Meet Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell

We recently connected with Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lynita, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
Most of my life I have been either the only or one of the onlys in the room. And that “only” has shifted as far as definition: the only woman, the only African American woman, the only attorney and CPA, the only person married for an extended period of time to the same person. In each instance, I show up as my authentic self.

When I was younger, I did what we called “code switching”, which is when I would be one person with a certain group and another person with another group. As I got older and I realized what a drain it was upon me, and how confusing it was to other people when they would meet me in some third setting and I was yet another person, I realized that something had to change and that something had to be me. I took the time to figure out “who I am, what I am, and how I serve” as Paul Selig says so eloquently in his books.

Who I am is a person who is having a spiritual experience as a human being. My professions and my roles are part of that experience. If I am serious about presenting authentically and being a loving and caring person, then that means showing up as genuine and consistent wherever I am. It also means that the same level of respect that I want to receive, I have to give it, the true practice of the Golden Rule.

I also ensure that the interaction that I am having with a person is beneficial to both parties. I believe that every person that we encounter is for our benefit for us to learn, grow, and expand so that we may evolve as a light being. For that to happen, I must realize that you, the person sitting across from me, are an authority in some area and that the reason that we have been bought together will present itself. Now, sometimes the why does not unfold until later, but I have to be open in the moment for it to happen at all.

There are some people who don’t subscribe and therefore cannot attribute to any of this. That is not my concern. My concern is showing up to be the best me that I can be. That allows me to be great for myself, and then I can be great for my family, my community, and my clients. With that at the forefront of my mind, the fact that I am “the only” falls away and it allows me to come in and do what I have been tasked to do.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am what is called a dualpreneur, a term used by business coach Che Brown. I am an attorney by day, practicing real estate, business, and estate planning law. Most of my clients are entrepreneurs and small businesses. I thoroughly enjoy helping people to put in the structure and to strategize as to how to grow and protect their businesses, as well as provide safeguards for their families. I wake up every day happy about my life and working in my firm, which I have managed for almost 17 years now. I also love going out into the community and talking about these topics. It has led me to develop a financial literacy program for our church’s non-profit arm, specifically for teenagers. My daughter who is 16 has developed new skills as far as content creator in helping me to do this. This work is so rewarding and I am so very grateful for it.

By night and in my between times, I am a best-selling author of five books with the most recent entitled “Live Life on Fire, the Ultimate Guide to A Successful Life Full of Peace, Joy and Fulfillment”; and an international speaker on business, growth, professionalism, and career development. I have had the opportunity to speak in front of crowds that were a handful as well as several hundred, I have traveled the world, and I have met the most amazing people. I very much attribute my success to my family’s investment in my character. Being kind and being open and respectful of other people’s traditions and cultures has been so enriching to my heart and it shows up in everything that I do. That is truly a cornerstone of my success.

My mission at this time is to share the keystone of my book which is that success is joy, and joy is an inside job; it can no longer to be defined by stuff. It has to be defined by something more meaningful. And it has to be something beyond happy. Something that is substantive and that is enduring. For me that is joy. I enjoy sharing this message , and am a frequent guest on podcasts.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Kindness, authenticity, and transparency have been the most impactful in my journey. My grandparents instilled in us that “please”, “thank you”, and “excuse me” would get us farther than any degrees, accolades, or successes, and they were absolutely right.

I learned from my parents that to be genuine or authentic was the best way to relate to people so that they could hear you and that you could hear the heart of what they are trying to communicate. There are so many times in my life when people wanted me in the room because of my qualifications, but they did not necessarily want to hear what I had to say. It was not until I established that I was there to learn and grow just as they were, and that I respected them and what they had to bring to the table that I was then able to flourish.

Being transparent has helped me to become an international speaker and best-selling author. I share my stories and the things that I’ve learned and the mistakes that I’ve made to connect with my audience. Sharing the things that make us who we are is how we establish trust and how people learn to like us so that they will do business with us, and then we can be prosperous in every way: personally and professionally.

For those who are just starting out in their careers, the best way to develop each of these qualities is to experiment. The same gentle lessons we learned in kindergarten about being kind, sharing, and speaking positively to others can be applied in the business setting as well. People need encouragement and they need support, they do not need to be talked down to or degraded or treated poorly, particularly in front of others. Be a good team member and eventually you will be a great manager and a stellar director and then incredible entrepreneur and CEO. As you work to implement these skills on a daily basis and consistently across all areas of your life, they become part of you. And as they do, people will want to be around you and do business with you and refer you and you will grow beyond any of your competitors.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I absolutely love the book “Management Mantras” by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. It is a compact management development book that has profound personal development results. I particularly love the part where it talks about how much vacation and rest you need as you become more successful.

Every month you need to take a long 3-day weekend. This is not a weekend full of busyness and activities, but one of rejuvenation and peace. Every quarter you need to take a week. This can be split between a true vacation with family and/or friends, but it has to also include solitude for your mind, body and soul. Once a year during this week I do a silent retreat with the Art of Living. And every 6 months you need to take 2 weeks. During that two week time you need to focus on rest, but also what can be cleaned or purged from your life because there are things that we leave just dangling or hanging on because they’re cool, but they no longer serve us.

I have applied this book in every area of my life and I have seen results that include improved health, better relationships, and more success in my businesses.

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