Flavio Strianese left a six-year law career in Argentina, moved to the United States, changed industries multiple times, and eventually found his path in digital marketing. In this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast — his very first podcast appearance — Flavio joins host Ethan Van De Hey to share what he learned about mindset, leadership, and why the comfort zone is often the most uncomfortable place you can be.
Watch the Full Episode with Flavio Strianese
From Argentina to America — A Career Built on Reinvention
Flavio is originally from Argentina, where he studied law through a rigorous six-year program. The Argentine legal system is based on civil law codes — books upon books of criminal law, civil law, and codes of conduct that have to be studied and memorized. That experience instilled in Flavio a deep love of learning, reading, and absorbing new material. But it also locked him into a career that, while stable, never felt quite right.
When Flavio moved to the United States, he began a series of career changes that would have made most people nervous. He jumped industries, explored new fields, and admittedly banged his head against the wall more than a few times. People around him questioned what he was doing. But through all that experimentation, he eventually landed in digital marketing consulting — the sweet spot where his curiosity about technology, his communication skills from law, and his entrepreneurial drive all came together.
When Your Comfort Zone Is Not Actually Comfortable
One of the most insightful moments in the conversation is when Flavio explains why he left law. On the surface, it was his comfort zone — he knew how to do the job, he was good at it, and it was predictable. But he was not feeling comfortable. That distinction, he says, is something many people miss. Just because you know how to do something does not mean it is where you are supposed to be. The discomfort of staying in the wrong career was greater than the discomfort of starting over, and that realization gave Flavio the push he needed to make the change.
Learning Not to Take “No” Personally
Flavio gets vulnerable when he shares a story about losing a client that hit him like a breakup. He had invested tremendous energy into the relationship, and when the client pulled away, Flavio took it hard. He spent months grieving the loss before finally reaching out to have a conversation. What he discovered was that the decision had nothing to do with him or his work — the timing simply was not right on the client’s end. They ended up becoming friends, and the client recently sent Flavio a photo of his newborn daughter.
That experience taught Flavio a critical lesson for entrepreneurs: you cannot take every “no” personally. In business, rejection is constant — in sales calls, marketing pitches, and client relationships. He references advice he picked up at masterminds and seminars: you are going to hear many more “no” responses before you start hearing consistent “yes” responses, and the sooner you develop thicker skin around that word, the sooner you can focus on the work that actually matters.
The Art of Self-Organization
Running his own business forced Flavio to confront a challenge most solo entrepreneurs face: there is no one organizing your schedule, no one telling you what is more important than what, and no one prioritizing your tasks for you. Everything falls on you. Flavio admits that he made plenty of mistakes early on by trying to do too much and losing track of what actually mattered.
He learned to build systems around himself, to prioritize ruthlessly, and to accept that you can only chew what you can chew. Trying to take on everything at once was not just inefficient — it was actively harmful to the quality of his work and his mental health. The discipline of self-organization, he says, is one of the most underrated skills an entrepreneur can develop.
Leadership Is Google Earth, Not Google Street View
Flavio shares a vivid analogy for what leadership really means. He compares most new entrepreneurs to Google Street View — they are down in the weeds, surrounded by details, and missing the bigger picture. Real leadership, he says, is more like Google Earth. You have to zoom out to see what pieces fit together, what is clashing, and where the real opportunities and problems lie.
The hardest part of that shift, Flavio admits, is delegation. When you have been doing everything yourself, you start believing you are the only person who can do it right. Letting go of that control takes time, trust, and the humility to accept that other people might do things differently — and that different is not always worse.
Negotiation Is Everywhere
In a lighter moment, Flavio points out that selling and negotiating are not just business skills — they are life skills. He even negotiates with his children about their time on PlayStation or Nintendo versus reading a book. That constant practice, he says, has made him better at the professional negotiations that matter most. The more you accept that negotiation is woven into every part of your day, the less intimidating it becomes when the stakes are higher.
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Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Matt LeBris: Turn Failure into Fuel for Success
- Dr. Lucy Johnson: Small Wins, Big Results
- Randi Lynn Quigley: Empowerment and Self-Discovery
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