Yadira Enriquez is the CFO of Enriquez Produce Inc., a wholesale produce distribution company founded by Pablo and Agustina Enriquez, her parents, in 1989.

She is proud to have grown up in Pilsen because her upbringing offered a unique perspective of the resilience and grit of the Mexican community in Chicago. This gave her foundational values ​​she carries today, committed to development and growth not only for herself but for those around her, for the organization and, most importantly, for her team.

As a first-generation Latina, Enriquez understands that it takes boundless dedication, sound work ethics, persistence and resourcefulness to grow a company into a successful organization. Seeing her parents start with an outdoor food stand in the Maxwell Street Market and now leading a company with over 79,000 square feet of space was the best education in entrepreneurship she could have received.

After living abroad for nine years and taking time to raise her three children, she rejoined the family business full-time in 2019. She brings a wealth of knowledge in human resources, team building, communication, problem solving and business management. She especially enjoys opportunities finding to build strategic partnerships in order to obtain efficiency and improved workflow.

Enriquez holds a bachelor's degree in international commerce specializing in agricultural business from ITESM (Tec de Monterrey) in Mexico, and a certification from the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Program. She is currently earning her MBA at EGADE Business School of Tec de Monterrey and is halfway through a yearlong leadership development program.

Christi Venable is an award-winning Business Owner, Organizational Leadership and Culture Change Expert and Speaker. She’s the founder of SMILE Therapy Services, a multi-million-dollar mental health agency that she managed to build from the ground up.

Over the years SMILE Therapy has developed an arsenal of workshops that speak to the needs of a diverse market and an ever-changing social climate. Some of the most sought-after topics include Leading with Effective Communication, Leveraging your Leadership Style, Mental Health Spot-Checking, Sexual Harassment, Resiliency, Self-Care and Stress Management, The Power of Patience and many more. Christi received her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University and her master’s degree from George Washington University.

Christi Venable is a National Certified Counselor, A Licensed Professional Counselor, and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.

This week Marcia is joined by Karen Laos.

Coached by her father, Karen first recognized the power of confident communication when she successfully negotiated her first flea market purchase at six years old. She now guides women to transform self-doubt into self-confidence resulting in more clients, job promotions, and negotiation wins.

With 25 years serving as C-Suite advisor and commanding coveted stages such as Google, Starbucks and NASA, Karen leads the frontline of best practices for creating results through confident communication. She guides corporations and individuals with a proven model and is known for her actionable tips and ability to build trust quickly. During her corporate career, she led a team of facilitators while traveling the globe consulting industry leaders on the seemingly soft skills that impact the bottom line.

Karen is the author of Trust Your Own Voice: Growing Your Influence Through Confident Communication, as well as the host of her highly ranked podcast, Ignite Your Confidence, equipping women to stop holding back and start taking their seat at the table. Following her lifelong dream to live in Manhattan, she rented an apartment there for the month of her 50th birthday.