Know your WHY
- Suited for Change
- Mar 11, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 11, 2021
Fernanda Parreira Menezes, SFC Marketing & Program Manager
Our podcast series continues as we celebrate Women’ History Month! This week’s guest is Fernanda Parreira Menezes our Marketing and Program Manager.
For those who may not know, Fernanda is from Brazil. Before coming to the United States two and a half years ago, she worked as a Marketing Manager in Higher Education and got her certificate in Applied Positive Psychology.
Before setting foot in the US, Fernanda had already discovered Suited for Change. Having honed in on her personal mission, to combine positive psychology with personal branding and thereby promoting the best version of oneself, Fernanda did a quick google search of organizations that fit her “why.” She immediately became enthralled with Suited for Change.
Sticking to her advice of getting out of your comfort zone and “mak[ing] a change and allow[ing] yourself to be seen,” Fernanda knocked on the SFC door asking for an opportunity to not only volunteer, but also to lead workshops. After a few months of volunteering, Fernanda was hired at the start of 2020.
Throughout her time at Suited for Change, Fernanda has seen first hand how something as simple as an outfit can completely change a person’s self-confidence.
She has found it so rewarding to “help [the clients] realize how beautiful they are. They have such strength inside them and sometimes [they] just need a person to help [them] see that.”
When asked about what advice she would give to other women, her answer was simple: “know your why.” Once you find your passion, set high goals for yourself and let your drive push you to succeed. In her parting words, Fernanda emphasizes living an authentic life, having the courage to follow your heart, and to tell the story of who you are.
About the Interviewer:
Christina Eanes is an author, speaker, podcast host, and former FBI analyst and senior manager. Find more about Christina at christinaeanes.com.
The line about clients already having strength inside them, and just needing someone to help them see it, feels very real — especially for anyone walking into an interview after a rough stretch. I’m curious how they balance “personal branding” with authenticity so it doesn’t feel like putting on a mask, just removing distractions. Side note: experimenting safely before a big moment made me think of those try-on hairstyle ai tools where you can preview changes without committing — same idea of lowering the risk so confidence can actually show up. Anyway, Fernanda’s path from volunteer to staff is a good reminder that sometimes the fastest way to find your place is to ask.
I liked how Fernanda describes her “why” as something practical — not just motivation, but a guide that got her to literally knock on the door and ask to help. Also the link between positive psychology + personal branding makes sense in a nonprofit setting, because confidence isn’t vanity when it’s tied to getting a job and stability. Random tangent: the whole “help people see the best version of themselves” vibe reminded me of how imgg turns an everyday photo into a different style, and it makes you notice details you’d normally skip. Coming back to SFC, it’s cool that the transformation here is grounded in dignity, not aesthetics.
That bit about an outfit being “simple” but still flipping someone’s confidence really landed for me — it’s wild how quickly you stand taller when you feel put-together. “Know your why” feels less like a slogan here and more like a filter for decisions, especially when you’re new in a country and trying to be seen. Funny aside: the idea of small shifts creating a totally different outcome made me think of a basic old caesar cipher tool where one tiny rotation changes everything. But in real life the “shift” is community and permission to show up.
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