This is a story about courage, self-reliance, and how it’s possible to build a career in defiance of societal norms. Societal norms are nothing to celebrate because they exclude most people from participating in them. Honestly, most societal norms exist because they benefit a privileged few and in a professional context, privileged people benefit from systems of patronage. In systems of patronage, privileged people grant each other positions of power, and then they go on to make decisions throughout the course of their careers that uphold societal norms because they serve the privileged, and they grip so hard onto that privilege because it’s so comfy cozy to hold. Societal norms are not only exclusive and in most cases racist, classist, sexist, and capitalistic, they’re also boring. In this episode, I’m talking to Vivian Kaye, an entrepreneur who has started and scaled two six-figure ventures and one seven-figure venture despite the societal norms that exist to work against her, including but not limited to white supremacy and racism. If you’re listening to this episode and you’re in a job that you think you have to do, to keep up the status quo and problematic societal norms, I want you to pay close attention to how Vivian approaches entrepreneurship with a sense of curiosity and a personal commitment to self-reliance and resourcefulness. I think you’re really going to love this episode. Let’s talk to Vivian.