BLKGirl Ambition

BLKGirl Ambition is the podcast and professional community for ambitious women building power, access, and opportunity in corporate America or as visionary founders. Hosted by Niya Baxter, each episode delivers candid conversations, hard-won lessons, and practical strategies for becoming wildly successful without losing yourself in the process.

No Gatekeeping. Just game.

In this short solo episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the setbacks, disappointments, and behind-the-scenes moments that came with one of BLKGirl Ambition's biggest seasons yet.

From signing with the ALIVE Podcast Network and hosting our first-ever IRL community dinner to dealing with lost photos, a butchered magazine article, missed expectations, and lessons in letting go of perfection, this episode is a reflection on what it really takes to build something meaningful.

Because the truth is, most people only share the highlight reel. They don't post the mistakes, the detours, or the moments when everything goes sideways. But that's always where the growth happens.

If you're building a career, a business, a platform, a community, or a vision bigger than yourself, this episode is a reminder that success isn't about avoiding the mess, it's about learning to build through it.

Thank you for an incredible Season 3.

Season 4 loading.

What does it actually cost to be the first?

In this episode of BLKGirl Ambition, Niya Baxter sits down with Lisa Osborne Ross former U.S. CEO of Edelman, one of the largest public relations firms in the world, and the first Black person to hold the role for an honest conversation about power, leadership, vulnerability, and the pressure of representation.

We talk about:

• the myth of the fearless Black woman
• navigating corporate America without shrinking yourself
• colorism, beauty, and respectability politics
• the loneliness of being the first
• vulnerability as a leadership strength
• and why ambition should include joy, softness, friendship, family, and peace

Lisa also reflects on the gift of weightlessness her parents gave her growing up in Washington, D.C. and how being raised without limitation shaped the way she moved through elite spaces and leadership.

This conversation is thoughtful, funny, deeply human, and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from someone who has led at the highest levels without losing herself in the process. If youve ever felt pressure to be perfect, unbreakable, or endlessly strong to succeed this episode is for you.

Get in Touch w/ Lisa: linkedin.com/in/lisa-osborne-ross

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition & as always love to hear your thoughts :)

Join the BLKGirl Ambition community at www.blkgirlambition.com to stay in the know on events, products and insider tips. And find us on IG, LinkedIn and TikTok: @blkgirlambition

In this solo episode, Niya reflects on a season of growth, exhaustion, vision, and what it means to keep building even when youre tired. From signing with the ALIVE podcast network to hosting BLKGirl Ambitions first-ever in-person event, The Conversation Dinner Series, this episode is about what happens when vision meets consistencyand community. Stay tuned to the end for a very special message from Bozoma Saint John, Former Chief Marketing Officer of Netflix and Uber, turned entrepreneur and star of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!

This episode is part reflection, part encouragement, and part reminder to stop waiting and go after the thing thats been on your heart. 

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition & as always love to hear your thoughts :)

Join the BLKGirl Ambition community at www.blkgirlambition.com to stay in the know on future events, products and insider tips. And find us on IG, LinkedIn and TikTok: @blkgirlambition

Most of us live and work within systems shaped by fear, bias, and legacy narrativesoften without even realizing it.

In this episode of BLKGirl Ambition, Niya Baxter sits down with Theresa Wilsonattorney, TEDx speaker, and equity expertto explore the powerful framework of place consciousness. Not as a limitation, but as a key to understanding how societal structures shape what we can see as possible.

Theresa also demystifies the process of taking the TEDx stagebreaking down how to turn your expertise into a compelling idea, navigate the application process, and position yourself for a career-defining platform.

If youre navigating complex systems and trying to understand your place within them, this conversation offers language, clarity, and a new way forward. Because awareness isnt the end goal.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Black Girl Ambition

00:55 Introducing Theresa Wilson

02:28 Early Life and Influences

09:31 Navigating Ambition and Fear

12:32 The Power of Place Consciousness

16:39 Understanding Privilege

23:59 Training on Bias and Discrimination

27:45 The TEDx Journey

32:21 Hope for the Future

34:22 Fear and Societal Structures

41:53 Internalized Oppression and Respectability Politics

43:40 Reforming Systems from Within 

49:20 Legacy and Ambition

Get In Touch with Theresa:

TEDx: https://youtu.be/ircUGYXnKzU?si=BGyBYJWnVe4kRPZA

Website: http://rmschrysalisproject.org/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-wilson-coney

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition & as always love to hear your thoughts :)

Join the BLKGirl Ambition community on IG, LinkedIn and TikTok: @blkgirlambition

As Season 3 of BLKGirl Ambition comes to a close, Im revisiting one of my favorite conversationsmy interview with Teri Johnson, Founder and CEO of Harlem Candle Co. Teris journey is a masterclass in building something meaningful, staying rooted in your vision, and navigating the realities of entrepreneurship with intention, grace and grit. In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to build a brand, the discipline behind creativity, and the mindset required to keep goingeven when the path isnt clear or easy. If youre like me and in a season of building this conversation is a reminder: the climb is rarely linear, but its always worth it.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to BLKGirl Ambition

02:38 Teri Johnsons unconventional path to entrepreneurship

05:16 How travel shapes identity and perspective

07:56 The rise of Travelista Teri

10:17 Lessons learned from building a digital brand before its time

12:49 Founding Harlem Brands: turning passion into legacy

15:30 Building legacy through luxury fragrance

17:44 Storytelling as strategy: weaving culture into business

20:38 Facing challenges, fueling growth

22:43 Expanding into the Harlem Perfume Company

25:21 The mindset every founder needs to thrive

27:38 Practical gems for aspiring entrepreneurs

30:34 Dreaming forward: future aspirations & community impact

33:04 Final reflections on ambition and legacy

Support Teri Johnson and the Harlem Brands:

Purchase Harlem Candles, Totes, Mugs and Journals: www.harlembrands.com

Purchase Harlem Perfume: www.sephora.com and www.harlemperfumeco.com

Connect with Teri Johnson: @terijohnsonnyc on IG

Email me with your episode ideas or guest suggestions at [email protected]

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition & as always love to hear your thoughts :)

Join the BLKGirl Ambition community on IG and LinkedIn: @blkgirlambition and @glamourgirlniya

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When no one has done it before you, youre not just doing the jobyoure figuring out the rules in real time.

You rent your job title, but you own your narrative.

Summary:

What if the reason you feel behind at work isnt you? Most first-generation professionals enter corporate spaces without a roadmapnavigating unwritten rules, hidden expectations, and systems that were never designed to be transparent. In this episode of BLKGirl Ambition, I sit down with Fadjanie CadetChief Change Experience Officer and organizational strategistto break down the rules no one teaches you at work. We talk about:

• The influence of her first gen Haitian American background
• Why merit alone isnt enough
• The power of visibility, relationships, and self-advocacy
• The mindset shift from what am I missing? to what is the system failing to make clear?
• How to own your narrative and move with intention

Fadjanie shares how her first-generation experience shaped the way she leads, builds, and navigates corporate spacesand why community is more than support, its infrastructure. If youve ever felt like you were learning the rules too late or questioning whether you belong, this episode will shift how you see yourselfand the system. Because you were never behind. You were building without a blueprint.

Keywords:

First-Generation, Workplace Politics, Unwritten Rules, Black Women in Corporate, Corporate, Career Pivot, Layoff, Networking, Immigrant, Self-Advocacy, Career Growth, Visibility, Community

Takeaways:

First-generation professionals often navigate workplaces without access to unwritten rules and insider knowledge

Corporate success is not purely merit-basedvisibility, relationships, and perception matter

Many early career gaps are structural, not personal

Self-advocacy and storytelling are critical to career growth

Building a clear narrative around your impact is essential for advancement

Networking is not transactionalits community and access to opportunity

Organizations often rely on implicit knowledge, creating barriers to fairness

Disruption (like layoffs) can be an opportunity to redefine your identity and value

Your job title is temporaryyour skills, perspective, and impact are not

Authenticity and ownership of your experience are key to long-term success

Chapter Summary:

00:00 Episode Introduction & Guest Overview

03:00 First-Gen Upbringing & Early Identity

08:00 Responsibility, Pressure & Parenting Perspectives

12:00 Early Career Lessons & Meritocracy Myth

15:00 Self-Advocacy & Building a Business Case

18:00 Reframing Structural vs. Personal Gaps

20:00 Workplace Design & Implicit Rules

24:00 Networking, Community & Career Access

26:00 First-Gen Identity in Corporate Spaces

28:00 Finding Language for Lived Experience

30:00 Layoffs, Identity & Career Disruption

32:00 Owning Your Narrative & Career Value

34:00 Black Women & Workforce Shifts

37:00 Staying Grounded Through Uncertainty

39:00 Authenticity & Career Growth

41:00 Redefining Ambition & Success

43:00 Closing & Final Reflections

Get in Touch with Fadjanie:

LinkedIn: Fadjanie Cadet

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.meettheccxo.com

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition and @glamourgirlniya

If you have episode ideas, questions for me, or would like to be featured as a guest send me an email, [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"After 14 years of innovation, delivery, and creativity she was only as good as her last act.

Summary:

In this solo episode of BLKGirl Ambition, Niya Baxter reflects on the controversy surrounding Black fashion brand Hanifa and founder Anifa Mvembas decision to pause operations after intense online backlash tied to delayed pre-orders. Rather than joining the pile-on, Niya examines the bigger picture: the structural challenges Black women founders face when building businesses with limited capital, the pressure of scaling in public, and the thin line between accountability and cruelty in the age of social media. Using Hanifas 14-year legacy of innovation as contextfrom pioneering inclusive sizing to launching fashions first 3D digital runwayNiya asks deeper questions about grace, community, and what it means to truly support Black women entrepreneurs when things go wrong.

Keywords:

Black women entrepreneurs, Black women founders, Black fashion industry, fashion business strategy, fashion entrepreneurship, founder challenges, entrepreneurship podcast, women in business, startup culture, venture capital gap, Black creators, fashion brand controversy, business leadership, cultural commentary, BLKGirl Ambition

Takeaways:

Black women founders are rarely allowed to fail small.

Accountability and cruelty are not the same thing.

Pre-order models are often a strategy for underfunded brands.

Social media outrage can quickly escalate beyond the issue itself.

Real community means balancing critique with grace.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to BLKGirl Ambition

01:05 Why I Had to Speak on the Hanifa Controversy

03:40 The Innovation and Legacy of Hanifa

07:15 What Actually Happened With Hanifa Friday

11:20 The Reality Behind the Pre-Order Business Model

15:30 The Structural Funding Gap Facing Black Women Founders

20:10 When Accountability Turns Into a Social Media Pile-On

25:45 Why Black Women Arent Allowed to Fail Small

30:15 What This Moment Reveals About Community

34:30 Where Our Energy Should Really Be Directed

Resources:

Black Girl Ambition Podcast - https://podcastlink.com

Hanifa Official Website - https://hanifa.co

Anifa Mvemba on Instagram - https://instagram.com/anifa.mvemba

Venture Capital Funding for Black Women - https://example.com/black-women-venture-capital

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition and @glamourgirlniya

If you have episode ideas, questions for me, or would like to be featured as a guest send me an email, [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I didnt drift into this life. I built it by working backwards from the goal" - Chardiney Jackson

In this episode of BLKGirl Ambition, Niya Baxter sits down with leadership strategist and executive coach Chardiney Jackson for a masterclass on designing your career on purpose. Chardiney shares her journey from Analyst to Vice President at JPMorgan not as a story of luck or talent alone, but of vision, strategy, and intentional positioning. She breaks down how she reverse-engineered promotions, built leverage before opportunities appeared, and navigated the unspoken politics Black women often face in corporate environments. Together, Niya and Chardiney unpack the reality of going from pet to threat for many women of color and the mental narratives that quietly limit ambition.This conversation is about more than climbing the ladder. Its about designing your next decade with clarity, building relationships that matter, honoring the season youre in, and recognizing that sustainable ambition requires both strategy and self-awareness. If youre a Black woman building inside corporate or considering whats next this episode is your reminder: Dont drift. Design.

Keywords:

Black women in corporate, career strategy, intentional career design, corporate politics, pet to threat, leadership development, executive coaching, career advancement strategies, networking for women, personal branding, career pivots, leadership

Takeaways:

Dont drift into a career. Design it on purpose.

Build relationships before you need them networking is leverage, not small talk.

Black women often navigate unspoken rules in rooms not built with us in mind.

Grit matters but strategy compounds faster.

Your early environment shapes your ambition own it, dont downplay it.

Promotions dont just happen. You position, document, and make your case.

Flexibility isnt confusion its strategic adaptation.

If your foundation isnt secure, its hard to design your future (Maslow still applies).

Stop reacting to circumstances. Start creating your next move.

Self-awareness is power. Emotional intelligence is executive currency.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Black Girl Ambition

03:01 Meet Chardonnay Jackson: A Journey of Ambition

09:54 Navigating Corporate Challenges

12:48 The Cost of Success

17:46 Transitioning from Corporate to Education

21:01 Designing Your Career with Intent

27:37 Overcoming Mental Barriers in Career Growth

32:10 The Importance of Community and Support

35:16 Introduction to Wellness and Ambition

35:36 Navigating Multiple Roles

37:29 The 'Pet to Threat' Phenomenon

41:14 Strategies for Resilience in the Workplace

48:29 Embracing Failure and Growth

51:34 Final Thoughts and Advice

Get in touch with Chardiney!

Website: www.eliteleaderscc.com

IG: @thechardiney and @eliteleaderscc

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition and @glamourgirlniya

If you have episode ideas, questions for me, or would like to be featured as a guest send me an email, [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negotiation confidence comes from clarityknowing your numbers, your value, and your walk-away.

Summary:

In this episode of BLKGirl Ambition, Niya Baxter speaks with Tai Wingfield about what it really takes to negotiate with confidence, strategy, and powerespecially for Black women in the workplace. They break down how to prepare for negotiations, identify and challenge internal narratives that limit self-advocacy, and clearly articulate your value using data and leverage. Tai shares personal insights on navigating pay gaps, the importance of transparency and community, and why negotiation is a critical skill for long-term career growth. If youre navigating salary conversations, promotions, or high-stakes professional decisions, this episode offers practical guidance to help you negotiate from clarity and confidencenot fear.

Keywords:

negotiation skills, salary negotiation, Black women in the workplace, career advancement, pay equity, self-advocacy, professional confidence, workplace strategy, leadership development, compensation negotiation

Takeaways:

-Negotiation is a skill that can be learned and strengthened with preparation.

-Knowing your value is essential before entering any negotiation.

-Creating emotional distance can improve negotiation outcomes.

-Having options or a safety net increases leverage.

-Community and shared knowledge support stronger negotiation power.

-Researching market compensation is critical.

-Tracking your impact makes advocating for raises easier.

-Transparency around pay helps close equity gaps.

-Black women often face added pressure to self-edit when negotiating.

-Negotiation includes salary, benefits, scope, and long-term growth.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to BLKGirl Ambition

02:12 Why Negotiation Is a Career Skill, Not a Personality Trait

04:42 How to Prepare Before the Negotiation Ever Starts

09:01 Decentering Ego and Emotion at the Table

10:41 Unlearning Internal Narratives That Limit Advocacy

13:12 Defining Your Non-Negotiables and Walk-Away Points

15:16 Using Market Research as Leverage

18:29 A Personal Story on Pay Gaps and Equity

24:16 Reframing Negotiation as Empowerment

25:42 Looking Beyond Salary: Total Compensation Matters

29:38 Why Pay Transparency Changes Outcomes

33:27 The Role of Community in Stronger Negotiation

35:33 Naming and Owning Your Unique Value

37:04 Practical, Tactical Approaches to Negotiation

40:10 Documenting Impact to Support Raises and Promotions

43:36 Closing Reflections on Negotiating With Confidence and Power

Get in Touch with Tai!

LinkedIn: Tai Wingfield

Instagram: @TaiWingfield2.0

Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition and @glamourgirlniya

If you have episode ideas or would like to be featured as a guest send me an email, [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.