Look, we're in Fast Company
Check out our CEO, Angelina Darrisaw in Fast Company's "6 career coaches share the best career advice they ever got."
"Too often, fear, impostor syndrome, or other challenges lead us to talk ourselves out of opportunities before we even have a shot at them. A better way: “Let them tell you ‘no,'” says Angelina Darrisaw." - read more
You grow up hearing that you have to be twice as good and work 10 times as hard to be “successful” as a Black person in America. So you are twice as good, you work 10x as hard and you achieve a said version of success and then you struggle with imposter syndrome and question your right to be there. Everyone deals with Imposter Syndrome, but it hits differently when you're Black. (Photo by uncoveredlens from Pexels)
Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
Imagine you have been told either directly or indirectly for the majority of your life that your voice matters less, that you’re not as smart, not as deserving, not as capable. Imagine that was the assumption made about you every time you entered a room, sat down for a job interview, or asked for a raise. And inevitably, when the world has repeatedly doubted you and your abilities, you are likely to start doubting yourself. That plays out in a career over time. You speak up less, if at all, in meetings. You say, “I’m not ready for that” when big opportunities come your way. You discount your worth in salary negotiations. When you receive awards or are complimented for your professional achievements, you say you are humbled, and fail to recognize how worthy you are.
You belong - You belong in the room because you were invited to be there. You belong in the room because you worked so very hard to get there. You belong in the room because and in spite of the fact that your parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and beyond did not have opportunities like those of the very people who intimidate you. You are not an impostor. You belong.
A support system is key. - If there are limited spaces inside your company to connect with others in similar situations, find some spaces outside of work for this. In an article in Inclusion Solution, Paula Edgar recommends you “use your network to support you externally when you need to feel heard and want to have people who can relate to your experiences. In addition to making you feel better, sometimes engaging more externally for support can help you to be more intentional about sharing job opportunities with your network (hopefully making you not the ‘only’) for long.”
Embrace Entitlement, Give Up on Humility - Tell yourself you are deserving, how worthy, and how talented you are. Celebrate your accomplishments and share those accomplishments with others. Advocate loudly and shamelessly for your needs and interests. Speak up, take up space and be as noticeable as possible. Release the idea that you have to be humble, and instead, become a lot more entitled.
Black History Month Events
We are so proud to announce our upcoming events to celebrate Black History Month. Register now for our free events with MLB and Google to scale your Black-owned Business.
MLB: Scaling in a Digital World Workshop Series
Google Black Small Business Virtual Meetup (National Event)