This episode challenges the widely held belief that education alone guarantees success, drawing on powerful insights to reveal how systemic barriers persist for even the most educated groups—especially Black women. We examine the disconnect between academic achievement and leadership representation, the explosive growth of Black women-owned businesses in response to exclusion, and the ongoing realities of the gender pay gap and underrepresentation in politics. Tune in for a candid conversation about redefining merit, supporting alternative pathways, and the urgent need to transform our systems so that opportunity is truly accessible to all.