BsquaredC Podcast: Stories of Badass Black Women In The Corporate World

Happy end of 2021 BsquaredC squad! 2021 was a year of a lot of personal growth for me in many ways. Besides the honor of telling stories of so many brilliant black women, I myself also learnt a lot through reflecting on these conversations. In this episode I am sharing my personal top 3 lessons of the year from the podcast whose messages I will be carrying proudly into 2022. They are on the topics of purpose, confidence and impostor syndrome. Top takeaways are Embrace and own your journey- My episode 14 guest Busi Sizani, a woman who knew her purpose since she was a kid inspired me to reflect on my own purpose journey. I love my job in the healthcare industry and my mission in it is to bring equity to how vulnerable populations access and experience healthcare. For a while I thought I would only have the impact I aspired to when I reach the pinnacle of leadership in my industry. However, having clarity on my purpose has expanded this view to that I am living out my purpose and having the impact I wish for now as a 9-5er and entrepreneur. I need to stop and embrace my journey! Check out episode 15 for this reflection! https://bit.ly/BsquaredCReflection15 Other people's perception of your confidence do not have to phase you- Inspired by my conversation with Stephanie Goseine in Episode 12, who believes everything is hers for the taking, I got to reflect on the phenomenon of confidence and the battle of perception that often mars people from marginalised groups when it comes to it. For example the same behavior coming from men is not perceived the same when coming from women, let alone women of color. In episode 13 I shared my top tips for staying grounded in your confidence in the middle of the perception battle we often are in as women of color. Check out episode 13 for this reflection! https://bit.ly/BsquaredCReflection13 Impostor syndrome is more a systemic problem than an individual one- My guest Faith Opiyo from episode 16, who often experiences self doubt as a brilliant woman in tech, opened the door for me to explore impostor syndrome beyond the individual and think about its root cause. For too long all the solutions for impostor syndrome have been about fixing individuals and too little is discussed on why people feel like this in the first place. The root cause of impostor syndrome is toxic environments riddled with systemic bias and we need to challenge them to truly fix this problem. Check out episode 17 for more on this. https://bit.ly/BsquaredCEp17 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

This month we are reflecting on tone policing and the angry black woman stereotype. Our guest this month, Odelia Djoe used to stand up for herself against racial comments from her classmates when she was younger. Unfortunately this was interpreted as behavioral problems by her teachers, a phenomenon that is common for a lot of black girls even when they are just being “normal” kids and teenagers. According to a study by the New York Times, black girls are over five times more likely than white girls to be suspended at least once from school. This is the beginning of the experience of tone policing for a lot of black women and it follows black girls throughout their lives, manifesting as the "angry black woman" stereotype. A lot of black women, from Michelle Obama to Serena Williams to all of us have battled this stereotype in many ways. It ranges from microaggressive comments about how loud we laugh to being told to calm down in moments of passionate contributions. The angry black woman stereotype is one of the many reasons why a lot of black women feel like they cannot show up their full selves in predominantly white spaces. Listen to Odelia's episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCOdeliaEp Article on the historical perspective of the angry black woman stereotype: https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/antiblack/sapphire.htm Business insider article on tone policing https://www.businessinsider.nl/how-to-identify-and-help-stop-tone-policing-in-workplace-2020-8?international=true&r=US https://www.inhersight.com/blog/allyship/tone-policing Article about Serena Williams and the angry black woman stereotype: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45476500 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Up until now, this podcast has leaned heavily expat because that is largely the network we have access to, but I finally landed a native Dutch guest! I are excited to introduce you to our November guest, Odelia Djoe; Surinamese by birth and grew up in the Netherlands. Odelia has been designing her life on her terms while navigating her black Dutch identity, an often complicated topic in this culture. Our conversation covered all sorts of ground, including her upbringing and navigating the NL education system as a black kid, how she stepped into the corporate world and her passions outside of this space. Besides being a corporate badass in change management. Odelia is also a writer, passionate about song writing and education. She dedicates one day of her work week to that, as part of the 4 day work week phenomenon that is common in the NL, and she had interesting insights into that too. Odelia is an incredible ray of sunshine and positivity and a must hear story for a perspective of how it is to live life on your terms and embrace your identity, despite the systemic challenges she grew up in as a person of color. Have a listen to the episode for more. If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Inspired by the incredible story of my guest for this month, Faith Opiyo who has continued to face a lot of odds, including self doubt , while navigating her career as a black woman in tech, this month on the podcast we are reflecting on impostor syndrome and why we should rethink it through a more systemic lens as opposed to an individual one, particularly in underrepresented groups. Impostor syndrome is the phenomenon of experiencing self doubt or feeling like a fraud despite your accomplishments. More often than not, it is a topic that resonates with women and other underrepresented groups. A whole million dollar  industry dedicated to fixing impostor syndrome in these groups has been built around this topic, including books, articles and experts. However, the industry misses addressing why impostor syndrome occurs in the first place.. Impostor feelings, particularly in underrepresented groups are a result of repeated exposure to systemic bias, be it sexism, racism, xenophobia or any other form of prejudice. To paraphrase my favorite paragraph in a landmark HBR article on the topic, as a member of any underrepresented group, when you feel like you do not belong, it is because you were never supposed to belong! Most institutions are still very much rooted in white supremacy and the ‘ole' boys club, and bias across these systems routinely inhibits the ability for underrepresented groups to thrive. Listen to this episode for my thoughts on impostor syndrome, including an account of my experiences with it and what we should be doing to address it. Top 3 takeaways from this episode: As a Woman of Color, if you ever feel like an impostor, your feelings are absolutely valid! To truly address impostor syndrome, we should be addressing systemic bias, that perpetuates these feelings of inadequacy in underrepresented groups A healthy dose of self doubt when up against challenges is normal and we should learn to embrace it Listen to Faith's episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCBusiEp HBR article on impostor syndrome in women: https://hbr.org/2021/02/stop-telling-women-they-have-imposter-syndrome  Fast company article on self doubt : https://www.fastcompany.com/90402783/why-self-doubt-is-an-important-part-of-success  If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Our guest this month is the incredible Faith Opiyo who has proven over and over again that she is the master of her own fate! Born and raised in Kenya, Faith's journey has taken her to Russia where she lived for 10 years, through several career pivots and into where she is now as one of the few black women in cybersecurity. In this conversation amongst other things, we talked about Faith's experiences with racism as a black person in Russia, how she started her career and pivoted industries to chase new goals, being a black woman in tech and fighting impostor syndrome. She is also a co- host on the podcast, Out of Band, where they are making careers in cyber security accessible for all with some great interviews of professionals in their space. Faith is a true go-getter with immense resilience and she has been using her voice more and more as she continues on her journey. Have a listen to Faith's story. Listen to Faith's podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7bbcQUXEn1kjbRwcsAA6 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Inspired by the incredible story of my guest for this month, Busi Sizani, who knew her purpose from such a tender age, in this episode I reflect on my own purpose journey. I only discovered my purpose much recently through a series of experiences and in this episode I share how I got to this realization. I am a multi-hyphenate corporate healthcare professional, entrepreneur and storyteller who is passionate about equity. I get a lot of energy from solving problems around how to create opportunities, resources, spaces and platforms that connect and support the goals and dreams of systematically excluded groups, women and people of color in particular. Having clarity on my purpose has freed me in so many ways. It has allowed me to embrace that everything happens for a reason. I have embraced my own journey and stopped comparing myself to others. Most of all it has helped me shift my mindset from the rat race I thought I was on to get to the top in the corporate world. I am no longer in a hurry, because I realised my impact is actually happening now. I am living out my purpose as we speak. Most of all it gives me time to make calculated moves towards my corporate leadership goals without fear of not ever having a legacy. Listen to this episode for more! Listen to Busi's episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCBusiEp My first article on my purpose journey: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-purpose-shattering-social-inequity-one-day-time-kasvosve-mba-mph/ The episode on my immigrant journey: https://bit.ly/S1Ep7Dreamdeferred The story of BsquaredC: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCEp1 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Our guest this month is the incredible Busi Sizani, who has been stepping into her power since she was one of the fIrst black kids attending a previously racially segregated school, in post apartheid South Africa. From such an early age, she understood that her presence in the spaces she was privileged to access was an opportunity to educate those around her about her experiences, and has embraced this purpose ever since. Busi went on to navigate her career from studying engineering and theology, to the creative industry, where she produced a film and became one of the few black women in sports live broadcasting in South Africa, before starting her journey in the corporate world. Living in Amsterdam now, she is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion professional who continues to disrupt spaces with her presence and wisdom. In this conversation Busi shares the lessons she has embraced along the way which includes taking risks, asking critical questions and being comfortable with creating her own lane. Her biggest advice to all women of color in the corporate world out there, “You are the superpower your organization has been missing!” Busi's company: https://www.theinclusioncompany.com/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

My guest this month, Stephanie Goseine moves through the world with incredible confidence, believing everything is hers for the taking. Showing up like this as a woman and a person of color, specifically in predominantly white spaces can be treated with mixed reactions due to bias stemming from sexism and racism. This often leads to more than often, women of color being perceived as arrogant as opposed to confidence.There is a difference between arrogance and confidence and it has a real impact on professional growth, but when you apply the lens of prejudice often used on WOC, it becomes blurry. Additionally, there are real consequences for the career progression of women and people of color that stem from this phenomenon, including how women are less likely to self promote or negotiate their value in fear of the negative backlash of them taking up space in this way. In this episode we will talk about the difference between confidence and arrogance and I will share my experiences with this concept as well as the practical ways I keep myself grounded in my confidence! Listen to Stephanie's episode here: : https://bit.ly/BsquaredCStephanieEp Google I am Remarkable workshop: https://iamremarkable.withgoogle.com/ Article on a confident mindset: https://www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/10-ways-extremely-confident-people-train-their-minds-every-day.html If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Our guest this month is the lovely Stephanie Goseine, a woman with so much audacity when it comes to her goals and her place in the corporate world as a woman of color. An island girl from Trinidad and Tobago, Stephanie has navigated her career from engineering to consulting and currently, she is making moves in change management. Amongst the many gems in this conversation included identity politics of mixed-heritage people like Stephanie and picking your battles when it comes to inclusion and diversity conversations as a WOC. Above all Stephanie is emboldened to take up space, something that she and a lot of WOC do not grow up believing in! She strongly believes she deserves success as much as the next person and her story and how she continues to do this, will ignite a fire in you to believe in your right to your dreams as well! Have a listen to the full episode for more on Stephanie's story. If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

My episode 10 guest Omena shared very candidly about her experiences with mental health and this week I am reprising the topic with my own experiences with it! I also had to grow into an understanding of the importance of this topic, as I culturally did not connect to it and I grew up believing so much in the strong black woman narrative. I had to unlearn some behaviors and I love the woman I am becoming through therapy. Taking this topic to the workplace, in this past year mental health and wellbeing became front and center as we all lived through a pandemic and social justice distress. A lot of companies really stepped up in supporting their workers on this. In this episode I share my personal favorite practices of tackling mental health at work that I have experienced. These include good foundational trainings, resources for helping people when they struggle and storytelling around mental health. Have a listen to the episode for more! Listen to Omena's episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCOmenaEp Listen to the Bonus episode here: https://bit.ly/BonusReflectionEuros Energy management article: https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time Psychological safely article: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/psychological-safety-and-the-critical-role-of-leadership-development If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

In lieu of our normal programming on the podcast, I bring you this bonus episode discussing the recent debacle of racism in England directed at three black players, Marcus Rashford, Jardon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who missed penalties in the final game. This incident was something every black person saw coming from a mile away and it is exhausting once again to watch the shock wash over most white people as the latest arrivals to the fight against racism. Additionally people keep referencing the charity work these players have done when defending them, perpetuating a narrative that black people only deserve grace when they are excellent. In this episode I unpack my own feelings about this incident and how it parallels experiences people of color have in the corporate world. I root for everybody black every time because anytime you see a black person striving for something and for excellence, you bet they have reservoirs of fortitude beyond your imagination. Much respect to black football players and sending lots of love, strength and grace to all people of color out there! Article about black excellence: https://www.bsquaredc.org/post/is-black-excellence-really-a-deterrent-to-racism Articles on how you can support the black players: https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/in-the-news/anti-racism-charities-england-football-saka-rashford-sancho/ https://www.dw.com/en/euro-2020-racism-rears-its-ugly-head-again/a-58242666?maca=en-Whatsapp-sharing My fav article on the conflict black people had supporting England in this final https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/backing-england-for-the-euros-has-brought-up-complicated-feelings-about-patriotism?listIds=590867cea8c0bab2039c3ac5 Kimberly Brants ted talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberly_bryant_when_you_want_to_change_the_face_of_technology_the_risks_of_failure_are_not_equitably_distributed If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Have you ever met someone and their energy just swept you away? That is Omena Ukeleghe, our guest for this month. She is a walking testimony of all things black women that make me so proud to tell our stories on this podcast and platform. Resilient, passionate, courageous and loudly living her life and purpose. Omena has navigated herself from studying fashion and working in the fashion industry, into other roles before last summer taking on being the lead of Diversity and Inclusion at a big 4 consulting firm in Amsterdam. She is also the founder of Creative Jam Session, a space for people in the creative industry to connect and inspire each other in the Netherlands. Wondering how Omena skirted the career pivots in her life and how all of the things she does connect? Have a listen to this episode for more. Check out Omena's community, Creative jam sessions. https://www.creativejamsession.nl/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

My Ep. 8 guest Soraya and I chopped it up about lots of things, including career pivoting. I was particularly enamored by Soraya's bold moves in her career, that took her from Austria, to London and now to Amsterdam and the fact that she quit her big time job in the middle of a pandemic to join a startup. Soraya is adaptable and versatile and has pivoted her career as needed. In this episode, I share my reflection on this topic and what career pivoting has looked like for me. My biggest lessons include, the power of a mindset and environment that allows you to think about changing your path, the importance of focusing on your transferable skills and lastly how graduate school transformed me on my path, in particular getting an MBA. Listen to this episode for more. Listen to Soraya's episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCSorayaEp Link to my coaching company here: https://www.zambukoadvisory.com/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Meet Soraya Hausl, a badass data scientist born in Austria and now living in Amsterdam. Soraya's love for math and numbers as a kid led her into a career of being a data scientist who has been traversing industries applying herself in different ways, and her most current gig is about hair care for black women. Soraya is officially my first European native guest, so a black person born and raised in Europe, and we ended up talking about the concept of a shared black identity in Europe, like being in community with other black people and supporting each other, something she did not grow up seeing a lot of. She shared her experiences of how she viewed race growing up vs now, how the concept of spaces for black people has evolved in Europe and the impact of BLM on all of this discourse. Listen to this episode for more of our illuminating conversation. Check out the communities of black people I belong to in the NL OMEK: https://myomek.com/ Black in Tech Berlin: https://blackintechberlin.com/ Netherlands Black Women: https://netherlandsblackwomen.com/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

My Ep. 6 guest, Bongi Mataure and I discussed her experiences of defining belonging as a black foreign person and what integrating into the Netherlands has been like for her. We share a common belief that you have to find a balance when it comes to integration, embrace parts of your new environment but also keep some of your original self.  In this episode I reflect on my own experiences with integration as an immigrant who has lived in up to 4 countries now. The integration narrative is complex and layered with different levels of pressure internally and externally.  It is also different depending on the intersection of identities such as race, nationality, religion, legal status e.t.c. of the immigrant in question.  Listen to this episode for more of my thoughts on all this and for some of my tips and lessons as I navigate my 4th country now as an immigrant.  Listen to the bonus episode here: https://bit.ly/S2BonusEp Listen to Bongi's episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCBongiEp If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Bongi Mataure moved to the Netherlands from Zimbabwe to pursue her education in aeronautical engineering and then decided to stay. In our conversation, Bongi and I explored what belonging means as a black person in foreign countries through her many experiences, that included studying and living in the NL and working in France. She is actively shaping her life as a combination of cultures, between the things she loves about being Zimbabwean and what she enjoys about the Netherlands. Besides being a badass engineer she also loves cooking and is the founder of AfruZim, a fusion food experience that combines her Zimbabwean heritage and her new home of the Netherlands. Have a listen to this episode for more. Follow AfruZim here: https://www.instagram.com/afruzimzw/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

I am on a mission to create a space for black women in the corporate world to connect, inspire and support each other as we navigate our careers. I am strongly convinced of our presence in the corporate world to influence how companies reach our communities with their products and services. BsquaredC is more than just a podcast, and in order to allow myself time and space to extend the idea, I am changing the frequency of this podcast from weekly to bi weekly. That means having one interview and one reflection episode per month every two weeks. I am excited to start bringing to life the vision I have for this platform. Listen to this bonus episode for more. Here is the article about people of color in the VC world that I talked about. Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook:http://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook Sign up for the BsquaredC mailing list: http://bit.ly/BsquaredCmailinglist Nominate your fav black woman killing it in the corporate world: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCGuestNom If you loved this podcast don't forget to buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Following my great conversation with Courtney Bradwell about moving to the NL as a black professional today, I am reflecting on one of the key things that helped my guest Courtney to position herself in her new job market, and that is investing in yourself. She spent a pretty penny on coaches who helped mer translate her skills from the American job market to the Dutch job market and more. Putting money on it, is one way to invest in yourself. Some of us fail to even just make the time to learn new skills towards our career. In this episode I reflect on this topic and give you three ways to think about investing in yourself. It does not always have to take money but it is about investing time to plan things that help you level up in your career journey. This includes utilizing your company development resources and budgets and seeking out strategic side gigs. Have a listen to this episode for more. Links to mentions in the episode: Courtney's episode: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCCourtneyEp Whitney White website: https://whitneyawhite.com/take-back-your-time HBR article on strategic side hustles: https://hbr.org/2020/05/the-strategic-side-gig If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Meet this week's badass black corporate woman, Courtney Bradwell. Having been raised in Ohio, she always dreamed of traveling the world, but she didn't have many examples of people that looked like her making such bold moves. This perspective changed with a trip to Europe in 2014 that opened her up to the possibility to call this continent her second home at one point. In this conversation we went into Courtney's journey of moving to the NL, including cracking the NL job market and navigating cultural differences between the US and NL as a black professional. Give this episode a go and listen to the transformation of who we now get to call Courtney Bradwell, a dreamer, a badass black woman that goes after her dreams in spite of it all. Links to mentions in the episode OMEK community: https://myomek.com/ Netherlands black women community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weouthereamsterdam/ Article on black professional migrating out of the US: https://fortune.com/2020/08/10/black-african-americans-leaving-us-moving-abroad-professionals-race-opportunity-careers/ Courtney's coaches Ashley Cash: https://www.ashleyncash.com/ Magali Toussaint: https://udiverseglobal.com/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Welcome to the first reflection of season 2! Following my riveting conversation with the insightful Kelly Morales, in this episode I am bringing back the topic of feeling invisible in predominantly white spaces as a person of color for more exploration. As Kelly pointed out on Ep 2, feeling like you are invisible is a common phenomenon amongst black women including Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris. People sometimes treat us like we are not there and actively ignore our opinion and experiences.The experiences women of color have with this phenomenon range from being ignored in meetings and people taking credit for our ideas, all the way to life and death situations.For instance, black women are 3-4 times more likely to die during childbirth, because healthcare professionals, who are often non-black, just do not listen to us or take our pain seriously. We almost lost Serena Williams to this issue. Listen to this episode for my experiences with the phenomenon of visibility and some tips that have worked for me to actively gain visibility in the workplace. Read more about this topic on the links below: Article on invisibility of Black women: https://www.inc.com/magazine/202009/teneshia-carr/black-women-invisible-discrimination-racism-employee-customer.html Article on allyship: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-can-we-become-better-allies-each-other-nancy-kasvosve-mba-mph/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Welcome to the first interview episode of season 2 of BsquaredC podcast! Meet our opening badass, Kelly Morales an ambitious, entrepreneurial Colombian woman whose discipline and life philosophy is awe- inspiring to say the least. After moving from Colombia for her studies, Kelly found herself liking the Netherlands a lot and 8 years later is still here and chasing her dreams in corporate NL. Her long term vision is to lead innovation in the Fintech industry and impact her home, Colombia. Get your notebook ready because this conversation was just filled with gems on gems on gems! Kelly took us through the roots of her work ethic and life philosophies, that included a beautiful story about her upbringing and her mother. We also talked about experiences like feeling invisible in predominantly white environments and how that led her to start the Black employees inclusion group, BEING at her company, way before the black lives matter events of last year. Kelly is also passionate about giving back to her home of Colombia, and is the founder of tuma codes, an organization teaching the youth to code in the pacific coast of Colombia, where she is from, as a means for upward social mobility. Tune in to this episode for more wisdom from the incredibly refreshing Kelly Morales! Check out Kelly's organization on the link below and donate to support it. https://tuma.codes/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

We are back baby! Welcome to season 2 of BsquaredC podcast! This season we are celebrating stories of women of color in corporate Netherlands, my new home. As you all may know I have since settled in the Netherlands two and a half years ago. I am excited to highlight the black women who have crossed my path and to experience new ones as I continue to build my network here and make my home. In this episode, I am setting the context for the season, in particular the differences in how race is viewed in the European/Dutch context vs America. There are far fewer people of color in the corporate world in the Netherlands than America, and it is not a coincidence. While the Netherlands is one of the most progressive countries on many issues, including gender and sexuality, religious freedom and use of soft core drugs, there is massive denialism about the extent of racial prejudice in this society. This is in my perspective, partially due to how badly the education system here addresses the dark history of this country's contribution to past and present global racial inequalities, and the lack of collection of racial ethnic data that goes back to post WW2 practices.The result is the masking of racial inequality and the perpetuation of the false narrative that racism is exclusively an American problem. Listen to this episode for more on this and subscribe to not miss upcoming episodes. References made in the episode: Nicaila Okome site: https://www.sidehustlepro.co/ Women of color podcasters site: https://wocpodcasters.co/ Paola's site: https://www.paolasalvianophotography.com/ Article on challenging the lack of collection of racial ethnic data: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/16/france-and-germany-urged-to-rethink-reluctance-to-gather-ethnicity-data Season 1 Episode 29: What Doing This Podcast Meant To Me- https://bit.ly/BsquaredC29 Season 1 Episode 30: On Black Sisterhood, Corporate Ambition & 2020- https://bit.ly/Bsquaredseason1finale If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

To close off BsquaredC podcast season one, I am bringing you the wisdom of four past guests, Stephanie, Ruva, Brittany and Ru. We came together in the “zoom where it happens” to reflect on the stories they shared on their respective episodes, the aftermath of it and their view of their futures in the corporate world. We communed on stories of how they heard from people they had not heard from in a while post their BsquaredC podcast appearance, their advice on showing up authentically; one of the biggest themes across all the conversations on this podcast this year, and the future of corporate #blacklivesmatter conversations. This episode is rich with introspection, celebration and wisdom and I am so proud and in awe of all of these women! I cannot wait to tell more of our stories in 2021. Related episodes: Ruva- https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInterview2 Stephanie- https://bit.ly/BsquaredC21 Brittany- https://bit.ly/BsquaredCinterview16 Ru-https://bit.ly/BsquaredC12 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc BsquaredC podcast will be going on a short hiatus to rest and plan for season 2. Thank you all for listening, for sharing, and for supporting the voices of women of color in the corporate world! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Happy holidays everyone! We are almost at the end of BsquaredC podcast season 1 and I decided to share a reflection on what doing this podcast has meant to me as my Christmas gift to you all and to myself. First off doing everything about this podcast all on my own, from scripting, to producing to marketing really challenged my ability to commit to something and stick to it. It stretched my capabilities, letting me grow a new skill set and strengthened my belief that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. Secondly this podcast was very cathartic for me, as it was my way of contributing to the global conversation about institutional racism that overtook the world this year. Thirdly this podcast already gave birth to a lot of good things from some of my guests and it was validating for their stories to go further to help then get new opportunities and connect more with their co- workers. Lastly all of you listening to this podcast, sharing it and messaging me about how much the stories meant to to, gave me a lot of energy and kept me going. I will take 3 months off to plan season 2 and I am looking forward to continuing this journey with you all! If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

My guest from last week Arlyne Simon is a multi passionate genius, out there inventing, writing, starting up companies and inspiring all of us! However even as talented as she is she still has moments of doubting herself experiencing impostor syndrome. She shared her experiences about this stepping into corporate America for the first time and this is a phenomenon that is common to a lot of people, mostly minorities and women. That is because it is about belonging. In the majority cis-white male corporate environment, it is easy to feel out of place and on this episode I shared my experience with impostor syndrome in my career and some of my favorite tips for combating these feelings. Have a listen to it! Article on impostor syndrome: https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJBS/article/view/521 Article on impostor syndrome in minorities: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/smarter-living/dealing-with-impostor-syndrome-when-youre-treated-as-an-impostor.html Arlyne's company: https://www.timouns.com/ Follow Arlyne on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arlynesimonphd/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? If your answer is no, according to my guest on the podcast today, Arlyne Simon, that's ok. She still doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up and she lives what she calls a multi-passionate life, as an inventor, biomedical engineer, an author, an entrepreneur and who knows what's next? When she is not inventing or leading project teams developing medical diagnostic equipment, Arlyne is inspiring little girls into STEM careers through her writing. She takes them on science adventures with the main character in her books, Abby, a little black girl with huge afro puffs who is curious about the world and invents stuff she wants to see. Arlyne inspires me to dream the life I want and I am sure she will light the same fire in you after listening to her story. Three takeaways from this episode: Bet on yourself- believe in yourself enough to put your passions and voice out there in the world and trust that it will bloom. Your got this- your perspective is appreciated and welcome in all spaces and you belong in all of them You don't have to know what you want to be at all times of your life- follow your curiosity and don't box yourself Arlyne's website: http://arlynesimon.com/ Arlyne's company: https://www.timouns.com/ Follow Arlyne on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arlynesimonphd/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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. If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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. If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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! . If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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. If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

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 Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

My guest from last week Brittany Ray and I have in common being Employee Resource Group`(ERG) leaders at our respective company. In the light of events in the last few months that ignited the fight against racism, a lot of people of color who did not have these spaces in their companies have been thinking about how to activate on this topic. Brittany shared some brilliant advice on the podcast episode last week and in this episode I share my experiences as well from starting and running a successful ERG at my current company, Philips. Two and a half years ago, I founded a women's network in my company called Philips Women Lead(PWL). It is a bottom up movement that is empowering women for their personal and professional growth. With now over 1000 people signed up to our mailing list across the company and new chapters activating across Philips offices globally each month, PWL is more than just a platform. It's a movement that is emboldening women to challenge the status quo of male leadership in the corporate world and meeting our leadership in the middle, in the work to make our company more inclusive. My top three learning from this journey: 1. Never underestimate the power of one 2. Have a clear mission and value proposition for your ERG 3. Secure executive sponsorship for your ERG Have a listen to the episode and read up on the importance of ERGS in the article that I reference from the organization Catalyst below. https://www.catalyst.org/2015/11/19/busting-myths-about-ergs-one-resource-at-a-time/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

On this week's podcast I talk to one of the most beautiful humans I know, Brittany Ray. Based in Amsterdam working at Booking.com, Brittany is an icon who approaches life with positive energy, curiosity and boldness. From moving her life from New York to Amsterdam, to travelling solo at times around the world to being being an Diversity and Inclusion champion at Booking.com where she works, Brittany lives life on her terms with a touch of #blackgirlmagic. In this episode Brittany shares a wide range of her experiences from what motivates her, what living abroad as a black American is like and the experience of race in America vs Europe. She also shares excellent insights and advice on what being an employee resource group leader is like especially in the last few months broaching racial conversations in the workplace. Three takeaways from this episode When forming an ERG, have a business angle- a business angle always connects to leaders more Be bold and fearless in asking for what you need- The worst someone can say is no and you can pivot Do not lose your voice- In your professional or personal life and even in your head. Treasure your intuition, you know more than you think. Article about black professionals moving abroad that we discuss: https://fortune.com/2020/08/10/black-african-americans-leaving-us-moving-abroad-professionals-race-opportunity-careers/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Last week I brought you a conversation with Rachael Gatling, a woman who is an incredible representation of where I want to go in leadership in my current company. This episode was a moment of validation of my dreams and something a lot of people of color do not have the privilege to experience. There are so few of us showing up positively and realizing our full potential because of the historical chokehold of racism on our dreams. It was then so surreal that in the same week, Chadwick Boseman died. Best known for his portrayal of the lead role, King T'challa in the iconic marvel superhero movie Black Panther, Chadwick's death shook all of us, especially black people. Black Panther was a pantheon of positive representation of black people and we saw ourselves reflected positively for the first time on the big screen at scale. Have a listen to my expanded thoughts on this topic in this episode. Rest in Power Chadwick Boseman #wakandaforever If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

In this episode I share my thoughts on the weight of showing up authentically for POC in the corporate world, how we cope and what organizations can do about it. The norms of the corporate world have explicitly and implicitly not made POC feel like they belong for a long time, and a coping mechanism to counter this for POC is a practice called code switching. This is when we change the way we present ourselves, in language, dressing, looks and interests to be more palatable in certain environments and situations. A study found that often this does achieve positive results for POC of being perceived as more professional and gaining advancement opportunities. However code- switchings comes at a psychological cost that leads to burn out and eventually exodus of POC from the corporate world. Ultimately organizations need to build environments in which people feel psychologically safe to be who they are and feel like more than just being included, they belong there. In feeling belonging people are their best creative selves and organizations can reap the long promised benefits of diversity in the workplace. Articles referred to in the episode: The costs of code switching: https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-costs-of-codeswitching New Dove Study Confirms Workplace Bias Against Hairstyles Impacts Black Women's Ability To Celebrate Their Natural Beauty: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-dove-study-confirms-workplace-bias-against-hairstyles-impacts-black-womens-ability-to-celebrate-their-natural-beauty-300842006.html Belonging In The Workplace: A New Approach to Diversity And Inclusivity: https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2019/08/26/belonging-in-the-workplace-a-new-approach-to-diversity-and-inclusivity/#460e7f497a66 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Ru Nyambuya is a banker based in New York who is passionate about development in Africa and she immerses herself in this topic both at work and personally. Professionally she is at Standard Bank in New York selling Africa to corporate clients. Personally she is the fundraising chair of Education Matters Africa Foundation, an organization that we both came from, dedicated to grooming future leaders of Zimbabwe through access to quality educational opportunities. Education matters is currently fundraising for a new school in Zimbabwe and you can find information about it on the links below. Ru has a seemingly simple guiding light for how she has shaped and continues to shape her life and it is doing what she loves. She believes when you go after what you love, whatever is thrown your way is bearable and it is all worth it. We however disagreed on one thing though, while she attributes a lot of what has happened on her path to luck, I think actually it is more grit than luck. Especially as an immigrant black woman not born with the privilege to do what you want with your life, it takes a certain level of perseverance to go after what you love the way she has. People around Ru are drawn to that, including her passion and authenticity that comes with it, and that is really the secret sauce to her success. Three takeaways from this episode: -Lift as your climb- take other people with you as you progress and it will give you so much purpose and make your success sweeter -Do what you love- to the extent that you can do what you love and any strife you go through doing it, will be worth it -You are your best marketer- Toot your own horn! Be out there telling people who you are and what you are doing. It matters to your success. About Education Matters: http://www.edmattersafrica.org/ Donate to Education Matters: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/build-the-usap-community-school-in-zimbabwe/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Since women started showing up on the professional ambition circuit, there has been a hanging question of whether we can have it all. The high flying career and still raise a family being the going definition of "all." My deeper question lately is, WHAT IS ALL? Can we let women define what ALL means for them outside of convention? In this episode I contemplate this question and share my experiences with this topic including how being a professionally successful woman affects my dating life. Have a listen to the episode on here! Article on why high achieving women struggle to find love: https://www.insider.com/modern-dating-coach-explains-why-high-achieving-women-struggle-to-find-love-2019-3 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Mayealie Adams is a Sierra Leonean multiple-degreed 16-year veteran of government affairs based in Washington DC. Her career choices have been guided by giving every opportunity she got her all and the kind of impact she wants to have. When she is not politicking, she pours her soul into inclusion and diversity work which brings her so much energy because it is setting up a better future for her kids. In this episode, Mayealie shares her career path and in particular what has been happening in the last few months on her job and personal front. The last few months of a global health and racial crisis she has found herself working a lot in a challenging environment where action is paramount, and on the personal front being more introspective about her parenting choices, given she has raised her kids in a more advantaged circumstances which gives them access to diverse experiences as black kids. She shares stories about her kids and how they have been more intentional about teaching them about diversity and their place in it using books and other opportunities. Three takeaways from this episode 1. You cannot do it all- For the parents out there, it's ok to not do it all, especially now with COVID. As long as your kids are healthy and happy, they will survive. 2. Give every opportunity you get your all - You never know where it will take you so show up and show out to your opportunities 3. Kids reflect the reality you expose them to- Kids are a blank slate and it is up to parents to raise them thoughtfully and responsibly to be more empathetic adults If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

All my guests so far, including Melanie from last week, have brought up mentoring and sponsorship as a key part of their success in the corporate world. However, it is a very elusive resource for most women of color because they do not have the same life experiences as most people in leadership who look for people like them when looking to mentor and sponsor, as noted by a McKinsey and LeanIn study from 2019. In this episode I share the lessons and tactics I have learnt along the way that has gained me mentors and sponsors who want me to win. My three big bits of wisdom to superpower your approach to mentoring relationships are as follows: Be bold and get into the practice of asking for what you need Secondly be strategic about who you ask and what you are asking them and two elements to this are be clear on the value you are bringing to the table, and your goals for the relationship Lastly leverage your peers; they are a goldmine of advice support. This is probably not the last time I will cover this topic but enjoy for now :) If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Melanie Okuneye, is a dynamic British Nigerian girl in investment banking at Goldman Sachs in New York by way of London. When in London she was part of starting an organization called Women in the City Afro Caribbean Network that helped black female students by providing honest and targeted insight into being successful women in corporate careers in London (Law, Banking, Professional Services etc.). Melanie is a strong believer in safe spaces for people of color, something that is important to her even in her career at GS where she is involved in the Firmwide Black Network. What is remarkable about Melanie is that her career is marked by an openness to make bold choices and stepping into new experiences where she applies her talent in ways that have served her well on her path. I cannot wait to see what she is going to do next! Three takeaways from the episode: 1. You are not alone- Lean into the sisterhood of other women of color. Although disparate, there are so many of us black women out there doing this corporate dream thing so always go out and find your people and your spaces. 2. Be the best- Work on your craft, do not give anyone a reason to doubt you or your talent. 3. Be open to opportunities to apply yourself- Your career path is not set in stone, embrace opportunities to make bold moves and apply yourself differently on your journey Link to the Women in the City Afro Caribbean Network based in London. http://www.wcan.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR1yNgTOqJDK8nTT18QdaD1LTK8yt4j7lvGbATNorCaIIdCT7oQ47oBFlwQ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

In this episode I share my personal stories around immigration and some of what being a desperate immigrant who is still stubborn to dream beyond their circumstances is like. I got thrown out of America by getting my work visa denied and at the time it was one of the worst things that could have happened to me. I had done everything right chasing the American dream including enduring lots of sleepless nights in libraries, braving the brutal Chicago winters and having a job with no health insurance. All this amounted to nothing when post MBA I was denied the right to live in America and chucked out. However i reinvented myself successful to the point of rejecting a chance to get back to America. I realized the American dream was never all there is to my potential and I am more than a job title. I also learnt to find my happiness. My heart goes out to everyone immigrant fighting for their dream out there and I am living proof, even if life throws at you its worst, even if privilege does its worst to you, those experiences do not define you or the size of your dreams and ambitions. I am living proof of this. The most that can happen is your dream will be deferred but its never gone as long as you keep your eye on the north star. If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Nyaradzo Dzvova or “Nyarie” is a microbiologist based in the Bay area, who long term wants to apply her talent to finding new therapies for infectious diseases. Driven by a love for mysteries and science Nyarie was drawn to a career in science where she got her undergraduate degree in Germany and her PhD in Texas. On this episode Nyarie and I chat about how she is navigating her career in science as a black woman in a space you do not see a lot of women of color. We also chat about what following our dreams as black immigrants in America is like and ponder whether it is worth it. Top 3 takeaways from the episode: Always try to find your tribe, or have a support system, it helps you survive the experience of being the only one of you in the spaces you are in when chasing your dreams Don't dilute yourself, show up as your full self so others coming after you can have the confidence to do the same For scientists, besides being good at your lab work also learn how to present and sell your work through internships and other opportunities that build soft skills The article from metro UK that we talked about https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/12/emotional-impact-watching-white-people-wake-racism-real-time-12839920/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

In this episode I share some reflections and personal stories on a theme from last week's episode with Jennifer Juma on holding down side gigs while chasing your corporate dreams. I am a serial entrepreneur with 4 ventures under my belt now. They are all focused on creating an equitable world in which people like me, with marginalized identities, have a fair shot at their dreams. People arrive at entrepreneurship in different ways and in my journey, I had to be nudged in that direction by necessity. I was inspired into entrepreneurship in moments where I needed to survive. However I have since realized new benefits to my entrepreneurship in enhancing my skills, knowledge and network in a way that benefits my corporate career dreams. This is something I got to hear about in a Harvard Business Review Ideacast podcast episode called Smarter Side Gigs. Have a listen to my thoughts on this episode and the HBR Ideacast episode: Smarter Side Gigs: https://hbr.org/podcast/2020/05/smarter-side-gigs If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

Jennifer Juma or ”Jen” is a senior associate at Goldman Sachs and a serial entrepreneur who has always had a side hustle since she was 18. Inspired by her mother and grandmother, Jen always hustled on the side next to following her corporate dreams, starting out with bootlegging clothes out of her car after church, to making cupcakes and making soaps with African ingredients. She brings all this experience and learnings from her entrepreneurial journey to her job managing real estate and risk at Goldman Sachs. In the fall Jen will be starting her MBA at Chicago Booth, a journey that is a long time coming and inspirational. Top 3 takeaways from the episode: 1.Side hustles can be creative outlets where you can augment your overall skills profile towards your corporate job success 2.Be open minded to new experiences and trail blaze for other women of color 3.Have mentors/ “ventor" that you can freely speak to and they do not have to be of the same race Check out Jen's story on this episode. f you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support

In this episode I share some reflections and personal stories on a theme from last week's episode with Ruvarashe Chinyemba on getting comfortable with being the transitional generation. While it is noble to not be afraid to be the only one of us in the rooms we are in and embrace being the transitional generation, it is also a very emotionally and physically demanding responsibility. Especially in the time we are in right now with black people around the world. Black professionals are used to code switching; checking our race, feelings and troubles at the door when coming to work and pretending that everything is ok. But the tide seems to be shifting as more of us are speaking out about how we are feeling as a black professional in the time of #blacklivesmatter. Listen to this episode for how I am doing and some reflection on the weight of being the only one of me in predominantly white spaces. Read my blog post on being a black professional in the times of #blacklivesmatter https://www.bsquaredc.org/post/blacklivesmatter f you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc Sign up for the BsquaredC mailing list on my website https://www.bsquaredc.org/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bsquaredc/support