The story of the concrete ceiling that exists for women in corporate America—particularly African American women—is not a new one, and today’s progress has been slow and not so steady.
Research has shown that though corporate America still presents many opportunities for financial prosperity, upward mobility, and prestige, black women still lag behind in reaping the full benefits of those opportunities.
[Related: Financial Worker Quits Job to Tackle Juggling]
There is a silver lining in the fact that corporate experience can equip women of color with the skills needed to succeed in life and business. Many who have ventured on their own journeys to join the fastest growing population of entrepreneurs in the country, have found success in utilizing the skills and lessons learned while seeking to climb the corporate ladder.
Cheryl Wood, an award-winning international speaker and author, decided to do just that after 20 years of working in corporate positions in Washington D.C., and Maryland. She’d built a very comfortable lifestyle early—jumping from high school straight into the workforce—and knew after becoming a wife and mother of three, that she wanted more out of life. She decided to change her mindset on monetizing the skills and talents she’d developed as a leading administrator, and she knew that in order to earn a living on her own terms she’d have to get serious about transitioning into something that would allow her to tap into her passions.
After walking away from her corporate job, she started a mommy T-shirt business featuring motivational phrases to inspire other women who sought career fulfillment. From that momentum, she founded an international speaking and coaching business. Her brand has grown tremendously—she boasts a social media following of more than 11,000—and her insights and expertise on career development, professional transitions, and entrepreneurship have been featured by media, educational institutions, and organizations including Fox News, Essence magazine, Dr. Oz, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and Morgan State University.
She’s recently embarked on yet another transition, launching the Playtime Is Over Women in Business Conference that will host industry leaders in Washington D.C. this November.
BlackEnterprise.com caught up with the busy ‘mommypreneur’ Â to get her secrets to success and tips on using talents and skills learned in corporate America as a springboard for your next career transition.
BlackEnterprise.com: What was the key motivating factor to taking a leap into your current career transition?
Wood: Having the courage to play bigger and achieve higher can be a challenge, especially if you’re in a comfortable space. But it’s confidence in your abilities that propels you to go higher. I have a family. I’m a wife and mother. I wanted to build a legacy that would expand on my passions. I love motivating others to act on what their heart leads them to do, and helping them to create a strategy—a plan—to do that.
(Continued on next page)
What has been your biggest challenge in transitioning, and how were you able to overcome it?
Learning how to accept the word ‘no’ and not be crushed by it. At first I would take things personal. Let’s say someone didn’t have a sense of urgency about something I was excited about accomplishing. I’d get down in the dumps, wasting time and energy. I had to tell myself that a ‘no’ is not necessarily personal, and I can’t get stuck on that no. I have to keep pressing [on] and spending energy on getting the ‘yes.’
What were the steps you took to transition from your job, and how can others learn from these in starting their own transitions?
First, in my time in corporate America I worked with senior managers and C-suite executives, which put me in highly visible spaces. That prepped me for communicating with people on all levels of the organization, and helped build my leadership skills in terms of how to interact with people professionally and strengthen relationship-building skills.Â
Second, I connected with other people who were already in the position I wanted to hold. It’s important to learn from those who are already on the path that you seek to take. Third, I was willing to take courses and seminars to help improve my skill set—from business to speaking to coaching. Even before leaving my job, I had to get a coach myself, find people in the industry, and ask the questions: How do I play bigger? How do I use my skills to go further…to push further in my career and in my life? Fourth, I had to build relationships with intention. It’s not what you know or who you know; it’s who knows you. I had to figure out how I [could] serve, support, and nurture relationships before asking for anything.
Lastly, I had to develop a solid and consistent social presence and keep up with the times. A lot of people say they don’t want to be in certain spaces, but you must be where your clients are.