Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarai Hernandez.
Hi Sarai, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Since I came to the US back in 2003, I committed myself to learn English to help my mother at her doctor’s appointments. Years went by and I not only helped her, but also other family members and families from my community. Without realizing, my name was spreading in the community as the “interpreter”. After my first child was born, I found myself interpreting for families at the pediatrician office, the grocery stores, the health department, the vital records, and even at the lawyer’s offices and schools. In 2020, I started a new job just to face uncertainty within the next 2 weeks after I started because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to that, the same week I lost my job, my husband had an accident at his job and went under surgery two times leaving him in bed for four months. Without a job and trying to feed my family, I volunteer at the food drives, the covid clinics and test sites organized by the City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County and the State of Maryland, that helped me to keep my sanity and bringing food home from the food drive. During the pandemic, the need of the community for services with an option of a bilingual personal increased, so I decided to offer my services to make some money, while juggling being a mom of two beautiful children, a wife of my wonderful and supportive husband, and a community advocate. 24 hours was not enough for all the “to-dos” on my checklist. I got my job back once all the restrictions were lifted and at the beginning of 2024, I officially registered my business and by September 2024, I signed my first office lease in Annapolis, MD. In June 2025 I had to quit my job because I couldn’t supply the demand on the little free time I had, and now, I am just days away from my two years anniversary since opening! Being a business owner is very challenging and demanding, I have cried, laugh, shine and hide; I could never be able to accomplish my business goals on my own. I have to thank God because He has giving me the strength, wisdom and ability to understand everything I need to be successful, I have to thank my husband because he is my number one fan and is always supporting me and my crazy ideas, I have to thank my children because I have sacrifice the time with them and sometimes, they have to go to work with me. My mission in life is to educate, encourage and empower families to thrive. My business has giving me the freedom to participate in workshops; networking events and community classes for parents and small business owners; as well as receiving awards for the community advocacy. My dream is to inspire women to get out of the comfort zone and seek financial freedom, not like the “magic formula” that is sold in social media, but the real painful but rewarding bumpy road.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all! Some people try to sell the idea of the “overnight millionaire formula”, but I can tell you by experience that such formula doesn’t exist. I will be bumpy, painful and challenging. My main struggle was the language barrier, so if I have to start over, I will start from there: Learning English! The lack of knowledge was very overwhelming and scary, but again, you have to get out of the comfort zone, make calls, take a class, find mentors that are where you want to be and learn from them. And lastly, being a younger woman with brown skin put me in disadvantage among others in my field, but walking the extra mile has opening doors for me.
As you know, we’re big fans of SH Servicios Hispanos LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My business specializes in providing bilingual services to families in the community such as: Passport applications, Power of Attorney, MVA transactions and certify interpretation services, document translation, affidavits, small business bookkeeping, LLC registration and EIN application, DOT and MC applications and renewals, apostilles, notary services in general. I’m proud to take my clients cases as unique and I lead them along the way in every single step of their transactions until their problem is solved. One of my favorite services to offer is the “Behind the wheel skills test interpreting services” because I pre-test my clients to make sure they are prepared for their MVA exam, once they are confident enough with knowledge and to go behind the wheel, we made their test appointment. Witnessing their huge smile and gratitude once they hear the words “Congratulations, you pass the test!”, made me smile even more!!
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
My favorite books are the “Bible”, following by “The five languages of Love”, both with life lessons and guidance to be a better person, mother, wife. Both provide blueprint for a happy life. The apps I used the most to be organized are my email and my calendar, I couldn’t function without it! When I felt overwhelmed and I needed a break, I recharge by walking barefoot on the grass while I face the sun, with my eyes closed of course!
