem impossible. It's about giving my 100% and then letting go. I've had to learn not to hit myself in the head because I didn't do 101%, or if something didn't work out the way I wanted it. I understand now that if you do your best and then let go, and if it doesn't work out, then maybe it wasn't meant to work out. Maybe what seems bad is actually going to be something good. Working on my spirituality has helped me get to that level where I can actually let go, and that's been very important to my success.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to be as authentic as you can be, regardless of what anybody tells you. I think that is the key, and it's not as easy done as it is to be. It's very difficult to do, but you have to really delve into yourself and be your authentic self. Now more than ever, people don't want these super polished, created marketing gurus that really aren't authentic, they're just fluff. Another important thing is to forget about being perfect. What you have to do is make things happen. Sometimes we over-think things and we want things to be exactly perfect the way they should be, maybe, but that's not life. Life is not perfect. Nobody's perfect. People should just go ahead and do it, and give time to yourself, and love yourself. I've learned these things the hard way. I've had three open surgeries, my jaw broke from stress trying to be perfect, so I know that's not good. You have to balance as much as you can, but balance means to give time to yourself too.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are self-love, balance, and spirituality. First, you have to love yourself. I can't emphasize that enough. You have to give time to yourself, and that's not being selfish. If you don't do that, then you will discombobulate, and you cannot help anybody. You have to create balance by making time for yourself and seeing what your priorities are, because different people have different priorities. You need to give time to your priority of what you want to become, who you want to be, whether that's professionally, family, or a combination of both. Spiritually is also very important, regardless of what you call spiritually. Just connecting with that inner force within you has helped me move forward, even when things are difficult. It helps me give my 100% and then let go. Working on that spirituality to get you to that level where you can actually let go is very important.