LATIN TIMES MAGAZINE - 2019 Summer Edition | Page 26

Latina Lideres Awards
entrepreneurial
Lizette Rivera
2019 Latina Mover N Shaker
by: Jolie Gonzalez-Padilla
The biggest challenge for me as a Latina is for people
to disregard your worth because of your ethnicity. We
have made significant strides in this country and we
are amazingly diverse, but we still have a way to go. I
have been able to overcome it with a strong work ethic.
I believe in what I do and I believe once people see your
work and who you are as a person it breaks down
those barriers.
LTM: What part of Florida do you live in – are you from Florida? If
not – what brought you to Florida?
Lizette Rivera: I was born in NJ and raised most of my life in Tampa.
My mother is Cuban, and my father is Puerto Rican.
LTM: Tell me about what you do for a living
Lizette Rivera: I am the Founder and President of Chef Inspired Pop-
corn Company. I am also the Principal Public Adjuster at Aaraya
Claims Consulting.
LTM: Tell us about the biggest highlights of your career
Lizette Rivera: Creating and developing flavors for Chef Inspired
Popcorn has really created some amazing opportunities for me. I
think being mentioned on the Todays Show and watching Dean Cain
(ex-superman) taste some of our flavors on national television was a
blast.
LTM: As a Latina leader in the community, business or other…what
has been your biggest challenge and how have you been able to
overcome it
Lizette Rivera: The biggest challenge for me as a Latina is for people
to disregard your worth because of your ethnicity. We have made sig-
nificant strides in this country and we are amazingly diverse, but we
still have a way to go. I have been able to overcome it with a strong
work ethic. I believe in what I do and I believe once people see your
work and who you are as a person it breaks down those barriers.
LTM: What is your favorite type of musica and what is your favorite
song?
Lizette Rivera: That is a fun question. I enjoy so many different forms
of music. Of course as a Latina I enjoy salsa so much. That is what I
clean house to. Some old school Groupo Niche. Right now however,
I am a BIG Post Malone fan, and my favorite song is Sunflower. If he
only knew he had such a HUGE fan in this Latina.
LTM: IF you can go back to let’s say 18-21, what are some of the piv-
otal decisions that you have made that you would do differently
Lizette Rivera: I am a fan of NO REGRETS but getting married so
young would be something I would do differently.
LTM: What do you think some of the best career choices are for
young Latinas
Lizette Rivera: That is a tough question. A career is something you
need to be passionate about. I believe young Latina women need to
focus on doing internships or volunteer in the areas that interest them
to follow into a career. My advice to them is to find a mentor and do
what you love.
LTM: Tell us about what kind of projects you currently have going on
Lizette Rivera: I have some great projects going on. I have a new al-
cohol infused caramel corn line. It is the BEST adult snack out there.
The website should be up in a few weeks. I also have Fundraising
with Flavor which I am very passionate about. This is my fundraiser
line. You can use Chef Inspired Popcorn to raise money for sports,
any non-profits, church groups etc. This is my way to give back to the
community. As most people know I love sports and my daughter plays
softball. I have experienced firsthand the expense of being on a travel
team and want to help as many kids as I can find a sport that they are
good at and excel.
LTM: What can we expect to see from you in the future
Lizette Rivera: You are going to see A LOT of Chef Inspired Popcorn.
I can't give away all my secrets, but we are growing, and so is our line.
LTM: What is your comida favorita
Lizette Rivera: Oh boy now you’re talking. My favorite meal is Paella.
I can eat that every day!
LTM: What famous person do you most identify with and why
Lizette Rivera: A famous person that I identify with. That is tough. I
will say that I have such a respect for Madonna. She came out on the
music scene early and has had to re-invent herself multiple times, and
I admire that so much. I spent a long time in the insurance industry,
so learning to re-invent myself into a retail-heavy atmosphere was dif-
ficult. I enjoy that she really never cared who said what about her, she
just kept doing what she had to do. One of the things that I can relate
with her is her sense of being a mother and wanting to help children.
Being a mother is a blessing and she has done an amazing job keeping
her children out of the limelight.
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