Podcasts have been going through a renaissance for the last 10 years. So many voices have found their way to the mic and to our headphones. Voices that have lived lives like ours or lives not like our own.

Monica Rivera is lending her voice to the podcast world. Every Monday, you can find yourself listening to Monica giving advice about the business world on her podcast, You Wanna Do What?!.

Rivera grew up in THE BRONX, (who else hears Jennifer Lopez sing the Bronx in their mind when you say “the Bronx”) with her mom and dad. Her parents met in the Bronx; her mom is from Cuba and her father is from Puerto Rico. They wanted the very best for their little girl.

“I went to a private Catholic school. Going to school, I saw the difference between the neighborhoods,” shared Rivera.

From a young age, she learned what most young people of color have learned – code-switching. At school, she was an active student in her perfect Catholic school uniform. When she got home she wore her baggy jeans.

“I joked I was Superman. Clark Kent by day, Superman by night. I grew up in two worlds,” shared Rivera.

Instead of resenting her code-switching, she thrives in it and realized it taught her how to be comfortable in different rooms. Her Superman/Clark Kent persona continued with her as she went into the corporate world. After spending 15 years in corporate America, she was starting to lose interest.

“I felt like I was wearing clothes that didn’t fit anymore,” shared Rivera.

In 2017, she began to explore answers to those nagging thoughts that came to her as she laid in bed. Those whispers, those urges, that haunt many of us. She read self-help books, watched interviews on YouTube, and listened to podcasts. Then she found her answers; there was nothing wrong with her. Such a reassuring thought.

“I always thought I should focus on one thing. However, I had a lot of passions and it was becoming hard to settle on one career,” stated Rivera.

With that, she started You Wanna Do What?!. A podcast dedicated to exploring all the things you want to do.  Created for the dreamers and kids at heart.

“It was a slow transition. My first episode was not perfect. I had a friend that was a DJ and he asked if I was wearing headphones. I made all the mistakes,” Rivera said with a laugh.

Her podcast has grown over the years, and it has led her to a TED Talk stage. “The Flipside of Loneliness”, her presentation brought her story to a larger audience. Now with her podcast underway, she is working with other people of color getting their podcast out.

“We are still underrepresented in the podcast world, we all have different stories,” shared Rivera.

Well Monica, continue to ask questions and be our Superman, no wait Superwoman.