[Flash] Penelope Cruz and I Needed “No Coordinators”

Born and raised in Spain, Penelope Cruz knew early that she wanted to be an actress.

At age 14, she researched talent agents in Madrid and discovered Katrina Bayonas. Despite Penelope’s young age, Katrina was captivated by her perseverance and acting skills and chose to represent her.

By age 15, Penelope was getting impatient, even desperate, to be cast in a movie. But her agent insisted that Penelope wait and choose her projects strategically. That meant saying “No” to opportunities that did not fit.

As Penelope described it to the host of the podcast Awards Chatter,

“I would get so angry with [Katrina] and say, how dare you tell me that! I’m getting these opportunities to work, doing something that I love, why would I say ‘No’ to that director or that director?”

Begrudgingly, she listened to Katrina. Because Penelope was selective, she was available to pursue the two feature films that ultimately catapulted her to stardom at age 16: Jamon Jamon and Belle Epoque.

“These two movies were so good, with characters so different, that a lot of doors opened for me.”

Penelope’s initial success emboldened Katrina’s mentoring, insisting that Penelope become even more discerning about her career choices.

“I owe Katrina a lot, but the number one thing is that she taught me the lesson of saying ‘No.’ It was a concept that seemed risky for me.”

Today, 38 years later, Penelope still seeks Katrina’s mentoring and representation.

I felt a similar urgency when I became a new speaker. I grabbed every opportunity when it knocked, sometimes traveling hours to speak for a testimonial and a buffet dinner.

And now as a business owner, I am guilty of saying “Yes” to each client’s “Is it possible?” request. The people pleaser in me wants to surprise and delight everyone!

Fortunately, like Penelope, I have my own “No Coordinator” mentoring me… my team!

They recently suggested that we charge someone in every meeting with the power to say “No” or “We’ll see” to pause my incessant “yes!”ing. They have named this role the “No Coordinator.”

While embracing “Yes” is commendable when you’re exercising newfound courage and breaking out of your comfort zone. It can be debilitating when it’s an overeager or sycophantic reaction. 

When my team stepped in, I quickly realized that saying “No” is saying “Yes” to my team, our mission, our vision, and our future.

© 2026. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved.