We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Chester Wilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Chester below.
Dr. Wilson, it is so great to be with you. I think a lot of people are going to benefit from hearing your story, lessons, and wisdom. Imposter syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back; so, we’re really interested to hear your story about how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is faced by many individuals who enter an unfamiliar room. As a young Black administrator and entrepreneur imposter syndrome was felt at every juncture of my career. Being reared in a small rural town, with a desire to expand and grow was intimidating. There were many times I was the only one in the room when it came to age and race. There were times I was unsure of what I was doing or if I could do the job. As I grew in my career and experience, I became confident in what I was doing. I learned and understood that the imposter syndrome was just an initial phase of my career due to not being confident in the new task I was taking on. My perception then became, learn the job, and become so good at it until people can’t ignore me. I also took the stance of learning from my mistakes. I took those mistakes, mastered them, and incorporated them into my business, ultimately becoming the expert and providing the service to others.
Thank you for sharing that. Before we move further, can you tell our readers about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am an entrepreneur that serve in dual roles. I provide administrative oversight to a healthcare company as the CEO, and I also have a training company that provides certification, licensure, and continuing education to professionals seeking to enhance their personal and professional growth.
What is most exciting about what I do is that I get paid for being able to have my purpose and my passion. I understand not many people get to have both. I love what I do daily and enjoy the work. It is the epitome of who I am as a service provider.
There are so many exciting things that I get to initiate and participate in. Through my healthcare company, Outreach Community Care Network, Inc., which is my purpose, we provide behavioral health services to individuals who are affected by mental health and substance use. Through my training center, CW Consulting Firm, which is my passion, we provide certifications in Mediation, Private Security, CPR, Private Investigation, Case Management, and many others. We are also excited that our training center was recently approved by the Florida Department of Education. My partnerships with secondary schools, colleges, and community organization provide the platform to certify other professionals.
Another area of service I get to provide is motivational speaking. I have been fortunate through my #DrWilsonSpeaks platform to encourage students and adults in a variety of professions. This allows me to give back, while attempting to encourage others through their journey.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities or skills that I believe were most impactful in my life was first being a life-learner. I understood that I had to be a student of life. This means I had to be a continuous learner. Given that things change so fast, I had to stay abreast of the current trends. As a result, I continue to learn. I challenge myself to update or learn something new each year. The second quality or skill I felt was important was to earn an academic degree. People recognize and hold credentials high. As a result, I earned a doctorate degree. This allowed me to enter doors that I may not have been able to, or would have taken me longer. It has also afforded me the opportunity to serve as an expert and teach college in multiple disciplines.
the last quality or skill would be certifications. This is an addition to the academic degree. The certification allows you to become proficient in areas and meet state licensure and requirements to train and provide services for others. Obtaining a certification has allowed me to serve on a committee of the Florida Supreme Court among other roles in my local community. The best thing about certifications is that you can earn as many as you would like.
My advice to others is to become a life -learner and obtain as much information as you can. The goal is to learn a little bit about everything so you can have an intelligent conversation about anything.
To wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
Challenges are a part of life and will happen. Given that we know this, it is our responsibility to be prepared to face them when they present. While we may not know what type of challenge is going to happen, we should not be totally surprised when they do happen. There have been many people who have been most helpful to me when overcoming challenges. I am surrounded by a community of family, friends, mentors, colleagues, fraternity brothers, and community professionals who serve as resources and encouragement. I have never subscribed to the small circle of friends, my philosophy is “go big”! This way, when one person is not available or does not have the answers I need, there are many others who may. Having great mentors who can provide you with sound advice and guidance, which is a bonus. You don’t have to make the mistakes of the past when someone has already been there and can tell you differently.
It is this same group of supportive people who challenge me to build and develop the essential skills, qualities, or knowledge needed to be successful. When people are used to you doing great things, they expect it and challenge you. Those expectations and challenges cause me to rise to the occasion. I look at it as accountability. I have been provided a platform and I now have a responsibility to be successful, especially since I have been given everything I need to do so.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.cwconsultingfirm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchesterwilson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchesterlwilson
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchesterwilson
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchesterwilson
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CWConsultingFirm
Image Credits
Walton’s Photography Kenneth Grant Inzpirations 100,000arts
