“Being bilingual is the greatest advantage in today’s Diverse America” Lili Gil
Lili Gil is not just any Colombian woman. She is an award-winning entrepreneur, media contributor and a Young Global Leader of The World Economic Forum, Prior to Co-Founding XL Alliance, Gil served as Global Marketing Services Director at Johnson & Johnson where she became the youngest female executive and co-founder of the corporation’s 10 year-old Hispanic Employee resource group “HOLA.” In a fast changing majority-minority America, Gil’s firm focuses on turning cultural trends into opportunities and profits for the C-suite, public and private sector leaders and organizations seeking to reach and win with multicultural audiences. As she describes it, she is on a mission to “Culturize the board rooms of America.”
Gil is also a frequent business, politics and news contributor to various networks like CNN en Español, Fox News and MSNBC, and writer for The Huffington Post and Hispanic Ad. She is also the creator of the video blog “Moments2CultuRise” on Youtube. she has very unique methodologies of culture intelligence and cultural economics.
This woman’s career reflects that with hard work, education and determination anything can be achieved. Besides all her talents she is also a wife and a mother (yes, we can have it all). This is what my conversation with this inspiring woman was like:
Chica Fresh– Lili for starters, I know you are bilingual but curious to know which language do you feel more comfortable speaking Spanish or English?
Lili Gil– Most of my daily and business life happens in English but I definitely love and pray in SPANISH!
CF: How do you handle being bi-cultural?
LG: As the greatest advantage living in today’s diverse America! Being bi-cultural give you the perfect ice-breaker at a networking event, makes you a citizen of two worlds and gives you the edge to be a social and professional chameleon! You can be de aqui y de alla tambien seamlessly.
CF: What about politics interest you the most?
LG: It’s the ability to shape public opinion, write policy for the greater good of our people and inspire change! Of course… When managed correctly; otherwise it could become the biggest and most paralyzing chess game..
CF: If you had to choose from everything one job to stay with which one would you choose?
LG: Being a mom. There is nothing more powerful than inspiring the development of a young life. especially when it’s your own.
CF: What tips can you provide Latina’s who want to start their own business?
LG: Write down your idea and hold yourself accountable to attainable short-term and long-term goals. MANY have ideas but only a FEW actually execute them, which is what sets apart los que hablan mucho y no hacen nada. EXECUTION is the key.
CF: How do you see the future of Latina’s entrepreneurship in the U.S.?
LG: Latinos already represent the fastest growing segment of the population and also of small businesses; which means the future for Latina‘s is fertile to innovate, get funded and make a difference with their unique insights and cultural advantage!
