Monica Bauer Mengelberg grew up in Mexico City in a family shaped by science, discipline, and achievement. With a psychiatrist mother and a statistician father, she learned early that success was built through effort—not simply bestowed by luck. But as Monica's ambitions took her beyond the traditional expectations placed on young Mexican women, she also had to define success on her own terms.
Over more than two decades at PepsiCo, Monica has built a career spanning philanthropy, corporate affairs, inclusion, and global social impact. In this conversation with Pedro A. Guerrero, she reflects on the choices that helped her evolve from a talented individual contributor into an intentional leader—including learning to self-promote, build meaningful networks, and exercise power without sacrificing authenticity.
Monica also shares a pivotal moment when feedback from her team forced her to reconsider how she was leading. Under pressure to balance a demanding regional role with raising two young children, she realized that her need for approval was causing her to give away her power. That experience taught her that leadership is not simply about delivering results; it is about setting priorities, saying no, inspiring others, and creating the conditions for a team to thrive.
The conversation explores the distinctive strengths Latino leaders bring to the workplace, from empathy and community-building to a deeply human, people-first approach. Monica explains why biculturalism is an advantage, why inclusion can drive business growth, and why workforce readiness and economic prosperity are among the most important opportunities facing the Latino community.
Ultimately, Monica sees Latinos not as participants in someone else's future, but as "the architects of tomorrow"—a community with the cultural influence, economic power, and collective responsibility to shape what comes next.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
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Challenging traditional expectations of success for Mexican women
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Why luck must be built through consistent effort
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Creating a career across multiple functions within PepsiCo
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Self-promotion, networking, and power in Latino culture
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Receiving difficult feedback and changing as a leader
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Why exercising power includes saying no
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Biculturalism as a personal and professional advantage
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Workforce readiness, STEM education, and Latino economic prosperity
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The responsibility to mentor, connect, and give back
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Why Latinos are "the architects of tomorrow"
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