What if you stopped performing... and finally started leading with your real voice?

Elena Armijo is here to help high-performers, creators, and entrepreneurs lead. And her story? It starts on some of the most prestigious stages in the world.

Before she became a top executive coach, Elena was a professional opera singer, performing at places like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. But something was off. She loved music but not the music business. Constantly on the road. Missing weddings and funerals. Struggling to feel like herself. So, she made a bold move: she walked away, and paved a new path that actually felt right.

That decision led her to coaching, and eventually to becoming a trauma-informed, Master Certified Coach (MCC), and founder of the C-Suite Collective, where she helps high performers show up with more clarity, impact, and courage.

Watch my full conversation with Elena Armijo right here:

The Shift from Performing to Belonging

In this episode of UPBEAT, Parker and Elena talk about what it takes to truly find your authentic voice.

They break down what “belonging to yourself” means: setting boundaries, saying the hard things, choosing honesty over performance, etc. For Elena, it was about learning she didn’t have to prove her worth anymore. That she could lead with love instead of fear. That she could still love music, but not live inside it.

Her story hits especially hard for anyone who’s ever felt trapped by their own success, or stuck in the journey of dream-chasing and following their passions.

Big Ideas from This Week's Conversation

Voice is more than sound. It’s identity.
Your vocal cords are literally unique to you. Your voice—physically and metaphorically—is yours for a reason. So use it.

You don’t have to earn your worth.
Elena built an entire career trying to prove she was enough. Coaching taught her a better way: she already was.

Boundaries help you love people better.
Not to push them away, but to stay connected in healthy, honest ways.

Leadership without vulnerability isn’t leadership.
The best leaders don’t fake strength. They model courage, even when it’s messy.

Belonging starts with you.
Before you can belong in a room, a relationship, or a company—you have to belong to yourself.

A Final Note from Parker

Elena said something in this episode I’ll never forget:

“Just open up and be you, because that’s where the magic is. People want to feel you and see you, not a perfect version of you."

That hit me hard, and this episode is a helpful reminder to pause, breathe, and speak from the place that’s actually you.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts! And check out Elena’s work at The C-Suite Collective or her show, The Collective Corner.

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