Trill MBA Show - The Career Management Podcast for Black Women

You CAN Have Career, Side Hustle, and Family: Mother’s Day Inspiration with Timika Downes

For the month of May, episodes will feature amazing guests that are killing it in their careers and have executed passions outside of work to build Side Hustles, what I have learned about Career and Side Hustle and reasons you should have both.

In this episode, I gain side hustle nuggets from Timika Downes. Timika is a Registered Nurse for Boston Public School System, Owner of Lice Clinics of America- Medford, Creator and Host of the Reluctant Frugalist blog and the FI-Rx podcast, Public Speaker, Wife, and Mother of 3.

Timika has been featured on the SideHustlePro Podcast for building a 6 figure side business while working full time and saving over 50% of her income to fuel her quest to be financially independent.  I wanted to know how she balanced it all, especially being a wife and mother of 3.

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Connect with Timika:

Timika’s passion is teaching people how to become financially independent.

Her Blog, Reluctant Frugalist, focuses the FIRE Movement.

FI-Rx Podcast Launching Soon

Facebook: The Reluctant Frugalist

Twitter: ReluctantFrugalist

IG: @thereluctantfrugalist

Couch to Confidence Yoga on Amazon Prime

Drop The Ball by Tiffany Dufu

KonMari

Kristyn Ivey Chicago’s 1st Certified KonMari Consultant

No Balls Dropped: How One Corporate Warrior Is Successfully Juggling Career and Side Hustle with Erica Jones

For the month of May, episodes will feature amazing guests that are killing it in their careers and have executed passions outside of work to build Side Hustles, what I have learned about Career and Side Hustle and reasons you should have both.

In this episode,  I have an extremely vulnerable conversation with my dear friend Erica Jones, Owner and Creative Director of Elevated Occasions, an event planning enterprise that curates high customized events, elevating the ordinary to extraordinary.

Grab your tissue and get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired to keep climbing the corporate ladder, feed interests outside of your 9 to 5, and lean into all of your natural born gifts, abilities, and passions.

Have you received some Trill Lessons from this podcast?  If yes, could you help us out by subscribing and leaving a quick review in iTunes?  Hitting subscribe and leaving a review makes a HUGE difference and should only take a minute. 

Connect with Erica:

Rising Tide Society-A community built by creatives for creatives.

Podcasts to Check Out:

Photo credit: Hannah Schweiss Photography

I’m Scared of Success: One Black Woman’s Journey From the Bottom of the Film Industry with Vonti McRae

In this episode, writer Vonti McRae shares how her career journey in the film industry prompted her to share her truth in a post published by WomansENews.  Vonti is a passionate writer of screenplays, TV episodic scripts and reality show concepts who has worked tirelessly in the media industry for over 10 years.

In 2016 she became an Online Film Instructor at the Academy of Art University teaching Screenwriting. In 2013 she won the Urban Action Showcase writers competition for her Action Crime Drama “Queenpin” and was named runner up for Best New Writer at the Action on Film Festival for her animated TV series, “Mob Rats”.  Vonti holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film from the Academy of Art University and a Bachelor’s in Mass Communications from UNC Prembroke.

In March of 2019, published by the WomensENews website, Vonti authored an article originally titled I’m Scared Shitless of Success now titled I’m Scared of Success. Vonti’s article described the Trillest emotions held by black women in corporate America….. fear, courage, self-doubt, confidence, not belonging, resiliency and open the world to a real look at the multifaceted world of the black woman corporate warrior.  Like Vonti, many of us come from very humble beginnings and we continue to work hard to achieve the highest levels of success.

When I read this article, I immediately emailed Vonti and asked her to be a guest on the show…. because I have questions.

Contact her at [email protected] for writing inquiries.

Instagram @the_real_vonti

https://womensenews.org/2019/03/im-scared-shitless-of-success/

Jesus Wasn’t Crucified On The Cross For Us To Be Miserable At Work: Easter Edition of Trill Thoughts

In this episode, I share what lessons we as Black Women can take from the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and apply to our career management. There is a lot we can take from this story, regardless if Jesus is your homeboy or not.  The lesson of discomfort and pain, perceived failure, redemption, and never giving up on your purpose.   In this lesson, I truly believe Jesus was crucified on the cross so that we would not have to be miserable and suffer at work.  Seriously, I know you may think it sounds crazy but hear me out.

Please Subscribe, Rate, and Write the Trill MBA Show a review.  This helps other people find the podcast.

If you need some advice about specific situations, to trillmba.com/coaching  to schedule a free 30 minute consultation with me to walk through your specific work situation and strategize solutions.  In addition, you can always email at [email protected].  I’m happy to either answer your question or connect you to the right person if I don’t have the answer.

Sources:

The Christian Bible… Just pick a version for yourself.

Sound Bites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD5uPZzBr5c

How To Manage Your Career in Trump America: You Can Make It To The C-Suite

In this episode, we talk about how to handle the workplace shenanigans in the Trump Era.

I also talk about this past week’s House Financial Services Committee hearing where  @RepAlGreen, TX District 9, asked the all white male panel of CEOs from 7 of the largest banks in the US if the succession plans for their roles included a woman or person of color…. You have to watch it for yourself:

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Let’s face it, the odds have not been in our favor.  But that doesn’t mean we don’t have FAVOR.  Change is coming and we just have to keep working and helping each other.

Speaking of help, please Subscribe, Rate, and Write the Trill MBA Show a review.  This helps other people find the podcast.

If you need some help or advice about specific situations, go to trillmba.com/coaching  to schedule a free 30 minute consultation with me to walk through your specific work situation and strategize solutions.  In addition, you can always email at [email protected].  I’m happy to either answer your question or connect you to the right person if I don’t have the answer.

Key Points From This Episode:

Sources:

https://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/problem/being-bullied/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_bullying

https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-times-youll-have-to-stand-up-for-yourself-at-work-because-no-one-else-will

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-the-self/201209/how-and-how-not-stand-yourself

https://www.success.com/10-powerful-ways-to-stand-up-for-yourself-in-any-situation/

Sound Bites:

https://youtu.be/hzaY9Ko9VAE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5osw5u9Uq4

https://youtu.be/FTBxFKteO-U

Demystifying Elite College Admissions with Kofi Kankam

In this episode, I’m joined by co-founder and CEO of Admit Advantage, Kofi Kankam.  Kofi is passionate about helping you navigate the admissions process of getting into an elite school. For over 10 years , his company successfully assists prospective students in maximizing their admissions opportunity and understanding the challenges and advantages of gaining admission to some of the most prestigious schools in the world.

If you’ve ever been discouraged about a college application or wondered whether it is possible for you to get into a good school, do not miss out on this super inspiring conversation with Kofi. He is truly a walking example of someone who succeeded even when the odds were stacked against him.

Kofi himself is a Harvard graduate twice over, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Masters in Education. He also earned an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is now in the process of developing a new business, Admit.me, which is currently in beta stages and free for users!

Need help with your admission applications? Kofi gives a Discount Code for 15% off Admit Advantage services in this episode.

Key Points From This Episode:

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Admit Advantage — https://www.admitadvantage.com/

Admit.me — https://www.admit.me/home

Kohi Kankam on email — [email protected]

Harvard University —  https://www.harvard.edu/

Wharton University of Pennsylvania — https://mba.wharton.upenn.edu/

37 Military Hospital — https://www.madcapnetwork.org/37-military-hospital-accra-ghana-0

University of Southern California — https://www.usc.edu/

University of Texas — https://www.utexas.edu/

Duke University — https://www.duke.edu/

Indiana University Bloomington — https://www.indiana.edu/

Black Enterprise Magazine — https://www.blackenterprise.com/

The Divine Nine — https://www.nphchq.org

Sources:

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2018/04/16/study-finds-undermatching-remains-major-problem-especially-black

https://www.nacacnet.org/globalassets/documents/professional-development/essentials/montgomery-cty-pd-day/undermatching.pdf

https://blog.ivywise.com/blog-0/bid/151805/How-to-Avoid-Undermatching-When-Applying-to-College

https://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/admission/blog/overcoming-undermatching-heartfelt-advice-high-school-students/

https://www.brookings.edu/research/can-we-fix-undermatching-in-higher-ed-would-it-matter-if-we-did/

The Truth About Vacation!

In this episode, I’m trying to encourage you to take your vacation. We have to do better.  When are we going to put ourselves first? If you have been afraid to use your vacation days, this is the episode for you.

There are some companies that don’t give the benefit of vacation to their employees.  Other companies have unlimited vacation policies…but you know there is a catch.  Regardless, so many of us are afraid to take vacation because we fear what might go wrong (and be blamed on us) while we are out.  Even when we take days off, we still stay connected, checking email, responding to email, heck, even taking calls.  We have to do better by ourselves so that we can be our best, inside and outside of work.

Sources:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minimum_annual_leave_by_country

https://www.business.com/articles/your-employees-are-scared-to-take-vacation/

The Truth About Performance Improvement Plans!

In this episode, I drop nuggets around the Performance Improvement Plan aka PIP…. a sad and sorry excuse of a development tool used by organizations for all the wrong reasons.  I also share the 3 options you have when you are placed on a PIP.

If you are a Corporate Warrior, chances are you have been met with a PIP or at least a threat of a PIP in your career journey.   Listen, this is a temporary situation that will lead you to your next stop on your journey.  Yes, it’s a painful experience, especially if it’s not for legitimate performance issues.   You can make it through the PIP experience and trust me, life gets better after a PIP.

Sources:

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/how-to-guides/pages/performanceimprovementplan.aspx

Sound effect from the movie US released March 22, 2019

The Truth About Failure!

In this episode, I speak from my heart about failure and give practical tips to minimize failure in your role.  Many times we agree to be held to a standard of success that we did not define.  Many times we don’t know what the expectations of us are.  How can we exceed goals we don’t know or understand?

The key is in this episode.

Hint: Tap into your inner Claire Huxtable

Why You Should Be Just A Little Selfish with Erayna Sargent!

In this episode, my dear friend and Kelley classmate, Erayna Sargent, joins me for a very candid and vulnerable convo about how we all need to be just a little selfish sometimes and why our success in corporate America depends on it.

Erayna is a seasoned marketing professional with over 12 years of experience spanning the food, tech, and office furniture industries.  Driving growth through deep customer understanding and strategic marketing plans is her key area of expertise.

By day Erayna is a corporate warrior, but by night Erayna is a small business consultant, wellness warrior and overall ‘Goal Digger.’

We talk about the struggle to carve out our own paths after “going to school and getting good jobs” and her passion to normalize all forms of wellness.  Erayna knows from experience that everyone deserves to be “Just A Little Selfish”

Get yourself some cool swag to remind yourself to be Just A Little Selfish:  justalittleselfish.net

Connect with Eraya: eraynasargent.com

IG: @justalittleselfish