#9 Possibilities Elena Armijo From Opera singer To Leadership Coach

Welcome to the Mike Hartman Show. Mike is a performance coach and former Stanley cup champion with the New York Rangers. Topics on this show are focused around stories, mindset and champions. Mike will also go into details about helping you with your pain points and struggles and finding motivational solutions on how to have the mindset of a champion. Now, here's your host, Mike Hartman.

Welcome to another episode. Today we are on the series Possibilities and we're still going to continue to go through the series of Possibilities. I'm working with some really great people on this. Today I'm going to introduce Elena, Army Ho. I hope I pronounced that right. Elena, did I pronounce that right?

Yeah. Army Ho. You got it.

And again, we're around the stories of possibilities and you're an executive leadership coach, but you've had a really an amazing, you have an amazing background. You've done a lot before that. So before I talk about too many things, please share your story. Tell us a little bit about who you are.

Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Mike for having me. It's such an honor to be here. And I, I come from possibilities. So this is why it's perfect to be here in this conversation with you today. I grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico, which is a little town on the border between Texas, New Mexico and Mex ago and come from a middle class family that you know, was hard working and a pretty traditional structure where my mom and dad both had jobs long term. Mom sometimes had two jobs and was very interested in music from a very early age. My father still tells stories about how I used to sing into hairbrushes or run up to a radio and turn it up really fat last, you know, have it be really loud fast and then run away scared from listening to it. And I was, I was really lucky because my parents encouraged me to listen to music, to follow my passion in music and always with an eye on, you know, taking care of your yourself and financially and you know, from structure which was, came from my father but allowed me to dream. And Las Cruces is one of those places where multiculturally there's a lot that is offered in music. So through high school and my undergrad degree, I studied music voraciously. And it's funny because I always wanted to teach. I never had any desire to perform in the world. But allroads led me towards performing while I was getting my degree in education. So after that in New Mexico, I ended up in Seattle, Washington where I did my master's in vocal performance and again always had My eye on teaching and never performing. But, you know, the path kept being laid out before me where I kept getting encouraged along the way to keep singing, keep singing. And that eventually led me to New York in 2007, and pretty quickly off the ground, I started auditioning and getting gigs. And for most of my 20s, I traveled the world singing opera.

Wow. Well. And you don't want to hear me say, I could sing in the shower. Yeah. And I'm not bad, but no, you don't want to hear me sing. But that, that. Tell us a little bit about that because that's fascinating to me. Tell us about the, the opera singing and, and where did you perform? Because I've read some great things on you, what you did in New York. So where did you perform and share a little bit about opera with us?

Yeah, well, opera, Opera's amazing. You know, when you meet people, they're like, opera, how did you get into that? And I, I really think that music chooses you, but it's very much like training to be an athlete. This is why I think that you would completely understand the rigor around becoming a professional singer. You know, I would train two and a half hours a day. I had multiple teachers and coaches and dialect professionals that would help me with language and acting teachers. So it was very much about, like creating a machine that, you know, can stand up on stage and make the loudest noises you've ever heard without being amplified. Right. With 80 plus musicians on stage. So in a lot of ways, we do train like athletes do to be able to physically do that. And I got to see some cool places. I mean, Mike, I don't know about you and your, your coaching and your, with, with the different athletes that you work with all over the world, but I think one of the greatest gifts is being able to be with different people all over and meet different types of people.

It is, it is. And I've said, I said this before and I've said this to my kids and, and I'll share this with you later, but my daughter also went to New York City where she is now to be a singer. Now, it didn't work out like that. She's a writer. But, you know, I really envy you, you know, what with, with what you're doing. But just what I've said, I teach my kids everything in life is about relationships. Whether it's in business, whether it's in sports. I don't know enough about opera. I can't speak for that, but everything is about relationships. Like, like you and I I mean, we had a connect somehow, and if we didn't feel that energy, then maybe it wasn't going to work. Right. And. And everything's about relationships. So is that how. Is that how you've lived your life? Is that how you've lived out your life to. In what you're doing today?

Oh, 100%. I mean, it's exactly what you said. Opera is all about relationship, too. You know, building relationships with people on stage, but also as you grow in the art form, in the business, you know. And to answer your question, before what I performed, I did some world premieres at Carnegie Hall. I sang in Austria at a couple festivals. I've been all throughout the United States. And the one thing that has remained as I transitioned to a new career and pivoted has been relationships. This is actually part of the story is, you know, I can remember singing at Syracuse Opera, and by all accounts, you know, I'd done the thing. I'd come to New York, I'd conquered auditions. I'd gotten a schedule where I was at one point, I think for four years straight. I was on the road 10 months out of the year, you know, and would only come back to New York to change my clothes and my bag and, you know, kind of make sure my apartment was still standing. And I remember being on stage and taking a bow and coming off and thinking, you know, I'm. I'm tired, I'm burnt out, I'm lonely. I went back to this artist apartment where, you know, after singing for 5,000 people, you. You kind of walk home and you're in this empty place with no food, and it's late, no one's up, and, you know, you're on your, like, third relationship that's crashed and burned in four years. And I just had this moment where, you know, I was so guilty because I thought everybody works so hard to get to where I'm at. And this was supposed to be the dream, right? Like, I. I'm on my way. If I keep going for the next 20 years, I know where I'll be. And I was miserable. And so I really had to deal with that.

Well. Well, that's. I keep hearing for. With people. So I could say, I can't speak for you. I'll speak for myself. That once you live your dream, it's like, ah, you did it. And you. And you did it. You lived that dream. And once you lived it, it was maybe time. It is exhausting. That's why sports, the average athlete lasts not many years. In football, it's one to three years. The average, I think, yeah, crazy number. And in hockey, a little bit longer. But what is the average career in opera? Singing?

Well, it's a little bit longer than that. But, you know, the, the flip side happens in opera. So you actually wait to get older, so your voice matures to have your career. So most of your, you know, teens and twenties, you're training, you're training. You're training for that moment on stage that, you know, maybe when you're in your early 30s, you can actually sing some big roles. But you're right, it's very, you know, it can be anywhere from 10 to 20 years and then it's over, which is much longer than, you know, professional athletes. But I think the thing that I didn't understand is it was my dream and I did obtain it. So just like you're saying, it's. It's something you reached. But what I realized is I'd reached it all from a place of proving to myself that I could, which led me to coaching. Right. And the mindset, work of possibility is all built into this because what I didn't do is come from a place of what I. What I love and not needing to prove anything to anybody to be successful, loved or safe in the world. And I didn't know that.

I love that. I love that because, like I said, a lot of people come to me and they've never lived their dreams. I've had people tell me, well, I hope to be on TV one day. I hope to be on this show, and I hope to do this, I hope to do that. But you actually lived it. And now we're going to talk about. Now we're going to reverse it because this is what really fascinated me with you. Now we're going to say, okay, now we're going to talk about Elena the. The executive and leadership coach. Now, how did. I mean, talking about one shift to another, like, how did that happen?

Well, you know, I hired a coach myself when I was on this circuit and feeling the burnout and feeling like, what's going on? Why am I not happy? I was happy, and now I'm not. So what's really going on and what's missing? And through working with a coach, I discovered all these things about myself that, you know, were driving this engine of success, which was going to stop working eventually. And this is a lot of the things I talk about with my executives and C suites are, you know, what we call a winning strategy. It had gotten me to the point where I needed to be, but it was no longer fulfilling or working anymore. So I had to reinvent myself. And what I came away with is, you know, what do I want to do from fun and passion, but not from proving my worth in the world. And what I found is when I hired a coach, I became interested in coaching myself. And then I went and I got certified and trained and built a business and, you know, really started to partner with corporations and companies and clients all over the world. And the thing that I bring to the table now is this thing that I looked at myself, which is, you know, why are we doing what we're doing? How are you experiencing your life right now while you're building incredible things and having impact in the world and having your eye on that so that you don't get all the way to your dream and have left yourself out of the picture, which is kind of what I did.

Right. Do you ever take what you've learned in opera and apply it to some of the top companies in the world you work with today?

Oh, yeah. We talk about, you know, we talk about leadership in terms of, like, how do you work with teams? Everything in opera was about being on a team. There are so many moving parts to an opera that if you're not a leader of a team, but also a team player at the same time, it doesn't work. So that directly transfers over also skills around work ethic and development, but developing and mastering a skill. So not just doing the thing to be good at it, but doing it to become a master of what you're doing in the world. And what does that require, you know, for people that are building either startups or in finance and they're working with different investors or even in media, you know, those are another. Another place where I play with a lot of my executive clients. So a lot of the skills are directly transferable.

Surprisingly, that's great. And that's true, because that's why I think you have such an asset within what you do. Because you've been at the top and now you're going to show others how to get there. It doesn't matter if it was in sports, if it were, you know, if it was an opera or you were, you know, a big leader in corporate America, now you're doing leadership training.

Exactly.

With hr, it's all the same thing. And I'll share a quick example with you. I used to work with thousands of dentists. My friend had one of the biggest mini dental implant businesses in the world. In fact, we've interviewed them here on our podcast, and I still speak to them. And there's an average of 10 to 30 people that work in a dental practice. And I'm going to make this short of it. But the dentist, if the dentist, he's the dentist, he or she is the leader, right? And if he or she tries to do the office manager, the hygienist, everything else, then the team falls apart. So do you believe that everything starts at the top?

I do. I think some of the most incredible leaders in the world are the ones that spend more time developing their people than anything else. So really, you know, teaching other people to be leaders, really leaders inspire other leaders, right?

That's so true. Even so, like when we worked, even in the dental practice, it starts, it doesn't matter if you're the, you're the, the dentist or if you're working the front desk. If you're working the front desk, you have to have that good energy. Every morning you, you have to say, hey, good morning, how are you? How's your day? And you have to listen to what they're saying because who really wants to go to the dentist? So the first thing that a patient will see when they walk in the door is most likely the, the office manager. And we need good, we teach good energy. And I, and I know you do because I've read your background and it's, you know, it's great. So here's what I'm going to do because this is what we need. I haven't asked too many people, but I need this for a lot of our listeners. We have Fortune 50, Fortune 500 listeners, a lot of families, sports families, yada, yada, the list goes on. Now I'm going to get, I need some leadership tips from you from a coaching mindset. So give me one. Help us out. Give me, give me something that we could take with us or all of our, all of our listeners can take with us that we could apply to our life.

Oh my gosh. So good. Okay, number one tip that I start with, almost all of my leaders with is well being and self care. So a lot of times leaders will think that they can give and give and give either time or energy or money without sourcing themselves at a new level. And so what do I mean by that? It's how are you taking care of yourself at the level of operation that you are putting out in the world? So oftentimes people think taking care of yourself means, you know, like, well, I ate breakfast or I exercised today or I got enough sleep, which, yes, it Definitely means that. But if you know, look at the impact that you're having in the world and the size or the amount of your job that you carry, the teams that you lead, the people that are under your wing and you have to provide that level of self care for yourself. So oftentimes I find that most leaders are not at the level of self care that they need to be to support what they're up to in the world. So that's number one.

I love that. And I used to tell people, if you can't lead yourself or manage yourself, how can you manage others? And it starts with everything you were talking about, including exercising or walking or taking or properly feeling your body, right? So your body's like a machine and not properly fueled, it will break down. That's it. I love that. Okay, come on, give us another one here.

Number two. Okay, Number two is courage and empathy. I think we've all seen, especially in the last year and a half, old school styles of leadership, which is what I define as fear based leadership, no longer work. They don't cut it. They're not going to get us where we need to be anymore in this world. So if you are afraid of courageous conversations or empathy or vulnerability in your leadership, that's the next level to train in and practice. And what I mean is, do people feel connected to you? Do they see you being human? Do they see you making mistakes? Are you sharing your fears, thoughts and concerns so that you are relatable? And they can see that it is. You're not on a pedestal by yourself. And it's also a two way street. Can you be empathetic with listening to the needs of the people that you're leading? And not one need fits everyone, but really being in partnership with each member of your team. I love the example you just gave of the dentist office, right? Because the front desk is not only your first, you know, encounter with customers, as you said, but that person, he or she is integral to like the foundation of your business. Working like somebody like that can make or break your business if you're not in partnership with them. Like, are they overworked? Do they have the support systems that they need? Do they have the software they need? Do they have the vacation time they need to feel valued and a part of the team instead of a hierarchy approach?

That is so true. And we use it just, you know, this isn't about me, but I would always say replace ego with empathy. And you teach from the heart. Okay, number three.

Number three, let's see leadership today. I really think it's vision would be the third thing that I speak to, which would be what it. What's the. What's the thing that you're willing to die on the hill for? So sometimes, you know, companies get built and the vision sort of either gets lost behind or we forget or we kind of get off the railroad tracks from where we started. And so I'm always looking at what are you committed to in the world? What are your values and what do you want to be known for in legacy? And let's live that legacy right now instead of waiting until we've built the thing or, you know, we're 20 years down the road. So to me, that's all vision. And are you connected to it and is it working for you versus just something in the future to obtain?

Oh, I love that. So I used to say, if you can't see it, nobody else will. And everything you're talking about is values. And this is great stuff. So I'm just going to share one last thing. So just so people know if, if, if you did go to hartman.academy no.com. you are on our website because I, I only put people up there that I'm 100% confident with. So I hope people reach out to you. Now, where else can people reach out to you?

Yeah, come directly to my website. So it's www.elena e l e n a armijo a r m I j o.com and everything is listed there. I have a team of coaches that I work with and, you know, my big stand, my values and my mission in the world is that everybody gets access to coaching. So come and if I'm not the one for you, we will find you the coach for you. That's my stance for the world.

Oh, I love that. Elena, it was so great having you here. You brought a lot. You know, we go through these possibilities series quick. Here you are. You were at the top of your game one day. You know, you were an opera singer. And then you said, you know what? I don't want to do this anymore. Now it's time to give back. Thank you so much for this. And we're excited, just excited to get to know you better. And thanks for doing this.

Thank you so much, Mike. You're incredible. Thank you for having me. It's an honor.

Thank you for listening to this episode of the Mike Hartman Show. If you're enjoying what you've heard so far, please feel free to rate, subscribe and leave comment. A a review on your preferred podcast Listening platform. We really appreciate that effort. We'll catch you in the next episode of the Mike Hartman Show.