Meet Sandra Llusa | Business Coach & Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandra Llusa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandra, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit; I enjoy having my schedule and my own rules. I’ve worked for several companies, including positions in management, but I always did something to feel entrepreneurial, even if it was crafting and selling to friends. Since I was young, I’ve wanted to have my own company and my own rules.

I’ve always been very careful with money, a lesson I learned from my grandmother who always emphasized the importance of having a reserve for emergencies. She became a widow with three young daughters and supported all three of them while also helping raise her grandchildren. I’ve always been frugal because I’ve worked in the financial industry for many years. However, when I arrived in the United States, coming from Brazil, I found myself in a very difficult situation. My ex-husband and I had lost our jobs in Brazil, so we came to America with our two young children to start a new life.

Unfortunately, I experienced an abusive and violent marriage, and I had to flee with my children and start over in a country that wasn’t my own, with no family nearby and without knowing the language. But what helped me tremendously was being financially organized and having an ’emergency’ fund, which allowed me to rent an apartment and start my life anew with my children.

Taking risks is part of entrepreneurship. If you’re not someone who accepts taking risks, you’ll likely lead a similar life for many years, often working for someone else or some company until retirement, without experiencing the feeling of being capable of earning money from your own abilities.

I was born in Brazil, São Paulo, and raised by my mother after my father abandoned us when I was 5 years old. My mother was a seamstress, and I saw her work hard all my life to support my sister and me. I married young and have two wonderful children who bring me nothing but joy; they are now 22 and 26 years old. I moved to the United States when I was 33 years old. Being an immigrant is not easy; it felt like I had hit my head and forgotten everything I knew. I had to learn to communicate, write, read, eat, drive, and many other things that were different from my country. Being in the United States is a privilege, but often, we pay for difficult moments in our lives for being here. My mother passed away on my birthday back in Brazil, and I couldn’t say goodbye to her. However, going through all these difficulties has made me a strong woman who is no longer afraid of anything today. I don’t allow myself to be unhappy and pass that unhappiness on to my children. Today, I can say that I have achieved my freedom and am very happy with my second husband, who helped and saved me when I needed it most.

Today, I have two companies: one in my field of finance and accounting, and another one I started a year ago where I decided to help other people, especially women, to earn extra income or even a profession. In this business, I teach how to offer services for business openings in the United States. In just one year, I saw the success of this company I created, and I believe that God is helping me because I’m helping others.

I taught my children to be independent from an early age. They started working early and had their own money and profession. We are in the land of opportunities; there is no better place in the world to live well. If you dedicate yourself and do everything correctly, there is no way it won’t work out. I came to live here always thinking about giving a better future to my children, and today, I feel fulfilled when I look at them and see that I did a good job. They are two incredible adults who sustain themselves, hardworking, studious, and upright. There is no better gift for a mother than to see this.

At 51 years old today, I plan to work for a few more years and then have a peaceful life with my husband. We love to travel and have plans for that in the future. Currently, we are still very dedicated to working to reach the day when we can relax more than work. My biggest goal since arriving in the United States was to see my children doing well, and I can already say that I have achieved that goal. Now it’s time to think about myself and my husband. We have a few more years to achieve what we desire, but I am confident that with determination and dedication, we will get there.

I’ve always been very creative, as my mother used to say; she loves to invent! I’ve done various things in my life. Before coming to the United States, my ex-husband and I were unemployed with two young children. I decided to buy a sewing machine (even though I had never sewn before) and started making cloth dolls. For a year, I supported my household with my dolls. When I arrived here, I cleaned houses, worked as a nanny, made jewelry to sell, studied to become an esthetician, had a yard sign business during the pandemic, and many other things. Always with the idea of having extra income and providing a better life for my family. But I never gave up accounting, which had been my profession since Brazil, and it’s what sustains me today. That’s why I decided to teach what I know to other people through mentorship and training programs that I’m developing.

One of the books I read from which I drew several lessons was the story of Michelle Obama. Getting to know their story better made me realize that often we think things happen in the lives of people around us because they were ‘lucky,’ when in reality, we forget that we shouldn’t judge anyone before knowing their story and how they got there. We all have our own book, we all have our own story, and it’s up to us to make sure it has a happy ending or not.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What makes me most proud today is knowing that I succeeded in a country that wasn’t where I was born, where the culture and language are different from where I was born, and I learned to respect and love the United States as my country. As a proud American citizen today, I am very proud to be here and to say that I will be here for the rest of my life

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Thank you, and I dedicate my entire life up to now to my children. They have been part of my journey, and without them, I would never have achieved what I have. The day I saw my daughter having a nervous breakdown because of the marriage I was in, it woke me up and gave me strength that I don’t even know where it came from to change my life and become who I am today. Thank you, Natallia and Felipe, for choosing me to be your mother. And to my husband Fabricio, my love, you were sent by God to save me

Instagram: easybizusa