Transporting kids across the universe to create fun and original arts and crafts or introducing them to Fifi y los Floriguitos, a flower tot and her friends who inhabit a colorful garden, is all just in a day’s work.
Bilai Joa Silar, VP & Channel Director Discovery US Hispanic Networks & Discovery Kids Latin America, tells MCAE that viewer feedback like “with this show I learnt this, or this show makes a difference, my child learned this, we were able to have a moment together,” give her the greatest satisfaction. Bilai answered a few questions for our readers and shares her journey along with some words of wisdom:

What would you say are the key qualities you should possess in order to get ahead in your job/career?

It is funny because both of my nieces are in college and I try to give them advice. I tell them to do something they really enjoy. When you do something you love and feel passionate about it does not really feel like work. Another thing you need to do in order to get ahead, is be willing to take calculated risks and take responsibility for those risks. You cannot just play it safe.
I have never seen my career as that of a woman’s, a minority, a Cuban, or a Hispanic. I see it as that of a person who loves her job. It is not about gender or race.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome along your career?

Early on in my career, I was speaking with a former manager at a cocktail party and said to her, “I don’t think I could ever supervise an area that is not my expertise. If I am involved, I need to know how to do it”. I remember her response was, “that is not what is key. The key is to surround yourself with people who are really good at their job”. It took me a long time to feel comfortable not being the one who had full control. I have my area of expertise, which is programming, but I am not a marketer, a publicist, or an on air creative producer.

But in the role I am in now, I feel very comfortable managing the strategic vision for a network and delegating the work to the talented individuals that work with me. I’ve learned that as you grow professionally you get farther away from the day to day, and you have to trust the people around you more. I think working outside your comfort zone is certainly a lot easier when you work with really good people.

What are the factors in our professional life we control and what are the ones we don’t control and how do we manage the ones we don’t?

Everybody has their own philosophy. What I personally believe, and it has taken me where I am today, is centered on making sure that I am content and happy about what I am doing. If I do not enjoy my job then I need to walk away. That is just my personality. I think we need to make decisions not based solely on title and money but on the day to day job itself. There was a time in my life that I took a demotion in salary and it paid off more than I could ever have imagined. Why? Because I took a position I was really passionate about and it led me to greater opportunities in the long run.

Is there such a thing as life/career balance?

A couple of factors play into that. I think you have to prioritize what is more important to you: your family, your life, or your career. There is no such thing as total balance, but I think the only way to get closer to it is to have a really good support system. In my case, it is my husband and my family. I do not think it can ever be perfect, especially if you are a mother because once you are a mother you have guilt, no matter what you do. Whether you are a stay home mom or you are a working mother you always have guilt. I think you do the best you can. Somebody told me once you do what is best for you based on your own personal situation.

I am the only career woman in my family out of my sister, my mother, and my sisters in law. They are stay at home mothers, but that is not what I choose to do. I would never be a stay at home mom. It would not make me happy, so I am very comfortable and very honest with myself. That is what I chose to do, and I am very happy doing it. But when I am at home, I do not do work. My focus then is entirely on my kids and on my husband.

How can we, as Latinas, do a better job of coming together to support and mentor each other?

There are various ways you can do it. You can do it officially or privately on a more personal level. Because my time is very limited, and the time I am not at work I devote to my family, I do not participate directly through any organizations or groups. What I do try to do in my professional life is to maximize opportunities to mentor colleagues and people starting out in the industry. I still do not see myself as somebody with great experience, but I believe other people do, and I remember what it was like when I was trying to get into the business, when I was trying to understand what I wanted to do with my life. Even if my schedule is crazy, I do my best to make time. You try to make a difference, and instead of doing it in a big way, maybe sometimes you can make small contributions and that makes a difference.

What is the best career advice you ever got?

That it is important to trust your instincts. I have and they've never let me down.

What is the vision you have, in terms of programming at Discovery en Español & Discovery Familia, in the long/short term?

My vision honestly is being able to provide quality entertainment alternatives to the different audiences Discovery en Español & Discovery Familia serve. We want to deliver the thrill of discovery to our Spanish speaking viewers. Both networks serve as a window into the world and we strive to inspire learning and growth with the programming we air.

Who would you like to run into on the street? What would you like to tell him/her?

Dave Matthew and I would ask him how he gets the inspiration to write such beautiful songs.

I think this is so cliché, but one of the principles I try to live by is trying to be a good person in the decisions I make each and every day. I am not saying I am perfect. But when I go home at night I want to be at peace.