Kiara Ivette Mena

I attribute my success to my childhood, I grew up as the eldest daughter to a single Mexican mother. Despite not having a lot of help and guidance, growing up surrounded by gang affiliations, disfunction, and addiction, on food stamps and government programs, I strongly believe I take after my mothers work ethic. I never saw that woman quit, she always provided for us and her family. She was always so hard on me but now I understand why. Being an older sister has also pushed me to figure out ways to break our generational curses. I work hard to achieve my dreams to show myself and my siblings that despite what we come from, it doesn’t define where we will go. We get to chose who we want to be and what path we want to take in life. I also attribute my success to the mentors and friends I’ve had along my journey, the people who gave me an opportunity,saw something in me, believed in me, and poured into me. I never forget it and I appreciate it dearly. Maintaining a positive mindset towards life and believing that there are no problems, only solutions. That perspective has helped me overcome challenges and confidently pursue opportunities. I believe that anything and everything is possible as long as we're alive and healthy. In Spanish, we have a quote that says 'para todo hay solucion menos la muerte' - there's a solution to everything but death. I'm very spiritual and grounded in faith, which is incredibly important to me. I pray every morning and put my trust in God to make things happen. I believe God is great and plays a vital role in all of this. My work ethic has also been crucial - I've learned to be the hardest worker in the room and let my work speak for itself. It's definitely been long hours and lots of hard work, but it's all worth it. At only 21 years old, I was running my own kitchen, becoming one of the youngest individuals to lead in such a demanding environment, which is a milestone I'm incredibly proud of. I also had to overcome significant challenges -I grew up as the eldest daughter to a single mother trying to beat the odds of becoming a product of my environment. I was homeless at 19, and nothing was handed to me. I had to work for everything. Living on my own in a city where my closest family member is two hours away and everyone else is in California has taught me resilience and independence. I've learned to figure out a lot of things on my own while being young. My determination and willingness to take risks, like moving from California to Texas to pursue both culinary arts management and real estate, have allowed me to continue growing both personally and professionally. Above all, I believe that with the right mindset, strong faith, and dedication, life is beautiful and everything is an opportunity to grow.

One of the best pieces of career advice I've ever received was to be the hardest worker in the room and to figure it out. I believe that if you just go in there to work hard, that eventually it really starts to show, and people start to respect you because of your work. Your work speaks for itself. This mindset has been especially important for me as a young woman in a male-dominated field like the culinary industry, where gaining respect from my older crew members has been a challenge. But when you work hard and let your work ethic shine through, people eventually come to respect you for what you do.

I would tell young women entering the industry to ask themselves: how bad do you want it? It's really you versus you. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. There will be many late nights and early mornings, tears, frustration, failures, but you have to keep going. It is also very crucial to find a mentor, to help you navigate new waters. If you put your mind to it and you smile while you do everything, everything will flow. I believe that anything is possible when you set your mind to what you truly want and are willing to work hard for it. God is great, and I'm very spiritual, so I believe that faith plays an important role. I pray every morning and put my trust in God to make things happen. But ultimately, it comes down to your determination and work ethic. When you work hard and stay positive, people will eventually respect you for your work. As a young woman, you might face challenges, especially in male-dominated fields like the culinary industry, but if you keep working hard and let your work speak for itself, you can earn that respect and succeed.

In real estate, I see many expanding opportunities for women to build successful and independent careers, especially as the industry continues to grow and evolve. I think as a young lady, you have an even bigger advantage over a man in the real estate world. In contrast, the culinary arts remain a very male-dominated field, where gaining respect and recognition can still be a significant challenge for women. One of my biggest challenges has definitely been getting my older crew to respect me because being young and being pretty can be used to a disadvantage in fields like this. But when you work hard and just go in there to work, that eventually really starts to show, and people start to respect you because of your work. Despite these barriers, I believe that persistence, skill, and confidence make it entirely possible to earn respect and thrive in the kitchen. Overall, I view both fields as spaces where women can continue breaking barriers and creating meaningful, lasting impact.

I am deeply grounded in faith, which serves as the foundation for how I live and work. I'm very spiritual, and I pray every morning, putting my trust in God to make things happen. I believe God is great and plays a vital role in everything I do. God has saved my life so many times, in return, I always knew I have to do something great and big with my life. Maintaining a positive attitude and positive mentality is also incredibly important to me. I believe that there are no problems, only solutions, and that's my mindset in everything - that's how I try to tackle my personal life and work life. In Spanish, we have a quote that says 'para todo hay solucion menos la muerte' - there's a solution to everything but death. So as long as we're alive and we're healthy, anything and everything is possible. I believe life is beautiful and everything is an opportunity to grow. Hard work and leading by example are core values for me - I strive to be the hardest worker in the room and let my work speak for itself. I also value helping others, as I financially support my family members, including my siblings, and my grandma. As a Latina, it's very common for us to economically support our families, and being able to grow in my career has allowed me to take care of the people I love.