Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zuri Godfrey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Zuri , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
In October, I was named a 2025 Rising Star by The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) And at their annual gala, I had an on-stage moment where I spoke about resilience. Over the years, I realized that I get my resilience from being a Black man in corporate.
I have realized that resilience is not about doing it alone and being self-made, it’s about moving forward, together. How have I remained resilient in corporate America? I have stayed steadfast in my faith, been self aware about the value I add, and leaned on my village to guide me in those trying times.
Above all else, I am a firm believer that our trials and tribulations are what build up a level of resilience that everyone has in them.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My day job is being an Integrated Marketing Manager at a Big Tech conglomerate.
But outside my day job, I’m the Founder of The Village. The Village is a Group Mentorship Program I started for college students and recent graduates to help them achieve their career and life goals.
We’ve positively influenced over 200 careers across our two annual cohorts and have a 90% job placement rate. We have become a go-to for brands looking to hire junior talent because they know the talent coming from The Village is vetted and trained by myself and our amazing group of 40+ mentors.
Recently, we hosted our very first fundraiser and networking event back in November 2025. It was a unique mash-up of sports, tech, and content creation. Professionals, recent graduates, and even former athletes build relationships while watching a great game. Every dollar from ticket sales went back into The Village, funding our annual scholarship, workshops, and everything else we need to keep growing.
We are gearing up for our next cohort, a six-month program that amassed 528 applications! This is showcasing that more people have seen the success that former mentees have achieved and understand the value structured mentorship can aid in starting their career strong.
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?
The three qualities that were most impactful to my journey and would later become the DNA of The Village are Development, Networking, and Accountability.
Development is all about being a lifelong learner. I constantly seek out new challenges and tools to hone my skills, making sure I never become stagnant in this fast-moving tech world. Networking proves the old saying true: Your network really is your net worth. It’s so important to learn from people who are already where you want to be. In addition, it’s absolutely priceless to have those high-value connections who can vouch for you. Finally, Accountability shows that there is strength in numbers. I learned the importance of this as a Division I athlete as you need people in your corner who will make sure you follow through on commitments and do exactly what you said you would.
If you’re just starting out, my biggest piece of advice is to intentionally apply these qualities to shape your own career DNA.
Take a current inventory of where you are right now, and then write down exactly where you want to be next. Once you have those points, use Development, Networking, and Accountability to bridge the gap:
What skills do you need to develop to reach that next level?
How can you expand your network and deepen existing connections you have?
Who should be your accountability partner to ensure you stay on track?
Intentionally answering these questions is the best way to elevate your career and build your own powerful professional DNA.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Absolutely! We are always looking for partners. We have ambitious goals to push The Village forward and bring more great opportunities to our community. Our impact is strongest when we team up with aligned organizations.
We look for three main types of partners:
1. Collegiate Partners
We want to connect with universities and colleges to co-host on-campus development events, set up aligned scholarships, and reserve mentee slots to help their students land internships and full-time offers.
2. Corporate Partners
We actively seek companies, especially in tech and marketing industries, who need vetted, trained junior talent. We want to collaborate on professional development events, offer corporate scholarships, and reserve mentor slots for employees looking to hone their management skills. If you need a talent pipeline, we have it.
3. Community Partners
We love teaming up with like-minded non-profits and organizations to collaborate on scholarships for social causes, host knowledge-sharing and networking events that help us find passionate people to fill mentor slots.
If you’re reading this and our mission resonates with you, please reach out! The best way is through the partnership form on our website, or send me a direct message on Linkedin. We can’t wait to drive impact alongside you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://groupmentorshipprogram.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zurigodfrey
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zurigodfrey/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
