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.

Jay Williams

JW: That’s a dope question to start this interview. Earlier in my career, I really struggled with feeling like I belonged. To be honest, it was more than just a feeling; I knew I didn’t belong and some of my colleagues made that painstakingly clear. I believed I had all the skills and capabilities to excel in my field but there was no place for someone with my “unique” set of skills, talents and experiences in education, or at least that’s what I was made to believe.  Read more>>

Pepa Ivanoff

I have always been different, and as I’ve gotten older + wiser I’ve learned to embrace my individuality. Being unique + authentically yourself are so important, and even more so when you’re a creative. I believe that your creativity is the truest expression of who you are. And the more you know who you truly are, the more your life and your creativity will flow. Read more>>

Maya Ahmed

I never really fit into boxes or categories. Take school as an example: I didn’t belong to any clique; rather, I had friends from several different cliques instead. My perspective was such, that I didn’t focus too much on where I belonged. I put my energy into recognizing that my voice is unique and has value, and that if I didn’t fully fit into a space, I needed to create a space for myself, which is what I did and continue to do. Read more>>

Nina Lewis

Embracing Uniqueness: Discovering My Personal Worth! To truly understand my worth, I had to embrace my unique qualities. I let the flames of confidence and resilience guide me on my journey, while the winds of encouragement propelled me to new heights. I am a rare and extraordinary creation, specifically crafted for this moment in time. Knowing that my essence is unparalleled, and my contributions are essential. Read more>>

SOHEIL GOHARIPOUR

In situations where I’m the only one who looks like me in a room, I have learned to turn my uniqueness into an asset for personal and professional growth. Confidence and self-awareness are key—I embrace my identity and know my strengths. Being culturally competent and communicating effectively helps me connect with others, fostering an inclusive mindset.  Read more>>

Dr. Zabina Bhasin

Being the only one in the room that looks like me has been a consistent scenario in my life. As a child and teen, it was very difficult to wrap around my brain as to why I was teased and bullied until I found sports. It was in Basketball that I truly felt like I could be myself and let my character and skill speak for who I am. Read more>>

TieSha Carter

Being in a technical discipline as my full-time career it is very rare that I am not the only female in the room. Now let’s compound that with being an African American female and that becomes a double whammy. Although at times it can feel uncomfortable, I have learned to navigate by being confident in who I am and what I know.  Read more>>

mma Caponetto

As a cis-gendered white woman, I am often a part of the majority in any given room. However, I still encounter the uncomfortable feeling of isolation when such situations arise – where I am the only one who looks like me, or who holds my same identities. As a young woman, entering any professional setting can be anxiety-producing for fear that I may not be taken as seriously as my peers.  Read more>>

Cassie Levy

I grew up queer in a small, conservative town; I came out in high school, regardless of my surroundings. Authenticity is a core value of mine; I have always been naturally stubborn, which certainly helped. It has always been important to be unapologetically myself. Growing up in that environment kind of forced me to develop thicker skin, and really stick to my guns when it came to my sense of self. Read more>>

Jenni Nettik

Approaching running and coaching with a fresh perspective — or curiosity has opened many doors for our entire team of runners and coaches over the last 11 years! We know we’re effective and successful at Mercuria Running because our results show it! Read more>>

Ela Rodríguez

Growing up being the only one that looks like me was a little challenging but it became even more noticeable when I decided to pursue acting and moved to Los Angeles. Even though LA is diverse, in the film industry (specifically for actors) there’s always “a look” directors are looking for and unfortunately my look can be a little too “exotic” sometimes.  Read more>>

Stephanie Simpkins

I’ve learned to be my authentic self regardless of who is in the room, but that’s not to say that it’s never challenging. When I am the only one who looks like me, I try to view it as an opportunity to show the room who I am and why the room is better because I’m in it. I’ve had more success by not shying away, but by engaging as authentically as possible. Read more>>

Joslin Mar-Dai

Vegans on the Run’s motto is changing the face and taste of vegan food in the community. It is so important to stand alone with your brand, no matter what. Respectability does not save anyone. Thus, I always make sure that I walk into a room authentically. Instead of blending in, we take pride in the fact that we stand out and sometimes stand alone. Read more>>

Teri Cox

Navigating Success as the Only Black Woman in the room can be both challenging and empowering. Confidence. First I would have to say that it’s crucial to exude confidence in your abilities, ideas and your business mission. Taking control of your own narrative, meaning telling your story that communicates what you do and why it matters. Be prepared to educate your audience about your business and the industry. Read more>>

Shariese Martin

This quality of mastering being the only one in the room is still a work in progress. Most of my career (school and professional) have consisted of me consistently being the only one in the room and feeling I represent an entire body of people. That thought alone created a need to be seen and to be seen in the most powerful yet approachable light possible.  Read more>>

Brandee Harrington

Entering the commercial real estate (CRE) world as a double minority has been a journey of unique challenges and triumphs. In this industry, I quickly discovered that my diverse perspective wasn’t a hurdle but a secret weapon. Read more>>

Lauryn Williams

Being the only black dark skinned female model in my line of work has made me more confident in my skin and body that I have ever been. I’ve modeled for multiple brands that has claimed that their shoot are “diverse” and when I walk on set, i’m the only woman of color with a dark complection, I don’t complain but I show UP and show OUT because this my job and you will remember who I am. Read more>>

Victoria Coburn-Harriel

Being raised by parents who called me an alien or often questioned where I came from was a HUGE part of it all. It might have been a running joke but it stuck. I was okay with being the weirdest person in the room even if I didn’t mean to be. Telling people I would change the world with food was and still is realistic to me regardless of the climate we find ourselves in. Read more>>

Taylor Su

My journey has been quite an adventure, especially in high school when I found myself marching to the beat of my own drum. Amid a sea of classmates focused on business, economics, or law, I stood out as the lone art and design enthusiast. Navigating this experience taught me valuable lessons about being effective and true to myself. Read more>>

Stacy Lee

I’ve learned that some paths must be made through hard work and determination. It’s easy to take a road that is paved and looks like everyone else’s road. Unfortunately, life often doesn’t work that way. I think it’s important to stay true to yourself–even if you are different. I do this with a strong mind and will to never give up. Prayer has also kept my mind strong and encouraged to keep going despite having to pave my own path. Read more>>

Jeremy Germain

I love this question, because I’ve quite literally been in situations where I’m the only one that looks like me, acts like me, or has a very specific role that no one else does. And as someone who suffers from anxiety, I’ve often found myself mentally feeling alone and isolated from others. And every single one of those moments has felt like a sink or swim scenario. Read more>>

Chuck Braden

What do you mean? I would feel normal. It’s everyone else that looks like each other. My entire life I have been me…regardless of any repercussions or consequences that would come with it. My mother encouraged individuality and creativity at a very young age. She always made sure to let my brother and I be who we wanted to be….even if she maybe didn’t agree with it. Read more>>

Julianne Szczesny

In most cases, a lot of people opt for “diy”ing their own wedding signage for their ceremony and reception. As a business, we saw a need in the wedding industry for a wedding signage business that could offer a variety of materials and design choices. Read more>>

Elizabeth Powell

Success comes when you embrace your uniqueness. When you understand the value you bring by being the only one that can do it the way you do it. It took me a long time to come to a place where I enjoyed being different. It’s easy to just simply conform, but I learned that was just pushing down desires and gifts I was meant to share with others. Most importantly I learned that conforming meant that I was lying to myself. Read more>>

DeJhanie Brown

Being the only one in the room who looks like me has been a transformative journey, one that I navigate fearlessly by embracing my true self. In full transparency, I’ve learned that being authentically me fosters a level of trust that goes beyond any facade. I don’t shy away from being myself, and this genuine approach has become a cornerstone in building meaningful connections in any setting. Read more>>

Re’Nae

I was not faced with being the ‘only” until I got to college. I attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. That’s not a hot spot for Black people, but I went anyway. My initial visit to DePauw was great. I met all the Black people on campus because it was like 5 of them(jokes). Even when I attended a class with my host, there were also Black people and other people of color in the class. Read more>>

Mauricio Torrescano

Today almost everything is already seen or invented, and it is very difficult to do something different that breaks the known stereotypes since our capacity for wonder is less every day, creating higher standards.  Speaking of art history, artistic techniques are hundreds of years old among us, even the most recent ones, such as the invention of the airbrush, are just over 100 years old. Read more>>

Kristi Bogan

I stopped wearing makeup in 9th grade. Just overnight, I decided one day to come to school without ANY makeup. Not even mascara. All my friends were surprised and curious to say the least. My best friend tried to make fun of me and get others on board but I just didn’t care. So over the years, I always tell myself, if people don’t like me for who I am then I don’t need them. It shouldn’t matter what I look like.  Read more>>

Madhu Sahoo

I learned to make it my “superpower”. I feel like people often want to “fit in” and “belong”, something that I struggled with when I just started. But then, one day I decided to use it to my advantage. I am a different individual with a set of skills, experiences, and knowledge that are purely mine, and I focus on what I have to offer. I might not be everyone’s cup of tea but do I have to be? Accepting this is so liberating. I can be myself with the knowledge that this is me – you might like me or not, that’s up to you. Read more>>

Samuel Jackson

Being a man of religious faith I understand that my conviction must be stronger than my need to please. I was forced to develop and protect my passion for music in an environment where I was the only person I knew pursuing a career in music. I learned that it’s hard for others to see what you are intending to build when they can’t see the blueprint. I have a responsibility to keep building even if I don’t see anyone else doing it. Read more>>

Dr. NaRicia Futrell, LCSW, TCYM-C

This question embodies so many of the other questions I have been asked. Where do you receiving your resilience? Where does your work ethic come from? Why did you choose this profession? The answers to all of those questions lends to what I have learned being the only “one” in a room. Read more>>