Illegal Immigrant To $300m Empire: Adriana Gallardo | The Mindvalley Podcast | Ep #76

Before I bring Adriana to the stage, I got to set some context here because this is really interesting. No matter how low you think you are, okay, maybe you're unemployed, maybe you're broke. Right now in America, because of the political climate, and we're not going to get political here, the lowest of the low, the people who are having the hardest time, are the people who are So I want you to just imagine that. This is not about your political viewpoint. Let's not make it about politics. I just want you to picture what it's like to be an illegal immigrant. You came here, whether it was right or wrong, you came here because you were going through hardship in your own country, maybe drug cartels, maybe terrorism. You snuck here because you were sold the American dream. Now you don't dare leave your house because you might get arrested and sent to a prison in Ecuador, be accused of being part of a gang. All you want to do is survive. You are the lowest of the low. Americans, half of Americans at least, think you are a criminal. Now imagine someone, the lowest of the low, the illegal immigrant in America, sets an intention to completely change their life. They go from illegal immigrant to a pathway to citizenship, and then they continue upwards, and this person ends up building a $300 million business empire, $300 million plus plus in revenue. Her face is on billboards across Los Angeles and California, and more than that, she has everything set against her. She's the wrong skin color, she's the wrong gender, she speaks the wrong language. That is Adriana Gallardo. So again, I don't care about politics. We're going to keep politics aside. We're not going to address politics. What we're going to address is how powerful the human mind is and how from the shittiest, lowest situation, you can become an empire builder. Please welcome on stage, Adriana having you here, because even on the way here, I was seeing your photo at the back of buses in LA. I'm still hustling. You're still hustling. Hi, everyone. Vishen, thank you. Thank you for having me. No, thank you. I'm excited to have you here, and I'm excited for people to hear your story. The intention for this conversation, we're going to spend 20 minutes on stage together, is to show people that no matter how hard life may be for you, there's always hope. Now, Adriana, tell us about that story. You came here in the 1980s. Back in the 1980s, there was what is called revolving door immigration, so there was not really that much. The border was very fluid. People would come across Mexico, they would come to the US, then they would go back to Mexico, they would come and go, and that's really when you came in. Right now, everything is legal. People who are watching this, everything is legal. Everything is good right now. Don't send ICE officials to this event. But I want to know, what happened? Tell us that story. Sure. But before I say that, I want to say, really, thank you for having me. And also, I want to tell you guys that I manifested this moment. I wanted to be on this stage. So this is beautiful, and yes, I'm here to remind you guys of your greatness and how everything is possible. So yes, well, I was 18 years old, 1988. Oh my gosh, I just revealed my age. And I came to the US, just like any other immigrant, with a dream. A dream to change our lives. Undocumented, didn't speak English, didn't have any resources, no experience at all. I never worked before in my life. And I just so happened to find a job at Burger King. And they had me clean tables, flip burgers, clean the restrooms. But my biggest ambition back then was to become the cashier at the window, the drive-thru window. Yes. And then one day, I asked the manager, hey, what do I do to become the cashier? He said, no, you don't qualify. You don't speak English, and you don't learn the menu. There's just so many things, you won't be able to make it. But somehow, I figured out how to shadow the cashiers and learned everything. And one day, I finally got it. And I remember, I was the happiest girl on earth. I went back home, I ran up the stairs. I was shaking and holding on to that promotion paper, like if it was my life, holding it and pressing it against my chest and coming upstairs and saying, mama, mama. She goes, what happened? I said, mom, I got it. She goes, you got what? I got the job. I got the promotion. They moved me up. They moved me from cooking the burgers and smelling like Whopper all day to finally, my dream came true, and I'm going to be at the cashier. I'm going to be at the window. My mom looked at me with love. And she said, she gave me a big hug. And she said, congratulations. I'm happy for you, but this isn't your final destination. This is just the beginning for you. But there was something, Vision, about the headset. I wasn't even paying attention to my mom because there was something that I saw in those girls that were at the drive-thru. They smelled good. Their nails were long. They were pretty. And they had a headset. So for me, I was just after that freaking headset. And it was more of that headset gave me a sense of importance. It was a little bit of recognition and making me feel like, yes, I've made it. So when I'm sharing with my mom and I'm telling her, this is my dream, and she tells me, no, this isn't. Congratulations for that, but this is not your dream. You were made for more. And I want you to start thinking that instead of you serving the burgers, maybe you would be driving one of those cars. And then I was like, no, me? Me driving one of those cars? Like, come on, look at me, mom, really? I didn't believe it, but she did plant a seed in me. And every time I served a burger, I picture myself driving one of those nice cars. And I picture myself not only ordering the burger, but rolling the window down, blasting the music, and driving off being really happy. But then one day, my mom takes me to buy car insurance. She tells me, come with me. We get there. The office is really busy. She tells me, ask for a job. I said, I got so offended, let me tell you that. I was like, why am I going to ask for a job? I already have one. I already told you, she said, that's not your final line. Like, that's not your finish line. Ask for a job. I just couldn't believe my mom was asking me to do that. So I said, no, no, I'm sorry. I'm not going to. That was the first time ever in my life that I said no to my mom. Because I don't know about you, but back in the day, when you say something or your mom said something, it went. Like, there were no questions asked. And I was there, and I was like, no. I remember we were sitting like this, and I said, no, no, I'm not going to ask. And she gave me the look. And not only that, she said, I'm going to count to three. And I already knew counting to three was like, oh, no. She goes, I'm going to count to three, and if you don't ask her for a job, I'm going to ask for you, and you're going to get embarrassed. Your mom sounds like my Bob Proctor. So I got up. That was the most embarrassing moment of my life. I remember my whole body was shaking, but especially this leg. Don't ask me why, but this leg was unstoppable. My hands were shaking. My throat, my whole mouth was dry. And then I just, I got up, and I looked back, and she just gave me the look like, do it. Sometimes we need that. We need someone that can push us and tell us, hey, you can do this. So I told the girl, I said, can you please? I pretty much begged the manager. I said, please, hire me. I'll take anything, any schedule, any pay. Just please hire me. I didn't want to go back and face my mom. So long story short, I got the job. Yeah. And I really couldn't believe it. And I, thank you. I kid you not, Vishen, I made thousands of calls, thousands. And within three months, I became the number one sales agent of that office. Yes. What is that picture? That's a picture of you holding a gun? Yeah. Well, that's when I started. So as I'm listening to you, some key insights are coming to place. One is your mother, and your mother is a really powerful force. My God, we all need moms like yours. She was amazing. Your mother said you could wear the headset on a drive-thru window, or you could wear the headset on a stage like this. She told me, you can either wear the headset or hold the wheel. You can settle for passing out burgers, or you can become the one who orders them. And I ask you, are you building somebody else's dream, or are you ready to drive towards yours? Beautiful. So Adriana, after your mom pushed you to get that insurance job, you became the number one insurance agent. Yes. What happened next? How did that lead to- She did it again, Vishen. What did she do? I went home. I'm like, yes. I was so happy. I bought a few pieces of clothes. So she saw me. She's like, what's going on? Why are you so happy? What's this all about? And I said, excuse me, who do you think you're talking to, lady? She goes, stop it. I said, I'm the number one sales agent in my office. She goes, something doesn't match. I said, what? That's not your office. I said, yes, it is. I work there. Exactly. You just said it. You work there. But hija, hija, I think you're ready. And I was like, ready for what? She goes, I think you're ready to start your own business. And that moment, I thought she was a party pooper. I said, oh my gosh, no. How can you tell me that? Mom, I know nothing about running a business. I just know how to sell insurance. I know how to hustle, make calls. But that's about it. I don't know anything else. Plus, like me, like me, I'm going to start a business? Like, no. And then every time my mom wanted to tell me something serious or wanted to give me a lesson, she would set me down and would hold my hands and look at me in the eyes and tell me. I remember she said, look, hija, I see your face everywhere. You are bigger than what you think. But you have to believe it. I see you're going to become a successful woman, businesswoman, a successful businesswoman. And you're going to be a millionaire because that's who you are. You just have to believe it. You have to really put it in your mind. I see it already. You have to believe it. And I said, no, no, like I don't see anything that you, I really don't. Like I thought my mom was crazy. I really did. And I was, and I told her, no, I'm not. I'm just, I had a lot of emotions because I wanted to make my mom proud. But I couldn't see that woman that she saw in me. I get emotional because my mom passed away in 2008. And she left me with so many lessons that even now I still remember things that back in the day didn't make any sense to me. But she said, look, your life rises to match your vision. There is something out there for you and you have to believe it. I'm sorry, but I get, I go back to that. I remember her eyes. I remember her energy. I remember the confidence that she was talking to me. Like she really, she really did see me out there. So I opened the business and I hustled. I really did. I went and passed out flyers everywhere, every market store, every DMV, every apartment complex, everywhere. I just wanted people to know that I sold insurance. And that's a picture of me because I had to make that arrow. My company didn't even have a name. I just called it insurance. By the way, my mom was the one that picked the name. I love that lesson. You told me your mom saw you on billboards before you appeared on billboards. And your mom said this really interesting, right? Your life rises to match your vision. To match your vision. Now, there was another important lesson when we were having dinner the other day. You told me that there was a series of events that led to your mom teaching you an important lesson that nobody else has control over you other than your own mind. Tell us about that story. Were you talking about when I used to hustle and go to the dealerships? Yes, the dealerships. And what happened there? Well, yeah, I was hustling going everywhere. The DMV guard, the security guard had me on check. He didn't want me there anymore. The markets would kick me out and call me to come back and pick up my trash. That's what they call my flyers. So I would go back and pick them all up and dust them off and pass them out again. Yeah, I had to recycle. But when I went to the dealerships, I found this man that did not see me as a woman, as a professional. They saw me as a piece of meat. As a woman that they could manipulate, that they could use. And they would directly ask me, turn around and tell me, what are you going to do for me? So all the doors were closing. And then one day I was broken. I was angry. I was mad. I went back to the office and I told my mom, mom, I'm sorry to tell you, but your dream of having a successful daughter just came to an end. She goes, why? What happened? I said, I'm sorry, but all these people have control over what's going on in my life. I can't do anything. They don't want me to pass out flyers. The dealerships are saying these things. And it just became impossible. So whether you like it or not, I'm a failure. And this is done. And there was another moment when she let me say all these things. She's like, are you done? Because I started blaming her. And that's what we do when we're operating from fear. I started blaming her and I told her, this is all your fault. And I blamed her for bringing me to this country. I blamed her for making me quit my job. I blamed her for making me believe that I was, that I was good enough. And I put all that blame on her. And I said, I told you I wasn't ready. I told you. I didn't want to open a business or start a business in the first place. And my poor mom just took it all. She was quiet. She looked at me and she said, okay, sit down. And there was another lesson. She said, no one, no one has the power to control your life unless you let them. Whose permission are you waiting for to be you? And when are you finally going to take back your power? And then that's it. I, I love that. I love that. Guys, please put up the pictures. I want, I want to next picture. Next. Just, just go through the pictures. Next. There, there, there, there. I got to say something about. Yeah. That on the, on the, what is it on the, on your guys' left. That's me when I was no one. Nobody. I didn't have a penny in the bank. I don't even know why I opened a bank account. I have nothing to put in there. But look, I had to dress and act like I was an older woman. So people would believe in me. And I started to picture the woman that I was going to become. And I crafted, I build that woman. But you can even see it in my face right there. I look scared. Yeah. I'm looking like, yeah, like I got this, but I didn't. And Adriana, this is the picture I want you to talk about enough in my final question. You had a breakdown. You built up Adriana's insurance over 300 million in revenue today. That's incredible. You did that as an undocumented immigrant, as a woman, as someone, as a minority. All of that is incredible. At a certain point, you went through a breakdown. Yes. And we don't have to go into why the breakdown happened. I think anyone here who's an entrepreneur know that things can get hard. I want you to share with me the insight that you got from this breakdown. Well, I'm going to be quick because I think it's important that they hear this. I had gone through a divorce. I was married or happily married for 24 years or so, I thought. And that marriage or that divorce broke me. So in order to get distracted, I just fully focused on my work, on building, building and building more that I completely ignored my health. I had chest pains. I had tightness in my chest. And I just ignored it. And one day, my body just made a decision and I collapsed. I was rushed into the hospital for a major heart attack. In that room, in that cold room, I felt so lonely, so defeated. And that's when I realized that the life was just not about building and building, but about who you become in the process and how many people you can help. God gave me another chance and I promised I wasn't going to waste it. Sometimes your greatest pain is the wake up call. What is that pain in your life trying to teach you right now? Amazing. Thank you, Adriana. As we wrap up, I want to put up a picture of your mom. Let's give a big round of applause to Adriana's mom. My mom's greatest legacy was to show me and everyone else now that your circumstances don't define your future. You do. Thank you so much. Thank you, Adriana. Thank you. Receive this applause. Take this in.