Business
Being Black in Corporate America
What it’s really like.
Heeeyyy guys! I’m back like I never left! Hope you all enjoyed last week’s read! It felt so good to get back to what I know and that is the art of telling a story through my posts! I’d like to think of my blog page as my own little journal, but not as private. I want to you guys to be able to relate to the things that I experience or have experienced on a daily basis and today’s topic is no different from any other. In fact, I think most, if not all of you can definitely relate to it more than you know.
This is a topic that is long overdue! I think I’ve had similar post to the topic, but I honestly don’t think they truly compare. There are some harsh truths to being Black in Corporate America and I couldn’t write this topic just from my own experience. I had to talk to someone who knows what it feels like, especially since we’ve worked for the same company, a company that I’m present at, but hope to be leaving very soon (working on it more now than EVER!). I had the chance to talk with my good friend and author of TWO number one books, Ross Williams; his first book being titled “Made It Out” where it depicts the correlation of common factors between the streets and Corporate America.
- Where and how long did you work in Corporate America? As a Black man, what was your experience like in that particular setting?
“I was in Corporate America for five years where I worked for a hospital and a rental car company. As a Black man in that environment, it was a very vulnerable experience. When I entered Corporate America, I was unsure of what I wanted to do professionally, and I was unsure of my professional strengths. I learned more about management, sales, operations, marketing and customer service during my work experience than what I could have learned at any business school. All of what I learned from my jobs is incorporated into my entrepreneurial efforts.”
- Was there ever a constant battle of trying to prove your worth?
“I always felt there is a constant battle to prove my worth. It definitely intensified during that time of my life. Proving your worth in Corporate America will intimidate a lot of your higher ups and colleagues. After people see your worth, you unfortunately will become a target.”
- When did you know it was time to transition out?
“After I had my first child, I reanalyzed everything in my life after that. I asked myself a lot of questions. Am I maximizing my potential professionally? What would my child be most proud of? How can I build generational wealth? Do I have enough control of my time to be the parent I want to be? Corporate America was not in any of those answers, so I knew it was time to move on.”
- I’ve already read your first book, which is PHENOMENAL, and I can’t wait to read the next one, but for someone like me who wants to transition out, what advise do you have?
“Just pay attention to the signs that life gives you and surround yourself with people who are moving in similar directions. It is imperative to have extremely thick skin and dead any negative energy around you while you make a career change or try to better yourself in anyway possible. A big reason for my entrepreneurial success are the people who I surround myself with. I couldn’t imagine this journey without them.”
- What’s next for you?
“My next book, “Crabs In A Barrel”, is out now! I’m very excited about the success thus far with this new project. Next, I will launch my book consultant company to help others get their books and other literature in the universe. I have a few other things in store also, but I can’t let it out the bag yet!”
Wow…initially when I wrote these questions, I was only curious about someone else’s experience in the same environment that I’m currently in, but then, after reading the responses that I got from Ross, it dawned on me that these were questions that I needed to answer my damn self. Being Black and being a woman in Corporate America, I have to constantly prove my worth and prove to others that I belong here, even though it’s not somewhere I truly want to be. Gender has everything to do with it as well. There are those that think as a woman, such an environment is only meant for the men, white men in particular. To be quite frank, I’ve been over the environment for a while, but I just haven’t found my way out yet and it could be due to where I work and how long I’ve been there, but I’m working on something big though. A lot of which has to do with my blog page and among other things. Just like Ross said, can’t let too much out of the bag.
…and Blair You Have It! Listen, if you haven’t done so, order “Made It Out” and “Crabs In A Barrel: War On Racism”. You won’t be disappointed. Thanks Ross for being my third guinea pig for a post that was really important. I’ll be sure to buy your second piece of literature very soon! Thanks guys for reading and please comment your experiences in Corporate America! I want to hear from you all! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @blairyouhaveit! Love you guys! -Bee
