What do you do when no one else in the company or the meeting looks like you? We asked entrepreneurs and creatives from across industries and geographies to share their experiences and advice.
Whitney Turner
This took a lot of work for me. A lot of positive self-talk and a lot of words of affirmation. Unlearning what I thought was normal when I was younger. Growing up in multiple predominantly white environments, I felt a lot of intimidation being the only (or one of few) black woman. I had this nagging feeling that I didn’t belong for some reason. I think it’s because we are engrained to think that the white population is the successful bunch. As I went to the University of Michigan, you can imagine me being faced with that same type of adversity. Read more>>
Lyrical
Oh wow, this has been quite an experience for me. I’ve experienced racism, sexism, ageism, and so much more. One thing I remember is watching my mom be the only Black woman in the room and watching her kill it! I watched her display tremendous strength and prove to the world she deserved her spot and that’s what I remember. I’m meant to be here no matter who is like me or not, the space I occupy in the room is mine alone and I don’t run for that challenge. I embrace that challenge and make room for others who do look like me. Read more>>
Karla Arroyo
As a person of color I thought I had to fight to be heard as that is what we usually have been taught to do. I have always been outspoken, however for many years at the beginning of my career I often had to fight to felt seen or heard. After years of trying this strategy I found out I was being heard and seen but not taking in consideration when it came to decision making strategies. Often what the ideas that came along with frustration and anger when I shared with other individuals in positions of power were taken, funded and finalized by others (often those who looked not like me). Read more>>
Caryl Chinn
I started my career in culinary industry 30 years ago in 1993 working for chef Jeremiah Tower at the iconic Stars Restaurant in San Francisco. It seems crazy to say this now, but there were no cellphones or internet, so no blogs or social media. It was another era! There really weren’t BIPOC women in the fine dining industry at that point. Honestly, there weren’t even many BIPOC men in the business in the early 90’s – in terms of Asian American chefs there were just a few like Nobu Matsuhisa in LA or Ming Tsai in Boston. Read more>>
Maylynne Rayos
have felt this my entire life, as someone who identifies as diverse. Growing up feeling different is never easy, especially as a child. Being able to feel your own skin or hair color when you walk into a room can feel incredibly intimidating. As I grew older, I started to embrace all the things about me that made me different — from my physical appearance to being proud of my vulnerability. I think this comes with life experience. Read more>>
Jenna Biancavilla
I am a female entrepreneur running companies in two traditionally male-dominated industries. At 29, I founded Pearl Capital Management, a financial planning powerhouse managing $150 million in assets. Later, I ventured into tech with Svvy, aiming to transform financial landscapes and empower women. Navigating the finance industry hasn’t been easy with the countless moments I found money-driven men attempting to take advantage of me because I came across as too nice. Read more>>
Dylan Green
his question feels like it has strings attached to it and implies a certain sort of response. I grew up in an all-white community in a very small town in the middle-of-nowhere Washington state as an awkwardly tall half-Asian guy with eccentric tastes that didn’t fit the mold. It would be very easy for me to say that there was a connection between my misgivings and failures and the fact that I was visually the outsider. However, whether or not any of the barriers I came across had to do with how I appeared is arbitrary to me – in almost every case life is simply hard, and if you’re a born visionary there will be very few days where the answers are handed to you. Read more>>
Jahmal Holland
It’s a constant tug of war between when to address misunderstandings or even ignorance versus when to focus on the task and accomplishment. Often instruction or requests become condescension or micro aggression. An example of my meaning here is a difference of opinion or aesthetic often brings a presumption of inexperience or lack of competence.
The challenge is determining what is needed to reach the goal. Read more>>
National Association of Black Professional Organizers (NABPO)
The professional organizing industry is dominated by white women. There are many organizers who are people of color, that delayed starting their businesses because of the lack of representation. This is the reason why we founded the National Association of Black Professional Organizers (NABPO). We wanted to create a community and give a voice to professional organizers who identify as people of color. In doing so, we’ve become disrupters in our industry and continue to challenge what is considered the norm. Read more>>
Jeremy Wang
There aren’t many people who look like us in this industry, but we feel that it helps us to create a niche and stand out. We have had to learn to deal with many different people of various ages and backgrounds, and that has helped us to understand the different needs of different people and adapt. Read more>>
Felly Day
After much trial and error, I’ve come to realize what most people think is a weakness is what will make you successful as an entrepreneur. When I started, everyone wanted to grind, to scale to 10k months and 6-figure years, but I just wanted to live by the beach and travel without worrying about where my next paycheck would come from. Read more>>
Ava Sanders
For many years as a Resident Care Director(Director of nursing over an Assisted Living Center) I was often times the only one that looked like me but found comfort and confidence in my nursing knowledge base and dedication to learning the scope of practice within my job. Read more>>
Kenessa Surratt
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to have some amazing people in my life. My village has instilled in me the confidence needed to embrace my uniqueness and leverage my distinct perspective to contribute meaningfully. Another key to my success is staying focused on the value that I bring but most importantly, keeping God first. Read more>>
Dr. Linette Montae
Navigating professional spaces where I stand as the sole representative of my gender and race has been more than a recurring theme; it’s been a defining aspect of my success. And over the years, I’ve built a resilience that comes from knowing my perspective is not just valuable but a necessary diversity of thought that is crucial for innovation and problem-solving in any industry. Read more>>
Katie Enright
Fostering and sustaining self-confidence has played a pivotal role in my journey. When you have a strong belief in yourself, it naturally shields you from the potential negative impacts of external factors, such as being the only one who looks like you in the room. It’s important to resist the temptation to compare yourself to others in that room; the only valid comparison is the growth you’ve achieved from your past self. Read more>>
Ashlee Nino
Well….. that’s your super power! Even though this generation has proved to be one of the toughest, with social media and cyber bullying; I believe we are finally living in a time that being unique is celebrated. And if you learn how to use that uniqueness to your advantage, then you are invincible. This has hit me personally in all avenues of my career. Read more>>
Gabrielle Collins
I’ve been able to be effective and successful despite being the only one in the room who looks like me by being prepared and knowledgeable about my craft and the industry as a whole when I walk through the door. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech in 1956 after the bus boycott success, where he said “In the new age we will be forced to compete with people of all races and nationalities… We must set out to do a good job, irrespective of race, and do it so well that nobody could do it better.“ That’s how I’ve been raised— to achieve excellence in whichever career field I endeavor. Read more>>
Joni Franks
Before I had the privilege to begin writing and become an international award-winning author, I worked in the business world. During that time, it was uncommon to see women working in outside sales positions. I held one job where I was one of only three women in the U.S, working for a transportation company that moved freight for manufacturing facilities worldwide. It was a great challenge to earn acceptance and trust in this male-dominated industry. Read more>>
Anthony Brinkley
I grew up in an embracing, welcoming environment that, fortunately for me, was all Black. The schools, the businesses, and the neighborhoods were filled with people who looked like me and my color was not a factor in how people who mattered looked at me. Of course, I knew white people looked at me differently, but my environment allowed me to develop a positive sense of self that prepared me for the hostility that awaited outside of my community. Read more>>
Elijah Moon
Every day its me vs me. Always eager to find a way to improve myself with skills & mindset. Read more>>
Mecca Williams-Muhammad
Success to me is making sure that I am able to be genuine to myself at all times, being able to provide for my family, and giving back to my community. Being effective in my business is making sure that I am always providing my company’s services, at a consistent rate, and providing services that exceed my clients’ expectations. I own a boutique entertainment company based in Los Angeles, CA. My services include: Read more>>
Joanna de’Shay
Fashion organizations can be very isolating because, by design, it was created as an elitist organization and designed to continually support brands and designers that have been proven in the marketplace. This leaves very little room for new ideas and perspectives especially those from designers and brands in the BIPOC community. Often times that meant that I was the only one in the room, at the table or on the Zoom call that was a woman of color in a sea of sameness. One of the most effective strategies that I learned early on is how to bring intrinsic value to a Fashion organization I was working with or involved in. Read more>>
Kosi Harris
Throughout my career, as one of the only Black women in many rooms, I’ve learned that success often follows different rules for me compared to my counterparts. Initially, being among the “only few” felt like a potential disadvantage, but I’ve come to understand that it isn’t always the case. Embracing this uniqueness has been crucial for my journey. There have been instances where I’ve been the sole representative of my background, recognizing the doors that opened due to my talents. Read more>>
Jacqueline Tabbah
It can be a lonely island sometimes being a woman in the stone industry. There have been many construction meetings where I find myself to be the only woman in the room. However, I have learned that this difference is a positive, not a negative. Standing out is not necessarily a bad thing and many times I am able to present a different perspective on natural stone that perhaps my male counterparts did not consider. Read more>>
Adora Taylor
I’ve always been the only one in the room. Growing up, I was the one who could not fail. My family had so much pressure on me to succeed because of the way I got here. My mother birthed me when she was 16, so she did everything she could to ensure that wouldn’t be a trend. As a result, I had to learn mature skills very early. I learned to listen and observe more than I spoke or made moves. I got the good grades, plenty of academic awards, and even had full ride scholarships lined up. Read more>>
