Codie Sanchez was a journalist in Mexico covering narcos and violence when a 90-year-old woman named Carmelita asked her why awareness wasn't stopping the harm. That question made Sanchez realize storytelling alone wasn't enough. She moved into finance to build wealth and power, and now pushes others to do the same.
Chapters
I remember the moment it all changed for me. Before the money, the success, travel and titles, I was a journalist. I spent a year traveling in Mexico writing about the brutal mutilation of women in Juarez, to narcos in Tijuana, to rape centers in Agua Prieta. It was heavy stuff, but I loved it. The last story I wrote, it changed my life. You see, when millions of people cross the border illegally, families get separated. Many are left behind. They're often elderly. So these old folks homes pop up all along the border. And we spent weeks at one. They told us their secrets, their desires and their fears. It was heart wrenching.
But you know, what actually changed me was not the brutality of aging or the separation of families.
It was One woman, Carmelita, 90, always smiling, bedridden, but with her teddy bear, Alberto, always in hand. So we picked a few stories to tell, and hers was one. And people loved them. So we won awards and graduated with honors. We went back to Agua Prieta to give them copies and little gifts. And Carmelita beamed. But then she said something I'll never forget.
Carinho, dear. So now that you're back and that America knows and you've spread the word and you won these awards, they're gonna help us, right? You know, they're gonna fix it. We're gonna be reunited with our families.
How did I not see that question coming? And it was in that moment that I knew it was not enough for me to tell the stories. I wanted to write them. But how? You go to where the power is that lets these things happen. Money. So I went to finance, where I climbed at some of the most competitive financial institutions. I built some companies, made a lot of money, gained titles. And like the investigative journalist I was, I documented every single step of my climb. I sought out humans who excelled at the highest pinnacles to learn their ways. So I've gotten to do things most people wait for retirement to even contemplate. Now I'm ready. After years of investigating, it's our time to take action. My mission is to bring more humans like you, who want to make an impact into the epicenters of power. I won't stop until we each write our own story. Until you find your unique gifts and share them with the world. You, my friend, are one of the few who do. As opposed to the many who talk. And it starts with a simple to rise to the challenge and take these tools I've found into your own two hands. You have a story. You have a purpose. So go and share it. You'll be amazed at what happens.
