We live in an age where leaders are rare. I know what you are saying, there are many people who begin to gain support through their growing followings, but these aren’t real leaders. With so many outside influences as social media use develops, people are exposed to more and more instant success stories that with all honesty took minimal effort. These influencers are people who suddenly receive a moment of fame due to certain humiliating video, or apps that play with the concept of minimizing the human attention span (such as musical.ly, vine, and snapchat). It’s disappointing to see how the upcoming young adult generations are idolizing these people, when there are so many leaders who represent actual problems and contribute revolutionary solutions. These more conventional leaders are the ones who are able to shape public opinion in order to benefit others and the world around them, not create a six second video about how flirting leads to unnecessary screaming.
Alejandro Chabán, is a Venezuelan author and entrepreneur with an interesting story. When he still resided in Venezuela, he became known for his acting career in Telenovelas, but this all changed as soon as he moved to California. Like every immigrant trying to find success and motivation in a new country, he faced many hardships that eventually formed the character and person he is today. Being the Founder and CEO of Yes You Can!, Alejandro has achieved a lot of success as both a businessman and role model for the Hispanic-American community.
Yes You Can!, was created as a weight loss program meant to assist Hispanics who were struggling with obesity. Unlike other weightloss solutions, such as Jenny Craig or Herbalife, this company offered a stronger base and community geared towards latinos. However, this program has a more personal story. Chabán is one of the most renowned fitness icons on Hispanic television networks and his charismatic personality is what made him such loved host on Univision, but like everyone else in this world, he faced hardships. Throughout his youth he dealt with health issues; being overweight as a pre-teen and then suffering from anorexia during his adolescence, Alejandro had to make a choice and say to himself “enough is enough.” He realized that weightloss is as much a mental battle as it is physical and this recognition is what made Yes You Can! such a stand out resource for many overweight latinos. In order to deviate from a lifetime of unhealthy tendencies, the first step is recognizing that there is a psychological problem affects you physically. Chabán goes further into this in his New York Time’s Best Seller, Dime qué Comes y te Diré qué Sientes, in English, Think Skinny, Feel Fit.
I’ve met with Chabán on multiple instances and I’ve had the great opportunity to work for him and his Social Media department as well as Yes You Can!, but my history with him goes even further than this. My mother fought with obesity for around 15 years and when she found Yes You Can!, Alejandro’s messaged clicked with her, which led her to take the step forward and change her lifestyle for the better. She was his first client. Watching my mother grow as a woman and person was impressive these last few years and it showed me that everyone has obstacles that keep them away from their goal. These obstructions are not always resolved with one solution and usually always arise again, but just because they persist and reappear, doesn’t mean that one should admit defeat. On the contrary, I saw my mother fight with even more motivation and an insatiable thirst for satisfaction that has allowed her to become the person she is in actuality. Today, both Alejandro and my mother are growing powers in the hispanic community as icons who never gave up and continue to work for their goals.
Many people try to overlook how hard people like Alejandro Chabán worked to get to where they are and it is because millenials are mainly concerned with instant success. These influencers who suddenly get famous for doing the most absurd thing become idols for younger generations who now believe that achievement comes with minimal effort. Chabán went from a telenovela actor in Venezuela to a Pollo Loco worker in Los Angeles in an instant. However, this downfall didn’t mean that he was a failure, but it meant that he needed to put in the effort, determination, and work to get out of the abyss he was in. This admirable feat, although overlooked, is much more powerful and animating than the rise of an internet sensation. No matter what obstacles are in one's way, whether a physical or mental disability, lack of inspiration, or even economic hardship, one can always idolize leaders like Chabán to understand that success does not magically sprout, but that it is forged through the overcoming of hardships.
