We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shanae Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Shanae, 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?
For nearly a decade, I’ve had to operate in rooms where I was the only—the only woman, the only Black woman, and sometimes the only person of color. One of the things that has helped me navigate these rooms is knowing that everyone in the room is my peer. If we are all sitting at the same table, that tells me we are peers and I belong in the same room as my peers.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a NYC-based Leadership Coach & the Founder of no cream in this coffee, a groundbreaking career development company that is creating better work experiences and workplaces for Black women.
Black women are having the worst experiences in corporate America and our programs at no cream in this coffee are helping women navigate these barriers and challenges in the workplace.
We provide 1:1 leadership coaching for emerging leaders and those seeking support navigating new roles. We also facilitate career development workshops for Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) so that employees from racially marginalized backgrounds have the tools and strategies they need to accelerate career growth and advance.
Our goal at no cream in this coffee is to help more Black women gain access to leadership roles and increase their income, impact, and influence.
If you had to pick three qualities that are important to develop, which three would you say leads to a thriving career?
#1 Being Audacious. I think having the audacity to challenge the status quo is something has helped me succeed in both my personal and professional life.
#2 Resilience. The ability to bounce back from disappointment, bad managers, bad work experiences, etc., allows you to keep going.
#3 Authenticity. Showing up as my authentic self even when I’m in rooms where no one looks like me is something that I don’t take for granted. This has allowed me to build better relationships at work and set boundaries so that I am able to thrive in my career. However, society constantly reinforces the message that Black women have to shrink themselves in order to succeed and I want to challenge more women to show up authentically at work even when you think your authenticity won’t be appreciated. This is how we change the narrative!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
no cream in this coffee is certainly looking to partner with employers and Employee Resource Group leaders who are still committed to building workplaces that work for all. Our company’s learning and development programs will help your organization unlock opportunities for diverse talent to thrive. So, if you’re reading this and interested in learning more, please visit our website and contact us.
Contact Info:
- Website: nocreaminthiscoffee.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nocreaminthiscoffee
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theshanaebrown/
- Other: Shop with us: https://www.nocreaminthiscoffee.com/shop
Image Credits
Photos taken by: Xavier McAden Photography
