Hello! I’m Yve!
Pronounced (Eve), and I am so glad to have you here!
I’ve always been a big believer about being intentional with the decisions we make in life. To me, the small steps we take are the most important ones.
If you are ready for the next level of your life or even just amplifying the one you are in right now, you’ve come to the right place!
You know how people aim to be a voice of reason? Well, consider me your voice and source of motivation. Throughout this platform and on the podcast, I will help navigate you through challenges and provide you with the opportunity to flourish and bloom as you were meant to!
There are so many things I have done starting from traveling the world at 6 years old due to my dad’s hard and smart work (he started off in a village in Kenya, was in the police force and army then worked his way to the office of the President and became a career diplomat), creating my own nonprofit the PATESI Foundation, working and collaborating with major brands such as Target, Nordstrom Rack, L’Avant Collective, Owlet, 1800flowers, and so much more!
I created the ONWARD Podcast as an inclusive, self-empowerment, personal development, and inner harmony-nurturing safe space where you will be guided to not only take up space, but simultaneously hold space for others.
Many of you may know me from Instagram @secretsofyve or our family account @glimpsesofiggyandyve, but I am a globe-trotting, road-trips loving, mama, wife, designer, stylist, a public health, wellness and sustainable development expert and educator, entrepreneur and the CEO of PATESI Global and the PATESI Foundation. I have a Bachelor of Science in Public Health (Health Education), and a Master of Arts in Sustainable Development: International Policy and Management.
PATESI Global is a cultural goods brand driven by ethical and social consciousness and awareness that inspires eclectic and ethnic style in everyday life. We proudly support the livelihood of artisans who meticulously handcraft each item. Our passion is connecting talented yet underserved artists capable of producing high-quality products to global markets and providing them with the opportunity to showcase their work. Your purchase not only empowers and helps families thrive, it helps us protect, preserve and sustain cultures, art-forms, and livelihoods.
The PATESI Foundation aims to provide education and support to empower communities, and alleviate period and postpartum bleeding poverty by providing access to low/no cost, high quality and appropriate sanitary products. Our vision is a world where everyone has access to reproductive health information and sanitary products in efforts to alleviate social stigmas associated with menstruation, raise awareness of postpartum hemorrhage, and empower communities.
The PATESI store is my own personal retail website with the most organic home, health and beauty products to suit every lifestyle. Click here to SHOP.
I gave birth to a rainbow. More to come..
The Nitty Gritty About How I got Here: My Journey
A few years ago, I was working as a Volunteer Coordinator turned Community Engagement Manager at a nonprofit in Maryland. While I absolutely enjoyed my position, it did not come without the usual office politics and lack of flexibility; especially for a new mother which I was at the time. I had always been interested in storytelling whether it was just through visuals or short bursts of stories regarding my adventures.
It was until right after I gave birth to our first child that my interest in blogging and vlogging peaked. Now, as much as my passion for those two were building; I hardly had enough time to truly focus. I was managing thousands of volunteers and receiving 30-40 calls and emails each day from potential volunteers (including churches/congregations, corporations committed to corporate social responsibility, other nonprofit agencies, schools, Girls Scouts and Eagle Scouts entities, families, individuals, and the list goes on). While it was a blessing, I was also managing other functions for the nonprofit atop hosting the Help the Homeless Walks with various schools and education institutions (phew!).
Did I mention that I was a new mother?
My maternity leave lasted about 3 weeks or so before I knew I needed to go back. The calls from the office were never-ending and it was then that they had gotten a taste about how much was on my plate. Besides, my vacation & sick hours were also running out (there was no paid maternity leave). My decision to jump back in before fully healing was almost fatal..
I woke up shivering and shaking one morning at about 4 am with a high fever. I told my husband that I just needed to lie back down but he insisted that I go to urgent care. My eldest sister watched over our daughter Sarah and after blood work tests, they discovered that I had postpartum/maternal sepsis (blood poisoning).
To sum it up, I spent a week in isolation after they transported me to the hospital where I delivered my baby and had to painfully pump and dump all my breast milk. Ignacio was left at home with a newborn and he recently revealed to me that it wasn’t easy, but it is how he and our daughter’s unbreakable bond was formed. Even while in the hospital, I couldn’t avoid the calls, and constantly worried about not being able to get paid (remember, I had exhausted my vacation and sick hours). As I prayed for not only strength to cope with the uncertainties we now faced, I also prayed and longed to be reunited with my family. Shortly after, I found out that two co-workers had dedicated over a whole week and a half’s pay from their vacation hours to me.
I was incredibly touched and overwhelmed with emotion, but it was a reality check for me. The job that I gave my all was not enough to keep our family afloat; Iggy had to stop working to raise our daughter while I worked and then overworked.
Fast forward about two years later, I was pregnant with our second child and stopped working at the nonprofit. During my 2nd to the end of my 3rd trimester I worked for Uber full-time and my clients were always so intrigued that I pushed that hard (pun intended) till I delivered.
Since I was just getting used to this new positions, we fell behind with and almost lost EVERYTHING. It wasn’t until the year after that Iggy & I became very successful with Uber earning an astonishing 4 figures PER WEEK.
I took a step back from Uber and started focusing on blogging, Youtube and Instagram. I was dedicated and eventually Instagram became my main focus. My love for podcasting stemmed from those I interacted with on Instagram and now here we are! During that period I also created PATESI LLC and The PATESI Foundation which is supporting people globally and was represented at a United Nations meeting in Washington, D.C..
There are so many things that happened in between and after that I would love to share with you; let's be friends on Instagram!
