When I look back at my own journey, I know I wouldn’t be here without the people who amplified me.
An amplifier is someone who goes beyond giving advice or showing support. They create opportunities, open doors, and move obstacles so others can rise.
I remember clearly early in my career when my resume felt like it was stuck in a black hole with everyone else’s.
I was submitting applications, getting rejections, and hearing the same advice over and over, even though I knew I was qualified.
What changed everything was when an amplifier stepped in.
They answered the email.
They picked up the phone.
They forwarded my resume.
They vouched for me in rooms where I wasn’t present.
That moment opened the door that set me on the path to where I am today.
With Guillermo Diaz Jr. at the Angeles Investors Summit. From seeking opportunities as an intern to now investing in the Latino community alongside one of my first amplifiers, it feels like a full circle.
As I reflect on my journey, I realize that amplification does not happen in a vacuum.
You cannot amplify a signal that does not exist.
The people who helped me could only do so because I had been putting in the work. I had been building projects, going to conferences with intention, following up, and documenting the journey so others could see my effort.
That consistency gave them a story they could carry into rooms I had not entered yet.
John Canela speaking at the “AI in Higher Education” roundtable with Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) leaders, exploring how AI can shape the future of higher education, at the Angeles Investors Summit.
At the recent Q3 Angeles Investors summit in Chicago, Fernando Rosario put words around this idea with a clarity that struck me:
“If you are not visible, you are irrelevant.”
That struck me because it reframed visibility as a responsibility.
If you want others to advocate for you, you have to give them something real and clear to amplify.
He said this in a room filled with founders, investors, leaders, and students.
It reminded me that visibility and amplification matter at every stage of the journey.
He also drew a clear distinction.
We often hear about coaches, mentors, and sponsors.
In his talk, Fernando added the fourth level: amplifiers.
Fernando Rosario presenting his upcoming book “Amplifiers” during his keynote at the Angeles Investors Summit.
Coaches help you build new skills, develop capabilities, and improve performance.
Mentors share their wisdom, experiences, and lessons learned to guide your journey.
Sponsors put their reputation on the line for you. They advocate in rooms you cannot access yet and connect you to opportunities.
Amplifiers do all of that, but they go a step further . .
Amplifiers engineer breakthroughs.
They pick up the phone, remove obstacles, and sometimes even shift systems or influence decisions to make sure you succeed.
A sponsor opens the door . .
An amplifier makes sure you walk through it and succeed once you are inside . .
That is what makes amplifiers different.
They are intentional, strategic, and action-oriented in a way that changes someone’s trajectory.
Fernando Rosario reminding us what it means to go beyond mentoring and sponsoring at the Angeles Investors Summit.
With this in mind, the natural question becomes: how do I find an amplifier?
But before that, ask yourself:
Am I making my work visible so others can see the effort I’m putting in?
Am I taking ownership, following through, and leaning into opportunities to grow?
Am I showing consistency, character, and resilience in ways that give amplifiers confidence to carry my story into new rooms?
Amplifiers want to help, and they are looking for signals of effort, growth, and integrity.
They cannot amplify what they cannot see.
Once you are showing up in that way, amplifiers become easier to find.
That is when opportunities shift from chance encounters to intentional breakthroughs.
So how do I find an amplifier?
Fernando left us with a challenge: be intentional.
Over the years, Fernando Rosario’s early lessons on how to stand out with intention helped me grow, build my signal, and eventually be amplified by the right people.
It is not about collecting a million LinkedIn connections.
Don’t just show up at a conference and ‘see what happens’.
Be clear on the relationships you want to build and the people you want to amplify in every space you enter.
Think about the five people you want to meet, and know the five people you will amplify before year-end.
When you build relationships with that kind of focus, amplifiers become easier to recognize.
For me, being here means carrying the responsibility to amplify the next generation so they can turn opportunities into realities they can step into.
I’m grateful for the amplifiers in my life . .
With Fernando Rosario after his powerful talk on Amplifiers at the Angeles Investors Summit.
It’s up to us to be one for others 🙏🏼
If you’ve made it this far, maybe you needed a reminder too:
You can’t amplify a signal that doesn’t exist.
That means we need to:
Keep showing up.
Keep doing the work.
Keep documenting the journey.
Because the right people will see it.
And when they do, they will amplify you in rooms you have not even entered yet.
If this post resonated, drop a comment or share it with someone whose signal deserves to be amplified ❤️
If it’s your first time here, welcome to my newsletter, DÍMELO.
I write for the underrepresented, the builders, and the dreamers who see the opportunities in front of them and are ready to claim them.
If that sounds like you, subscribe, and I’ll keep showing up with the signals, stories, and lessons that matter . . . straight up!
I’m grateful we’re on this journey together!
#InThisTogether
- John Canela
P.S. I put together a video that summarizes the key things I learned and shared in this post.
You can watch it right here:
