Breaking Barriers: Succeeding Even When Representation is Lacking

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.

Dr. Megan Covington

From my gender, gender expression, race, sex, or sexual identity, being “the only” one in the room that looks like me has been a common experience for me since I was child. I’ve learned to be effective/ successful when I’m the only one in the room that looks like me by remembering that I’m in the room because I deserve to be there and focusing more on the gift that comes with knowing that no one in this room (or anywhere) has had the experiences I have which shape the unique perspective that I’m able to contribute to that room. Read more>>

Amiana Patterson

Over time I have unapologetically embraced the fact which I believe everyone should, which is knowing there’s no one in the world like me. A lot of people would quote the infamous line “I’m one of one.. the only one.” With this mindset of being authentic walking into any room has become easy. Learning the effectiveness of my authentication and value adds to the room no matter what that room looks like. Being confident about you who are and what you bring to the table, conversation, or space plays a big role in the ability to be effective. Read more>>

Megan Dadsi

I see being the only one in the room that may not look like me as beautiful and empowering. I use looking different as an advantage it helps me to share with the world who I am and at the same time it represents many women that may look like me that choose to dress modestly. Read more>>

Jessica Cooke

I believe that when you love what you do and know that you are doing good work it will always shine through. The smallest details may be more important and have a bigger effect than you realize at that time. Read more>>

Genie Ghim

When traveling or relocating to foreign countries it will not be unusual to find yourself in a room where you may be the only one who looks or sounds like you. At such times it’s important to maintain an open mind, self confidence, sense of curiosity and the desire to make human connections. Read more>>

Cat Slater

I’m really not sure that I ever looked like anyone else in the room. At thirteen in 1980-81 I looked around at what was becoming “fashionable” in my little world and realized I didn’t like any of it. I quickly realized I didn’t want or need to look like anyone else. What was in the department stores were pink Lacoste shirts with little green alligators and pink, green and white plaid shorts or trousers. Read more>>

Sucheta Shankar

I won’t mince words – being the only one in the room that looks like you is hard. You are constantly trying to figure out if you are an outsider or not. It also means that sometimes you might believe in some idea or concept (like MissType) that others may not see or even understand. It’s taken me a while (and a lot of not listening to my instincts) to finally stand my ground or fight for something I believe is true. Read more>>

Carolina Takagi

My father is Japanese, my mother, Swiss. I grew up in Texas, Tokyo and London. I can count on one hand how many occasions I’ve actually been in a room with anyone who even vaguely looks like me. Growing up, it became normal for me to be the odd one out. I repeatedly found myself in classrooms full of kids who didn’t speak the same language as me. How I looked was almost the least of my concerns. I had to figure out how to communicate in order to survive. Read more>>

Bala Govind Kumar Ganesan

“The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before.” – Albert Einstein When we set out to create a new path, we often must do it alone. Pioneering something that hasn’t been done before requires solitude, but once the path is established, others will follow and join you. Throughout my journey, I’ve always aimed to write a story that is uniquely mine. Read more>>

Serena Cuevas

There is nothing more empowering than seeing and knowing that I am ‘the only one in the room that looks like’ me. Shifting my context (the way that I see things) has more than helped me become successful. It’s really about perspective and remembering that my personal journey and experience is super unique and incomparable. This has me be effective in the most uncertain of situations – I am grateful! Read more>>

Josephine Brown

It took me a while to realize, accept and really lean into being the only one who probably thinks and works like I do. I spent a lot of my late 20’s and early 30’s sort of battling that part of myself. As an entrepreneur, I have had the privilege to work with different types of people over the last decade, and those experiences allowed me to accept my strengths, weaknesses and be comfortable with knowing not everyone is going to be a good fit for you (or your business). Read more>>

Melissa Philippe

I am navigating spaces where I’m the only one who looks like I. It has been a journey of growth and self-discovI. I’m a petite Haitian immigrant woman who has always had unconventional hairstyles, so my whole life has been me not only physically being born outside of America, but culturally, linguistically, and socially, I have always been an outsider. This has prepared me for a life of honing that self-confidence in my uniqueness is my greatest ally.  Read more>>

Mengqiao Zhang

Being an Asian female director in the Western film industry has often meant walking into rooms where no one else shares my background or experiences. In the beginning, this made me question whether I truly belonged or if my voice was relevant in spaces that felt so foreign. But over time, I’ve learned to see this as an opportunity to contribute something unique rather than as an obstacle. Read more>>

Candice D’meza

I’ve been quite an anomoly in the arts spaces I’ve been apart of: not only am I a Black woman of African-American and Haitian heritage, but I’m a solo parent who has made it apart of her ethos that I will not compartmentalize what it means to be an artist who mothers. Read more>>

Kiana Browne

Being the only one in the room who looks like me, I’ve learned to be effective and successful by embracing my unique perspective and using it as a strength. I focus on the value I bring to the table, ensuring that my voice is heard by speaking up with confidence. Building strong relationships and allies is crucial, as is being prepared and knowledgeable in my field. I also make a conscious effort to listen and understand others, which helps bridge any gaps that may arise from differences. Read more>>

Mary Tan

As an Asian American growing up in Northern Wisconsin, there were very few people who looked like me. My family were immigrants from Indonesia but had always desired to live and work in the United States in the 1960’s. Since they were children, my parents had studied everything about life and culture in the US. They both learned English as well as many other languages, so once they completed their education they were ready to make the move. Read more>>

Emmi Saufley

Becoming effective and successful even when I am the only one who looks like I do in the room can be very challenging at times. Sometimes it is hard to be seen in a group of people, ironic to say, if no one in the room looks like me but it happens more often than not. I’ve become resilient in enhancing my surroundings by taking the initiative to be heard, and respected. It doesn’t come easy, I’ve had to work my way to this point, build the confidence to speak up, and the ability to read the room.  Read more>>

Danielle Sticha

In the world of real estate, where networking, presentation, and influence often dictate success, standing out can be both a challenge and an opportunity. For an African American woman who has carved a niche in this competitive industry, the journey involves not just navigating market trends but also overcoming the significant barriers of representation and bias. Read more>>

Asia Zdziarska

As a female architect leading a design and build firm in a predominantly male industry, I’ve often found myself the only woman in the room. This unique position has taught me invaluable lessons and honed certain qualities that have been key to my success.
One of the strengths I bring to my role is the ability to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities. In the architecture and construction fields, projects are multifaceted, requiring seamless coordination between design, client interactions, and on-site execution. Read more>>

Benjamin Davidow

Comparison can be helpful in some scenarios to set bench marks and gain access to the ideas of others’ achievements, however I have found that focusing on authenticity and my own voice without judging myself too harshly in the footsteps of others works far better. Read more>>

Jose Luis

I think the best way to describe my success is not focusing on the financial end but on the accomplishments of your goals. The satisfaction of your clients. I feel one of the biggest ways to recognize my success is just being accepted in magazines no matter how small or big they are. Though, I do have dreams and goals to be in the larger scale magazines. I still strive to be successful, well more than what I am now. I keep striving for success and when i get to that marker of success, I will make the next marker for success. Read more>>

Sarah Salvatoriello

When I spent the first chapter of my career in corporate, I was frequently the only one in the room that looked like me. For starters, I was a plus-sized woman working in fashion, but beyond physicality, there aren’t many other women in senior-level creative director in-house roles. I learned quickly to align myself with others who shared my values and create a community that could transcend our differences.  Read more>>

Having been born in South Korea and adopted by a rural, small-town, White family in a town with very little diversity, I have often been the only one in the room that looks like me. At one point, I remember someone showing me the demographics for my town, and the percentage of Asian folks literally equaled 1 person (me!). From a young age, I think that this helped to push me towards success because I felt like I always had to “prove” myself. Read more>>