We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tameya Tarkington. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tameya below.
Hi Tameya, 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?
I have been working in Corporate America for over 16 years and through the years have experienced the ebbs and flows of being the only Black woman in the room. Those experiences, both negative and positive, taught me three pivotal lessons to ensure I am heard, seen, and successful when I speak. Those three lessons are: 1. Do your research- understand the intention behind the meeting, and the key stakeholders attending, and come prepared to speak on your expertise. 2. Listen to understand not to respond- this allows you to be attentive to details others may have missed which will set you apart from the rest. Finally, believe that you deserve to be there. Imposter Syndrome on top of being the only Black person in the room makes you feel as if you don’t belong- let me tell you, YOU DO! Believe that you are the subject matter expert of your expertise and your confidence will speak for you.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I like to call myself a Corporate slayer by day and a walking inspiration by night!
With many years of experience in Marketing and branding, working at four major retailers- NY&CO, Kohl’s, JCPenney, and Target, I’ve worked hard to establish myself as a highly sought-after professional and expert in Marketing and Fashion.
While overcoming many challenges and obstacles as a Black woman in Corporate America, I noticed true advocacy for Black Women was a missing component that would have helped shape my success early on in my career.
I started The Meya T Network to help facilitate personal and professional growth & and elevate the voices of Black women. The Meya T Network starts as a blog that shares my journey/experiences of overcoming self-doubt and corporate perseverance to Fashion, and beauty tips and the tools to live authentically and intentionally as themselves.
This year, The Meya T Network, will expand beyond the blog and offer consultation services to Black women who are looking to navigate their professional careers.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop 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?
The three qualities that were the most impactful in my journey were ambition, creativity, and resilience. Although I have always been creative as a young girl, life experiences, career challenges, and fear, allowed my resilience and ambition to shine through. My advice to those who are starting their journey of self-discovery, would be that life is the best teacher. What I mean by this is even though the pressures of today’s society forces us to quickly define who we are, don’t feel rushed to determine your best qualities. Let your experiences and journey, to come, be your guide. Learn more about yourself and get to know your likes/dislikes, desires, and happiness with your lived experience.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
Having been in therapy for the past 2 1/2 years, I have been able to learn and relearn myself and it has been fascinating yet healing. What I was able to identify as a major factor in my professional career decision, parenting skills, friendships, and marriage was the lack of boundaries. Once I was able to identify all of the areas that were affected by my lack of boundaries, I was able to do the HARD work on setting them. I read the book “Set Boundaries, find peace” by Nedra Tawwab and immediately started applying her techniques. Over the past 12 months, I saw a huge improvement in my career, friendships, and parenting just by setting realistic expectations and boundaries. I truly recommend this book, along with therapy, for those who are unconscious people pleasers and lack healthy boundaries. It is truly life-changing!
Contact Info:
- Website: meyatnetwork.com
- Instagram: @meyatnetwork
- Linkedin: Tameya Tarkington Beamon
