BsquaredC Podcast: The Black Woman Corporate Career "Brownprint"

On the podcast this past week, amongst the many things we touched on, my guest Yinka and I talked about her experiences with diversity in the industries she has worked in, or lack thereof including consulting, banking and tech. We  discussed in particular the situation at Wells Fargo that went viral a few months ago. The CEO of Wells Fargo was caught up in a scandal about his comments citing the lack of diversity in the upper ranks of the bank was because there were not enough people of color to recruit for them. Facing criticism on it, he ended up apologising but his comments are not isolated. Many a CEO and HR executive has cited this as a reason for their lack of diversity and it is simply a myth. In this episode I talk about why that is for three selected reasons and what companies can do about it. Have a listen to my reflection on it here.

Article of black women at Wells Fargo: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/banking/article246012155.html

Article on Black Tech Pipeline: https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/15/black-tech-pipeline-proves-the-pipeline-problem-isnt-real/

Article on debiasing recruiting: https://hbr.org/2017/06/7-practical-ways-to-reduce-bias-in-your-hiring-process

Article on diversity and lowering the bar: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paologaudiano/2017/10/23/how-to-increase-diversity-without-lowering-the-bar/?sh=37bcad465814

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My guest on the podcast this week, Yinka Taiwo-Peters had me furiously taking notes throughout this interview from the pearls of wisdom she was dropping from her story. Starting out her journey applying to American colleges from Nigeria with little guidance and going on to becoming the youngest person in her graduating class, Yinka has been pushing the envelope at every step of her career journey. We sat down to chat about the lessons she has learnt on her path so far and her experiences with inclusion and mentorship amongst other things. Yinka found her home for now in the tech industry driving her passion for accessibility, but I have no doubt she is destined for so much more. 

Three takeaways from this episode:

-Own your career- Own the direction, own the opportunities, ask questions and perform well

-Negotiate for what you want- You are a resource that has value so go in there knowing what you are worth and claim it!

-Vulnerability is the key to unlocking great mentorship relationships- Being vulnerable allows you to really dig deep into your areas of growth

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Last week you met Aniekeme who just floors me with her confidence and ability to take risks without giving mind to safety nets. It got me thinking about how these ideas of risk and choices have played out in my life. I am a recovering "play it safe" person. For a good part of my life, I used to strongly believe that  options and choices are not a privilege that someone like me is afforded. This came from being raised in a culture where success is already defined for you and then playing the survival game as a black immigrant woman. I however got to learn the hard way that the game is rigged and I had to find my own way and definition of success. I now take way more risks than I did before and I am excited about my future that is being shaped by very different goals than I started out with. 

Resources talked about in this podcast

Kimberly Bryant ted talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-0NwSPmr8

The Brownprint podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brownprint/id1529949850

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Aniekeme Umoh has had an interesting 2020 like all of us. She finished her MBA but an opportunity she was going to kick start her career in fashion and technology was cancelled by COVID 19. Halfway through the pandemic, she picked up a job with a start up and found out the function was not for her so she quit it and is now finding her ground again. Aniekeme takes more risk than the average woman of color out there because she believes in what she calls life hacking and burning the ship at the docks. She is not afraid to walk away from opportunities that do not serve her goals, even with no safety net, and she valiantly believes that whatever she tries she will succeed at it. Her confidence and outlook is incredibly inspiring. Have a listen to her story in this episode. 

Three takeaways 

-Don’t be afraid to try new things- treat what we call failure as a learning opportunity 

-Find and maintain relationships with mentors and sponsors- they take you far in your career. 

-You always  have choices-  To not say you do, is being a victim in your life when you are the creator. It is also a perspective thing not a reality thing 

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My guest from last week Stephanie Joseph has an incredible story of tragedy, strength and resilience that includes surviving the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Despite these experiences, Stephanie still shows up with so much positivity in life and has made the circumstances she comes from, fuel for her life’s goals. Stephanie owns her story, and I identify with this so much because my life has unfolded similarly. I experienced some life changing traumatic events growing up that have become the source of the things I am passionate about. However how I show up only came with learning to own these experiences and live with them.  In this episode I share some of what I have learnt as I continue on my own journey with owning my story, including shifting my mindset from survival to thriving, giving myself the liberty to dislike my situations and struggling with impostor syndrome. Have a listen to the episode here. 

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Stephanie Joseph is going to change people’s lives! She said it to her sister in the past, and after listening to her story I am sure you will agree that she is well on her way! Born and raised in Haiti, Stephanie has navigated her life and career with a sense of deep purpose forged by her personal experiences that include surviving the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake and losing family along the way.  Listen to this episode for insightful stories on Stephanie’s career arc, speaking up in the corporate world as a black woman in the year of #blacklivesmatter and dealing with the challenges that plague women of color in the corporate world, such as impostor syndrome and microaggressions. Stephanie has remarkably turned adversity into her fuel thus claiming her place in the world. 

Three takeaways from this episode

 Focus on your focus- Things come and go but what for you will come. Focus on your goals 

Determine who you want to be in your community- Think about the role you are playing in people’s lives

 Next to getting your work done also build relationships at work- they will open up opportunities for you to grow that you did not imagine. 

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I was all set to share with you all an incredible interview with one of my favorite Nigerian sisters but on reflection, I instead opted to park it, for a different conversation that I felt is important to have this week. It's about what showing up at work fully means for people of color.

2020 has been a traumatic year for people of color and we have been showing up to work with all of it. From covid hitting us worst to #blacklivesmatter going global it was already a lot. On top of that if you are African, the last few weeks have been heavy with #ENDSARS protests against police brutality in Nigeria, #shutitdown gender-based violence protests in Namibia and #congoisbleeding cries about the genocide in the Congo. As a black, African, woman, in 2020, I AM TIRED. Pre- 2020 people of color never dared to show up as our full selves at work, especially with the traumatic things going on about our identity outside of work. We checked our feelings and politics at the door, but the tide has shifted this year.

Let's continue making workplaces more inclusive and foster belonging, by creating spaces for dialogue about these tough things going on in our lives that we sometimes all walk around bearing. We are all human before we get to our desk and it is imperative that companies continue to see that and invest in that.Trends, technology and times in your industry may come and go, but your people will always be your biggest asset.

Sendings lots of love and strength to my Nigerian sisters and brothers out there and here are ways you can help

Donate to the following organizations to help with the #endsars

Diasporans against SARS: https://www.gofundme.com/f/4ppyfs-diasporans-against-sars

Learn about #shutitdown Namibia: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/19/africa/namibia-gender-based-violence-protests-intl/index.html

Documentary that illustrates the situation in the Congo #congoisbleeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLV9szEu9Ag&feature=youtu.be

Evelyn from the Internets Call in Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpVeUVcFMAU

My article on being a black professional in the time of #blacklivesmatter: https://www.bsquaredc.org/post/blacklivesmatter

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I am passionate about the healthcare industry not just as a job but as a calling. My career journey has been about finding the most impactful way I can parlay my talent to contribute to it. I am a scientist by training who has navigated through engineering, policy and now working in corporate healthcare as I follow my impact in the ecosystem of how people access and experience healthcare. In this episode I share the major career pivots I have made and my biggest lessons along the way which include staying open to new possibilities.There will always be space for you to reinvent yourself in the ecosystem of the problem you are passionate about and you can still contribute to your cause in a different way, multiple times in one lifetime. Secondly, I have said it once and will say it again, mentors are indispensable on this journey. Have a listen to the episode! . 

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Emma Kwenu Smith is a Ghanaian, who is just starting out her post MBA career at Facebook. Passionate about social impact in particular education and technology, Emma’s journey has taken her from a non- profit focus to business school in America and now into the private sector. Her career approach is grounded in the belief that different sectors, from government, to non- profit to the private sector, have a role to play towards solving the same socio economic challenges and she takes on opportunities that allow her to experience this in different ways, while still focusing on her broader goals. Three takeaways from this episode: -Conquering imposter syndrome starts with self awareness about where and why these feelings are coming at you at that point and putting work into conquering them -Channel your inner child to be bold and chase your dreams. Don’t limit yourself. The world will do that for you already - Be true to yourself, nobody would fight for you the way you would care for you. 

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Rachael Gatling is a powerhouse of a woman who is not only kicking ass at a corporate job, in the fascinating medical devices e-commerce space but is also a strong inclusion and diversity champion being the chair of the Black Employees Resource Group(BERG) at Philips. Rachael’s  core beliefs that have carried her in her career are standing in her power and being her authentic self and she is the founder of a project called Change Your Story, where she is empowering others to achieve professional success by strengthening and utilizing their professional strengths.

Three takeaways from this episode:

- Study and appreciate yourself- Learn about yourself so you know what your triggers are and what you are good at. It is a great asset in your career

-Help another woman-  there is often a bad stigma of women tearing down each other in the corporate world. We gain so much more for helping each other up

-You are not for everyone- It’s ok to not be liked by everyone, focus on the people you get positive energy from

Link to Rachael church: http://www.firstchurchnyack.org/

Link to Rachael's project: https://changeyourstory.today/

If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC

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