Meet Jefa: Jessa Mckinnis-Godsin - Jessa Mckinnis Consulting

Discover the inspiring stories of Latina leaders in business and education with our special guest, Jessa Mckinnis-Godsin. As a first-generation college graduate and Gallup certified strengths coach, Jessa shares her unique journey navigating the professional world as a Latina. She reveals how her passion for salsa dancing informs her unique leadership style, creating the innovative Salsaeando Experience to empower new managers through a strengths-based mindset. Alongside Jessa, we explore the challenges and opportunities faced by underrepresented groups in business and how embracing one's cultural identity can lead to personal and professional fulfillment.

Meet Jessa Mckinnis, a trailblazer who reflects on the impact of her name on her life’s opportunities. With a master's degree in a field where few Latinas venture, she underscores the transformative power of education. Jessa is committed to guiding individuals, especially within the Latina community, in discovering their strengths using tools like the Gallup assessment. Drawing parallels between her experiences in salsa dance and leadership, she illustrates how effective leading and following create harmony both on the dance floor and in professional settings.

Uncover the power of recognizing and leveraging individual strengths for success with insights into the CliftonStrengths assessment tool. We discuss its origins and unique focus on identifying personal talents that contribute to success. The conversation highlights how understanding one's strengths can enhance communication and build strong connections, comparing CliftonStrengths with other personality assessments. Through personal stories and practical advice, this episode aims to inspire listeners to embrace their natural talents, create fulfilling lives, and leverage their unique gifts for both personal and professional growth.

Transcript

Empowering Latina Leaders in Business

Kita Zuleta 0:00

Hi , Jefas , welcome back to the Cafecito con Jefas podcast . I'm your host , gita Zuleta , a brand strategist , jefa coach and photographer in LA . It's season two and , whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out , this season is packed with powerful conversations , actionable strategies and the realness that Cafecito con Jefas is known for . My jefa journey has been anything but linear . I've pursued entrepreneurship in many forms over the past 15 years and I'm excited to share my knowledge and use this podcast to host conversations about real life and entrepreneurship , aka Hefa life . While our paths may vary , the emotions and experiences we share unite us . We're all the same , same but different . So grab your favorite mug , pour yourself a cafecito and get cozy , because these conversations will ignite your passion , spark creativity , elevate your thinking and fuel your determination . I see you , jefa . Keep going . Welcome to the Cafecito con Jefas podcast . Hi Jefas , welcome back to the Cafecito con Jefas podcast . I'm your host , Kita Zuleta .

Kita Zuleta 1:05

Today I am here so excited to interview and have y'all get to know Jessa Mckinnis-Godson She is a first generation college graduate and the first in her family to get a master's degree . She has 13 plus years of experience in management and leadership in retail and higher education . She's also a Gallup certified strengths coach and her hobbies include reading and hanging out with her husband . Her favorite way to get active and be social is by going to salsa and bachata social dances and taking classes with Salsa with Jo group in Denton , texas . Hi Jessa , how are you doing today , I'm good , how are you ?

Kita Zuleta 1:49

I'm so good . I'm so excited for our conversation today and for your to get to know you . So I know I gave you a formal bio , but I'd love for you to introduce yourself and share a little bit of who you are , what you do , who you serve and where you're located .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 2:06

Absolutely so . Hi , folks , my name is Jessa . I am founder and principal consultant of Consulting . I am , as I said , first-generation Latina , in terms of a college graduate . I'm third-generation American , though , so Spanish is a little difficult for me sometimes , but that's okay . It doesn't mean that my Latinidad is any less than anyone else's . I have to remind myself of that all the time .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 2:29

I am a leadership consultant . Like I said , I manage a lot of people . I've managed them for a really long time . I've been in management since I was about 22 years old and I've been able to take those experiences and and really make them work for different types of folks . I was able to be Gallup certified a few years ago and that really helped push my way of managing in a coaching type situation where I have to ask questions and walk alongside people . That really helped . And then recently , when I started JMC it was just easier to call it the acronym for me .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 3:05

When I started JMC , I really wanted to focus in on that manager , that intro manager training that we don't get often . Usually , when managing folks , it comes through of oh you're really good at this thing , now go teach other people how to do what you do , but there's no training on how do I translate what I do . So that was my focus came from . And then I moved to specifically Latinas when I realized and recognized that we are the most underserved or underrepresented in the C suite and pretty much all areas of business from jump . We do not have as much of the population in that one , for whatever reason affinity , bias or anything like that . We just not . And really trying to hone in what that looks like for Latinas , for small business owners as well , because , again , when you have an idea and you're the only person doing it , that's great , but if you want to scale , you have to bring on people , and that means a different type of thing is needed from you , a people management is needed from you .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 4:13

And then also first-generation college students , because when you're first-gen , you're always first-gen , and that's something that has stuck with me since I heard it and it makes sense and explains so much of what happens . When you're first gen , you're always first gen , whether that's first gen American , first gen , you know just , you came from another country , you were an immigrant yourself , but now you're navigating as a younger person , something for maybe your family , but even just going to school and graduating and having different problems than other people . So who do you look towards to help you navigate life when you're different than your family , potentially because of the experiences that you had ? So a lot of those folks that's who I do one-on-one consulting with and I use a strength-based mindset to do that . So we're looking at what people are good at versus what they're weak in or they need to develop in , because that'll help you , that'll survive , you won't fail , but let's get you to thriving .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 5:06

What I've also done is taken my love of salsa and bachata dancing and I've created a workshop called the Salsa Yondo Experience . It's a leadership workshop where we literally go through kind of the concepts of some dancing and we translate that to how you would manage in your business with your people or future people , and that just makes it super fun and engaging and that should be coming out soon . So listen up for more information on that one , because this is the first time I'm putting it out there that it's happening , but it's been an idea of mine for a really long time to do that as an extra workshop besides strengths , it's dance .

Kita Zuleta 5:41

Yeah , I love it . There's so much there and there's so much that we can pull from , and I'm sure we'll touch base as we go through the interview on all of those things . But one of the things that I wanted to start out with is ask you about specifically pursuing your HEFA journey right , your entrepreneurship journey right , and so we talk about the management that you've been doing and how now you're translating that into your consulting business .

Kita Zuleta 6:08

So , when it comes to your business , I'd love to know what motivated you to start , how long you have been doing it and telling us a story behind what got you where you're at now .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 6:18

Absolutely . So I do have a full-time job , I work in higher ed as well and , as I said in the bio stuff , and I am the highest , one of the highest ranking Latinas that I know of in the institution . I say that I know of because I don't know everybody . I'll tell you that much right now in my division . I'm one of the highest ranking Latinas in the division and we have we're a fairly large division um in in the institution . So knowing that I'm one of the highest ranking Latinas there , I can even say overall Latinos like everybody , men and women um in my department I am the highest ranking Latina , for sure , and I'm upper management I would . I'm not like super upper the management , but I'm generally a good level on that one . And then , across the board , though , I'm seeing a lot of men , whether it be white men , black men , latinos still men who are leading some of the other departments in our area , or white women , which fantastic . I'm glad that it's a woman , but I don't see other people like me . We have one again that I know of . Her identity is Latina , because I know there's maybe folks who just don't know their identities completely . They don't present as Latino as an assistant vice president , I believe , and she doesn't even work on my campus and so that's really hard when I don't see us . So that's background . I didn't see anybody who looked like me in leadership , so then I was like , all right , cool , I guess I'm going into leadership because who else is going to do it ? Someone has to .

Empowering Latina Women Through Education

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 7:55

Then , moving forward , realizing I wanted to share these gifts that I've been blessed to have , I also realized that my name does not sound Latina . Jessa Mckinnis is the name I was born with . It's the name that I've had through school , it's the name that I was able to go to college with , and I thought it was a unique thing . I thought it was funny . Let's be real . I thought it was funny when I was a child and someone would say roll first day of school , , they're not expecting somebody who's nice and tan from a whole summer of being outside , because that's what we did you go to the river , we were out . I'm an outside person when it comes to river things , not other things . Um , so it was lovely , tan , darker . So expecting not somebody who looked like me to answer to Jessa Mckinnis uh , I thought it was funny . I was like uh-huh , he , he type of thing .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 8:46

And now I'm realizing , oh , that means that my name got me into a lot of places , that it may not have gotten other people into places and I should really give back . I should really be able to give that to someone else who may not have had the ability to go to school , who didn't have the ability to find the jobs that I found at school , to maybe just school wasn't their thing . That's a whole different conversation . And then also they weren't able to finish . Something happened Life happens so they didn't get to have a master's .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 9:19

I was blessed to have a master's degree , which is , I'm only now 5% of Latinas who have master's . When I graduated it was only 3% . So that's still a very small number of Latinas in the country that have this degree and can say , yes , I have it because I think harp on education , because education is they can't take it away . They can't take what you've earned and what you've done and the hard work that you've put into this . They can't take it from you . They can take a lot of things from you . They can't take that earned degree . So let's get it , let's have those letters behind your name . I'm a proponent of it , for sure .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 9:56

So when I realized that not everyone had this opportunity and that I was blessed with the ability to have a name , that got me into places that other people's names didn't get them into , let's give back . So about a year and a couple months ago I'd been thinking about it for a really long time of like I want to do this for other people . It was just strengths at first , because that's what I was certified into . I was like I want to do strengths , I want to tell people . I love when people find things out , find things out about themselves . That is like it clicks , that aha moment , like ah , you see me , you get me in retail . It's when you find the right bag or you find the right pair of jeans or the right shirt that you're just like I feel myself . This is great . It's like it's you light up right when you can , when I can show , tell somebody about their strengths and this I'm using the Gallup certified portion of things I'm like I see who you are in this assessment because you you take it , you give it the answers and it shoots you back Just the analysis of it , of the answers you gave , when it says , oh , I do like doing that thing .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 11:00

I do find joy in meeting other people . I do find joy in being able to connect with somebody or get the information or find all these ideas , and it's like that's a good thing . I was like , yeah , it's a good thing , it's what's going to make you successful . Now , how are we going to talk about it ? So that's where it started . I wanted to be able to give that to somebody and then it turned into , okay , who's my audience and who do I want to serve ? And I was like , well , let's serve Latinas , because we don't get that much . We're not the people that they think should have this in there . And then I was dancing one day . I was talking about the salsa and the experience . I was just dancing and I've had the pleasure of being able to be an assistant instructor for a couple of months now and helping the follows .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 11:54

So I definitely play the role of a follow in most of my dancing , helping them understand how the leader should be leading through a specific turn or move . Leader should be leading through a specific turn or move and if the leader isn't giving it , don't do it for them . That's part of the dancing dynamic . And then in turn leaders which is usually men not always , but usually men are the leads in this partner work . If you don't do something , she's not going to do it , and if or she's going to take over , and then your follow is now leading from behind , and that's not the point of this . The point is to have a really great experience , to have a beautiful dance , and if she's leading as a follow , that's not what's supposed to happen here . So I got a lot of things about putting that together , taking that leadership on the dance floor and then being able to translate it Cause I started doing that with my own subordinates at my full-time job saying okay , so when you're leading , are you ensuring that all the roadblocks are out of the way of your , of your people ?

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 12:56

Do they have what they need as a follow and as an and or as a lead on the dance floor it's ? Is it safe for them to do this turn that I want them to do , or do I need to shift gears so they can do a different move , a different turn ? Or do I just do a basic ? Just keep with it right here , too many people around , it's not safe , fantastic . Again back to my subordinates at work . Do they have what they need . Is it safe for them to be doing this right now ? Is it okay that they're treading on these waters , whatever that looks like ? Are they going to get themselves in trouble too much or something ? So there's a lot there that you can translate and use and make it really fun and engaging , to teach you about , because for some people , just talking here and being talked at the whole time is not fun , whereas getting up moving , blood circulating , getting to listen to really fun music , that's super fun . So all of those things Started .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 13:49

The business said I want to do this , let's happen . And I've been able and blessed to find different communities that I can be a part of that have helped me , including Cafecito con Jefas , of course , with Gita , but also with AmigaHood and some folks places here in the Dallas area . I'm just starting to grow that network and really finding out that women are amazing . First off , they have so many ideas and experiences and it's so different than the business world I thought I needed to be a part of , because I was definitely male-centric , patriarchal . But we are not a patriarchal system all the time when it comes to this . Women don't have to follow those rules . We get to make our own , and that's been a blessing for sure .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 14:42

So where I'm at now all of that , going back to where I'm at now in this one is still doing consulting , getting um a couple of lower paid gigs , which is totally fine , my intro gigs , getting um a couple of larger ones coming up , which I'm excited about , and then also launching so say on , though , as just a workshop to do for people . Um , because it's exciting and I want to do it . I was able to do it for some middle school girls . That was intriguing . Being able to do it for them , that was really fun and it gave like that . Those jitters kind of came out of me too .

Kita Zuleta 15:27

That's amazing . There's so much there . Again with the why , which is actually our next question , so we may have touched a bit on it , but having the drive that really motivated you to start , which was seeing that there was not what you are creating out there and also wanting to serve us as an underrepresented community , I think it's just so incredibly powerful and I love the passion that you have behind promoting and sharing how important it is for us to pursue higher ed . If that's something that we're at capacity to do or able to do , like even wanting to try , it's definitely encouraging anyone who is looking to have those titles or names like Si Se Puede , let's do it and let's get in there , and I love that passion .

Kita Zuleta 16:16

I personally went to college and then , due to my learning disabilities that I was unaware of at the time , I didn't seek the support that was necessary and also in how I went to school for music education . So it was a very intense program , very music heavy program , and so they crammed a lot of classes for like one credit and so I did my first three years doing like I want to say it was like 13 classes a semester for like 15 credits , like it was like insane the amount of like music work I was doing . And so I like ended up , you know , running into like halfway through my junior year and I'm talking to my counselor and it was like , oh well , you still have all of these freshmen units that you need to do and like regular GE classes that just didn't originally fit in my schedule . So , anyways , I was still like another three years away from graduating and I was like , whoa , I can't do this .

Kita Zuleta 17:13

I started working like found , like an entrepreneurial type job and I was like , yeah , no , I'm out . It wasn't really something that ended up working for me in that season and when I did finally get diagnosed with both ADHD and dyslexia , I have now maybe like a little over two , three years ago I've had seasons of like almost grief , really losing that opportunity because had I known then what I knew now , which was glad with everything in life .

Kita Zuleta 17:45

I known then what I knew now , which was claro , with everything in life , yes , of course I would have asked for help or asked for the assistance , or X , Y , Z , right . And so I mean I now get to be surrounded by so many Jefas like yourself , you know , like even having doctoras , which is even the 1% right , and like having that , and I see that and I'm like , yes , go do it right . Like if you are at capacity , if you're able , if that is something you want , let's go for it . Because , like you said and I mean I can still be proud of the DIY education that I have immersed myself in . It's not at all like according to academia , but it is at least where my brain needed the information and wanted it and so .

Empowering Others Through Strengths and Connection

Kita Zuleta 18:24

But so I feel so deeply what you're talking about , that our education and what we know and our knowledge cannot be taken from us .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 18:32

And .

Kita Zuleta 18:32

I just I loved your passion behind that and how that's something that you are wanting to promote , and especially with finding strengths in others . I think that's such a beautiful thing and part of what I also get to do not necessarily via Gallup , but a version of that .

Kita Zuleta 18:49

I get to mirror that for the Jefas who work with me and the coaching programs and things like that , and so I love that you also get to do that for people and become a mirror and say no , no , look , this is a strength , it is something that a lot of times .

Kita Zuleta 19:05

Sometimes we're even like wait , our curiosity is a good thing , wait , our extra jitters and extra wiggles is a good thing . Right , like , sometimes we may look at those things as hangups versus something that we can actually utilize to drive forward anything that we're passionate about or wanting to work towards . So I absolutely love what you do with that , and so I wanted to have you expand a little bit more on the why behind your brand now and the mission and purpose behind what you are doing , and exactly like a bit more . I know you broke down the salciando , but just the mission behind what it is that you're hoping to provide for your people , absolutely .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 19:48

Sure .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 19:49

So the why is ? I want to share the message , the message of you can do good things . You do have strengths . Gallup is based on all positive psychology and I'm a positive person , and so it really called to me to be able to say , yes , you are valuable . Yes , everything like you as a human being are valuable because of the gifts that you bring . You can call your strengths your gifts . That's fine . That means that you have the ability to connect with somebody Fantastic . You have the ability to synthesize data really quickly in your head .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 20:26

I don't have that gift , so I find people who do , because that's easier . I don't have that ability to do this . I need more ideas . I can find you . I tell this to my staff all the time and to folks who work with me . I was like I can find you a solution . It is a workable solution . It'll probably get you to where you need to go in a manner that I can process quickly and to make it happen . It may not be the best solution . It may not be the 20 million solution . It is one solution . I'm not going to give you three . I'm going to give you one because I can make it work .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 21:00

But I have a friend of mine who has the ability to come up with many solutions and sometimes I have to be like , okay , that's too many . But also , thank you for bringing up all of these different ideas , because I wouldn't have thought about that thing that might happen in a , in a couple of months . Because of this trick , I'm not thinking that far ahead , I'm thinking about right now . We balance each other . Sometimes I have to tell him I need you to think about right now , like right this minute , what are we doing ? But other times I'm like , okay , so what's happening in three months ? Can you tell me about what ? Thank you , like , we need other people . That's another part about it . So that's a little bit about there , why I want you to do it .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 21:43

I want to tell people that they are worthy and show them how they're going to use their gifts for good things and walk alongside them as they figure out and discover how to use . This is not a counseling program , though . I'm not a counselor . I'm here to walk through your gifts and your strengths to move forward , to be successful , because everyone deserves to be successful in their own way , whatever it looks like to that person . If that means going to college and finishing it . Let's talk about some study habits . If that means starting your own business , great . Let's talk about how you're going to use your talents to do this . Oh , you don't know much about Excel or creating a process management thing . Guess what ? We're going to find someone who is , I know , a wonderful person who does this that I'm sure is a fellow Heffa . I now know this person . I could have found other people beforehand , I'm sure , but now I know this person and I'm like great , let's connect with other people . So that's the why I want to share people this .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 22:41

I want to show them that they're good things , and that's also part of the mission is to bring this to other people and to even though I feel like Gallup is a big thing , when I ask other people oh , have you ever heard of the Gallup , cliftonstrengths or StrengthsFinder , like different names that are made about , and they're like I have no idea . I was like what do you mean ? You have no idea . This is huge in , I guess , my area of the world , my little corner there , and there are Gallup certified coaches all over the world in many different languages . So if there's ever like I'm up at midnight , I'm sure there's a coach on the other side of the world who's like yep , we can have our regular standing meetings right now Because they're awake .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 23:21

So I know it's a thing , it's worldwide , this is a popular , but then I realized that folks don't have it . So my goal is to spread the word . It's like you can be successful . You can use the gifts that you have . Yes , they are worthy . Yes , they use them for good . Use them for good . This is the intention , is using for good , but you can do it . And general values is being kind , using what we can to help other people and creating lives , both for myself and for my clients , that they want to live every day , that they want to be in every day and that they're happy in whatever it is that they're going through , that it may not be the best situation , but they're still finding something about that day , that they can use those strengths .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 24:09

If that's again thinking of ideas and that brings them joy , and I'm talking joy like the internal satisfaction , joy that just fills you up to no end . That's the type of joy I'm talking about . If I had no ability to connect with human beings , I would not be a fun person . I would not be joy . I have a that's the same person that I was talking about , who has all the ideas . I'm sure if I left him in a room for a bit by himself to just analyze things , he would just be like a candy store Totally fine , love it . He would have all the ideas . It'd be fantastic . I need people , I need to build relationships with others , I need to talk to people and engage with them , even if it's the person at the grocery store or in line at a restaurant or something and just randomly start up a conversation . I love it and it gives me this internal joy .

Kita Zuleta 25:05

Oh man , I love that so much and honestly , I believe that we were built for connection , that we do need each other and to be in community which , of course , is a huge part of the mission that is CCJ and wanting to bring us together and remove the loneliness that is us pursuing our dreams from our own little corners of the world .

Kita Zuleta 25:23

But one of the things that I wanted to have you expand on is talking about Gallup specifically , because , just in case there happens to be fellow Hi-Fis in the audience that don't know what Gallup is , I'd love for you to introduce us to what is .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 25:43

Gallup Strengths ? Yep , absolutely so . Gallup Incorporated Gallup is . They're based in Omaha , nebraska . They have a lot of things out there . They've got books , they've got podcasts . They've got a lot of things there .

Discovering Strengths for Leadership Success

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 25:59

How I got into them and how I found this company was through . I think at the time it was called Strengths Finder . It's an assessment tool . It's now called Gallup Strengths for Students . I think that's the one because I did it back when I was an undergrad . I kept up with it . It's just now called Gallup Clifton Strengths because they kind of put it together . It's based in decades , like tens of decades of research .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 26:25

Don Clifton is the father of Clifton Strengths . He has now passed . I think he passed in the early 2000s , but he spent many years studying what makes CEOs successful , and what he's found and what they expanded upon are now 34 talents so I'm using some different words that might be interchangeable 34 talents that make these different CEOs successful . Not everyone was the same . They all had different talents that they brought to the table that was able , that were able to make them successful , and we've now done many research . They have a really wonderful new number of how many people have actually taken the assessment and learned about their individual strengths . It's in the millions , millions of people have done it .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 27:09

Of these , 34 , you're going to get your top five . Your top five are the ones you're going to use pretty much daily . Those are the talents you're going to use daily . My top five is developer , which means I enjoy developing other people . Man , look at that , wanting to be a consultant , it works right along there . Arranger is my second one , meaning I like finding a pathway through something to help make it more efficient . My third one is harmony . I enjoy . That means I like finding the . Not like kumbaya , everyone must get along . Harmony , that's not it , but how to find the most wins for the most amount of people to move forward . Usually in a team setting , that means I'm the one who's like all right , what's best for the group as a whole .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 27:51

My fourth one is positivity . I'm not going to , if I was to have a um , a raw talent of positivity , that's going to where you're going to run into that like toxic positivity , like no , it's , everything's going to be okay . You don't have to cry , you don't have to , it's going to be fine . No , no , no , no . Positivity is that I inherently know that things will turn out okay . It may not be great right now , but it won't be not great forever . It'll pass and I've accepted that and I know that here and then woo . Number five is woo . Woo means winning others over , which means I enjoy connecting with another person , and if you take me into a room with people , that just means I have more friends and I can talk to people that are just my friends . I'm not intimidated by coming up other people and putting like being up there on a podium conducting trainings , conducting all of those things . Part of that is also that I enjoy communicating with others . So those are in my top five .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 29:09

Taking the assessment , it's fairly simple . The differences between this assessment and maybe your Myers-Briggs if you've heard of those or the anagrams , is that this has been decades of research behind it , with millions of people having taken the same assessment , not kind of a little bit of this one or a little bit of that one , or it's based on the Myers-Briggs assessment . This is the assessment and it gives you not just a type , so it's not just like 16 types . This is Myers-Briggs . Don't get me wrong . I do have Myers-Briggs and that's really fun and interesting to learn about yourself too .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 29:45

But Gallup has the 34 and the uniqueness in which you or I would have the exact same top five , not even the full report being in the same order . I'm talking the top five that would be the same is about 33 million to one . That you and I would have the same ones in the same order , let alone having the top five in any of them , that's super rare . But having the top five in the exact same order as somebody maybe outdated data , but at least 33 million to one , that would be a thing . So that's how unique these are and why I use them more in my coaching than anything else . Honestly , because I don't know much about the other ones , but also because the data and the research that I back it is a little bit more concise and peer reviewed than others .

Kita Zuleta 30:32

Yeah , I think . Thank you for that breakdown and there's so many , like you mentioned , other versions of personality tests or ways to get to know yourself and to learn about yourself and I truly believe , I feel like they each have a purpose and they are driven by different data and different data points , that they're quite literally trying to create these definitions for us ?

Kita Zuleta 30:57

Absolutely , but I think when it comes to the CliftonStrengths , which is how I knew what is now Gallup , is very much so catered to that leadership role , and so I feel like , especially in the business world , for us as headmasters- right Like being able to define the skill sets , because I feel , like with the other ones , even like with Enneagram or you know all the different types of ways to identify and allocate parts of our personality and who we are .

Kita Zuleta 31:30

You know , like even people going into human design , and all the different ways to be able to say like , oh well , this is a defining aspect of who I am and also explains why , right , like I feel like when it comes to the CliftonStrengths , it is very much so . The things that you mentioned are characteristics , right , and , like you said , there's 34 , so you probably have levels of the majority of them , right , but being able to categorize and look at your strengths when it comes to being a leader , when it comes to being a business entrepreneur right .

Kita Zuleta 32:08

Being able to know how to communicate with others and how to make those connections , and I feel like that's where this tool and all of them can be applied in that manner , because they can when used with that mindset , but I feel like that's a big part of the development in this specific test and the research and data that's come out of it .

Kita Zuleta 32:29

It's very leadership based and also was developed with , like you said , the C-suite in mind . So it was . It came from a level of people that may or may not look like us or started looking like us , but it's where it's that finding that information and getting the information that we may not typically be or have accessible to us , but being able to say yo , we get to know what our strengths are , too , and we get to apply that to whatever pursuit we are doing .

Kita Zuleta 33:02

And so if you have not already tried or taken this test , I know I took it . I want to say almost like 15 , 20 years ago now , so it's been a long time . I don't have my top five memorized . Years ago now , so it's been a long time I don't have my top five memorized , but it is something that I'm like oh man , I should take this assessment again .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 33:20

Before you purchase it on your own , please let me know so that we can . Please don't do it on your own . Talk to me first . That'd be good . Cool Discount of some sort , that'd be good , okay , yeah , yeah , yeah .

Kita Zuleta 33:50

So , but I mean , I feel like , and , fellow helpers , now you know where you can get . Yeah , yeah , these are the skills you already have , these are the strengths you've already developed . Now it's let's take these into action and be able to own the skills that we have and say , okay , cool , now action . How are we going to apply it ? How are we going to be able to do it ? And I'm sure that is a part of what you do quite literally the whole thing , absolutely .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 34:10

You know it's exactly that's it . It's not just how are you going to be successful , it's about how you're going to be successful in leadership as the owner and CEO of your own company . But then also , how are you going to manage other people ? How do you work with other people ? That's a big one . I'm doing a session here soon with a team that does not have a manager yet and they're doing it as a team together because they know that they need to get it together , basically as a unit , and I was reached out to by one of the team members and she's like ah , we don't jive , we don't jive . And I was like , oh okay , let's talk about it . What does this look like ? And knowing what you can get really good at will save you so much time than trying to force yourself to learn something that it's not going to work .

Leveraging Natural Talents for Success

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 35:04

There's an example and it's a pretty well-known activity called the handwriting activity that we do and I ask folks to get out a writing utensil with your dominant hand and I tell them to write your name five times fast , like quick , quick , quick . Make it quick . Now put it into the other hand . If you have an extra . This doesn't work for you . But if you're , it just doesn't Because , then you're like oh okay , I can do it too . Put it in the other hand Now . Write your name five times fast .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 35:28

As fast as you can no-transcript , and then maybe I'll do it . But how much practice would you need to do Versus if I said , hey , I need you to learn this skill of calligraphy with your dominant hand . How much easier would that be ? And they're like oh , yeah , I could learn that , Like that's , that sounds like a much easier task to do . Yeah , because you naturally have a talent in one hand over another , and how you process information and how you write , that is a talent , that's a natural skill . Just like if I were to ask somebody hey , I need you to go give a 200-person seminar right now to somebody who's not able to be , who has no desire , no , nothing , no inner drive to do that . They're going to be like I might one day be able to do the thing , but not today and not tomorrow and maybe not next week , but one day possibly .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 36:44

So it's about finding those things that you're naturally good at , maximizing those things that you're naturally good at , and everything else will kind of come . It'll come If there's a talent , it's a skill that you have to learn for your job . Okay , we can work on that skill . Again , you won't fail . We're not going to fail . But we're not trying to just prevent failure . I'm trying to get you to thrive and by looking at the natural talents that you already have and saying let's make these better . You're going to make them better faster than I've . You said , oh , but I'm really weak in this part . It's an opportunity for growth . Okay , we can continue taking the same amount of time and you'll move up a little bit . Or I could do this and be like we're going to move up so much faster , so much farther .

Kita Zuleta 37:30

Yeah , and it just , I believe , puts you in the driver's seat of your skill set , like just being able to say you know what , and also owning those aspects of like that is not my strong suit , that is not my superpower , right , like and that's okay . Let's go find somebody who does have that superpower Absolutely and as a team , collectively , we get farther together and so being able to know where we do have superpowers and where other people , like I like to give the you know like , oh , I'm totally going to butcher this because I'm not like I don't have all of the verbiage , but like I think of the Marvel Avengers , there's like each superhero has a very specific superpower . They're all strong , they're all super , but quite literally they're not going to go send the Hulk to have to go through all the little laser beams because a homeboy can't Hulk smash . That's what he does . Hulk smash . You go , and you go to specific ones , or you choose and pull the right superpower in order to be able to lead that specific mission .

Kita Zuleta 38:41

Problem X , y , z , and that's the same type of thing that we can do when it comes to even our business . When we know what our superpower is , we get to drive in that aspect . And then , once we're at capacity , once we're able to hire anybody on or maybe even collaborate or bring team members on , we then know like okay , great Excel spreadsheet , go Inbox zero , go Like whatever needs to happen you get to fill in those gaps , because , long term , as business owners , let's be real we're not going to be able to grow to the levels we want to grow the way that we envision it .

Kita Zuleta 39:17

No , that's just , it's not going to happen . It's just what it is . It's absolutely not . We can be doing this forever and it's not going to be just us , and if it is going to be just us , we're going to limit our capacity . We're literally going to have a stopping point , because we are going to be doing not just our superpower , but also all the things we're not as good at , and so , therefore , things will fall through the cracks and all those things . So , in order to have that growth , the sooner we do acknowledge our strengths and the areas that we can use support in , we then can adjust , drive with our skillset and be able to delegate in those areas where it's like okay , no , this isn't our superpower , it's yours , let's go together .

Kita Zuleta 40:02

Exactly , I absolutely love that I love that so much . So now , when you think of all those things , I mean there's so much goodness here . But what piece of advice would you give a fellow jefa I know I know the deep breath always with this question and what piece of advice would you give your fellow jefa and also , and , or what piece of advice have you received ? In your entrepreneurial journey that has really helped you .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 40:34

Piece of advice I have received is that I'm trying to , I'm trying to like say it in a good , I like comprehensive way that they're lucky to have me . I was told many times that they're lucky , it's you , that that they get to interact with and they get to learn from today . And that was really empowering , like , oh , I didn't think of it that way . I just thought it was like , yeah , I'm glad I get to do this , but like , oh , they're . Oh , okay , I appreciate that and that you're exactly where you are , where you need to be . You're exactly where you need to be . It may not be where you want to be , but you're exactly where you

Clarity and Self-Discovery for Entrepreneurship

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 41:19

need to be . And that may be what I want to give to fellow Hefas as well is that you are exactly where you need to be right now , in this moment in your life and in someone else's life . And that was very much like , okay , I can take what is happening right now , continue to work on the dreams that I have , and when it's time , it's time . But I got to be ready for the time to happen , because if I'm not ready and everything happens , I'm not going to be prepared and be able to support all the goals that I have . If I were to get all the goals and dreams that I had right now , I wouldn't . I couldn't carry them , I'm not ready . And that was very humbling , which is hard to to always take . So I'm like , well , I have this . Great , I have all these things . I want to do all this stuff . It's like you , you can't do it by yourself .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 42:12

And if we're talking about strengths and being a leader , being a manager or something like that , if that's something that is a goal of a fellow Jefa or whether the independent business owner or just someone who's like , I want to scale the corporate ladder and I want to be part of that C-suite and I want to make a difference . You got to know you first before you can know anyone else . You got to know you first and that can be in a counseling method , that can be in a strengths method , that can be in your own traumas , your own triggers when it comes to this . But you got to know you and your boundaries and what you can do , the capacity at which you can work , what you're willing to give and what you want .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 42:47

If the goal and it's okay to want family , it's okay to want family , it's okay to want business , it's okay to want those things . You got to know you before you can know other people , but then you also have to know your other people , because to be a good manager , you're going to have to know how to manage each individual person to the best of their ability as well . I mean , that was a lot , but that's it . There's so many things .

Kita Zuleta 43:18

You can talk about independent owners , but you can also talk about just leaders in general . It's like you got to know you first . Oh , I mean , I think that's probably one of the biggest things that has changed I mean my life , but the trajectory of my business just in the last , I want to say maybe two or three years , because CCJ just cumplimos two years , so we're celebrating two years this week . But in the last three years really , it just so happened to be in alignment when I took on a personal brand , because prior all the years before was alongside my husband , so that

Kita Zuleta 43:51

experience was great . We always worked together as a team , but it was us together , and we are wildly different creatively , like in so many ways . But I feel like we tried to in so many ways , like water ourselves down so that we can , like you know , we would have to , like he wanted to be up here and I wanted to be down here , and so we had to meet constantly , compromise and constantly meet in the middle , just for our creative differences to be , you know , somewhere here . And we're both brand strategists , we're both photographers and he , you know , just video , like . So we do the same job , right , but we serve different people . We have different creative ventures , the way we see things .

Kita Zuleta 44:37

Literally we'll get to the same solution of a problem , but I'll go this way and he'll go this way , and then we'll land in the same place , like it's just our brains are quite literally wired differently . So then and we both have ADHD , we're both neurodivergent , we're both empaths , like so then it's just like I'm a morning person , he's a night person , I'm like literal yin and yang , and so there was something about that that really hindered our growth creatively in our business and all those things . So when I took on a personal brand and went through the brand strategy like who are you and your values and what are you going to stand for and what is your name going to be ? Like my name is Jessica . My real name is Jessica . Like how common is that ?

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 45:19

I know that for the longest time , by the way , I was like , I'm sorry , your name is what ? Yes , what are you talking about ?

Kita Zuleta 45:25

Did not know that my legal name is Jessica . It's short for Jessiquita . And the reason why I don't go with Jessiq uita is because in college , in my choir , my freshman year , there were seven . In my choir there were my freshman year there were seven Jessicas . Okay , just in choir alone . So then when you know , back then we actually gave each other numbers because we would call each other . You know , this was even before like texting .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 45:49

Oh , talking about physical phone numbers .

Kita Zuleta 45:51

Actually just actual , like how can we contact each other ? It was , you know , put your number here right . So that was back in the day , y'all , yes , before social media . Each other . It was , you know , put your number here Right . So that was back in the day , yes , before social media . And so I would tell people like okay , well , I was the only brown one . So that was like okay , jessica , jessica . And but Jessica was like really long , and so I had a friend be like you know what , I'll call you Kira , and I was like you know what I'll take it . And so it was . It worked out and it became my creative name . Bueno , here we are .

Kita Zuleta 46:16

But that journey , along with a whole lot of life events , ended up kicking off both my personal branding journey but also a really deeply healing journey for yours truly . And it became very much so where I had to learn . So much about myself , I got diagnosed and all kinds of things right . So much about myself , I got diagnosed and all kinds of things . So then all of a sudden , I went into the nerd that I am and consumed books audibly and learned the way that my brain needs to learn , and I was like yo , this is whoa , oh , that's me , oh , that's not me . And really having those epiphanies that is oh , that's what I want , oh , that's not what I want . Oh , when it comes to my business , this is the direction I want to grow .

Kita Zuleta 47:03

So much clarity came from getting to know me and needing to just on a brand side of things , define who I was going to be , what I was going to be doing , who I was going to be serving and what direction we were going . What I was going to be doing , who I was going to be serving and what direction we were going . So very much so on the professional side , but also on the personal side , this journey has been defining that much more of who I am and being able to know more of who I am definitely clarified how I can best serve others and be able to develop what is now CCJ and be able to develop what is now CCJ . But it has definitely been a big part of that reflection that is like this is how I will be able to best serve , and it's not just best for me , although it is best for me , because then I can best serve my community , my clients , because these are my superpowers . This is how I know I can do X , y Z .

Kita Zuleta 47:59

So , just like you said that knowing yourself know thyself right Like getting to know yourself , and if that's something that fellow have was listening , maybe so many of us struggle with imposter syndrome and wanting to be people pleasers or perfectionisms or comparison , like there's so much of that that happens in our community that holds us back from stepping out and showing up as our full , authentic selves , and so there's a lot of head and heart work to do there . If you're in that place where you find yourself not being yourself or being comfortable in that , know that it is a very long , deep , hard journey .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 48:40

Absolutely .

Kita Zuleta 48:41

I do want to encourage us to get to know ourselves first and foremost , and if the Gallup Strengths Test is one of the tools we can utilize to kickstart that journey , but there's so many of those get to know yourself defining moments that really help guide our entrepreneurial journey , so I absolutely love that obviously with a bit of a tangent there , but getting to know ourselves definitely helps clarify so much of what it is that we're going to be doing , moving forward , so I love that Absolutely . Thank you . Absolutely doing moving forward . So I love that Absolutely , thank

Building Community Through Coffee and Connection

Kita Zuleta 49:22

you . Now , before we wrap things up , I would like for you to share where our audience can find you online and where can they support your work and if they'd like to work with you , where can they find ?

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 49:29

you . Oh , yes , please . I would love to work with any Hefa who's like . I'm going to figure this out . Please let me know .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 49:35

Uh , you can follow me on Instagram at Justin McInnes consulting . You can also find me on LinkedIn and just make a consulting or just Justin McInnes , really LinkedIn on that one . And I also have a website , wwwjustinmckinnisconsultingcom . Uh , slash contact If you would like to send me there . You can also just send me a DM and I'll send you that . We'll start talking , don't worry , find me in that one , absolutely , to be able to say if you want to send me a direct email , it's info at justinmcannisconsultingcom , so you can just send a quick like hey , this was amazing , which is cool . Or , obviously , follow me , like all the things . That sounds great too , and please be on the lookout . In about a week , we're launching an email list to talk about some freebies , about some reflective portions of things , some journaling , and later in September , for my birthday , we'll be launching and getting a little bit of insight into what Salceando is going to be for October . So be on the lookout for those and you can find me there .

Kita Zuleta 50:35

Awesome , awesome . I know this episode will be coming out in just a few weeks , so it'll be right around the time , maybe right before that . So stay tuned , have us get to know her . I love the branding . It's all Jess McKinnis Consulting . You check her out , everything is there , jess McKinnis , you will find her , and so be sure to follow her work and support her . Now , before we completely close , there are a few rapid fire questions . They're very easy , I know , I know , I know , I promise , I promise . No need to stress , but of course you already know we are a cafecito loving community , so of course I have to ask about coffee and of course , if it's not coffee , it's tea , cualquier cosa . How do you drink your favorite drink or order it ? Mejor dicho .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 51:20

How do you ?

Kita Zuleta 51:20

order your favorite drink when you go to your local coffee tea shop .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 51:26

I would like a dirty soy chai . That means that I like a chai with soy milk and at least a shot , if not more , of espresso . It gives me a little bit of everything . That's my go-to 100% . Anytime you're like like I want to buy her something and she just needs to pick me up .

Kita Zuleta 51:43

Dirty soy chai , easy , I love dirty chais . I want to like . I need to like . Go back and do a poll , because I think there's half of the the heavens that have come . A dirty chai is on the menu for sure .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 51:57

Yeah absolutely so if you're going to have , like you know what you should do , you should have a coffee menu yeah , for everybody , and say this is what we love , based on coffee orders .

Kita Zuleta 52:09

Listen , this is , you know , in the future for sure , like futuro , futuro . But I'm manifesting it . I've manifested it out loud but the first first time on the podcast , there will be a cafecito con Jefas coffee shop , like I'm like picturing HQ , to be like a ccj disneyland , like a in-person , like co-working space , a place where you know yours truly can take pictures or have us gonna come in the corner .

Kita Zuleta 52:34

I'm over here I'm also manifesting like a soundproof , like kids room , because you know a mommy's want to work too , but then we're in a safe place , it's soundproof , everybody else can still keep working . We also have a podcast studio . I'm telling you , I'm dreaming big , it's coming . It's going to be a while till we get there , but it's coming , but I love it . We will be manifesting it here . So yes , I love that .

Kita Zuleta 52:59

I'll definitely have this market research as a favorite Jefa drinks for sure . And then this one's going to be really easy for you . What music instantly gets you dancing ?

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 53:08

Oh , honestly , more bachata than salsa , even though salsa yando is where it came from . I like the name better , but Bachata music will get me up easily . Also , cumbia is country music as well . I grew up on country , but , yes , awesome , that's what it's going to be .

Kita Zuleta 53:24

And then last , last question yeah , yeah , what book has impacted your life or you would gift to your fellow jefa ? I know this one's hard too , but For business or personal . Either Just something you would give to your fellow heffas like what would you recommend ? What book , maybe another ?

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 53:43

life hmm , maybe it's , it's a it's oh no , I'm near your time I'm looking at my bookshelf right now going . Oh no , nope , can't find it on a bookshelf quick enough to be able to tell you that , but I will send it to you so that you can put it into the information . Yeah you said maybe in another life . Maybe in another life .

Kita Zuleta 54:03

Taylor Jenkins read oh , I love her as an author . I did it . Oh I love . I haven't read this novel , but I now need to read it .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 54:11

Dual timeline of the same person . Ooh timeline of the same person and it talks about one decision , two different trajectories , and you're seeing only two different trajectories of the same timeline , and it is a way to remember that it will be okay . It may not be exactly what you wanted , it may not be what you thought it was going to be , but it's going to be okay and it's going to be great . And you're going to love it the whole way .

Kita Zuleta 54:39

Oh , I love it . I'm so excited Going in the queue now . Oh , that's exciting . Just put that in there . Yes , I already love her as an author . I hadn't seen this because I haven't gone into novels for a minute , you know . Pero , that's okay . Okay , bueno , thank you .

Kita Zuleta 54:55

Thank you so much today for sharing a glimpse into your Jefa story , telling us about Jess McKinnon's consulting and Salciando . So , Jefas , stay tuned for what's coming in September and October , for Jess McKinnon's consulting and the offerings that she'll have available for us . I am so grateful to have had you here , have you in the casita as the founding member , because y'all Jess was the first one to click the button and become a member of our casitas . I literally waited up .

Jessa Mckinnis-Godson 55:24

I got up early to make sure and I was like I'm going to do this right now . I will do this .

Kita Zuleta 55:28

My heart was like Jess , this was like the best feeling , like y'all . I'm telling you we will be talking about the casita more and more , y'all will hear about it , but I'm just honored to have you here , honored to have you as a part of this community as the founding member of the casita .

Kita Zuleta 55:46

Thank you , thank you so much . And thank you so much for tuning in to this episode and hanging out with us and getting to know your fellow jefa , jessa . Please be sure to follow her on Instagram , on LinkedIn , or check out her website at jessamckinnesconsultingcom . And until next time , Jefas , thank you for listening to the Cabecita con Jefas podcast . Well , Jefas , that's a wrap for today's episode . I hope you're leaving with fresh ideas , encouragement and inspiration to keep going . Being a jefa isn't about having it all figured out . It's about showing up , learning , growing and taking imperfect action towards your vision . Remember , jefa , you are not alone . This community is here to support you , cheer you on and celebrate your wins , because we go farther together . So let's do it scared . Pero juntas . If you enjoyed today's episode , show some love by leaving a review and sharing it with a fellow jefa , be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss the incredible stories we have in store .

Kita Zuleta 56:47

If you're looking for a place to connect and focus , join our cafecito and coworking sessions . Sign up to our email list to get those invitations directly into your inbox . Come as you are when you can and surround yourself with your fellow Jefas . I can't wait to connect with you at a future cafecito . Connect and follow along with the community on Instagram at cafecito con Jefas , and you can reach yours truly directly at lajefaquita . If you're ready to grow your brand online and looking for guidance , book a free consultation with me and together we'll develop strategies that are in alignment with the season you're in . I'd be honored to walk with you on your jefa journey . Before we go , remember that being a jefa is an ever-evolving journey . There's no rush and no finish line . There's no rush and no finish line . Just keep going . Pasito a pasito Until next time . I'm your host , kita Zuleta . Thank you for listening to this episode of the Cafecito con Jefas podcast .