What I Learned From My Mentor

I have a mentor, not in the conventional way, but I believe I do.

Her name is Adriana Felella. I met her while I was working at Movistar in 2007. At first, she helped me express myself regarding my needs in the corporation and to how to stand out. She is an expert in Strategic Communications and although she worked by herself, she took some time to coach others.

Suddenly in 2008, Adriana became my boss and our relationship grew even stronger. I understand that mentors aren’t supposed to be your bosses, but she helped me unselfishly. Her mentoring wasn’t only focused on work, it was also focused on my skills and my quest to find my passion, even if it meant it wasn’t inside Movistar. She also helped me balance my personal life and take action with things that were pulling me back.

One of the greatest things I remember she helped me with was to clear my mind with social pressure, since I was haunted by one question:

What is your passion?

My father, my brother, and every article I read asked me this, that I had focus on that area in order to be happy with my job. And I could not think of one thing. I could not describe what my passion was because I always thought I was passionate about many things and they weren’t specific things or industries.

But Adriana told me:

“Maybe you are thinking about the question in the wrong way… maybe its not what thing or industry you are passionate about. Your passion could be a task, a service…something that makes you happy to do. Your brother is passionate about video games, so he funded a video game company. You are passionate about helping people, you are passionate about making things happen, so that expands your vision…you don’t have to focus, you are very lucky – you can do what you love anywhere.”

Her words helped me free my mind! It didn’t answer the question specifically, but it helped me stop thinking about the pressure and I just started making things happen.

As part of the founding team at Idea.me, the Latin American crowd funding platform, my drive was set on “Helping others to make things happen.” I can see why my fire was so turned on to this.

Recently, I started working at Bepots, a new platform where consumers concerned with planet health will be able to seek products that are recyclable, know which ones aren’t, and share their experiences with companies around environmental issues. I’m planning to do the same thing here: put ideas on the move, make people take action, fight against what they think is wrong, and make a revolution!

Adriana left Argentina and now lives in the Dominican Republic and Miami, where she raises her family. We don’t talk as often, but every time she is in Buenos Aires, we meet and have long talks about everything. She knows me, when I’m in need or conflicted by work, I can always come to her. She always steps up to help me clear my thoughts.

I don’t “officially” mentor anyone yet, but I look forward to expand some new relationships I’ve been harvesting the past few months. Hopefully, my experience can help others in their life’s mission.

Follow Lucila on Twitter @durusb