Finding Balance and Building Legacies Through Homeownership
Mariana Hernandez, co-founder of Team ELLLA. Photo by Tatiana Peña, JEFAS Magazine
By Samantha Mesa, JEFAS MAGAZINE
When Mariana Hernandez arrived in the United States from Mexico City at age 3, she never imagined she would one day break barriers in Iowa’s real estate industry. Now a DACA recipient and successful entrepreneur, Hernandez has co-founded Team Ellla, Iowa’s first Latina-owned real estate company, transforming how families navigate homeownership while building generational wealth for her community.
“I wanted to break generational chains to build and create something bigger for myself and the generations after me,” Hernandez says.
Building Team Ellla: Iowa’s First Latina-Owned Real Estate Company
Through Team Ellla, co-run with Rocio Hermosillo and Maria Rocha, the three women founders — symbolized by the three Ls in the company name — are achieving that vision by helping families buy, sell and invest in homes across Iowa with bilingual services in English and Spanish. Hernandez also mentors other real estate professionals, proving that heart-centered business practices can drive both profit and purpose.
Her roots fuel this mission. “My culture has given me resilience, warmth and a deep sense of community,” Hernandez explains. “Being bilingual and bicultural allows me to connect authentically with a wider range of clients and uplift my people in the process.” Through Team Ellla, “we can break the glass ceiling little by little and impact as many people as I can.”
Overcoming Burnout and Cultural Barriers
When she started in real estate, she worked nonstop. “I didn’t have kids, so I was on the go, go, go, go, go, go, go,” she recalls. “I could accelerate at 1,000 miles per hour and not even think about myself. After you have kids and a business, you get to a point where you’re like, ‘Wow, I’m burnt out.'”
This feeling was compounded by cultural expectations. Hernandez grew up with a strong work ethic where therapy, recognizing burnout and mental health were taboo. As an adult, she realized she had to understand balance and recognize triggers, especially regarding running the company’s finances. Through shadow work and meditation, she has been on a journey to recognize burnout and create boundaries by building her team to manage multiple roles.
Perhaps the biggest shift came when she learned to ask for help since that was not natural for her. But it became one of the most pivotal changes in Team Ellla’s success. Instead of taking on too many responsibilities that could lead to burnout again, she now hires accountants to handle profit-and-loss analysis and works with a business coach and consultant. By investing in their expertise, “it alleviates that pressure off of us.” Her advice to other Latina entrepreneurs reflects this hard-won wisdom.
She encourages other Latina entrepreneurs to hire professional support immediately, especially for managing accounting. “We grew to 15 members within a year. We hit the ground running. It was too much.”
Scaling a company so quickly challenged her to make time for her physical health, even in small efforts. “This is ongoing for me,” she shares. After having children, she started small, sometimes with a 15-minute walk or a quick workout. She’s also focused on her financial well-being.
She learned to let go of hoarding money out of fear. “Learning my relationship with money is ongoing work,” she says. “I’m able to identify a trigger and say, ‘When things feel heavy, how do I react to that?’”
These lessons transformed how she leads. Now she pours into her agents and her team, which allows her the freedom to invest in herself. Team Ellla has morning huddles, beginning the day in gratitude, and identifying key business activities to keep them focused.
What keeps her grounded through it all? Hernandez cites “the freedom to lead with heart, set my vision, and make an impact in my community while building generational wealth” as her core motivation to grow professionally and as a person. She wants more women to do the same.
Mariana Hernandez, co-founder of Team ELLLA. Photo by Tatiana Peña, JEFAS Magazine
Advice for Latina Entrepreneurs
For other Latinas considering entrepreneurship, her message is clear: While taking financial risks can be nerve-wracking, she encourages Latinas to start and stay grounded in their “why.” “You don’t have to know everything; you just have to be willing to grow.” Building relationships has also been beneficial to her mental, physical and financial health.
“You’re not alone,” she advises. “Choose the people to surround you who may also be going through the same thing, to learn from each other. I think that’s a beautiful thing about collaborating and being an entrepreneur.” Hernandez networks outside the Latina community to expand her professional contacts and make diverse spaces feel safer and more inclusive.
This approach requires vulnerability, especially in a women-led business where there’s pressure to wear many hats. “Being open with your employees or the people within your company is essential,” she explains. “This allows them to feel comfortable coming to you when things are not going as expected.” But she admits it doesn’t always work out as expected and that’s when her grounding practices become most helpful.
When things get tough, she leans into grace and gratitude. “I know that where I’m at right now in my life is where I’m meant to be. When I was working a nine-to-five corporate job, this was the life I prayed for,” reflects Hernandez. Her advice to other jefas is powerful and heartfelt: “We don’t have to fit into anyone else’s mold. We get to build our path and make it beautiful.”
