Meet Tunisha Crews

We were lucky to catch up with Tunisha Crews recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tunisha, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

Growing up in a small Jewish town in Central New Jersey, and going to Catholic School, I learned at a very early age what being the only one in the room looks and feels like. My parents always told me that I should give everything I do my best effort and that I would need to be the best to succeed in life. Even though I was different from most of my peers, I was also exceptional. I used that to always make sure I had a voice, even if it didn’t always work in my favor. I really started to come into my own when I was faced with adversity. I used people’s incorrect assumptions about me to fuel my success. When others didn’t want to see me win, I did it anyway. The greatest lesson I learned was that achievement coupled with success and working with the right people, helped me reach almost every plateau. The other lesson I learned was not being afraid to fail because I was the only one. It allows me to open doors for others like me, some call it failing forward. It wasn’t a failure, it was a lesson.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Currently, I am working with KonnectMoor, LLC as the Director of Operations. It’s a tech startup that provides business owners a complete solution for their day to day tech stack in one neat package. Working with KonnectMoor allows me to help business owners organize their professional lives and focus what matters most, running their business. We make it easy for them to make data informed decisions with regards to their finances, operations, team management, and more.

I am also a Founding Member and Vice-President of Membership for the Blacks in Technology Raleigh-Durham Chapter. The Board and I foster connections between Black Technologists and companies looking to grow their tech talent through networking events, educational opportunities, panel discussions, and more. Some of our major collaborators are MetLife, Lenovo. Cisco, SAS, Red Hat and Avalara. We also work with locally owned Black businesses to continue to pour wealth into our communities.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three things that have shaped my journey thus far are:
1. Education and Technology are great equalizers. Once you learn something, no one can take that from you. Use what you know and who you know to grow professionally. Technology is all around you. You can’t escape it, so use it you learn something daily. You have a world of information at your finger tips. Don’t take that for granted.

2. Network early in your career and do it often. I know so many people who have made meaningful connections that have helped them land major life changing careers through the people that they know. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask your network for information, advice, and introductions. The key is to always give more than you take.

3. Reflect and Grow. Don’t be afraid to look at where you have been, mistakes you have made, and celebrate your successes. Take those vacations days, and find balance. No one will remember how much you worked, but they will remember how you lived.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Two books I read have been huge influences in how I live my life. The first is the “Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told to Alex Haley, and the second is “How to be Happy (No Fairydust or moonbeams required) by Cara Stein.

Malcolm taught me some very valuable truths. The greatest one was that we are all capable of great change. He used his power and influence to speak out against oppression in all forms. It was after his journey to Mecca, that he was able to see humanity had more that unites us than divides us.

The latter taught me that I am 100% in control of my own happiness and that it needs to come from within. No matter how wealthy I may be, or how hard I work, none of that matters if I don’t find my happy from within.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teecrews