Claudia Cardozo, the Community Development Manager at Coastway Community Bank and

President of her own consulting company, Cardozo Coaching, was the guest of today’s Hope Life Skills class.

Claudia shares her story of ‘fearless’ focus and resilience in overcoming obstacles for success.

Marianella Galan Jimenez was today’s class host.

Marianella welcomes Claudia to her Hope Life Skills class and exchanges business cards in the process as students await her introduction inside the classroom.

Marianella introduces Claudia to her classmates prior to the start of today’s class.

Following Marianella’s introduction, Mariana Guerrero Pimental welcomes Claudia to class with a firm handshake, eye contact, smile and ‘thank you for coming to our class’.

Jessicalicz Carrasquillo also welcomes Claudia with her own confident, welcoming and respectful introduction and greeting.

Claudia begins her inspirational story with the day her mother dropped her off at a foster care facility run by nuns in her native Colombia when she was 10 years old because her mother was too poor to keep her.

Claudia shared the story of her childhood with our class.  “My mother was a maid in Colombia.  Being a maid in Colombia was not like being a maid in America.  We were extremely poor.  But, I was still devastated when my mother gave me to the nuns at the foster home.

I felt abandoned.  I was angry.

I ended up staying there until I was seventeen.”

Claudia explained she got married soon after leaving the foster care home to a successful man and started a family.  “But, I wasn’t happy.  My husband wanted me to stay home. I felt like he thought that’s all I was good for.  I really thought I could and wanted to be more.  So,

I made a very difficult decision

to leave my husband and daughter to go to America to fulfill my dreams of being more.  Within three years, once I had a job and started my journey to even greater success, my daughter joined me in the United States.”

Claudia then spoke about her personal brand and the value of networking.

“I was always aware of how people perceived me.  It’s why today I am focused on the attitude I display in public.   I try to have a positive personality.

I am always aware of the powerful messages body language sends to others.  

Even our posture; the way we sit at a desk and how we walk, sends messages.  When you sit erect, walk with your head high and you greet people the way you do in this class with good eye contact, a smile, firm handshake and a polite greeting, you create a good brand to be perceived by others!”

“Some of the best opportunities I’ve had in my life have come from my network. 

And, one of the people in my network has become a lifelong mentor!” Claudia said.

The class then shared their perceptions of Claudia Cardozo’s brand.  “Professional.  Humble.  Smart.  Hard working.  Successful.  Kind……..

Today’s class concluded with our regular networking time for students to ‘thank‘ Claudia for her appearance, exchange business cards to possibly continue the conversation at a later date.

Yaire Marquina exchanges business cards with Claudia at the conclusion of today’s class as Ianique Imboque awaits to do the same.

From left to right – Francisco Gonzalez, Marianella Gulan Jimenez, Claudia Cardozo and Walter Jimenez. I suspect this photograph could become very valuable soon with these 4 fearless, focused people.