Phenomenal Grit, Career Conversations for Women of Color

Today on Phenomenal Grit, Mimi Dixon, Crayola Marketing Executive takes us back to a pivotal moment in her childhood which helped define the leader she is today. She’s an engaging storyteller and visionary. I appropriately titled this episode, “She’s a Baaaad Mama Jama” and you’ll have to tune in to find out why. Enjoy the conversation. About Mimi Dixon: Mimi Dixon is a highly motivated and dynamic thought leader with +20 years of expertise in Integrated, Shopper & Sports market...

Ayodele Kinchen is a native and current resident of East Palo Alto (EPA). She grew up in a Pan-African home and community circle, attending independent, k-8th grade African-centered schools in EPA and was immersed in Afro-centric cultural academia, leadership development, and rites of passage programs created and coordinated in part by her mother. She is a graduate of Howard University (Washington, DC) where she received her BA in Business Administration-Management (1999) and graduate of STAR...

How do you overcome adversity and develop an authentic voice while thriving in corporate settings? "There is no such thing as a diversity hire. Sit at the tables that value and respect you!" Tiana and I cover a myriad of topics in this raw and rare conversation. We're talking about self worth, how to recognize true allies and, thriving not just surviving in your career. Enjoy the conversation! Tiana Conley serves as the Vice President of Global Cereal for the Kell...

I'm kicking off Season 2 of Phenomenal Grit with Ingrid Otero-Smart, President/CEO, Casanova//McCann, a minority owned multicultural advertising agency. This is an honest conversation about showing up in your career authentically as a working mom, a woman of color and defining your career for yourself at any age. Ingrid encourages women to go for the roles they truly want and to chart their own course. Enjoy the conversation. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Ingrid Otero-Smart has over 30...

Have you ever met someone you instantly know is an absolute star--someone who lights up the room with their energy and joy? This is what it's like to be in the company of this week's Phenomenal Grit guest. I am absolutely in love with this conversation and so excited to feature journalist, storyteller, and entrepreneur--Imani Bashir. This is a conversation full of grit, laughter and lessons. Learn how Imani began and grew her career. If you are looking to be inspired to turn challenges into o...

This conversation is about Karla Trotman's journey from corporate America to embracing entrepreneurship and the legacy of her family business.Karla mentions this article in our conversation. It cites that 50% of multi-cultural women were thinking of quitting and leaving corporate careers. Karla leveraged her experience in business, to lead and grow her family business. Her career plans are rooted in giving her family a legacy her grandchildren can one day eat from. Enjoy the conversatio...

In honor of Mother's Day, I'm sharing some of my stories about growing my career while having children. I've saved the rainbows and unicorns for another day. These are the tough parts that people don't often share. Even if you're not a mother, there are lessons in this episode for you. I also disclose some really heavy moments I've been experiencing as a mom of Black boys living in a country where Black boys and men continue to be disproportionality the victims of police violence.&...

The journey--the climb while you are climbing is just as important to highlight as the end result. In this episode, I have a conversation with Kristine Rodriguez, Director of Global Creative Operations for MAC Cosmetics, an Estee Lauder brand. Kristine shares how the relationships you build are the currency you have and gives us some great tips on making connections at work and navigating stereotypes and labels. Enjoy the conversation.More about Kristine RodriguezKristine Rodriguez is c...

What happens when your side hustle becomes your main hustle? When you start pursuing your passion just because you love it, watch out amazing things will happen. Today, I'm talking to Kinya, Claiborne, founder and editor in chief of style and society magazine and chief executive officer of style and society group about building one career and transitioning to another. If you've ever been interested in how a person starts their career as a full-time influencer and content creator, or if you ju...

How does a person go from battling imposter syndrome to living life authentically with grit and grace? How does a person learn to show up in the room at work with excellence? How does one build a personal brand to be proud of? Alia discusses all of these things and more with Cherée Johnson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer for W.R. Grace. There are so many awesome pearls of wisdom shared in this conversation. From her vulnerable ea...