Carmen Gloria Gorigoitia is the founder of Mundo Mujer, a powerful online/offline platform that help women acquire the tools they need to fulfill their career dreams whether that means working for themselves or for someone else.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in Valparaíso, which is one of the oldest cities in Chile and one of its most important ports. However, I grew up and got my education in Viña del Mar and I currently live in Santiago.
Regarding my job as a coach, I have studies in PNL, Mindfulness, the Eneagram, the Ontology of Language, HR and Communications among others.
You are the Executive Director of Mundo Mujer. Tell us about this organization. What do you do? What are the organization’s goals?
Mundo Mujer is a community open to all women whose main goal is to support their career and leadership development and to provide them tools to this effect. Our value add is the Communities of Women which are in-person get togethers where peers meet to exchange knowledge, experiences, success and defeat, as well as to strengthen self leadership and enrich the quality of their lives. Part of our goals is to establish partnerships with Latinamerican organizations in order to contribute to the development of women around the world.
How did you get to this point in your career? Did you always want to have an organization like this one?
After a career as a successful executive where I observed in me and in women in general a lack of self-leadership tools, poor self confidence, little self-knowledge and lack of support networks, I launched this initiative. My observations moved me to action. Taking advantage of the benefits of technology I first created a website, Mundo Mujer where we propose topics that contribute to the development of Latinamerican women regardless of where they live. This digital platform is the launch pad for many in-person activities such as conversations, workshops and the program called: “Women Communities.”
What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a professional woman in Chile?
As a professional woman in Chile one of the biggest challenges I faced in the beginning of Mundo Mujer was to overcome the obstacles to make my project a reality. There’s a lot of bureaucracy, gender prejudice, lack of access to financing opportunities, and lack of support networks.
What do you find the most satisfying part of your work?
To offer my small contribution to the improvement of the quality of life and interpersonal relationships among men and women, first in the Chilean society and then in the Latinamerican society.
What advice do you have for other women who have unusual (or challenging) career goals?
To create space within their lives so they can take a pause. To pay attention and listen to their intuition, to define their dreams and above all, to be part of peer organizations where they can give and receive support.
Give us an example of how you’re currently helping other women advance professionally or fulfill their career goals?
We are currently starting a program to support entrepreneurialship for 60 women in 2 regions of Chile. It entails 8 months of free advice on how to write a Business Plan. This program will provide technical and social tools to 60 women so they can fulfill more successfully their business idea.
Could you mention one or more women who have helped you get to where you are now?
One of the women who has helped me get to where I am now is the Chilean anthropologist Patricia May. I had the chance to meet her when Mundo Mujer started and I participated in her workshops. It was thanks to the information I acquired during her programs that I started to believe more in my own project.
Another woman who has helped me get to this point is Verónica, one of my sisters. Her technological skills have been a great source of support for our platform from the very beginning.
You can connect with Carmen Gloria Gorigoitia on Twitter: @cgloriagori, on FB and Linkedin: Carmen Gloria Gorigoitia and through her blog: http://cggorigoitia.blogspot.com
