I didn’t come into hospitality with a background or a plan. I built my business, Ojo Rojo, from the ground up by figuring things out in real time. As it grew, so did the responsibility. Staff, customers, finances, culture, decisions. I became reliable, capable, and always available. The business worked because I worked, and over time my identity quietly collapsed into the role.

What caught up with me wasn’t failure, it was endurance. Years of carrying pressure internally reshaped how I thought, reacted, and related to myself. I ignored early warning signs until burnout and panic attacks forced me to stop and look at what I was doing. That moment made it clear the issue wasn’t effort or ambition, it was how I was carrying responsibility.

Today, alongside running my business, I work with hospitality leaders who are still performing but feel the weight growing heavier. I help them understand how pressure and identity are interacting beneath the surface and redesign how they lead so success doesn’t come at the cost of themselves. I’ve carried that weight myself, and this work exists so others don’t have to learn everything the hardest way.