Dr. Teresa Hernandez | Global Youth Empowerment Leader | Founder & CEO, Girls Of Color Take Over | Entrepreneur | Author | Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Dr. Teresa Hernandez did not wait to be invited into rooms where decisions were made. She built her own doors and then made them wide enough for the next generation to walk through with confidence. Her journey toward global influence was not accidental, nor was it rushed. It was cultivated with intention, shaped by resilience, and anchored in a belief that purpose is meant to be shared. Long before international stages, executive leadership, and global recognition, her understanding of leadership began at home.
Raised in Belize, Dr. Hernandez grew up surrounded by entrepreneurial women, led most notably by her mother, who modeled independence not as an option, but as a way of life. Weekends were spent farming alongside her father and siblings, tending land, harvesting crops, and learning firsthand that success is built through discipline, responsibility, and collective effort. Those early lessons instilled a lifelong respect for work, self-sufficiency, and the dignity that comes from creating something with one’s own hands.
Long before boardrooms and business titles, she learned that leadership is rooted in service, accountability, and vision.
Foundation: Learning to Lead Before the Title
At just 20 years old, Dr. Hernandez stepped into her first formal leadership role within the global beauty and retail industry. Over the course of 15 years with Estée Lauder Companies and eight years with Victoria’s Secret, she built a strong foundation in business operations, people leadership, and results-driven performance. She exceeded sales targets, led teams under pressure, and learned how to balance empathy with accountability. Yet behind the metrics and milestones was a quieter, more personal battle.
Despite her performance, education, and proven capability, she found herself repeatedly overlooked for advancement. She advocated for pay equity. She continued to deliver exceptional results while watching others move ahead. The experience was both frustrating and formative. What could have silenced her instead clarified her purpose. She recognized that her struggle was not unique, and if someone with access, education, and experience could feel unseen, what about those without opportunity or support? That realization marked a pivotal shift. Her success, she understood, had to mean more than personal achievement. It had to create pathways for others.
From Corporate Leadership to Global Enterprise
Today, Dr. Teresa Hernandez is an internationally acclaimed entrepreneur, award-winning youth empowerment coach, global motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist. As the Founder and CEO of Girls Of Color Take Over LLC, she has built a transformative global platform dedicated to mentoring, educating, and uplifting girls and women of color.
Her programs are intentionally forward-thinking, fostering creativity, confidence, leadership, and entrepreneurial skillsets that equip the next generation to lead boldly in business and in life. Her work spans borders, cultures, and communities, empowering young people to see beyond limitations and step into possibility.
One of her most defining initiatives includes a mentorship program in Ghana, West Africa, where she has spent years helping youth build entrepreneurial confidence, leadership capacity, and essential life skills. Reflecting on the journey, she shared:
“What began as a simple vision has grown into a powerful platform empowering youths to believe in themselves, think boldly, and lead with purpose. When youths are empowered, communities are strengthened and nations are built.”
Her leadership philosophy is grounded in empowerment, cultural relevance, and fearless authenticity. With over 25 years of retail leadership experience and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Management and Operations, she leads by building people first and creating environments where inclusion, confidence, and bold decision-making thrive.
Enterprise with Meaning, Empowerment with Reach
Dr. Hernandez’s impact extends beyond entrepreneurship alone. Through Perfect 777 Corporation, a nonprofit organization she founded, she provides clothing and shoes to women and children in underserved communities. This work reflects her belief that empowerment must be practical, accessible, and human-centered. She is also expanding her influence through thought leadership and innovation. With the release of her book, Unleashing Entrepreneurial Success: A Guide to Understanding Entrepreneurship and Building a Professional Network, she offers aspiring leaders a practical roadmap for navigating business, building meaningful relationships, and turning vision into action.
In addition, she is redefining beauty standards through the launch of an innovative, ethically designed makeup collection for young girls. The line promotes age-appropriate, health-conscious products that encourage self-expression and confidence. It is more than a brand. It is a message that self-worth begins with self-acceptance.
Her work has earned international recognition from Dubai, where she received The Woman of Substance Award and The Most Inspiring Woman in Youth Empowerment Award, to London, Ghana, Belize, and across the United States. She is also a recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, among numerous honors celebrating her leadership and service.
As one fellow executive noted simply and powerfully: “A cut above the rest. She exemplifies excellence.”
Vision for the Future: Building What Comes Next
Despite the accolades, Dr. Hernandez remains clear about what defines her.
“Success is not about being accepted. It’s about stepping into your own light.”
Her focus now is firmly on expansion, new business ventures, deeper global partnerships, and broader platforms that amplify opportunity for girls and women worldwide. She continues to build enterprises that align profit with purpose and leadership with legacy.
At the heart of everything she does is a belief that shapes every initiative, every mentorship, and every room she enters. When people understand their worth, they walk in their power. From the fields of Belize to global platforms across continents, Dr. Teresa Hernandez remains committed to cultivating confidence, creating opportunity, and ensuring the next generation knows that greatness is not distant. It is within reach.
Editorial Note
Dr. Teresa Hernandez’s story is a reminder that leadership is not about waiting to be chosen. It is about choosing yourself and building paths for others to follow. Her journey challenges us to rethink access, redefine success, and invest in the next generation with intention. As she continues to expand her ventures and global impact, her work invites leaders, organizations, and communities to ask a powerful question: What doors are we building, and who will walk through them next?
