The Cost of Quiet: Toby Myles & Hady Méndez on Turning Setbacks Into Strength

**Check Out These Highlights:** Hady reflects on her mother’s saying, *“Closed mouths don’t let flies in,”* and how that lesson in silence shaped her early years and followed her into a 25‑year career in male‑dominated tech and finance. She shares how being the youngest of four sisters pushed her to carve out her own identity, always looking for ways to do things differently and stand out. We talk about her mission work in Bolivia, teaching incarcerated women to find their voice, and how that experience connected directly to her later work in equality and leadership. Hady also describes her time as head of equality at Slack, and how she shifted from quietly waiting her turn to actively advocating for herself; a transformation that became the foundation of her bestselling book. Her story is a powerful reminder that underestimated professionals can thrive when they own their voice, and that belonging and inclusion lead to stronger teams, better products, and more authentic leadership. **About Hady Méndez:** Hady Méndez is a bestselling author, leadership coach, and founder of Boldly Speaking. She helps underestimated professionals find their voice and claim their place at the table, drawing on her decades of experience in tech, finance, and equality leadership. **Connect with Hady:** 🌐 Website: https://www.boldlyspeakingllc.com 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadymendez 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calladitanomorebook 📑 Substack: https://hadyunfiltered.substack.com **Stalk Me Online!** About Me: https://tobymyles.com/about/ Free Gift: The Nashville Method: 5-Day Storytelling Mini-Course Subscribe to *Her Origin Story* on your favorite platform. New episodes every week with real, raw stories about the moments that started it all. ### Episode Notes Footer: *Her Origin Story* is produced by Toby Myles Copywriting, and podcast editor Ilorah Dela Cruz All content © 2026 Toby Myles. All rights reserved.