Yasmin Rivera-Klein: “Find What Makes You You and Your People Will Come”

Yasmin Rivera Klein walks into rooms where she’s often the youngest, sometimes the only woman, and sometimes the only Latina. Instead of shrinking, she learns to translate that position into something else entirely a responsibility to speak, to build, and to create space for others who haven’t been heard yet. Her story is less about early success and more about learning how to trust her own voice before anyone else does.That trust didn’t come naturally. Yasmin started in finance with a clear, logical path toward becoming a CFO. It made sense on paper. But over time, she began to feel the tension between who she thought she was supposed to be and what she was actually drawn to building. A mentor saw something in her she couldn’t see herself. Her husband challenged her identity as “just a numbers person.” Eventually, she made a decision that changed everything she walked away from certainty and stepped into creativity, launching Agency 27 on her 27th birthday.What emerges from her story is a deeper insight about leadership in a modern world. Community is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation. Whether she’s building a national nonprofit chapter, designing experiences that people remember years later, or creating access points in spaces where representation has been limited, Yasmin approaches everything with the same question: how do people feel when they leave? The answer shapes everything from strategy to execution.This conversation matters now because more people are realizing that traditional paths don’t always lead to meaningful work. Yasmin’s story offers a different model one where identity, community, and creativity are not distractions from success, but the very things that make it possible.What You’ll Learn• Why being the “youngest in the room” can be an advantage, not a limitation• How community becomes a strategic advantage in business and leadership• The identity shift from following a path to creating your own• Why experiences matter more than branding in modern marketing• How to design environments where people feel seen, valued, and connected• The role of mentors and partners in unlocking unseen potential• A practical mindset for building resilience, energy, and long-term sustainability• Why authenticity is the foundation of meaningful successAbout Yasmin Rivera KleinYasmin Rivera Klein is an entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of Agency 27, a full-service events and marketing company focused on creating meaningful, experience-driven connections. She also serves as President of the Phoenix chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America, where she leads initiatives that expand access and opportunity for underrepresented communities.About Extraordinary StoriesExtraordinary Stories explores the ideas, people, and experiences that shape extraordinary lives.Hosts Forbes Shannon, Christine Butler, and Aaron Bare sit down with entrepreneurs, thinkers, creators, and leaders to uncover the moments that changed how they see the world.