Posts Tagged ‘#blackwomenentreprenuers’
Shaping Corporate Leadership: Black Women on Boards
Investor, advisor and board member of The Harvard Business School Club of New York, Tamara Bowens, is an expert in sales, branding and partnership marketing. Her current board appointment was announced in August 2023, and while it’s not her first time serving on a board, she feels it expands her reach and allows her voice to be heard.
“That’s something I’ve always tried to do is be true to who I am, no matter what room I am in, and if I know that I’ve been true to myself, then I know that I have a real seat at the table and I can make a real impact.”
Sulamain Rahman, CEO at DiverseForce in Philadelphia and board member of Lendistry, is a board matchmaker. His program, DiverseForce On Boards, prepares high-potential middle to senior-level leaders of color to expand their capabilities through a board training and matching program. He says just having Black women on boards isn’t the solution, but making sure those appointed are there to move the needle.
“The reality is, it’s not really about just having Black and brown faces in high places, but how do we make sure our presence is felt in those spaces? Unfortunately, many people don’t sign up to be civil rights leaders, if you will, when they’re on boards.”
As a Black woman, Bowens is given the opportunity to share her vast business experience and unique perspectives on issues that may go unnoticed without representation.
“There have been times when there has been a discussion about things that are ‘culturally difficult’, is a way I would put it. But then I have to be the one in the room to raise my hand and go, ‘oh, but yeah, I understand your point of view, but let me just tell you how people who look like me feel’.”
Miquel Purvis McMoore, of Minneapolis, serves on various non-profits and a Life Advisory Board position for Wise Inc., a corporate board. She is also CEO of KP Companies, an executive search firm in Minneapolis that recruits to fill board seats. She sees more boards actively looking for Black women to serve as leaders and says Black women who want to be on boards should prepare themselves early.
“Depending on where you are in your career would determine how you should prepare yourself for board readiness. I think the skills you gain, obviously, on your job, your organizational skills, project management skills and specialty skills, such as accounting or legal.”
Rahman wants upcoming leaders to understand that their diversity is invaluable, but they also need expertise, confidence and broad experiences to be effective company leaders.
“The CEO is going to that board, reporting to that board, and is providing oversight as well as strategic advice on how to take that organization to the next level.”
Rahman encourages those interested in filling board seats to start with non-profit organizations to gain experience. Some of those positions are paid, but most board members start with volunteer boards.
According to McMoore, networking and letting folks know you are interested in bringing your skills to companies is another important way to be placed on the shortlist.
Winter Travel Destinations for Black Women Taking a Break from the Workplace for a Little Fun!
Los Angeles-based travel creator, Dr. N’Dea Irvin-Choy changed her career path from biochemical engineer to full-time content creator six months before receiving her graduate degree. She packed up her belongings, moved to L.A. and wrote her thesis there while figuring out how she was going to turn content creation into her career and lifestyle. Like many others, she is figuring out her travel plans for the winter and shared four top travel destinations for Black women for 2023-2024.
The 27th Annual MLK Ski Weekend returns to Blue Mountain Resort in The Blue Mountains of Ontario, Canada, to celebrate the MLK holiday weekend. For those who enjoy or want to learn how to ski or snowboard, there are packages and lessons available. If you prefer to skip the slopes, there are spa options, a comedy show, happy hours, pool parties and themed activities. You can even sip hot chocolate or grab a beer while watching the NFL playoffs!
2. Geneva, Switzerland
Another cold climate destination to put on your calendar this winter is Geneva, Switzerland. It is heaven for Chocolate lovers, as Swiss Chocolate is coveted all over the world. There are chocolate-tasting tours and opportunities to submerse yourself in chocolate culture. There are day trips to Mount Blanc, the highest peak in the Swiss Alps and the Swiss Riviera. If you prefer to travel with a group, The Travel Divas have a trip coming up Nov. 30-Dec. 8 with a package that includes an evening cruise with dinner on Lake Geneva, a gala, brunches and guided tours, such as a culinary day trip or an inside look at prestigious Swiss watchmaking.
3. Accra, Ghana
Last but not least, is making the pilgrimage to Accra, Ghana for “Detty December”, a time of holiday celebration for the entire month of December and into the New Year, when Accra is filled with art, music, entertainment and thousands of brothers and sisters from across the diaspora. Ghana has first-class accommodations, beautiful beaches and cultural emersion like no other. For those interested in learning about history, a guided day tour up the coast to Elmina Castle offers a first-hand look at the slave dungeons and walks you through the journey to the Americas and the Caribbean. If you enjoy the party scene, there are day parties and night parties that last until the daylight. Ghana is one of the best, most fascinating places to be in December!
4. Curacao
While it may be winter, a few prefer warm destinations. If that’s more your style this winter, look no further than Curacao, a Dutch Caribbean Island known for its white sand beaches and distinguished marine life. There are underwater walking tours, opportunities to swim with sea turtles, ATV adventures and good old-fashioned lounging on the beach with a cold drink and vibes.
Betting on yourself: leaving corporate and starting your business
Layla Nielsen knew when it was time to “jump out there and launch.”
She had already built a significant digital media portfolio freelancing for 10 years while she worked as an executive for large media companies. So, when she parted from her last agency job, she thought it was time to start her own.
“I wanted to create the kind of environment where I could be more successful,” says Nielsen, owner of LN & Co, a digital agency in Silver Spring, MD.
Neilsen couldn’t bring herself to work for one more company that glossed over her accomplishments and required her to work at a level lower than her resume should’ve commanded.
“I was coming from an environment where I led everything.”
Her experience is all too familiar. Black women are leaving behind the notion that corporate America or being an employee is the only option for career fulfillment, especially after years of being glossed over for promotions, accepting less pay, and working in cultures that felt exclusionary. Many find that going out on their own allows them to play to their strengths, deliver higher-level work product and create a culture that works best for them.
According to a 2021 Harvard Business Review report, entrepreneurship offers opportunities for Black women to elevate their careers and achieve social and economic equality.
“If there is something on your heart that just will not die, don’t keep pushing it aside. Learn everything you possibly can about it, and then get started.”
Nichole Jean Philippe started The Gallery Grid after moving her family back to Maryland from New York to help her parents after her father suffered a stroke. Her company, which provides art consultation services and installations for businesses and private homes, was developed out of need and ingenuity.
“I’ve always loved working with my hands. My father was very handy, and my mother is incredibly innovative.”
Jean Philippe says that when she bought her first condo in New York, she had a difficult time creating the perfect gallery wall without making numerous holes in her new walls. After spending three days trying to hang a four-piece mirror perfectly, she felt there had to be an easier way. She took her previous experience as an executive product developer in the fashion industry and used it to communicate, negotiate, source and eventually develop a product. Her first stab at the creative process didn’t go as planned, and she went back to work but didn’t give up.
She continued to develop The Gallery Grid in her spare time, helping friends and family select and install art for their homes. After sharing a huge cost-saving idea with her employer that Jean Philippe found through her sourcing expertise, she was pushed out. Her employer told her without warning or reason that she had to choose between the job and her hobby.
“They hired me knowing about my idea. We talked about it during the interview process, and it was on my LinkedIn page. Then all of a sudden, after four years, they decided it was a conflict of interest and gave me an ultimatum without any discussion.”
Jean Philippe says she was blindsided and hurt by how she was treated. After that experience and reflecting on other disappointments throughout her career, she decided it was time to turn her hobby into a business.
“It’s just sad to think about. I had taken a huge pay cut and was working below my experience level, but I needed to support my family. Now, I am so grateful and blessed, and I’m very confident that God has more for me in the future.”
Harvard Business Review found that 17 percent of Black women are in the process of starting or running new businesses, compared to 10 percent of white women and 15 percent of white men in the United States. Moreover, Black women entrepreneurs are highly educated, with more than three-fourths with at least a college degree.
While starting a business can be a gateway to financial freedom, it’s not easy. Black women face more financial barriers to growing and sustaining their businesses, including funding and support from both the public and private sectors. The report states that 61 percent of Black women self-fund their total start-up capital.
Neilsen and Jean Philippe both run self-funded businesses, which is the reality for most Black women. They both recommend building a financial cushion before you start your own company. “An entrepreneurial journey is rocky—one month you might be making six figures, and the next month you might be making zero,” says Nielsen.
She doesn’t want that to discourage other Black women from building a business and wants them to believe in every possibility. “You’re smart. You’re good enough. You have the track record. You have the degrees; you have the experience. You’ve got it all.”
Jean Philippe advises, “If there is something on your heart that just will not die, don’t keep pushing it aside. Learn everything you possibly can about it, and then get started.”
founder and CEO
LN & Co.
owner and principal designer
The Gallery Grid
First thing’s first: five essentials for launching your own business
“Why would you want to deprive the world of the space you take up?”
Change your personality, change your culture or get out. That’s the message corporate America sent to Lauren Bell, founder and president of La Cire in Washington, D.C., a company that helps others grow their ideas into lucrative and sustainable businesses. Bell realized there was no need to continue enduring mistreatment in the workplace, believing that if she could bring in millions of dollars for someone else’s company, she could do the same for herself. She started La Cire after she was forced to seek legal help to enforce her contract after the company, where she was literally and figuratively a minority partner, refused to pay out her full bonus. “The day after I got my bonus, I quit.”
Bell used the bonus money to start her business, She decided she could no longer bear the trauma that came with the corporate environment while helping make leadership rich. “My contributions helped my boss build a second movie theater in his house, and here I was fighting for money I rightfully earned.”
Now she helps others realize their dreams through entrepreneurship. It has been over four years, and she is finally feeling more settled. “I am happy for once. I still work like crazy, but I am not screaming into a pillow every night,” she says.
She and her team partner with startups, government agencies, celebrities, athletes and small businesses. Through the years, she’s found the five essentials to building a business from scratch.
- Be clear about your idea and what you want to accomplish
Many first-time business owners start with too broad ideas and are unsure of the value and service their new venture will provide. “When people come in and aren’t clear, it usually doesn’t go anywhere.” Bell says it’s best to take your time to develop the concept and gain a clear understanding of the reason customers and clients need what you have to offer.
2. Tackle the nuts and bolts
Once you have the idea and are ready to begin, you have to handle the important tasks, such as creating a tax structure and obtaining licenses, so your business is set up to make money. She recommends creating a thorough checklist that contains everything needed to be a legal business.
3. Find a cheerleader
Starting a new endeavor can become overwhelming, and it’s easy to get discouraged when, in the beginning, you find clients aren’t falling into your lap. “Having a support system and a cheerleader is invaluable because it’s often difficult for people to give themselves the grace needed to see their vision through.”
4. Say, “yes”
Go to the 7 a.m. networking meeting even if the thought makes you anxious. “I made myself go to early meet and greets all the way in Rockville, MD. No one wants to do that, but you never know where your next client is going to come from.” Bell says that you don’t have to be a social butterfly and talk to everyone, but you should try to connect with a few people who look interesting. “I have social anxiety, so networking doesn’t come easy for me. I stand by the food, stuff my face, and then say, ‘Lauren put down the little quiches and introduce yourself to somebody.’”
5. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself
Do not, under any circumstances, dim your own light. Bell tells her clients that they need to be out and about talking about their products, services and achievements. “I’ve fallen into that humble trap, but there’s no need. That seems to be a woman thing where we don’t like to take up space.” She asks her clients, “Why would you want to deprive the world of the space you take up?”
founder and president
La Cire