Her Story
About Paulina
I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit and been a self-starter - I don't need someone looking over my shoulder to tell me to do my work. I was brought up by a single mother who owned her own business, an art supply store in Montclair, New Jersey, for over 35 years. Growing up, I helped her in the store, showing customers art supplies, testing new products, and creating artwork to show people what was possible. My mom would take on side projects like stage props and sign work, and she was constantly working to provide for my family. That drive and passion has been instilled in me, and I try to take every opportunity as an opportunity to learn and apply that to my life. In everything I've done, I always try to learn everything I can about what I'm doing so that I can lead and teach other people. I believe that anyone can learn a new thing as long as you have accountability, responsibility, patience, and discipline. For me, it's not just about women, it's about everybody and helping people. I don't feel like I'm successful unless I'm helping other people become successful too - I really believe in paying it forward. Human connection and helping people is what powers me. I'm very creative and a bit of an artist like my mom. In my free time, I love to go thrifting, make clothes on my sewing machine for me and my friends, read, dance, and swim at the beach a few times a week. I'm always adaptable and resilient and take opportunities as I see them. Right now, I'm going through a life change and transitioning my focus toward things I'm more passionate about, including animal-fueled therapy with my service dog Grace, petition work and canvassing, and potentially fundraising for the World Humane for Animals.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Paulina
01What do you attribute your success to?
What powers me is human connection and helping people. It's not just about women for me, it's about everybody. I believe that anyone can learn a new thing as long as you have accountability, responsibility, patience, and discipline. In everything I've done in my life, I always try and learn everything I can about what I'm doing so that I can lead and also teach other people and train them. I was brought up by a single mother that owned her own business, and I saw how much time and energy that she put into things and how she reaped the benefits from it. I've just always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I'm a self-starter and don't need to have someone looking over my shoulder to tell me to do my work. All those attributes have made me very successful in every effort that I've taken on, and I just really believe in paying it forward. I don't feel like if I'm successful, that I'm successful unless I'm helping other people become successful too.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
When you're first starting out, you need to be confident and not be determined by or get involved with people that are in the industry just because they're male. Usually when you're in college, sometimes people in higher-up positions might try and take advantage of you because you're green. I would just say keep work and personal life separate. Don't let anything hold you back from seeing the opportunity on your own without having to be involved with someone that's higher up.
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