2014 Honoree

Bertha González Nieves

Co-founder & CEO of Casa Dragones

“When women become equally represented in lawmaking…laws will change.”

Who inspires you the most?

Innovation and modern thinking inspires me. I believe in always trying to push the boundaries of what has been done before—which is the vision behind Casa Dragones.

What do you now know about yourself that you wish you knew ten/fifteen/twenty years ago?

I know that I don’t have to be a man to be in a man’s industry. That it doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman, it’s the passion with which you work that inspires people and makes a great company.

Fill in the blank: You can never have enough _______.

Passion.

What City best describes your personality?

Mexico City—vibrant, creative, modern, but with a respect for tradition.

What gets you through even the toughest days and what are you most grateful for?

My family gets me through the toughest days, and for them and the love I have in my life, I am most grateful.

What socio-political women’s issue do you care about the most? Do you feel that women are typically presented fairly in the media? Why or why not?

I am passionate about equal rights and equal pay for women. With equal pay, more women will stay in the workforce, and become leaders. And the more women leaders we have, the better. Women present a different and necessary point of view and we need diversity and new thinking to advance.

Despite separation between Church & State, religion still seems to govern decisions regarding women – abortions, birth control, etc. How do we shift power over women’s bodies to women?

Again, the more women leaders we have, the more we can advance and modernize as a society. Right now, only 30% of the Supreme Court Justices are women. In Congress and in the Senate, the percentage of women is much less. When women become equally represented in lawmaking, these laws will change.

What is your best read? Favorite character you would most like to be?

My favorite book recently was Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s about the Tarahumara, a Mexican tribe of “superathletes” and the determination it takes to win.

What will it take for women to be viewed as equal to men?

Women have been lobbying for equal rights for years. It will take the vision and conviction of men, not women, to help us change the laws that govern our wages, our ability to raise a family, and our bodies.

What was your best decision to date? Worst decision?

My best decision was starting Casa Dragones Tequila Company. And recently, my worst decision was riding a bike without a helmet. Too many people suffer preventable head trauma, I think we all need to wear helmets when biking or other sports where we could be at risk.

Social media has exploded. How can women use it to market themselves without seeming narcissistic?

If a woman is marketing herself through social media, she needs to treat her pages much as she would a page created for a brand. She should be posting relevant posts based on what she thinks others should see. That doesn’t mean your posts have to be all business. Being personal and having diverse interests shows character.