This week, host Lorie Jones sits down with Janete Parente, owner of HB Medical Billing and author, for an inspiring conversation spanning Janete’s humble beginnings growing up in poverty in southern Brazil to her courageous leap into the unknown and entrepreneurial success as an immigrant in the United States.
Janete shares the trials of starting over in a new country before building a successful company and reflects on the difference in credibility that introducing women with their highest titles can make. The conversation explores lessons about reciprocating support on the road to financial independence, valuing opportunity, self-advocacy, lifting others, hard work, faith, and learning from both failure and success. She offers heartfelt advice on overcoming cultural and gender barriers in business.
Tune in as we examine the pivotal moments and fearless mindset that define Janete Parente’s extraordinary life and career journey.
Show Highlights:
- Rising out of poverty by deeply valuing education. [07:18]
- The power of help and hard work on the entrepreneurial path. [11:06]
- Do we make enough use of senior entrepreneurship latitude? [17:40]
- How do you respond when clients dictate your career goals? [21:31]
- Self-advocacy taught by a straight talking American husband. [24:16]
- The importance of early practice in communication. [28:16]
- Benefits of opening an IRA account for financial security. [30:36]
- Adopting a “learn, then teach” mindset for collective value. [32:56]
- Why women must present each other with their highest titles. [34:26]
- Achieving success against the odds to be able to give back. [38:28]
Find Janete Parente on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/janete-teixeira-parente-5403a33b/.
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review!
For more information about Lorie Jones, go to https://fearlessfinancialadvisors.com/fearless-females.
00:01.79
Lorie Jones
Good morning, Fearless Females. So today we have Janet Parente. She is a business owner and author um of HB Medical Billing. And I’m excited to have a chat with you, Janet. I’m really excited to hear your story. So thank you so much for joining us.
00:18.71
Janete
Thanks for having me.
00:21.26
Lorie Jones
So my first question, i always love asking me my authors this question because they are usually so well read and have such good suggestions. And a lot of times I always find it interesting. i always think you’re going to suggest your own book.
00:35.40
Lorie Jones
And most of the time you don’t. So i’m what is your favorite book?
00:41.02
Janete
Yeah, I am like other authors, I would not suggest my own book. um I actually listen to a lot of books and then what I do, ah those that I like the most,
00:53.33
Janete
I end up but buying a hard copy ah had a hard copy so I can have it and then read it.
00:57.47
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
01:00.25
Janete
So one of the books that I loved it, it was um the title is um Saving My Assassin. It’s a story of a Romanian lawyer.
01:14.53
Janete
who was a outspoken defender of Christians and human rights in Romania under the communist regime. And at some point she was faced with an assassination attempt um and the killer was sent by the government to silence her.
01:36.89
Janete
And then she ended up moving to the United States. um At the time, President ro Ronald Reagan gave her asylum to come to the United States, and then she continued practicing law.
01:52.45
Janete
And then fast forward, she received this visit in her office, and then she recognized the man. The man was that man that one day tried to kill her.
02:05.43
Janete
But now he’s a converted Christian. And um it’s, you know, for some of us that um believe in the power of faith, that is a beautiful story. And um so so anyway, she faced then the killer, but she saved him.
02:26.54
Janete
So because he became a Christian And it’s a real story. And when I read the book, she was practicing, still practicing law in the United States. I’m not sure if she still is, but her name is Virginia Proden.
02:40.26
Janete
And um she, I believe she’s still a human rights attorney, but again, I don’t, I’m not sure, but it’s a beautiful story. Beautiful, amazing, amazing story.
02:52.80
Janete
that since I read it, i gave as a gift. I told all my friends to buy it because it’s amazing. It’s amazing.
03:00.92
Lorie Jones
That sounds so interesting. And I love the idea of that kind of um making the world a better place and learning forgiveness and finding kindness. It just, you know, especially in the midst of like my life doesn’t usually include assassins or assassination attempts.
03:20.80
Lorie Jones
And so so I love the idea of kind of um something bigger than you and kind of learning to to deal and and work with a situation that’s bigger than yourself. So I i love that. I think that’s really great.
03:35.86
Lorie Jones
i I’ll take a look at it.
03:37.05
Janete
Yeah, I love to read about other people’s stories. And this is one of those amazing stories out there that I recommend to other people to get to know.
03:44.54
Lorie Jones
Yeah, yeah.
03:48.94
Lorie Jones
Tell me a little bit about your journey. How did you get started? it obviously wasn’t in the United States.
03:54.76
Janete
Yeah, so with this accent.
03:55.41
Lorie Jones
Yeah. but yeah And where are you at today? Kind of how did it take you to along your path to where you are today?
04:03.64
Janete
Yeah, it’s kind of a long story, so I’ll try to make that short. So I was born and raised in Southern Brazil. um I’m one of 11 and I was born in a very, in poverty and managed to go to college, finished my master’s degree.
04:24.83
Janete
I’m the only one in my family that attended college. And, um, Then eventually came into the United States and and here i could not use my degrees because I didn’t speak the language.
04:32.17
Lorie Jones
Thank
04:39.53
Janete
So i’m um ah you know, I have master MBA and here i had it to work as a babysitter and cleaning houses. And I worked at a car wash until I learned the language. And then eventually threw, you know,
04:59.10
Janete
I got sick at some point during my journey and i met a family of doctors that gave me an opportunity in their office. And then i went back to school.
05:10.42
Janete
I learned medical billing and then I eventually opened my business and I have been in this ah field for 20 years. I have my own company and the rest is history.
05:23.45
Lorie Jones
yeah Well, that is…
05:24.75
Janete
And then last year, i um i also then um ah published a book, you know, telling all this, you know, my story, where I came from and where I am at.
05:37.50
Lorie Jones
I love that. So that that’s a that’s a pretty big path. Did you… Well, let’s dive into it just a little bit. How did you, how were you the only one to go to college? Like, did you did you just work your way through school or how did that work?
05:56.35
Janete
Well, since I was a teenager, I did not want to be poor. I thought that that was not the life I wanted to have for the rest of my life.
06:08.37
Janete
and And I thought if I got educated, i could have i could change. And then basically, that’s what I did. i i worked really hard. I studied a lot. and And in my book, I tell the story how I i studied with some friends when they were getting prepared to go to college.
06:26.76
Janete
in And I studied with them so I would get prepared and pass the tests. And then I did. passed the test. And then with no money because my my parents couldn’t afford college.
06:38.24
Janete
And I i passed the test in a Catholic university, which was really, really um expensive.
06:46.06
Lorie Jones
Oh.
06:48.27
Janete
And I just had the the desire to study, but no money. And um it’s rather a long story, but I was blessed to have a scholarship.
06:59.73
Janete
And then that’s how I finished college through the scholarship. And then I got a job at a Siemens telecommunication and then they paid for my master’s degree.
07:12.77
Lorie Jones
oh
07:12.85
Janete
And, uh, Yeah, it was but it was i was really the the journey was really difficult, not having money and just you know studying and and in just, you know, faith. I had lots of faith in that sad through my faith, something good would happen in my life and I could to finish my degree.
07:34.43
Janete
And I did. And the story is detailed in the dirt road.
07:39.86
Lorie Jones
the And talk to me just a little bit about when you came to the United States, like how did you decide to come here and and what um you said you couldn’t use any of your degrees because you couldn’t speak the language. So you what, what was that like working somewhere where you, you knew you had much more potential and, and yet you were working a pretty menial job for a while?
08:07.92
Janete
Yeah, so um the reason I came to the United States was because i was working at Siemens Telecommunications, and I could not advance in my career in unless I spoke English fluently or are German, and I didn’t know any of those And I was devastated because I had learned everything about the department I was working.
08:32.25
Janete
And because I didn’t speak the language, I could not get that position. So at the time, a friend of mine was coming to United States to reunite with her family.
08:44.27
Janete
And I decided that I would quit my job. i would come to the United States for a year, learn the language, and then I would go back to Brazil. And then in my mind, that’s what I wanted. I want to go back to Brazil, get a job at a Volvo.
09:02.10
Janete
I don’t know why.
09:02.38
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
09:03.12
Janete
i want to work at Volvo. ah And then I always told myself I’ll never miss an opportunity because I don’t speak this language. That was the goal. So I left everything behind, a good job, of my family, friends.
09:18.50
Janete
And I came with $600 in my pocket. and then the desire to learn the language and succeed in in the country that I did not speak the language.
09:29.59
Janete
At the beginning, I knew the the struggles and the and what I would face because I didn’t speak the language. But the desire was so intense that I didn’t care that I had master’s degree and I was working at Car Wash.
09:45.57
Janete
that that’s At the times, I would think, oh my God, I should go home. This is not a place for me. But then I would think, no, I’m here for for a reason. i have a goal. I’m not a quitter. I’m not going to quit now. I have to speak this language.
10:03.37
Janete
And um that’s what I did. And I did have an opportunity to go back when I was here about six or seven months.
10:11.65
Lorie Jones
you
10:11.84
Janete
I had a job offer in Brazil, but I didn’t speak the language. And I did not want to go back. And then someone would ask me, can you write a letter? Can you make a phone call?
10:23.39
Janete
And I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have the, you know, the skills to, to do that. i And I said, no, I have to stay here. i needed to learn this language and then I’ll go back.
10:37.08
Janete
But you have a plan and and then God is like, yeah, sure.
10:42.66
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
10:42.92
Janete
That’s what you have to go through plan. So God certainly they had ah something very different planned for me.
10:46.64
Lorie Jones
yeah
10:50.77
Janete
and And I’ve been in the United States for 26 years.
10:56.60
Lorie Jones
So, yeah and you decided to stay here um after that year was over?
11:02.61
Janete
Yeah, so when I was here about six months, then I got sick and I ended up having a surgery to remove an ovarian cyst.
11:16.45
Janete
you And then I met at this ah the doctor that did my surgery. I met his him and his family. And then they took a chance on me. I don’t know why, but they, I don’t know, they liked me and then they wanted to help me.
11:30.72
Janete
And… um And then they gave me, first they gave me a job in their house because again, I didn’t speak English, but I was going to school and learning and trying to not speak Portuguese as much as I could. And then when my English was, they, they noticed that my English was better and I could work in their office. They gave me an opportunity to work in their office.
11:56.70
Janete
And I started their front desk and then I learned everything. And then, Then I went to school and then i um first I wanted to do medical assistant.
12:05.83
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
12:06.70
Janete
I wanted to become a medical assistant since I was at the office, working at the office. But I started, but when we started going to the lab and then taking blood and injections and things like that, I realized that was not for me.
12:22.08
Lorie Jones
he
12:22.26
Janete
Like, no, this is not for me. And then i I asked if I could change the program, if I could do medical billing instead. And then the the college said, yes, you can. It was a short program. it was like three months program.
12:34.79
Janete
And um then that’s what I did. I changed it and I learned the medical billing. And then at the same doctor, started doing his billing. And then once I learned it, and I also have a friend who was working in the office and she had her own billing company.
12:53.40
Janete
So in my day’s office, I would work with her to learn it. And then fast forward, the same doctor had this daughter who was graduating in medical school.
13:06.70
Janete
And I had the idea of starting my own business and them doing medical billing. And so I asked her if she would be my first ah client. And she said yes.
13:17.58
Janete
And that opened me a big opportunity. And then these doctors, they became like my family in the United States. They gave me a place to start in their office and then…
13:30.78
Janete
She, the daughter, introduced me a friend of hers, and that friend of hers then introduced me to other doctors, and that’s how grew the business, and that’s what I have been doing on own for 20 years. Wow.
13:46.65
Lorie Jones
Wow, that’s crazy. That’s really, it’s a testament to hard work and luck, right?
13:52.85
Janete
Yeah. in And I always believe in that. And that comes from what I was, my parents always taught to me and my siblings that if someone one helps you, then you take that as, ah you know, you do something with that.
14:09.21
Janete
You don’t take ah that as a handout. You do something, you work hard and you you do better. yeton And that’s what happened to me. Someone gave me a hand and I took that hand and I and i moved forward and and I learned and I worked really hard.
14:23.74
Janete
It was not easy. It was really, really ah hard work. And it still is I still work really hard to keep the business running. And, you know, I have employees. And so being a business owner is not easy.
14:37.23
Janete
um But you can relate it to that because you also is a business owner and it’s not it’s not easy
14:44.82
Lorie Jones
Yeah, it’s ah it’s a hard road, but very fulfilling in a lot of ways.
14:49.34
Janete
Yes, yes.
14:51.38
Lorie Jones
What is the best investment you’ve made in yourself? Can you think of something that you’ve invested in for you that you’re like, oh my gosh, I’m so glad I did that. I just wouldn’t be where I’m at today without it.
15:04.30
Janete
Well, my I believe that my best investment was to move to the United States because i know if I was in Brazil, I probably would be maybe working at Volvo.
15:09.22
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
15:16.68
Janete
But I would be an employee other than employer, ah because I would probably just be satisfied of being an employee.
15:27.34
Janete
And, um, in the United States opened so many doors, um, to me. Um, and here it is the the place of opportunity. You can be whatever you want as long as you work hard.
15:41.33
Janete
And, um, the Here, you don’t you you’re not limited to your age, your gender, your like creed, nothing like that. Like in Brazil, i years ago, I don’t know if it is now, but when I was in my 30s, would be considered old already to get a job. i Again, I don’t know how it is now, but I remember that 35 or I was considered old already.
16:12.35
Janete
to start. And here, i am, you know, 54 and I am planning on doing something else and I’ll probably will be able to do it with no, nobody questioning me my age and why I’m doing.
16:26.23
Janete
So I am blessed to be here and to have this opportunity.
16:32.60
Lorie Jones
Is it, is there a lot of small businesses in Brazil? Do you know?
16:37.28
Janete
There are a lot, lots of my my hometown now, now it’s it’s growing and then it’s lots of the small business in there.
16:44.13
Lorie Jones
But it’s just the opportunity to to, kind of be who you want to be is better here in the United States.
16:51.19
Janete
Yes, because here there is no limitation. You can, for example, but it’s something very, very simple. People from Brazil come here and then like me as an immigrant and they go and clean houses.
17:06.89
Janete
And they make money and it’s good, right? They they make a good living with that. In Brazil, you cannot do that. Like um they can come here and work in construction and they make a good living with that.
17:21.27
Janete
In Brazil, they can do that, but it’s not it’s not an enough. It’s a different um ah culture, I would say.
17:26.23
Lorie Jones
you
17:31.89
Lorie Jones
That’s interesting. ve I guess I’ve always heard that America is the land of opportunity. I mean, that’s what we’re sold at for. It must be our slogan here. But um it’s interesting that it really does like play out, that you see that in in someone’s life.
17:48.42
Lorie Jones
You see the opportunity. As long as you’re willing to work hard, you take advantage.
17:51.71
Janete
Yeah, you have to be willing to work hard and and and make something for yourself. Now, if you want, you know, there are, you know, different kinds of immigrants and I know because I am an immigrant and I am among them.
17:56.84
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
18:03.86
Janete
So I see the those that come here and then they succeed and they work hard and they make something for themselves. But then there are some that come here just to take advantage. and then And then they, you know, if one thing that I can’t stand it, and that’s between my Brazilian friends and I already told them I don’t like it.
18:23.47
Janete
If you come here, be grateful that you have an opportunity. Don’t come here and then make your money and then go back and then badmouth the United States. Don’t do it. Be grateful.
18:34.24
Janete
i I just don’t like it. So I am grateful. And um don’t Don’t tell me otherwise. yeah
18:44.02
Lorie Jones
ah What is, Janet, what is the worst advice someone gave you? Have you ever had some really bad advice and did you take the advice?
18:57.17
Janete
Well, I am not sure if that would be an advice or would be like ah just ah um
19:07.30
Janete
i don’t I don’t even know what the word or two is, but I’m going to tell you the the the the scenario. So I was back when I just started, i was maybe third, my third or fourth year doing medical billing.
19:13.02
Lorie Jones
Okay.
19:21.73
Janete
And I had it this… um clients and that one day sat down with me and asked me this question, but it was not ah like a question in a way that would would to help me anyway. The question was, how many clients do you need and how much money do you need?
19:44.07
Janete
And I was like, I did not understand that. what What do you mean? How many clients? No, how many clients do you need? Like very angry at me because their idea was if you get more clients, then you’re not going to be doing my work. and why you need to make that much money if you were, you know, you were in ah alone in the United States and you have no family here, why why you need money?
20:15.47
Janete
Why you need that much money? And then didn’t have an answer. Like I was upset about the questions. And then, you know, looking back, I would have said,
20:26.77
Janete
As many clients as I want, as um as many clients as I can handle. And I want to make my um as much money as I can possibly can. And why should it be their business? But their idea was that if you are working for somebody else, if you’re taking more clients, then you may not be doing my um my work.
20:47.40
Janete
So anyway, so these those clients are no longer my clients. and But it was something that it was really… Interesting and at the time was kind of hurtful, but now it doesn’t mean anything anymore.
21:02.18
Lorie Jones
So they were ah they were kind of wanting you to put limits on it so that you could take good care of them, but your idea was more the opportunities are kind of unlimited and I can still take good care of you.
21:18.13
Janete
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. But it was, if they had worded that question differently, Maybe i wouldn’t take that as an insult, but it for me was an insult, not a nothing positive from that, those two questions.
21:33.42
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
21:35.94
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
21:39.25
Lorie Jones
What about um a situation where you’ve learned now um with all that you’ve learned, you would go back and handle that situation differently?
21:50.88
Lorie Jones
I know that I have these in my life where i I’m like, oh gosh, i could if I could have a redo on this situation and knowing what I know now, can’t go back and and redo it not knowing anything.
21:56.97
Janete
exhibit
22:03.01
Lorie Jones
But knowing what I know now, I do it completely different. Is there something like that?
22:08.73
Janete
Well, I think that everything happens for a reason. And we can learn with everything that happens.
22:20.97
Janete
And um I think everything that happened in my life, um even though some things are not really pleasant or or not good, I learned something and then I became who I am. um But one thing, if I could do something different, it was maybe to learn how to defend myself in certain situations.
22:48.19
Janete
because But that came and because the way I was raised. um I was raised in a loving family. And um um you know we had all kinds of um problems. but But one of the things that we could never do was to respond back to my parents.
23:10.29
Janete
Never. So I learned that whatever my parents said was
23:11.36
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
23:16.99
Janete
was right. even Even when I was a teenager that I knew things a little better and I knew whatever they’re saying he was not really right, but I couldn’t i couldn’t talk back. I couldn’t respond. i couldn’t i couldn’t disagree.
23:32.44
Janete
And um looking back, if I had learned that, In many situations later on in my life, i could have I would have been able to defend myself, my ideas, my goals, was my um ah principles.
23:48.97
Janete
And um even to this day, um it’s really hard for me to to answer certain things the way I want it. It’s just because I never learned that when I was growing up.
24:02.74
Lorie Jones
is
24:03.16
Janete
I don’t know if that makes sense.
24:04.36
Lorie Jones
Yeah, it it was kind of a cultural thing where you didn’t talk back or
24:09.13
Janete
Yes, yes, yes.
24:09.73
Lorie Jones
like
24:11.28
Janete
Even this day, i only have my mom alive. And um if she says something that I don’t don’t agree or my siblings don’t agree, we never respond back.
24:24.29
Janete
We just let it go because we don’t want to hurt her. And that’s that’s how we were all raised.
24:32.67
Lorie Jones
So how did you learn how to combat that in your business? Because you you have, I assume you’ve learned to stand up for yourself and kind of use your voice. how did you How did you go from not pushing back to pushing back? How did you learn that?
24:52.61
Janete
Actually, it’s it’s a work in process still, but i i married a man that is very opinionated yeah
25:03.16
Lorie Jones
help
25:04.35
Janete
Yeah, and the end he always told me, you have to stand up for yourself. and And sometimes as how he deals with things is totally different to how I deal, because we are from two different cultures also. He’s American and I’m Brazilian.
25:21.35
Janete
And um he deals, I am more like a feeling person. I don’t want to hurt anybody. I think that we have to live in peace but no matter what.
25:32.09
Janete
And I believe in forgiveness. And it’s not that he doesn’t believe in forgiveness, but he’s more like direct to the point. And I learn, you know, a lot with him.
25:42.73
Janete
And sometimes I don’t agree the way he addresses things. But then learned a little bit. I’m like, hmm, maybe I should address, maybe not like him, but in a way that I can get to the point.
25:55.90
Janete
So I’m still learning, but it’s still hard. It’s still difficult.
26:00.21
Lorie Jones
Yeah, it is. It is hard to, especially when you’ve been raised to kind of um stand back and maybe let others think what they’re going to think, so to speak. So it’s a really, and especially as you know, some of my listeners are pretty young, it’s hard to do when you’re young too
26:22.79
Janete
yeah Yes, yes. And I think when when you’re older already, then it’s even harder than because then you didn’t you didn’t cant came with that you know through your your struggles and you’re even with good things that happened and you never learned it, then it’s really hard as you as you get older. I think in my case, that’s how it is.
26:45.44
Janete
um and And I think then some people get taken advantage of that because I am nice and I don’t really let them know what exactly I want to say. And then that that’s that’s hard.
26:59.77
Janete
That’s really hard sometimes.
27:01.37
Lorie Jones
ah Yeah, that’s a valuable point that um sometimes you have to learn to speak up when you’re young, like practice it, even when you’re young, or else those habits and those, the way that you react to certain things kind of gets ingrained in you, and then it’s harder to break that cycle.
27:10.39
Janete
Mm-hmm.
27:20.04
Janete
Yeah, I remember I had a a class and in in the high school.
27:20.05
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
27:24.16
Janete
It was like a law class, would say. Yeah. And then the teacher ah taught us how to, he would give a subject and then we had one group but that would defend that that idea, whatever it was. And then another group would accuse and then he would do the reverse. that you know and The one who defended would be the accuser and vice versa.
27:47.07
Janete
And that was fascinating to me because it was actually the first time I could defend something.
27:53.21
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
27:53.46
Janete
ah Or accused, for that matter. And that was, I started a little bit, but still, it was hard. It was hard.
28:02.79
Lorie Jones
Yeah. yeah Learning those new skills so really is hard sometimes if you’ve learned it one way and that’s, and it’s even, it’s, as you mentioned, it’s still the way you have to practice it when you go home, you know, you still have to, with certain people in your life, you still practice that, you know, not speaking out or not saying things, but, but to learn that skill and, and practice it in your job, in your company,
28:34.35
Lorie Jones
um That takes a lot of guts and grit.
28:36.75
Janete
Yes, it’s and it’s a challenge.
28:42.93
Lorie Jones
um What about if you could go back and high five yourself for a really great financial decision throughout your journey? What would that be and why?
28:55.27
Janete
Well, I… It was financial was a struggle for me until I was 30 years old because I did not grow up with money. I did not learn how to save because, you know, ah we didn’t have any. any And then when I started making money, I had it to help my family financially.
29:19.78
Janete
So i never had the money for myself until… I was in my 20s. And then when I started making my own money, did not learn how to save it. I didn’t know how to save it.
29:33.46
Janete
i I had no idea. i had this idea, as long as you have for today, oh i’m young, so tomorrow but make more money again.
29:44.76
Janete
and And then when I came to the United States, I was already 28 when I came. And then at 30 years old, a friend of mine introduced me to well this one person that talked to me about IRA account, which I had no idea what IRA meant.
30:05.06
Janete
But, ah you know, ah ah she introduced me and then he taught me, you know, what was an IRA account. And then he told me, well, you can start with $50. And I’m like, okay, I’ll start with $50. And then I started and then little by little, was like,
30:21.70
Janete
Then went a and 200. And so anyway, I, it was the best, um maybe the best advice that question you answered to me, you asked me before.
30:34.64
Janete
I think that was the best advice that somebody gave me. It was to open that IRA account. And yes.
30:41.04
Lorie Jones
And just start little. i love that I love that you learned that message. like it’s just It’s okay if it’s just a little bit. Do what you can do.
30:47.08
Janete
Yeah.
30:48.57
Lorie Jones
It’s better than nothing.
30:50.35
Janete
Yeah, and then and then at times it was really hard that $100. But then it became a habit. And um fast forward, today it’s a big account.
31:03.46
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. ah That’s great. I wish… um I wish there could be more people that heard about the magic of investing in IRAs and retirement investing and such as that.
31:18.87
Lorie Jones
What scared you the most when you started out on your career? And does it still scare you today?
31:26.54
Janete
In general, I am not scared of anything. i am I have this saying with me. and not with me I’m not scared of the unknown. like to try.
31:38.43
Janete
and
31:38.74
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
31:40.79
Janete
Because if i’m if I was scared, i wouldn’t be here. I would have stayed in Brazil. I would have you know i would have just like and know lost that opportunity and then be like that. So i’m not and nothing scares me.
31:54.98
Janete
um I like to try if I i have another saying that that i I saw somewhere and I keep um in front of my computer that says, if I fail, I’ll learn.
32:06.97
Janete
If I um succeed, I’ll teach you. So I love that that phrase and that’s how I am. i I love to try and if I fail, I always learn something.
32:19.16
Janete
And um if I succeed, I’m able to teach others. And so that’s how I go by.
32:28.24
Lorie Jones
I like that. If I fail, I’ll learn.
32:31.29
Janete
if is I’ll teach you.
32:31.48
Lorie Jones
And if I succeed, I’ll teach, I’ll teach someone
32:34.79
Janete
yes Yeah, I love it.
32:35.14
Lorie Jones
Oh, I love that. That’s a really great idea. idea
32:37.38
Janete
I even use that phrase in my book somewhere in there.
32:37.44
Lorie Jones
Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I like that. So I’ll have I’ll have to put that up on my vision board here. I’ve got a little vision board that I put things on.
32:48.07
Lorie Jones
So I like that.
32:48.45
Janete
Yeah, I have in front of my computer that phrase.
32:54.67
Lorie Jones
What about, did you face any unique challenges because you were a woman along your journey?
33:01.69
Janete
Well, I that not, that the being a woman did not prevent of ah doing anything, but I had… certain situations, which I’m going to give you the scenario.
33:16.15
Janete
For example, I had the um women clients in the past that never treated me as equal ah professional.
33:28.20
Janete
For example, we were in an environment where other professionals were in there and I was introduced as, oh, this is Janet.
33:28.29
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
33:38.55
Janete
She does my billing. I cannot live without her. She’s the best. She’s been doing my billing for all these years. that At that point, the water people heard, oh, this this girl or this lady is an employee.
33:54.07
Lorie Jones
and
33:54.28
Janete
That’s what, you know, without that one person saying the other, that’s what the other people heard. Because, you know, when you you meet someone and then the very first impression that stays with you, that’s what happened in so many scenarios with this particular women.
34:12.78
Janete
That’s how they introduced me to other people. And then during those meetings, no matter what I said, it didn’t, the other people didn’t hear it because they were not listening to an employee.
34:24.81
Janete
of that other person yeah but then my client’s men never did that my client’s men introduced me as this is Jeanette or Janet um she does my billing and she runs her own billing company see the difference
34:26.33
Lorie Jones
I see.
34:45.29
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
34:46.33
Janete
And then those ah professionals, they treat me equal. Oh, so you’re a professional. And then, so then they start talking to me. So how how, what do you do? How’s your business?
34:58.23
Janete
How did you get here? um How many employees do you have? ah How it is to do medical billing? But then I get this message, set text message, sometimes, regardless, men or women, that I wonder, would they ask if it was a man?
35:17.16
Janete
Would they send that text message if was a man? So, again, I want to think that the being a woman didn’t change anything, but I have this scenario. So…
35:30.50
Janete
I don’t know if the women to women who was because there is a competition. i don’t know. i It’s remained to be discovered.
35:41.42
Lorie Jones
Yeah, that’s really interesting. I think that maybe that’s a good takeaway for women in general is like, make sure you’re introducing somebody using their their highest title or making them look the best that you can make them look um ah rather than bookkeeper.
36:00.57
Lorie Jones
you know She owns her own bookkeeping business rather than um administrator. She’s, you know, a senior administrator with five years experience or something along those lines.
36:11.83
Lorie Jones
I think that’s, I think that’s really valuable advice for women everywhere. Let’s, let’s elevate each other by using our um best experience and our, our best title.
36:19.17
Janete
Exactly.
36:22.72
Lorie Jones
That’s great.
36:23.78
Janete
Yeah, in this situation that I was in, that I just mentioned, it was really hard then. I wanted it to be part of that business group. I wanted to be able to learn something about you know what those professionals were doing. and And then I was like kind of left on the side because who is going to discuss a business with an employee that you know has no experience of anything?
36:49.48
Lorie Jones
Mm hmm. I like that. I think that’s something really valuable to take away from this is just that idea of elevating and helping and and helping them to put their best foot forward to by introducing by their proper proper credentials or proper title.
37:08.58
Lorie Jones
I like that. What. um Jenna, what’s the thing you are the most proud of?
37:18.59
Janete
Oh, that’s ah i
37:22.68
Janete
interesting. and i
37:28.22
Janete
I don’t want to be… a um
37:33.57
Janete
Cannot find the right word. You have to it edit this part later.
37:37.11
Lorie Jones
Okay.
37:37.71
Janete
So I am proud of employing Americans. when i when i um When I look back at my um my life, knowing where I was born…
37:51.99
Janete
you know walking five kilometers to go to school, on not to have even proper clothing to go to school, and not even ah when I was at first to fourth grade, I didn’t even have a…
38:05.67
Janete
oh um a briefcase or anything to put in my books. i used a but plastic bag to put my my notebook and my pencils. And I didn’t have shoes to go to school when was during wintertime. I didn’t have a coat when it was cold. I didn’t have a hat when it was cold.
38:25.68
Janete
And then I went through all this journey and and I went to college. And then I came to the United States, you know, this year. girl from that came from nothing and then being here and being able to employ americans people that were born here that speak the language fluent that i have no accent and and then i am in charge of them am so proud of that and i tell my husband all the time my husband is american and i tell him i’m so proud that i employ americans
39:01.12
Lorie Jones
Yeah, that’s really neat. So that you are able to give them a chance to live out their dreams too, but but you have just, you you’ve really come far and and really grown and accomplished.
39:16.16
Janete
Yes, yes. I’m very proud of it.
39:20.55
Lorie Jones
Any advice for a young lady who’s kind of on her journey now, who’s maybe at the beginning of this of this path that you’re already so far down and so successful. Is there anything you’d tell her
39:34.76
Janete
I think um surround yourself with people that can lift you, that can help you um to do whatever you want to do and then become good and and not even good, great and whatever you want to do and in your profession.
39:51.94
Janete
And then when you do well, help others also. Give a hand to someone that can also succeed.
40:02.48
Lorie Jones
Yeah, I love the idea of giving back, turning around and lifting those that are maybe on their way behind us. Thank you so much for all your time today and for sharing your story.
40:13.26
Lorie Jones
And um I’m looking forward. I do have your book on my bedside table. So it it’s in the mix. And I keep saying that, but I’m like reading things from, you know, two months ago in the podcast.
40:21.08
Janete
and
40:26.89
Lorie Jones
And so I’m i’m getting my way through them.
40:30.05
Janete
No, take your time.
40:30.21
Lorie Jones
But
40:32.71
Lorie Jones
But thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I really appreciated it. If I have a a young lady who might be interested in asking more questions or kind of digging a little bit deeper, how does she get in touch with you?
40:47.10
Janete
The best way to contact me is just to send me an email. My email is office, the word office, at H as in Harry, B as in boy, medicalbilling.com.
40:59.67
Lorie Jones
ah Perfect. Thank you so much time or thank you so much for your time today, Jeanette. I really appreciate it.
41:05.53
Janete
Thank you so much for having me and thank you so much for the opportunity so i can I could share my story, my little story. Thank you, appreciate it.
41:11.86
Lorie Jones
ah