Why It's Time to Put on Your Red Shoes

Mariela Dabbah is the author of seven books, has achieved incredible career success, and encourages parents to get involved in their children's education. Originally from Argentina, she is now the founder of The Red Shoe Movement.

You moved to the US when you were 24, what was that like?

I graduated with a master's degree, moved here, and got married all within one month. I found a job in a company that distributed books in the school system while I was on my honeymoon. It was hard because I was very close to my family. My husband trained as a CPA but didn't speak English, so he couldn't practice. He started by cleaning homes.

You wrote your book to help Latinos navigate the American system. Did you encounter a problem or obstacle that you wanted to help other Latinos avoid?

I did. I worked here for a year with my visa, and then took a week vacation to go back to Argentina. When I went to get my work visa stamped on my passport, the chief of the visa department decided to cancel it. I was stuck in Argentina while my home, car, and job were still in the US. We returned by running across the border, which was a very traumatic experience. We were young, upper-middle class professionals who suddenly had to cross the border running with a coyote. I stayed undocumented for three years before I got my green card. I experienced what it was like to have no papers and no idea how to do things. 

What do “Red Shoes” symbolize to you?

Power with femininity. The whole idea behind the concept is that women need to define what success means to them to better connect their motivations and career goals. To do this, identify your style (your talents, personality, unique qualities). Our goal is to help companies develop and promote their diverse talents. You don't need to look and behave as a man in order to get the promotion; the red shoes are an all-encompassing symbol.

What gave you the push to write Find Your Inner Red Shoes?

After years of working with corporations and with women's groups within corporations, I realized that we could start discussing particular issues that affect women differently.

The Red Shoes Movement believes the traditional leadership development model is broken. What's your new model?

The traditional leadership development model is more uni-directional. It puts people in a situation where they need to learn something they lack. Our methodology is all about mutual empowerment and starting from a place of supporting women with career success.

You talk about how Latinos in the job market can use their heritage to their advantage. Can you elaborate?

This is something that everybody who has a difference must learn to leverage. Many times Latinos are told to tone down their passions instead of using them to unleash their difference. Latinos often have a knack to be sociable, which they can leverage when negotiating.

What's your number one best tip for women who want to achieve more in their professional life?

Know what you bring to the table. When I review resumes, I look for what makes a candidate special, why they deserve the job. 

Visit The Red Shoe Movement here!