I’m Linnette Sabater. A 25-year-old woman raised and residing in Miami, FL with a huge passion for empowering women and helping them reach their goals. I’m the founder and CEO of She’s Audaz. A new brand on Instagram with the mission to help women and little girls embrace their authenticity no matter how unconventional it may seem to others.
I started this business because of my own personal experiences as a young girl, then as a college student, and now as a professional woman. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to pursue a career in STEM and anytime anyone would learn that about me, I’d get backhanded compliments like “you must enjoy being the only girl in all of your classes.” I grew up in a household where I was constantly told that there was nothing I couldn’t do so having to operate in a male-dominated industry was an adjustment, to say the least.
My goal is to use my own experiences to help other women navigate. If I could encourage just one woman to feel confident in walking into a room and being able to say “hey, yeah you know what? I am a woman. I’m someone’s mother, someone’s daughter, someone’s wife or partner, but apart from all of those things I’m also an entrepreneur or an attorney or an engineer or a model, a teacher, an author.” Whatever it is that identifies her!
‘’I’m also working on handwriting practice books where little girls will learn about words such as brave, independent, outspoken, fearless and audacious with the hopes of teaching them how to identify and refer to themselves starting at a young age.’’
Can you tell us something about your background?
I identify as an Afro Latina being that I was born in the United States, but both my parents are originally from the Dominican Republic. At a very young age, I became interested in all areas of technology and that interest never faded. As a teenager, I secured internships where I developed more technical skills and then as a college freshman I quickly declared my majors. I have a bachelor’s degree in information technology, a specialization in cybersecurity engineering, a minor in criminal justice, and a master’s degree in global strategic communications. As a young girl, later a teenager, then a college student, and now as a professional, I have continuously found myself in male-dominated atmospheres that weren’t always the easiest to navigate. I had to first learn about myself in order to be able to develop strategies that worked for me so that I could thrive no matter where I found myself. Through that adversity though, I’ve found my authenticity, implemented life changes, began to excel, and meet several of my life goals. Some of them include completing rigorous academic programs, building my career, starting the She’s Audaz brand, purchasing real estate, and achieving financial literacy all by the age of 24. I have now found purpose in being a resource to the women and young girls around me. I have found my calling in helping them also find their authenticity, work through the difficulties of male-dominated atmospheres, and begin making decisions/changes that will put them in better positions to meet their individual goals. And so, here I am – my name is Linnette Sabater, a mentor, a resource, an advocate, and a woman looking to empower & be inspired.
What was your thought process behind starting She’s Audaz?
First off let me explain the name since it is both English and Spanish. She’s being the part in English and Audaz being the part in Spanish which means audacious. I did it this way because both languages are equal parts of my identity as an Afro-Latina. I started She’s Audaz from my own personal experiences as a young woman operating in a male-dominated field. Anytime that anyone would ask me “hey what are you studying” or “hey what are you looking to be when you graduate” and I would go ahead and tell them, instantly I would receive all kinds of backhanded compliments that always insinuated how strange it was for me to be an engineering student or how strange it was for a young woman like myself to pursue what they considered a “difficult field of study.” People would ask me if I was the only girl in my classes, if I would mind working around men forever, and if my boyfriend is ever worried about how much time I spent around guys. Those kinds of comments never sat well with my spirit because I felt as though they doubted my abilities because of my gender. I grew up in a household where I was always told that there was nothing that I couldn’t do and so to constantly hear people question my choices because of gender standards set by society really bothered me. And so fast forward a few years, I finally found the courage to start She’s Audaz which is a brand tailored to empowering women and young girls to live in their authenticity. It’s a brand meant to encourage us to walk into any room and educate people by proudly being able to say yes, I am a woman. I’m someone’s daughter, I’m someone’s wife or partner, I’m someone’s mother, but I’m also a doctor, an attorney, an engineer, an analyst, a nurse, a model, an author, an influencer, a teacher, whatever it is that identifies them. Audacious means bold, daring, fearless, brave, courageous, heroic, and dynamic – all of the things that represent the women who identify through our She’s Audaz brand.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career?
So as I mentioned before I have degrees in the areas of information technology, cybersecurity engineering, and global strategic communications. I have been working since the age of 15 when I began my first internship which solidified my love for the technology field. That internship eventually became an official job where I worked as a Program Associate for a medical contracting company. I later began college and took a student assistant position while completing my studies. Throughout the course of my years at the university, I held several different administrative positions. In addition to being CEO of She’s Audaz, I work full-time as a Prospect Research Analyst at Florida International University, my alma mater. In my role, I research and synthesize large amounts of information to create research profiles on prospects, I retrieve and analyze data to conduct quality control practices, ensure data integrity and capture metrics, as well as manage all processes associated with relationship management. I love what I currently do, but my ultimate life goal is to build out the She’s Audaz brand and continue working as an analyst in some areas of the federal government.
What have been some of your greatest stories involving She’s Audaz?
Our brand is extremely new. Although the idea behind it has been brewing for about 5 years, it was officially launched in March of 2022. Even in our young age, I would say that the greatest story for me is the overwhelming support and appreciation I’ve received from women who have reached out to share how much our weekly empowerment messages have helped them and how much our mission resonates with them. That for me is always the most rewarding thing to hear because as a business owner, you don’t ever really know how your ideas are going to be received and so to hear from women who believe that what we’re doing is so necessary not only for them but for little girls growing up in today’s society is always something that fills me with so much happiness.
What aspects of your education and training have been most crucial to your success? Give us some examples of the day-to-day processes as an entrepreneur.
I believe that all aspects of not only my education but also my professional work experience have been crucial to my accomplishments thus far. Beginning to work at such a young age taught me responsibility and a proper work ethic. Working full-time while completing my college studies taught me how to manage stress and improve my time management. While working on my master’s degree, we were living through a global pandemic, my partner and I were in the process of purchasing our first home, and I had my most demanding job to date, so that entire process taught me how to set boundaries, how to find ways to stay motivated, how to remain patient, and overall how to stay grounded and positive through my faith. These are all crucial elements of my success and are things I implement into my day-to-day as the CEO of a new brand and as a full-time professional.
What are you working on currently and why?
She’s Audaz has so many exciting projects on the way. We are working on launching our website so that all our amazing ladies can find out about and keep up with all our different initiatives. We are working on our clothing line which will consist of She’s Audaz gear that represents resilient women who identify as being audacious! We will also be launching our She’s Audaz tees which will be customized to different professions for our working ladies. We’ll have tees with phrases like “She’s an entrepreneur,” “She’s a doctor,” etc. to help educate those around us. My favorite project though is our handwriting practice book! This book will allow our girls to practice their handwriting as they would in school, but it will also teach them the meaning and spelling of words like brave, courageous, authentic, independent, outspoken, valued, strong, fearless, and of course audacious with the hopes that these girls will learn these words at a young age and continue identifying through them as they get older.
How did you find your first client?
This is such an interesting question. I have always been described as independent and extremely headstrong so it won’t come as a surprise to know that I have always been very outspoken. These traits translate into my advocacy and mentorship because it is something I’ve been doing my entire life without ever even realizing it. I have always been the friend, the cousin, the classmate, the coworker that people naturally come to in need of advice or orientation. For whatever reason, that has just always been part of who I am so I could never truly identify a “client” since I’ve never looked at anyone that way. I will say that after launching She’s Audaz, one of the first people to reach out regarding mentorship was someone who heard about our brand through word of mouth. She was speaking to someone about the issues her daughter had been having and that person suggested following our page on Instagram. This “client” felt that our empowerment messages were exactly what her daughter needed and so she reached out for 1×1 mentorship which we are working on now!
Share with us some tips on how to become a happier and healthier person.
I actually shared this via an Instagram story just a few weeks back. These three tips are things that I myself have implemented in my life so I can personally attest to the difference they will make in yours.
#1 – Stop comparing yourself to other people. Stop comparing yourself to other women, to other girls, to people your age. Life is going to take each of us through our own path, our own journeys so it is absolutely okay to find yourself in different stages from others around you. You have a distinctive purpose and in due time, at your own pace, you will find yourself exactly where you need to be! You need to make goals that align with the things you’d like to accomplish in your own life and then work to progress toward those goals as opposed to trying to do what you see others doing.
#2 – Don’t hold back your emotions. Now with this, I don’t mean run around spewing anger. What I mean is, don’t be afraid to express how you feel in certain situations because you think it’s more important to protect or control the reactions of the other person. If someone hurts you or upsets you, you need to be able to release some of that emotion – in a healthy way as opposed to bottling things in.
#3 Don’t keep people around who no longer have a place in your life. Sometimes there are people who are only meant to serve seasons in our lives, but now – life has taken you through different paths where this person is no longer serving a purpose in your life. Protect your peace at all costs. Everyone is not your enemy but everyone also doesn’t deserve immediate access to you.
What tips do you have for those who want to renew their life as in a new job, moving, etc?
I would tell them to go for it. To set their goals and to stick to them. To make any necessary changes and to ask questions! If you know someone who’s gone through what you’re trying to do, ask them! If you have doubts about a new job and you’re given a point of contact, bring it up to them! So many people miss out on amazing opportunities because they’re too afraid to take a leap of faith or to work through their own doubts. You need to seize the moment because most opportunities don’t come around twice.
Who have been your own biggest mentors and what is the best advice they have ever given you?
Without a doubt, my parents. I believe that my upbringing has a lot to do with what I’ve been able to complete in life so far. I grew up in a household where encouragement led the way. I was enabled to take risks and to fully complete all the things I started. I was pushed into independence and pushed into making my own mistakes. I was very rarely babied or sheltered. My parents were always there in the event that I needed them, but at the same time I was given the necessary space to grow individually and to make my own mistakes. I know that my grit and fortitude stems from the confidence that was placed in me from such a young age. If I had an idea, I was encouraged to run with it. If things didn’t work out, I was pushed to try again. If something wasn’t going my way, I was reassured that my time would come. If adversity hit, I was constantly reminded that those obstacles were only meant to strengthen me and help me grow. If I had learned something new, I was always encouraged to help and teach others. This mindset has carried me through every issue, every milestone, and every bit of success I’ve had in life.
How do you think modern women can be more fulfilled in their lives?
I think all women can be more fulfilled in life if they choose to live in their authenticity. Show up every day unapologetically as yourself! It’s never your job to appease everyone around you. It’s your job to remain true to you and when you do that, you will feel gratified and content. When you are content, you are confident and there is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman.
Fulfilled women rub off on those around them and impact their lives. Even if you don’t know it, there is someone looking to you for inspiration. Show up for them every day & remember that empowered women, empower women!
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