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Good day and welcome to another episode of our podcast, Begin Build Plos on your Business Journey.
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Today we are with us Yasmin Duncan.
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She's a seasoned HR executive with over 20 years of experience and a two-time entrepreneur.
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She is the founder and principal of Duncan Workforce Solutions, a workforce advisory firm that supports growth stage organizations and public sector agencies with strategic people and workforce solutions.
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She is also the founder of Sisterhood Society for Women of Color, an organization dedicated to equipping Black women with the tactical, psychological, and emotional resources needed to thrive personally and professionally.
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Yasmin's entrepreneurial philosophy centers on accountability to mission.
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As a founder, she believes leadership requires more than completing tasks, it requires embodying the vision.
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By leaving the message she champions, she strives to be both a resource and an example for the women she serves.
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Thank you so much for joining us, Yasmin.
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How are you doing?
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I'm doing well.
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Thank you so much for having me.
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I'm looking forward to this conversation.
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Same here.
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I'm so happy that I got to meet you at that event in the city.
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Yes.
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I want to shout out Christina Bryan.
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She has the most amazing events.
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I meet the most amazing people too.
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Her event was definitely awesome.
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I can't wait to the next one.
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Yes.
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And you know what's interesting?
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We found out we actually lived in the same neighborhood.
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Yes.
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Like seven people.
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And I'm because usually people are like, where?
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Where is that?
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So to literally meet you along with six other women who live in the area was just so funny.
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But I'm so happy to get connected.
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Yes, yes.
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I'm so glad for this community, and I'm glad that we're, you know, keeping in touch and you know, doing this episode.
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Yes.
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So let's get started.
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Let's get to learn a little bit more about you.
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We always ask our guests to give us two words: one that describes you now, and one you would have used to describe yourself as a child.
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I love this question.
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As a child, I would say childlike wonder.
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Not one word, but it's that, or if I had to boil that down, definitely wonder.
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I had very strong imagination as a child.
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You know, I had an imagination that was fostered in my home to know nothing was outside of me, nothing was outside of my reach.
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There was nothing that I wasn't capable of accomplishing, accomplishing, attaining, having, no matter what I had to endure.
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You know, so it built like a very relentless spirit in me.
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I think now as an adult, definitely sustained fire.
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I am very passionate about women, women of color, people taking stepping into agency, women stepping agency, men stepping in agency, knowing the power of choice and that you can create the life that you desire to live and have the kind of relationships that you desire to have.
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Do fulfilling things.
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You can live a fulfilling life.
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The end of every week, it shouldn't be this, like, oh, I made it.
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And and I mean, listen, do you feel like that?
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Yeah, that that can definitely be a common feeling.
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But should it be?
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You know, those are things that I challenge.
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Should it be?
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You know, did we have all the intentions that we should have had, could have had, should have made with our time, with how we move in the world.
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Thanks so much for sharing that with us.
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I really love that.
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And um, if you were to travel somewhere today, where would that be?
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Jamaica.
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Ooh, that came out so quickly.
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Why'd you immediately let me tell you something?
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And maybe this was something that I manifested, but there were two places as a child that I would get like really, really excited about when they showed uh commercials.
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It's crazy because TV, you don't see any of these things anymore.
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But they would show commercials of Walt Disney World, come to Disney World, these family commercials.
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I was like, oh my god, I gotta go to Walt Disney World.
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And the other place was Jamaica, and there was this commercial come to Jamaica.
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The Lord.
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When I tell you, I would be like, I would get so excited jumping up and down the screen, and my mom was like, oh lord, here goes my favorite commercial.
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And of course, as soon as I turned 18, I got my passport.
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That was the first place I went.
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And I have to say, maybe it's because I wanted to go there so long for so long and finally to go.
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I never traveled somewhere where I stepped off the plane.
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As soon as we came through and I'm in the airport, I felt like I was home.
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I felt like I've been there a thousand places, a thousand times before.
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I remember waiting for the taxi.
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I just I felt like I like it wasn't the first time I've never traveled anywhere and felt at home.
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Like this is a good thing.
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I love that.
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I love that.
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I mean, I felt actually more home than here.
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So I could see me living in Jamaica one day, but listen, I may change my mind when I go to Africa.
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Because I have some friends who went to Africa and it's just life-changing.
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A good friend of mine just came back.
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Uh, we um caught up this week, so that's definitely on the bucket list.
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Thanks.
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Is there a um which country in particular are you thinking of?
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I was thinking of Ghana.
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Ghana.
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Okay.
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Okay.
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Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania.
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Okay.
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I do want to visit as well.
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So let me know when you're going, okay?
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Yes.
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All right.
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And if there is one book or movie you'd recommend, which would it be?
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The movie, well, the first that comes to mind, which I've actually had mentees of mine go watch this, is Molly's Game.
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And it was based on a true story of a woman named Molly who um was down on her luck, ended up getting a job as like a receptionist to someone who would run a gambling ring offline outside of work hours.
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And at first, you know, she's there helping him, but she saw how much money they were making.
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And then he started to tip her.
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Then it's like, huh, well, wow, I'm I'm bringing in some money, you know.
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Then they got into it.
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I don't want to tell the whole story.
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She ended up running her own ring, and you know, the story takes off.
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But she was in the Olympics.
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I mean, she's had like a really dynamic life, and I think there's so much to take from it as far as how you operate from a place of strategy, not reactiveness, not being, you know, hyper-emotional, but really being strategic in how you move, navigating politics and being having like a level of resolve and being grounded as you level up.
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I think that was a masterclass in a woman in her leadership, especially starting off in leadership and figuring out like what is my leadership style, how do I move, how do I operate?
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You know, when you're climbing the ranks, especially in corporate, that comes to mind, you know, as far as how do I establish my authenticity, how I sound, how I talk, what do I say, this level of overthinking.
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She moved through the world with such precision, even when she wasn't clear on what she was doing, you wouldn't know.
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There was such a confidence there.
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She also didn't mix business, she was snatched.
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This woman was pulled.
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She was, she came when she came to her poker game, she was collected, she was very together.
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But she ran it as a businesswoman.
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She didn't, she didn't mix get miss mixy to run her business and be successful.
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She held the line.
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There was a just a lot there, and it's a true story.
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Movie wasn't fabricated at all, but definitely a lot of gems to pull from.
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Okay.
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Wow.
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Now I have to go watch.
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Thanks for sharing that with us.
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Um, so talking about business women and you're a two-time entrepreneur.
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Tell us, um, based on your experience, what's one of the highest moments you've had in business so far?
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Oh, wow.
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By far, um, you know, we started, I was divinely inspired to start Sisterhood Society in fall of 2018.
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We launched January 2020 because of COVID and all the things in the world.
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We had to pivot online and to come in person and have our event with a partnership, a collegiate partnership with Pace University, and have it be a sold-out room, not a seat in the house.
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And have all of the people who have followed us throughout the years and stayed with us, even when we took our pause and took our break, come out, was just absolutely everything coupled with the women that I have been networking with.
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Once at that point, I was a global chief people officer at a global company.
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That was huge to have that level of support.
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It was like seeing all the things, you know.
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I remember my sister being there, and she's meeting people, you know, people just walking on to people.
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Hi, how do you know Yasmeen?
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How do you know Yasmeen?
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How'd you find out about sisterhood?
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And as I'm walking through the room, greeting people, um, passing by and hearing stories.
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Oh, I met her because she got me a job.
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She looked at my resume, she connected me with a recruiter.
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You know, she was my mentee at a point.
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She gave me feedback.
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She actually had me on a pip.
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I grew.
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I she challenged me higher.
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You know, I was able to hear the whispers of my legacy as I maintained the line and my authority and my authenticity and how I operate and who I am and how I move.
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It was also a highlight because I was the keynote.
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I'm like, we're gonna have an event.
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We need a keynote.
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I'm not, it was a given.
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I'm I'm the keynote.
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You know, I I it didn't even come into mind to have somebody else be the keynote for the event.
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You know, this was my time to really share the sustained fire within me of why I decided to do this movement, why I decided to build an organization around being a blueprint, being the only in the room.
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But what did I do about being the only?
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Was I intimidated by it?
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Was I overcome by it?
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Or did I find my stride and run my race and share my strategies with people I met along the way?
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You know, I I've come to experience a lot of things in the in the corporate run.
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And it's been interesting to and highly disappointing to meet people who look like me who I'm like, oh, you know, I meet another woman or a woman of color who director, VP, and asking, how did you get here?
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How do you know you want the tips of the trade?
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And you're kind of met with a cold shoulder, like, you know, I'm like, you know, do you mentor?
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No, I don't have time for that.
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Well, you'll figure it out.
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I have to climb the ropes, you have to do the same.
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There hasn't been that pay it forward, and I feel highly responsible and accountable.
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Not only because, okay, I'm the only I should do something.
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No, that I'm I'm accountable to this mission, I'm accountable to the movement and how I operate.
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How am I with women?
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Am I welcoming?
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Am I opening?
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Am I sharing resources?
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Am I being a resource?
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And that day was a reminder that I lived my message and it was on display.
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And that's the the highest height.
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Yes, and there were there was a lot of affirmation in that room, from what I can hear.
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So that's great.
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And then I'm glad that you have a different approach to some of you know, you did talk about some of the experience you had where people you don't lift as they climb.
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So I'm glad that you do differently.
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And um, in terms of one of the lowest moments you've had, or not so good moments, is there any that comes to mind?
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I would say earlier on in my career, being overlooked, being counted out, being assumed not to have the rigor for the task at hand, for just assume like I don't know if she could do that.
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You haven't tested the vehicle, you don't know.
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You know, you can't say that the car doesn't go up to six to 90 miles per hour if you haven't gotten a car, right?
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And those moments are disappointing, sure, but I've always found them to be fuel and gas for me.
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I hear that's sustained fire there again.
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I've always it's consistent, it's consistent and not to prove to anyone, you're counting me out.
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No, I can do this.
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No, for me, it was an opportunity to show myself what I'm capable of and how I can navigate and endure without scratch, without compromising my authenticity, without shrinking and rising to the occasion.
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Like, girl, look what you did.
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Note that.
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You have to be your own cheerleader.
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Yes, you do.
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You gotta be.
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Nobody's gonna do it.
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Nobody's coming to save you.
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I can see where the sisterhood came from.
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I can hear that passion, I can hear all the experiences that led to that.
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Um, so I can't wait to hear even more about that.
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Um, but you did um allude to what you did before.
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So can you tell us a little bit about what you did before entrepreneurship?
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Sure.
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So I was, and I have been, I say was, because you know, I always go back and forth in these moments, but I I do feel like my I had my career.
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You know, now it's pivoted to something else.
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But I I have been um in H NHR for 20 years.
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I worked in a myriad of different industries.
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Fashion beauty, retail startup, hospitality with hotels, union environment, so much fun.
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You name it, I have done it.
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Um tech as well, staffing agency, worked in a myriad of different industries.
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And every industry you add onto the tool belt, you have another tool to add to other plethora of diversity of things that you offer.
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What works in one environment won't work in others, you know, and I bring that into sisterhood and also my consultancy Duncan Workforce Solutions, bringing those tools, those resources, so that I can be an asset wherever I am planted and whoever I am assigned to help from a mentee, but mentor perspective, or being a coach at an organization, or being an HR strategist and workforce planning for organizations and government agencies.
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Okay, all right.
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And can you do you think you remember the first time you thought that you would actually start your own business?
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And well, business is for you.
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When I was still in school pursuing my bachelor's, like I knew that wanted to be my angle.
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Like I knew for me, success.
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Listen, I don't care what your title is, I don't care if you're a CEO of a company.
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There is somebody else signing that that board you're employed to, right?
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That private equity firm you're employed to.
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You're still an employee, you're still at the mercy of the decisions of other people.
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You know, and it's a lot when it's all on you.
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I am learning as the day goes on.
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It's a lot on you, but I can create the environment that I desire to work in.
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I could work when I desire to work.
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I can take a break when I desire to take a break.
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I can take the summers off if that's what I want to do.
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I can schedule things around so I can do it.
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Last year, I took three months off.
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There was no PTO request.
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I was out from June till um the end of August, really like the first week of September.
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I was traveling, I was with my mom and my family, all up and down the California coast, different islands.
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I mean, the only thing I do was go to Africa.
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Okay.
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And that's great.
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I knew that I wanted to be able to be on my own schedule, but also be able to build out to the point where all the people that I've worked with, maybe not all, that's not realistic, but I'm just saying, the people that I know that are amazing, that are culture ads to organizations that haven't overlooked, haven't gotten opportunities, haven't gotten chances.
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What would it be like to be in a position to put them in position and have an organization that has a phenomenal culture and you have top talent at every level?
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That's the dream.
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That's the dream.
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Now you said something that intrigued me.
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You said you took three months off.
00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:48.000
Now, a lot of people do go into entrepreneurship to be able to do things like that, but it doesn't always work out because when I'm, you know, there's this thing they say about um you leave the job to another, like you're your worst boss sometimes, because you basically go into entrepreneurship, but you just created another job for yourself and you work even harder than you ever had before.
00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:53.759
So, how do you get to the point where you actually can take three months off and come back?
00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.119
Like what systems you put in place?
00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:56.079
How does that work?
00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:57.119
I want to know.
00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:05.200
I have to say, like, entrepreneurship is a hustle that I've never even, in all the hustles that I have, I've never encountered this level.
00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:08.319
It's like, did you really know what you were signing up for?
00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:10.960
And it definitely has its days.
00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:19.519
Um, I will say that once June hit the hustle of, because I work with government contracts, so writing proposals, right?
00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.480
Also looking at part-time contractual work, right?
00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:32.640
Because it's all about having income coming in, or even applying for jobs if you see something that you come across, even though you're doing entrepreneurship, but you're always thinking about another um revenue stream.
00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.920
I was tired.
00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.400
And I'm like, okay, well, what feasibly do I need to cut back on?
00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:40.160
What do I need not to do?
00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:42.799
Where do I go to get the most bang for my buck?
00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:48.480
And my, you know, sweetie was gonna join, my cat was gonna join us at some point because she cannot be away from me for a long period of time.
00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:52.240
It's even shocking that we were on this long and she hasn't jumped on.
00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:54.720
And what can I cut back on?
00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:59.039
You know, where can I go for more to go more places, more bang for your buck?
00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.680
And I said, Yeah, um, I need a break.
00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:07.039
And I'm a person that that definitely does prioritize my well-being.
00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.000
How do I feel?
00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:09.200
How am I feeling internally?
00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.160
Do I need to breathe?
00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:10.799
Do I need a moment?
00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:12.079
Do I need a walk?
00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:14.880
You know, do I need to take a step back?
00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:23.599
And I went from 20 years of HR, I mean, my first year as a CPO, I took one day off the entire year.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:28.720
I came into so many priorities of things I needed to get done.
00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:38.000
I'm sure my team was ready to like wreck me, you know, nine months in, like, if this woman, but we had a lot to get in place quickly because a lot was happening.
00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:41.839
And although I stayed working, I did not put that on my team.
00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:44.319
I let all my team take their vacations.
00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:50.400
So I did not take one because I filled in so they could be out and they could get their rest.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:55.680
So yeah, to go from 20 years back to back, barely taking vacation.
00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:59.440
I was a person to go on vacation with a laptop and at 6 a.m.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:02.480
and I'm wherever I am on vacation, and at 5 a.m.
00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:05.680
I'm checking my emails because I don't want to come back.
00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:14.559
You know, I was always in that work mode to leave getting to the top of the mountain as a CPO and then going straight into entrepreneurship.
00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.759
Girl, take your break.
00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:16.960
So that's what I did.
00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:18.880
So figure out where do you cut back?
00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:20.400
What do you cut back on?
00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.519
What do you do?
00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:23.680
Uh, where can you get more bang for your buck?
00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:27.839
If you are a lot of people, even in those this economy, are thinking of exiting.
00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:30.000
Negotiate that severance package, you know.
00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:32.000
That definitely helped me for sure.
00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:33.759
Also, to make that move.
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:34.480
Yeah.
00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:28.799
Okay.
00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:36.079
So it sounds like there's a lot of intentionality there and a lot of planning because you know that's what your priority is.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:39.839
You know that's something you you want in this season of entrepreneurship.
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:42.720
That's important that you're able to have that kind of flexibility.
00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:46.079
Um, so you plan around that, and that's how it works for you.
00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.680
If I understood that correctly.
00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:49.119
Yeah, absolutely.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:49.680
Okay.
00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:52.240
So let's go back a little bit.
00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:56.319
What about your childhood you think led you to where you are today?
00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.680
Oh, my mother.
00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:01.200
Like, don't even have to think about it.
00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:03.920
I had the mission, I'll start here.
00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:07.279
The mission for Sisterhood Society of what we do, what we provide.
00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:16.480
We say that we provide the tactical, emotional, and psychological needs for women of color to thrive.
00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.000
That's the mission.
00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.920
And again, sisterhood is built off of me as being like the blueprint.
00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:23.920
That's what my mother did for me.
00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:40.480
My mother created an environment that fostered a very resilient mind that got me to learn how to critically think early, critically think about the woman I wanted to become, how I wanted to live, where I wanted to live, what I wanted to do, how much money I want to make.
00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:43.359
She fostered an environment that let me know.
00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:46.400
And again, did I connect all these dots then?
00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:46.799
No.
00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:51.200
You're talking about her having helping me critically think in a second grade.
00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:52.640
I'm not putting the dots together.
00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:56.720
But of course, as I grow older, wow, I have these conversations with her now.
00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:58.559
You were teaching me agency.
00:23:58.640 --> 00:23:59.759
Did you realize that?
00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:04.480
And when I explain it and break it down how I understand it, she's like, huh.
00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.200
No.
00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:08.079
I didn't, I didn't think about it all like that.
00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:11.599
It was intentional but unintentional at the same time.
00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:14.559
But yeah, she taught me agency for a very early age.
00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.240
I have the power to choose.
00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:17.519
I'll do you one better.
00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:19.519
I have the power to become.
00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:21.200
Who do you want to be?
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.440
What do you want to accomplish?
00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:38.400
So much so that my value, what fosters my value is not based on what I acquire in degrees or accolades or titles or status or compensation.
00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:42.160
My worth and my value is what's done internally.
00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:44.079
And I say this often.
00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:48.000
Um I've gotten into deep conversations with different people about it.
00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:49.759
Take all this stuff away.
00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:51.599
Would I be less confident?
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:53.440
No, because I'm clear.
00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:55.359
Self-clarity is everything.
00:24:55.519 --> 00:25:11.759
My energy, my personality, my vivaciousness, knowing my my stroke of genius, which is being an activator, getting people to see what they do not see in themselves, what they're unaware that they're capable of, or what they're aware.
00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:13.920
This is do you know that this is a strength for you?
00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:18.400
Like, do you you're really your people assessment is is really good.
00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.440
You think so?
00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:21.359
Yeah, that's discernment.
00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:23.680
You have a very discerning eye.
00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:25.279
Lean into that.
00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:31.359
Don't second guess your decisions because clearly you you you're connecting to something.
00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:34.400
Lean into that intuition, it's gonna guide you.
00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.440
It's important.
00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:37.200
James Baldwin.
00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:41.039
He said, people that you love are gonna make you aware of the things that you don't see.
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.640
And do I love everybody?
00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:43.119
No.
00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:56.640
But as a leader, do I feel accountable to do that, to activate, to leave people with, even if it's a mere conversation of FYI, do you know what you can have?
00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:02.480
People leaving a firm, people leaving, asking themselves questions about possibility.
00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:04.880
Yes, I feel accountable to that.
00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:07.920
I think about we met at a networking event.
00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:10.960
We had this, it feels like a long car ride.
00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:14.319
It didn't feel long because the conversation was so rich.
00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:16.960
But that was a rich conversation.
00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:18.799
That was a conversation of affirmation.
00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:19.599
What's possible?
00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:21.119
Do you know how you navigate?
00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.160
This is what you do.
00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:24.079
Yeah, I I I have to.
00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:24.799
Have to.
00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:29.519
Talking about that, that that reminds me of, you know, exit strategies.
00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:32.240
Um, because I think we touched on that in the car as well.
00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:41.440
And you did mention earlier that people in this environment, people are probably thinking of exiting, or people are being laid off.
00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:45.599
So there are negotiations that can happen, at least around the exits.
00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:48.799
Is that something you want to touch on, considering the environment we're in?
00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:53.119
As far as like people thinking about leaving their jobs, how they should go about that?
00:26:53.359 --> 00:27:03.599
Yeah, just the environment that we're in and maybe how even maybe like people who probably work with you, how that could help them as they navigate this climate?
00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.519
Absolutely.
00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:10.240
I think the angle that I'll take is how how people reach out to me or when.
00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:16.160
You know, in this climate, people definitely reach out to me if they are feeling targeted at work.
00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:19.680
This is happening, this doesn't feel right, but I can't really put a name to it.
00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.799
Can I run this by you?
00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:26.559
Do you have, you know, can I take a 30-minute consultation or severance negotiations?
00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:30.880
I'm not a lawyer, I've always directed you to an attorney, right?
00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:38.960
But having an HR person that can be an ear to is this the right thing to negotiate, right?
00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:46.079
Not being a person who is leading you from getting a cut of what you're getting is a different perspective.
00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:48.240
So that's how I support people there.
00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:52.000
And also people wanting to, we this is a very tough climate.
00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:53.039
Um, it's interesting.
00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:59.359
I've had conversations with about three people in the last week where like, I want to leave my job.
00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.400
Like, why?
00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:03.599
Talking about age, it's it's all like a two-sided coin.
00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:11.359
I believe in agency, I believe in the power of choice, at the same time telling someone, hang on to your job.
00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:13.119
You don't know when you're gonna get another one.
00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.640
Is that really taking agency?
00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:18.240
That feels like really clinging to the bottom of the barrel, right?
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:20.480
I get it, but we need to be practical.
00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:31.200
Right now, to date, up until today, there are 650,000 black women that are laid off that cannot find work at every level.
00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:34.559
Something is to be said about that and can't find work.
00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:36.079
Is now the time to leave?
00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:37.359
And if you leave, what do you do?
00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:41.359
So I'm gonna add on another layer of complication that's like triple double talking.
00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.759
Well, what about if I'm at the end of my rope?
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:49.359
Like I rather struggle than endure what I'm doing from a well-being perspective.
00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.799
This is impacting my mental health.
00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:52.160
I have anxiety, etc.
00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.680
What is your plan?
00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:56.640
As women, we are going to feel.
00:28:56.799 --> 00:29:00.559
I think the goal, you know, we have all these conversations about femininity.
00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:02.160
Get in your feminine power.
00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:04.960
Proverbs 31 woman, she was planful.
00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:06.880
She was a strategic woman.
00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:11.519
She owned businesses, she ran the beach and everything in it.
00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:12.880
It's one thing to feel.
00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:14.799
The goal is not to be overcome.
00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:16.160
What is your plan?
00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:19.440
Absolutely.
00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:20.880
What is the plan?
00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:23.519
You know, I'd like to do a future self-exercise.
00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.640
What do you envision?
00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:25.200
What do you want?
00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:28.160
Where do you want to be at the end of the year?
00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:29.359
What do you want to have?
00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.799
What are you willing to give up?
00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.640
What are you willing to let go of?
00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:34.799
Oh, and can we really get to the good stuff?
00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:36.079
Can we really dig in?
00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:45.599
What are you willing to forego in your identity to become who you need to be, to have the rest, to have the peace, to have the well-being.
00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:50.319
You know, if I learn anything in entrepreneurship, it is the challenge of identity.
00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:52.240
There's so much hustle.
00:29:52.400 --> 00:30:02.480
You know, people talk about the hustle, you work more in entrepreneur, you work more nine to five, probably like nine to nine, eight to midnight in entrepreneurship than you do in a job.
00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:04.640
That's true, but it's not all hustle.
00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:10.319
There is the emotional text, there's the mental text, there's a spiritual text.
00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:12.079
All of that is on the internal.
00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:14.480
You need to become an entrepreneurship.
00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:15.599
That's how you succeed.
00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:17.119
Where's your mindset?
00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:18.559
You gotta be grounded.
00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:22.799
You got to be grounded, and there are days, there have been days.
00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:23.839
Let's be very clear.
00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:29.759
I'm like, get me back, I will take a nine to five tomorrow for the right opportunity.
00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:39.759
And you tie your rope because something that comes to mind is what if it was just two more weeks from now, but I gave up and I was about to get a contract.
00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:42.640
I'm not talking about from an employer, I'm talking about like a government contract.
00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:45.119
Like I could just like relax for a few years.
00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:50.480
Because I know people who have done it, who it's happened to, like, and I'm about to give up now.
00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:52.400
So that's gas in the tank.
00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:54.720
Have go in your affirmation box.
00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:59.039
Sometimes I go on LinkedIn, I read my recommendations.
00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:08.079
I have the cards, I always leave a job with a plethora of all birthday cards, appreciation cards, thank you cards, promotion cards, all the things.
00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:09.920
I keep those throughout the years.
00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:11.119
I have it in my house.
00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.160
I look at that.
00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:19.119
You need to find, and I spoke about this on another podcast, find your gems to be fuel for you, to keep going.
00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.559
Hustle ain't it.
00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:25.039
Hustle's gonna have that tire, the tire metal to the cement.
00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.720
Thank you for sharing that.
00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:27.599
Oh wow.
00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:30.240
That that's a that was a lot to take in.
00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:32.079
So thank you.
00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:37.759
And um can you at this time maybe tell us a little bit about more about Sisterhood?
00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.319
Sisterhood Society for Women of Color.
00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.200
Sure.
00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:43.920
Um, so you have our foundation story.
00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:48.079
We have some events coming up this year, potential partnerships.
00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:50.960
I'm just waiting for the green light, so stay tuned.
00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:55.200
Um, definitely want to have some resource giving when it comes to the job market.
00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:59.440
And that would be like the the main event for this year.
00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:08.480
You know, we go to a lot of events, we watch panels of people talking about their entrepreneurship journey, how they're how they're doing their thing.
00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:11.519
We mingle, maybe we do, maybe we don't.
00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:17.599
Mingle with people or make people we get put on a nice outfit for the day and we go home.
00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:23.119
But are you leaving with actionable things to get you out of the rut where you are?
00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:28.000
Like somebody, maybe you haven't gotten a job because your resume isn't formatted correctly.
00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:32.400
Maybe you don't know how to present yourself on paper and in person.
00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:37.440
Maybe you want to elevate to the next role, you're not sure what's holding you back.
00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:59.039
Really having an event where we can talk through from an internal space, get the therapy perspective, talk to a branding person and get that perspective, talk to an executive level leader, understand what you need to do, what is absent, and actually we'll have a hands-on workshop where you come in and you're leaving with like red pen.
00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:01.359
This is what you need to not do and change.
00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:03.599
We really want to provide resources this year.
00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:11.759
Um, we are also looking for schools to partner with because we have a partnership with Georgia State University, which that was our collegiate partner for last year to this year.
00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:14.559
And we're looking to extend more collegiate partnerships.
00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:19.440
So we're having conversations with schools now to see who is the next to add to our roster.
00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:21.279
I love hearing that.
00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:22.319
Oh my goodness.
00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:28.400
And we'll definitely be keeping um out, we'll be looking out for updates, especially I hear events.
00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:29.599
I love a good event.
00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:31.359
I will look out for those.
00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:36.559
And um, in terms of success, can you tell us what success means to you?
00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:43.440
What success means to me peace and ease and alignment.
00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:49.599
To have peace in your mind, how your life is functioning.
00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:54.079
When I think of my friendships, they feel fruitful, they're peaceful.
00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:56.880
There's no drama, no what does that mean?
00:33:57.119 --> 00:33:57.599
Shade.
00:33:57.920 --> 00:33:59.119
There's nothing going on.
00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:02.240
We pour in, I pour out, they pour in.
00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:03.920
We're pictures for each other.
00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:08.239
You know, when I have ease, sure, there's gonna be a challenge that you're working on.
00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:14.639
Ease doesn't mean I think that life or you you get to a season where there's nothing going on.
00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:17.280
There's gonna be things going on, sure.
00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:26.320
But you're navigating, you're not freezing like stuck and unsure, you're not having anxiety, you're you're you're confident.
00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:30.159
You know, it's I almost I think of an I think in analogy.
00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:34.320
So I almost think of like boat is at sail and sea.
00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:43.360
You're not fighting against the wave, you found your sail, you're just moving forward, regardless of how the waves start to roll.
00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:46.960
It it doesn't keep you from moving forward in your path.
00:34:47.119 --> 00:34:48.400
Just having that ease.
00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:51.599
Things there will be challenges, but things don't feel hard.
00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:59.519
And above all, alignment, the relationships that I have in my life are I'm aligned with these people.
00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:04.639
I'm aligned with the people that are my friends, my tribe.
00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:10.960
I'm aligned with my professional community that I have, those I've chosen to have in my professional community.
00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:18.960
You know, when you're not in alignment, it doesn't have to be chaos, it's closure because you got clear that this person isn't going into the season.
00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:22.320
You know, you have to recognize when it's time to get off the boat.
00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:30.000
It can be hurtful and hard to close doors that you had all the plans for.
00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:33.840
Like we're gonna do this, we're gonna do that person is not in this chapter.
00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:36.960
That's the season is up, and that's okay.
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:39.599
And that's okay, right?
00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:44.639
So, yeah, having full alignment, having ease, and having peace.
00:35:44.800 --> 00:35:46.559
Having a peace of mind is priceless.
00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:48.000
You don't really know until you don't have it.
00:35:48.159 --> 00:35:50.960
That that to me is success.
00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:55.519
And what is interesting about those three things, peace, ease, and alignment.
00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:58.960
People think like, oh, I'm successful when I'm making this money.
00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:00.320
I didn't say nothing about that.
00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:04.239
Because the people could have all the money in the world and had have those three things.
00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:08.079
I think success for me is very much so internal.
00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:11.920
My second part to that answer is the why.
00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:14.159
Has your why been fulfilled?
00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:17.599
When your why is fulfilled, that's when you're successful.
00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:20.559
My why was making my mother proud.
00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:26.320
Like, my I talk about, I mean, anyone who knows me, my mom is gonna come about, my mom, my mom, my mom.
00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:31.519
And I've done that six times around the sun.
00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:35.440
It's not that I am going to become successful.
00:36:35.599 --> 00:36:36.880
I am successful.
00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:45.599
She knows that every every sacrifice, every dream that she has ever had in her heart for me has been realized.
00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:49.920
And she likes me as a person, as a woman.
00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:51.599
She enjoys me.
00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:56.639
There's many people who have kids, but you don't like like the spirit of your child and how they are.
00:36:56.719 --> 00:37:00.480
You don't like them, but you love them because they're your child.
00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:02.000
My mother likes me.
00:37:02.239 --> 00:37:04.000
She likes me, she loves me.
00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:04.800
It's great.
00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:09.039
I did what I was supposed to do, and I will honor her to the end of time.
00:37:09.280 --> 00:37:11.440
That's my that's my thank you to her.
00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:12.880
I love that.
00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:15.119
Thanks so much for sharing all of that with us.
00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:16.719
You've been dropping gems.
00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:17.599
I can say that.
00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:20.639
I wish I could sing because I'll just be singing a song right now.
00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:24.480
Um, this conversation has made me very, very happy.
00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:28.079
And I'm just really glad that you spent this time with us.
00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:34.480
If there is one thing you'd like to leave with our audience, just one quick thing, what would that be?
00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:38.320
Find out who you are and never let that person go.
00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:56.559
Life is gonna throw so much at you, whether you're trying to do entrepreneurship, whether you're at work dealing with a in a toxic environment, toxic boss, whether you are in complicated uh relationships, friendships, personal relationships, you have to be grounded and know who you are.
00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:58.000
You have to be centered.
00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:01.360
It's so important to be anchored, right?
00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:05.760
That no one can tell you who you are except your maker.
00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:07.280
And you be swayed.
00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:09.360
You start second-guessing yourself.
00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:12.079
You need to be confident in how you move in the world.
00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:16.000
And confidence comes with being aware and informed.
00:38:16.239 --> 00:38:28.079
And you can only be confident in yourself when you are clear on who you are and who you are not, what you bring, what's your stroke of genius, is what you don't do too well, but need to improve.
00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:32.960
I think knowing who you are is like an anchor of life, it's vital.
00:38:33.199 --> 00:38:35.599
Yeah, and we do see that confidence.
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:37.440
We see it, we feel it.
00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:40.800
I know you're very, very confident, and I love that.
00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:46.000
Um, so what's the best way that people can reach out to you?
00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:48.719
Yes, LinkedIn DMs.
00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:51.920
I'm always here for LinkedIn Message.
00:38:52.159 --> 00:38:59.599
Um, I'm also uh also um my email, so Yasbeen at Duncan Workforce Solutions.
00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:05.199
That is my other business, my HR Workforce Advisory email.
00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:16.159
We're at the end, but I just want to say when you talk about your mom, your relationship with your mom, when I see the confidence that comes through, I I feel like it's everything I want for my daughter and myself.
00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:20.880
The the relationship that you have and just the way you present to the world.
00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:23.280
Like that's how I see my Sierra being.
00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:24.800
So thank you so much.
00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:26.880
Thank you.
00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:28.639
You are so welcome.
00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:32.480
Mom, moms are like the heart of life, I promise you.
00:39:32.719 --> 00:39:38.639
And I always encourage people who have kids, ask them these questions.
00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:43.920
My mom was asking, my mom would tell me in the second grade when I got home from school.
00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:47.119
We still talk about the second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade.
00:39:47.280 --> 00:39:49.599
I remember all she was like, So, what do you want to do?
00:39:50.239 --> 00:39:50.800
What do you want to do?
00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:56.000
You gotta know, yes, me, you gotta know what you want to do, who you want, the woman you want to be, where you want to live, how you want to live.
00:39:56.079 --> 00:39:58.400
So we would keep going through those questions all the time.
00:39:58.559 --> 00:40:00.320
This was a regular conversation, every grade.
00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:02.239
So so you knew you you knew it.
00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:04.559
There was no way you not know it.
00:40:04.880 --> 00:40:07.199
Yeah, I never deviated.
00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:11.199
I ultimately I started off with an archaeologist, I wanted to be an archaeologist.
00:40:11.280 --> 00:40:13.119
I gave that up because how how do you do that?
00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:17.599
And where I'm from, listen, it's not even it's so far out of the park.
00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:23.119
Then I went through social work for a while, psychologist for a while, but I ended up in HR.
00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:26.239
Um, but what does social workers and psychologists do?
00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:27.039
They help people.
00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:27.920
What do I do?
00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.800
I help people.
00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:35.519
My mom didn't even my mom was giving me a North Star that I was always working towards, even when I didn't realize it.
00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:37.039
Yeah, I love that.
00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:38.000
I love that.
00:40:38.239 --> 00:40:40.159
Thank you so much, Yasmin.
00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:42.559
And I feel like there will be a part two.
00:40:42.800 --> 00:40:45.119
I can't I love having those conversations with you.
00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:46.239
So I let me know.
00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:48.559
Yes, I hope we get on here again soon.
00:40:48.719 --> 00:40:50.639
Thank you so much and have a good day.
00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:51.599
You too.
00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:23.120
Good day and welcome to another episode of our podcast, Begin Build Plos on your Business Journey.
00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:26.000
Today we are with us Yasmin Duncan.
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She's a seasoned HR executive with over 20 years of experience and a two-time entrepreneur.
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She is the founder and principal of Duncan Workforce Solutions, a workforce advisory firm that supports growth stage organizations and public sector agencies with strategic people and workforce solutions.
00:01:48.879 --> 00:02:06.560
She is also the founder of Sisterhood Society for Women of Color, an organization dedicated to equipping Black women with the tactical, psychological, and emotional resources needed to thrive personally and professionally.
00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:11.599
Yasmin's entrepreneurial philosophy centers on accountability to mission.
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As a founder, she believes leadership requires more than completing tasks, it requires embodying the vision.
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By leaving the message she champions, she strives to be both a resource and an example for the women she serves.
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Thank you so much for joining us, Yasmin.
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How are you doing?
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I'm doing well.
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Thank you so much for having me.
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I'm looking forward to this conversation.
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Same here.
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I'm so happy that I got to meet you at that event in the city.
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Yes.
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I want to shout out Christina Bryan.
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She has the most amazing events.
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I meet the most amazing people too.
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Her event was definitely awesome.
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I can't wait to the next one.
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Yes.
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And you know what's interesting?
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We found out we actually lived in the same neighborhood.
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Yes.
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Like seven people.
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And I'm because usually people are like, where?
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Where is that?
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So to literally meet you along with six other women who live in the area was just so funny.
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But I'm so happy to get connected.
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Yes, yes.
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I'm so glad for this community, and I'm glad that we're, you know, keeping in touch and you know, doing this episode.
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Yes.
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So let's get started.
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Let's get to learn a little bit more about you.
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We always ask our guests to give us two words: one that describes you now, and one you would have used to describe yourself as a child.
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I love this question.
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As a child, I would say childlike wonder.
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Not one word, but it's that, or if I had to boil that down, definitely wonder.
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I had very strong imagination as a child.
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You know, I had an imagination that was fostered in my home to know nothing was outside of me, nothing was outside of my reach.
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There was nothing that I wasn't capable of accomplishing, accomplishing, attaining, having, no matter what I had to endure.
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You know, so it built like a very relentless spirit in me.
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I think now as an adult, definitely sustained fire.
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I am very passionate about women, women of color, people taking stepping into agency, women stepping agency, men stepping in agency, knowing the power of choice and that you can create the life that you desire to live and have the kind of relationships that you desire to have.
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Do fulfilling things.
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You can live a fulfilling life.
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The end of every week, it shouldn't be this, like, oh, I made it.
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And and I mean, listen, do you feel like that?
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Yeah, that that can definitely be a common feeling.
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But should it be?
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You know, those are things that I challenge.
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Should it be?
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You know, did we have all the intentions that we should have had, could have had, should have made with our time, with how we move in the world.
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Thanks so much for sharing that with us.
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I really love that.
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And um, if you were to travel somewhere today, where would that be?
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Jamaica.
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Ooh, that came out so quickly.
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Why'd you immediately let me tell you something?
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And maybe this was something that I manifested, but there were two places as a child that I would get like really, really excited about when they showed uh commercials.
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It's crazy because TV, you don't see any of these things anymore.
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But they would show commercials of Walt Disney World, come to Disney World, these family commercials.
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I was like, oh my god, I gotta go to Walt Disney World.
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And the other place was Jamaica, and there was this commercial come to Jamaica.
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The Lord.
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When I tell you, I would be like, I would get so excited jumping up and down the screen, and my mom was like, oh lord, here goes my favorite commercial.
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And of course, as soon as I turned 18, I got my passport.
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That was the first place I went.
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And I have to say, maybe it's because I wanted to go there so long for so long and finally to go.
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I never traveled somewhere where I stepped off the plane.
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As soon as we came through and I'm in the airport, I felt like I was home.
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I felt like I've been there a thousand places, a thousand times before.
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I remember waiting for the taxi.
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I just I felt like I like it wasn't the first time I've never traveled anywhere and felt at home.
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Like this is a good thing.
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I love that.
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I love that.
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I mean, I felt actually more home than here.
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So I could see me living in Jamaica one day, but listen, I may change my mind when I go to Africa.
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Because I have some friends who went to Africa and it's just life-changing.
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A good friend of mine just came back.
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Uh, we um caught up this week, so that's definitely on the bucket list.
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Thanks.
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Is there a um which country in particular are you thinking of?
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I was thinking of Ghana.
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Ghana.
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Okay.
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Okay.
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Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania.
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Okay.
00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:07.279
I do want to visit as well.
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So let me know when you're going, okay?
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Yes.
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All right.
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And if there is one book or movie you'd recommend, which would it be?
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The movie, well, the first that comes to mind, which I've actually had mentees of mine go watch this, is Molly's Game.
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And it was based on a true story of a woman named Molly who um was down on her luck, ended up getting a job as like a receptionist to someone who would run a gambling ring offline outside of work hours.
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And at first, you know, she's there helping him, but she saw how much money they were making.
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And then he started to tip her.
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Then it's like, huh, well, wow, I'm I'm bringing in some money, you know.
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Then they got into it.
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I don't want to tell the whole story.
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She ended up running her own ring, and you know, the story takes off.
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But she was in the Olympics.
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I mean, she's had like a really dynamic life, and I think there's so much to take from it as far as how you operate from a place of strategy, not reactiveness, not being, you know, hyper-emotional, but really being strategic in how you move, navigating politics and being having like a level of resolve and being grounded as you level up.
00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:38.559
I think that was a masterclass in a woman in her leadership, especially starting off in leadership and figuring out like what is my leadership style, how do I move, how do I operate?
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You know, when you're climbing the ranks, especially in corporate, that comes to mind, you know, as far as how do I establish my authenticity, how I sound, how I talk, what do I say, this level of overthinking.
00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:57.360
She moved through the world with such precision, even when she wasn't clear on what she was doing, you wouldn't know.
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There was such a confidence there.
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She also didn't mix business, she was snatched.
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This woman was pulled.
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She was, she came when she came to her poker game, she was collected, she was very together.
00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:13.200
But she ran it as a businesswoman.
00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:18.559
She didn't, she didn't mix get miss mixy to run her business and be successful.
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She held the line.
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There was a just a lot there, and it's a true story.
00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:27.600
Movie wasn't fabricated at all, but definitely a lot of gems to pull from.
00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:28.240
Okay.
00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:29.039
Wow.
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Now I have to go watch.
00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:33.919
Thanks for sharing that with us.
00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:39.200
Um, so talking about business women and you're a two-time entrepreneur.
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Tell us, um, based on your experience, what's one of the highest moments you've had in business so far?
00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:47.200
Oh, wow.
00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:56.240
By far, um, you know, we started, I was divinely inspired to start Sisterhood Society in fall of 2018.
00:09:56.399 --> 00:10:00.320
We launched January 2020 because of COVID and all the things in the world.
00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:12.639
We had to pivot online and to come in person and have our event with a partnership, a collegiate partnership with Pace University, and have it be a sold-out room, not a seat in the house.
00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:26.159
And have all of the people who have followed us throughout the years and stayed with us, even when we took our pause and took our break, come out, was just absolutely everything coupled with the women that I have been networking with.
00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:32.480
Once at that point, I was a global chief people officer at a global company.
00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:35.840
That was huge to have that level of support.
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It was like seeing all the things, you know.
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I remember my sister being there, and she's meeting people, you know, people just walking on to people.
00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:46.159
Hi, how do you know Yasmeen?
00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.200
How do you know Yasmeen?
00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:49.039
How'd you find out about sisterhood?
00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:54.000
And as I'm walking through the room, greeting people, um, passing by and hearing stories.
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Oh, I met her because she got me a job.
00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:00.320
She looked at my resume, she connected me with a recruiter.
00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:02.720
You know, she was my mentee at a point.
00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:04.080
She gave me feedback.
00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:05.840
She actually had me on a pip.
00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:06.960
I grew.
00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.440
I she challenged me higher.
00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:20.320
You know, I was able to hear the whispers of my legacy as I maintained the line and my authority and my authenticity and how I operate and who I am and how I move.
00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.879
It was also a highlight because I was the keynote.
00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:24.000
I'm like, we're gonna have an event.
00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:24.879
We need a keynote.
00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:25.919
I'm not, it was a given.
00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.120
I'm I'm the keynote.
00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:34.879
You know, I I it didn't even come into mind to have somebody else be the keynote for the event.
00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:50.559
You know, this was my time to really share the sustained fire within me of why I decided to do this movement, why I decided to build an organization around being a blueprint, being the only in the room.
00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:52.320
But what did I do about being the only?
00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:53.679
Was I intimidated by it?
00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:55.279
Was I overcome by it?
00:11:55.519 --> 00:12:04.159
Or did I find my stride and run my race and share my strategies with people I met along the way?
00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:09.360
You know, I I've come to experience a lot of things in the in the corporate run.
00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:24.000
And it's been interesting to and highly disappointing to meet people who look like me who I'm like, oh, you know, I meet another woman or a woman of color who director, VP, and asking, how did you get here?
00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:26.240
How do you know you want the tips of the trade?
00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:31.120
And you're kind of met with a cold shoulder, like, you know, I'm like, you know, do you mentor?
00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:32.559
No, I don't have time for that.
00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:33.679
Well, you'll figure it out.
00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:36.480
I have to climb the ropes, you have to do the same.
00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:41.759
There hasn't been that pay it forward, and I feel highly responsible and accountable.
00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:46.720
Not only because, okay, I'm the only I should do something.
00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:52.320
No, that I'm I'm accountable to this mission, I'm accountable to the movement and how I operate.
00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:53.840
How am I with women?
00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:54.799
Am I welcoming?
00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:55.519
Am I opening?
00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.639
Am I sharing resources?
00:12:56.799 --> 00:12:58.399
Am I being a resource?
00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:05.600
And that day was a reminder that I lived my message and it was on display.
00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.559
And that's the the highest height.
00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:12.799
Yes, and there were there was a lot of affirmation in that room, from what I can hear.
00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:13.919
So that's great.
00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:23.840
And then I'm glad that you have a different approach to some of you know, you did talk about some of the experience you had where people you don't lift as they climb.
00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:26.559
So I'm glad that you do differently.
00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:34.000
And um, in terms of one of the lowest moments you've had, or not so good moments, is there any that comes to mind?
00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:49.759
I would say earlier on in my career, being overlooked, being counted out, being assumed not to have the rigor for the task at hand, for just assume like I don't know if she could do that.
00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:52.240
You haven't tested the vehicle, you don't know.
00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:59.279
You know, you can't say that the car doesn't go up to six to 90 miles per hour if you haven't gotten a car, right?
00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:09.120
And those moments are disappointing, sure, but I've always found them to be fuel and gas for me.
00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:11.440
I hear that's sustained fire there again.
00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:20.159
I've always it's consistent, it's consistent and not to prove to anyone, you're counting me out.
00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:21.600
No, I can do this.
00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:39.759
No, for me, it was an opportunity to show myself what I'm capable of and how I can navigate and endure without scratch, without compromising my authenticity, without shrinking and rising to the occasion.
00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:42.000
Like, girl, look what you did.
00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:42.960
Note that.
00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:46.879
You have to be your own cheerleader.
00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:48.240
Yes, you do.
00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:49.200
You gotta be.
00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:50.879
Nobody's gonna do it.
00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:53.600
Nobody's coming to save you.
00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.639
I can see where the sisterhood came from.
00:14:56.799 --> 00:15:01.200
I can hear that passion, I can hear all the experiences that led to that.
00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:04.399
Um, so I can't wait to hear even more about that.
00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:08.000
Um, but you did um allude to what you did before.
00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:12.480
So can you tell us a little bit about what you did before entrepreneurship?
00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:13.600
Sure.
00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:22.799
So I was, and I have been, I say was, because you know, I always go back and forth in these moments, but I I do feel like my I had my career.
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.200
You know, now it's pivoted to something else.
00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.799
But I I have been um in H NHR for 20 years.
00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:30.799
I worked in a myriad of different industries.
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:38.960
Fashion beauty, retail startup, hospitality with hotels, union environment, so much fun.
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.759
You name it, I have done it.
00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:48.240
Um tech as well, staffing agency, worked in a myriad of different industries.
00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:57.679
And every industry you add onto the tool belt, you have another tool to add to other plethora of diversity of things that you offer.
00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:27.200
What works in one environment won't work in others, you know, and I bring that into sisterhood and also my consultancy Duncan Workforce Solutions, bringing those tools, those resources, so that I can be an asset wherever I am planted and whoever I am assigned to help from a mentee, but mentor perspective, or being a coach at an organization, or being an HR strategist and workforce planning for organizations and government agencies.
00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.559
Okay, all right.
00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:34.399
And can you do you think you remember the first time you thought that you would actually start your own business?
00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:36.639
And well, business is for you.
00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:43.039
When I was still in school pursuing my bachelor's, like I knew that wanted to be my angle.
00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:45.600
Like I knew for me, success.
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:50.799
Listen, I don't care what your title is, I don't care if you're a CEO of a company.
00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:55.840
There is somebody else signing that that board you're employed to, right?
00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.919
That private equity firm you're employed to.
00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:03.919
You're still an employee, you're still at the mercy of the decisions of other people.
00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.240
You know, and it's a lot when it's all on you.
00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:08.559
I am learning as the day goes on.
00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:13.920
It's a lot on you, but I can create the environment that I desire to work in.
00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.240
I could work when I desire to work.
00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:18.400
I can take a break when I desire to take a break.
00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.880
I can take the summers off if that's what I want to do.
00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:23.279
I can schedule things around so I can do it.
00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:27.200
Last year, I took three months off.
00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:29.599
There was no PTO request.
00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:36.720
I was out from June till um the end of August, really like the first week of September.
00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:44.079
I was traveling, I was with my mom and my family, all up and down the California coast, different islands.
00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:46.240
I mean, the only thing I do was go to Africa.
00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:46.720
Okay.
00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:49.200
And that's great.
00:17:49.359 --> 00:18:09.279
I knew that I wanted to be able to be on my own schedule, but also be able to build out to the point where all the people that I've worked with, maybe not all, that's not realistic, but I'm just saying, the people that I know that are amazing, that are culture ads to organizations that haven't overlooked, haven't gotten opportunities, haven't gotten chances.
00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:20.240
What would it be like to be in a position to put them in position and have an organization that has a phenomenal culture and you have top talent at every level?
00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:21.680
That's the dream.
00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:22.640
That's the dream.
00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:25.440
Now you said something that intrigued me.
00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:28.160
You said you took three months off.
00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:48.000
Now, a lot of people do go into entrepreneurship to be able to do things like that, but it doesn't always work out because when I'm, you know, there's this thing they say about um you leave the job to another, like you're your worst boss sometimes, because you basically go into entrepreneurship, but you just created another job for yourself and you work even harder than you ever had before.
00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:53.759
So, how do you get to the point where you actually can take three months off and come back?
00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.119
Like what systems you put in place?
00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:56.079
How does that work?
00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:57.119
I want to know.
00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:05.200
I have to say, like, entrepreneurship is a hustle that I've never even, in all the hustles that I have, I've never encountered this level.
00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:08.319
It's like, did you really know what you were signing up for?
00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:10.960
And it definitely has its days.
00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:19.519
Um, I will say that once June hit the hustle of, because I work with government contracts, so writing proposals, right?
00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.480
Also looking at part-time contractual work, right?
00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:32.640
Because it's all about having income coming in, or even applying for jobs if you see something that you come across, even though you're doing entrepreneurship, but you're always thinking about another um revenue stream.
00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.920
I was tired.
00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.400
And I'm like, okay, well, what feasibly do I need to cut back on?
00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:40.160
What do I need not to do?
00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:42.799
Where do I go to get the most bang for my buck?
00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:48.480
And my, you know, sweetie was gonna join, my cat was gonna join us at some point because she cannot be away from me for a long period of time.
00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:52.240
It's even shocking that we were on this long and she hasn't jumped on.
00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:54.720
And what can I cut back on?
00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:59.039
You know, where can I go for more to go more places, more bang for your buck?
00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.680
And I said, Yeah, um, I need a break.
00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:07.039
And I'm a person that that definitely does prioritize my well-being.
00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.000
How do I feel?
00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:09.200
How am I feeling internally?
00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.160
Do I need to breathe?
00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:10.799
Do I need a moment?
00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:12.079
Do I need a walk?
00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:14.880
You know, do I need to take a step back?
00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:23.599
And I went from 20 years of HR, I mean, my first year as a CPO, I took one day off the entire year.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:28.720
I came into so many priorities of things I needed to get done.
00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:38.000
I'm sure my team was ready to like wreck me, you know, nine months in, like, if this woman, but we had a lot to get in place quickly because a lot was happening.
00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:41.839
And although I stayed working, I did not put that on my team.
00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:44.319
I let all my team take their vacations.
00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:50.400
So I did not take one because I filled in so they could be out and they could get their rest.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:55.680
So yeah, to go from 20 years back to back, barely taking vacation.
00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:59.440
I was a person to go on vacation with a laptop and at 6 a.m.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:02.480
and I'm wherever I am on vacation, and at 5 a.m.
00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:05.680
I'm checking my emails because I don't want to come back.
00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:14.559
You know, I was always in that work mode to leave getting to the top of the mountain as a CPO and then going straight into entrepreneurship.
00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.759
Girl, take your break.
00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:16.960
So that's what I did.
00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:18.880
So figure out where do you cut back?
00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:20.400
What do you cut back on?
00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.519
What do you do?
00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:23.680
Uh, where can you get more bang for your buck?
00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:27.839
If you are a lot of people, even in those this economy, are thinking of exiting.
00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:30.000
Negotiate that severance package, you know.
00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:32.000
That definitely helped me for sure.
00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:33.759
Also, to make that move.
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:34.480
Yeah.
00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:28.799
Okay.
00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:36.079
So it sounds like there's a lot of intentionality there and a lot of planning because you know that's what your priority is.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:39.839
You know that's something you you want in this season of entrepreneurship.
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:42.720
That's important that you're able to have that kind of flexibility.
00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:46.079
Um, so you plan around that, and that's how it works for you.
00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.680
If I understood that correctly.
00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:49.119
Yeah, absolutely.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:49.680
Okay.
00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:52.240
So let's go back a little bit.
00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:56.319
What about your childhood you think led you to where you are today?
00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.680
Oh, my mother.
00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:01.200
Like, don't even have to think about it.
00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:03.920
I had the mission, I'll start here.
00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:07.279
The mission for Sisterhood Society of what we do, what we provide.
00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:16.480
We say that we provide the tactical, emotional, and psychological needs for women of color to thrive.
00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.000
That's the mission.
00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.920
And again, sisterhood is built off of me as being like the blueprint.
00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:23.920
That's what my mother did for me.
00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:40.480
My mother created an environment that fostered a very resilient mind that got me to learn how to critically think early, critically think about the woman I wanted to become, how I wanted to live, where I wanted to live, what I wanted to do, how much money I want to make.
00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:43.359
She fostered an environment that let me know.
00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:46.400
And again, did I connect all these dots then?
00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:46.799
No.
00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:51.200
You're talking about her having helping me critically think in a second grade.
00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:52.640
I'm not putting the dots together.
00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:56.720
But of course, as I grow older, wow, I have these conversations with her now.
00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:58.559
You were teaching me agency.
00:23:58.640 --> 00:23:59.759
Did you realize that?
00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:04.480
And when I explain it and break it down how I understand it, she's like, huh.
00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.200
No.
00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:08.079
I didn't, I didn't think about it all like that.
00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:11.599
It was intentional but unintentional at the same time.
00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:14.559
But yeah, she taught me agency for a very early age.
00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.240
I have the power to choose.
00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:17.519
I'll do you one better.
00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:19.519
I have the power to become.
00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:21.200
Who do you want to be?
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.440
What do you want to accomplish?
00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:38.400
So much so that my value, what fosters my value is not based on what I acquire in degrees or accolades or titles or status or compensation.
00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:42.160
My worth and my value is what's done internally.
00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:44.079
And I say this often.
00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:48.000
Um I've gotten into deep conversations with different people about it.
00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:49.759
Take all this stuff away.
00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:51.599
Would I be less confident?
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:53.440
No, because I'm clear.
00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:55.359
Self-clarity is everything.
00:24:55.519 --> 00:25:11.759
My energy, my personality, my vivaciousness, knowing my my stroke of genius, which is being an activator, getting people to see what they do not see in themselves, what they're unaware that they're capable of, or what they're aware.
00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:13.920
This is do you know that this is a strength for you?
00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:18.400
Like, do you you're really your people assessment is is really good.
00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.440
You think so?
00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:21.359
Yeah, that's discernment.
00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:23.680
You have a very discerning eye.
00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:25.279
Lean into that.
00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:31.359
Don't second guess your decisions because clearly you you you're connecting to something.
00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:34.400
Lean into that intuition, it's gonna guide you.
00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.440
It's important.
00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:37.200
James Baldwin.
00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:41.039
He said, people that you love are gonna make you aware of the things that you don't see.
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.640
And do I love everybody?
00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:43.119
No.
00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:56.640
But as a leader, do I feel accountable to do that, to activate, to leave people with, even if it's a mere conversation of FYI, do you know what you can have?
00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:02.480
People leaving a firm, people leaving, asking themselves questions about possibility.
00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:04.880
Yes, I feel accountable to that.
00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:07.920
I think about we met at a networking event.
00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:10.960
We had this, it feels like a long car ride.
00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:14.319
It didn't feel long because the conversation was so rich.
00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:16.960
But that was a rich conversation.
00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:18.799
That was a conversation of affirmation.
00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:19.599
What's possible?
00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:21.119
Do you know how you navigate?
00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.160
This is what you do.
00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:24.079
Yeah, I I I have to.
00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:24.799
Have to.
00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:29.519
Talking about that, that that reminds me of, you know, exit strategies.
00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:32.240
Um, because I think we touched on that in the car as well.
00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:41.440
And you did mention earlier that people in this environment, people are probably thinking of exiting, or people are being laid off.
00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:45.599
So there are negotiations that can happen, at least around the exits.
00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:48.799
Is that something you want to touch on, considering the environment we're in?
00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:53.119
As far as like people thinking about leaving their jobs, how they should go about that?
00:26:53.359 --> 00:27:03.599
Yeah, just the environment that we're in and maybe how even maybe like people who probably work with you, how that could help them as they navigate this climate?
00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.519
Absolutely.
00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:10.240
I think the angle that I'll take is how how people reach out to me or when.
00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:16.160
You know, in this climate, people definitely reach out to me if they are feeling targeted at work.
00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:19.680
This is happening, this doesn't feel right, but I can't really put a name to it.
00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.799
Can I run this by you?
00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:26.559
Do you have, you know, can I take a 30-minute consultation or severance negotiations?
00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:30.880
I'm not a lawyer, I've always directed you to an attorney, right?
00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:38.960
But having an HR person that can be an ear to is this the right thing to negotiate, right?
00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:46.079
Not being a person who is leading you from getting a cut of what you're getting is a different perspective.
00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:48.240
So that's how I support people there.
00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:52.000
And also people wanting to, we this is a very tough climate.
00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:53.039
Um, it's interesting.
00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:59.359
I've had conversations with about three people in the last week where like, I want to leave my job.
00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.400
Like, why?
00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:03.599
Talking about age, it's it's all like a two-sided coin.
00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:11.359
I believe in agency, I believe in the power of choice, at the same time telling someone, hang on to your job.
00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:13.119
You don't know when you're gonna get another one.
00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.640
Is that really taking agency?
00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:18.240
That feels like really clinging to the bottom of the barrel, right?
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:20.480
I get it, but we need to be practical.
00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:31.200
Right now, to date, up until today, there are 650,000 black women that are laid off that cannot find work at every level.
00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:34.559
Something is to be said about that and can't find work.
00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:36.079
Is now the time to leave?
00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:37.359
And if you leave, what do you do?
00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:41.359
So I'm gonna add on another layer of complication that's like triple double talking.
00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.759
Well, what about if I'm at the end of my rope?
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:49.359
Like I rather struggle than endure what I'm doing from a well-being perspective.
00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.799
This is impacting my mental health.
00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:52.160
I have anxiety, etc.
00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.680
What is your plan?
00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:56.640
As women, we are going to feel.
00:28:56.799 --> 00:29:00.559
I think the goal, you know, we have all these conversations about femininity.
00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:02.160
Get in your feminine power.
00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:04.960
Proverbs 31 woman, she was planful.
00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:06.880
She was a strategic woman.
00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:11.519
She owned businesses, she ran the beach and everything in it.
00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:12.880
It's one thing to feel.
00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:14.799
The goal is not to be overcome.
00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:16.160
What is your plan?
00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:19.440
Absolutely.
00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:20.880
What is the plan?
00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:23.519
You know, I'd like to do a future self-exercise.
00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.640
What do you envision?
00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:25.200
What do you want?
00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:28.160
Where do you want to be at the end of the year?
00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:29.359
What do you want to have?
00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.799
What are you willing to give up?
00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.640
What are you willing to let go of?
00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:34.799
Oh, and can we really get to the good stuff?
00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:36.079
Can we really dig in?
00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:45.599
What are you willing to forego in your identity to become who you need to be, to have the rest, to have the peace, to have the well-being.
00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:50.319
You know, if I learn anything in entrepreneurship, it is the challenge of identity.
00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:52.240
There's so much hustle.
00:29:52.400 --> 00:30:02.480
You know, people talk about the hustle, you work more in entrepreneur, you work more nine to five, probably like nine to nine, eight to midnight in entrepreneurship than you do in a job.
00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:04.640
That's true, but it's not all hustle.
00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:10.319
There is the emotional text, there's the mental text, there's a spiritual text.
00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:12.079
All of that is on the internal.
00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:14.480
You need to become an entrepreneurship.
00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:15.599
That's how you succeed.
00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:17.119
Where's your mindset?
00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:18.559
You gotta be grounded.
00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:22.799
You got to be grounded, and there are days, there have been days.
00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:23.839
Let's be very clear.
00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:29.759
I'm like, get me back, I will take a nine to five tomorrow for the right opportunity.
00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:39.759
And you tie your rope because something that comes to mind is what if it was just two more weeks from now, but I gave up and I was about to get a contract.
00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:42.640
I'm not talking about from an employer, I'm talking about like a government contract.
00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:45.119
Like I could just like relax for a few years.
00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:50.480
Because I know people who have done it, who it's happened to, like, and I'm about to give up now.
00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:52.400
So that's gas in the tank.
00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:54.720
Have go in your affirmation box.
00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:59.039
Sometimes I go on LinkedIn, I read my recommendations.
00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:08.079
I have the cards, I always leave a job with a plethora of all birthday cards, appreciation cards, thank you cards, promotion cards, all the things.
00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:09.920
I keep those throughout the years.
00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:11.119
I have it in my house.
00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.160
I look at that.
00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:19.119
You need to find, and I spoke about this on another podcast, find your gems to be fuel for you, to keep going.
00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.559
Hustle ain't it.
00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:25.039
Hustle's gonna have that tire, the tire metal to the cement.
00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.720
Thank you for sharing that.
00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:27.599
Oh wow.
00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:30.240
That that's a that was a lot to take in.
00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:32.079
So thank you.
00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:37.759
And um can you at this time maybe tell us a little bit about more about Sisterhood?
00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.319
Sisterhood Society for Women of Color.
00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.200
Sure.
00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:43.920
Um, so you have our foundation story.
00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:48.079
We have some events coming up this year, potential partnerships.
00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:50.960
I'm just waiting for the green light, so stay tuned.
00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:55.200
Um, definitely want to have some resource giving when it comes to the job market.
00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:59.440
And that would be like the the main event for this year.
00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:08.480
You know, we go to a lot of events, we watch panels of people talking about their entrepreneurship journey, how they're how they're doing their thing.
00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:11.519
We mingle, maybe we do, maybe we don't.
00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:17.599
Mingle with people or make people we get put on a nice outfit for the day and we go home.
00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:23.119
But are you leaving with actionable things to get you out of the rut where you are?
00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:28.000
Like somebody, maybe you haven't gotten a job because your resume isn't formatted correctly.
00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:32.400
Maybe you don't know how to present yourself on paper and in person.
00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:37.440
Maybe you want to elevate to the next role, you're not sure what's holding you back.
00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:59.039
Really having an event where we can talk through from an internal space, get the therapy perspective, talk to a branding person and get that perspective, talk to an executive level leader, understand what you need to do, what is absent, and actually we'll have a hands-on workshop where you come in and you're leaving with like red pen.
00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:01.359
This is what you need to not do and change.
00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:03.599
We really want to provide resources this year.
00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:11.759
Um, we are also looking for schools to partner with because we have a partnership with Georgia State University, which that was our collegiate partner for last year to this year.
00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:14.559
And we're looking to extend more collegiate partnerships.
00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:19.440
So we're having conversations with schools now to see who is the next to add to our roster.
00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:21.279
I love hearing that.
00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:22.319
Oh my goodness.
00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:28.400
And we'll definitely be keeping um out, we'll be looking out for updates, especially I hear events.
00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:29.599
I love a good event.
00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:31.359
I will look out for those.
00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:36.559
And um, in terms of success, can you tell us what success means to you?
00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:43.440
What success means to me peace and ease and alignment.
00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:49.599
To have peace in your mind, how your life is functioning.
00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:54.079
When I think of my friendships, they feel fruitful, they're peaceful.
00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:56.880
There's no drama, no what does that mean?
00:33:57.119 --> 00:33:57.599
Shade.
00:33:57.920 --> 00:33:59.119
There's nothing going on.
00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:02.240
We pour in, I pour out, they pour in.
00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:03.920
We're pictures for each other.
00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:08.239
You know, when I have ease, sure, there's gonna be a challenge that you're working on.
00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:14.639
Ease doesn't mean I think that life or you you get to a season where there's nothing going on.
00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:17.280
There's gonna be things going on, sure.
00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:26.320
But you're navigating, you're not freezing like stuck and unsure, you're not having anxiety, you're you're you're confident.
00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:30.159
You know, it's I almost I think of an I think in analogy.
00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:34.320
So I almost think of like boat is at sail and sea.
00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:43.360
You're not fighting against the wave, you found your sail, you're just moving forward, regardless of how the waves start to roll.
00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:46.960
It it doesn't keep you from moving forward in your path.
00:34:47.119 --> 00:34:48.400
Just having that ease.
00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:51.599
Things there will be challenges, but things don't feel hard.
00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:59.519
And above all, alignment, the relationships that I have in my life are I'm aligned with these people.
00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:04.639
I'm aligned with the people that are my friends, my tribe.
00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:10.960
I'm aligned with my professional community that I have, those I've chosen to have in my professional community.
00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:18.960
You know, when you're not in alignment, it doesn't have to be chaos, it's closure because you got clear that this person isn't going into the season.
00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:22.320
You know, you have to recognize when it's time to get off the boat.
00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:30.000
It can be hurtful and hard to close doors that you had all the plans for.
00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:33.840
Like we're gonna do this, we're gonna do that person is not in this chapter.
00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:36.960
That's the season is up, and that's okay.
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:39.599
And that's okay, right?
00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:44.639
So, yeah, having full alignment, having ease, and having peace.
00:35:44.800 --> 00:35:46.559
Having a peace of mind is priceless.
00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:48.000
You don't really know until you don't have it.
00:35:48.159 --> 00:35:50.960
That that to me is success.
00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:55.519
And what is interesting about those three things, peace, ease, and alignment.
00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:58.960
People think like, oh, I'm successful when I'm making this money.
00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:00.320
I didn't say nothing about that.
00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:04.239
Because the people could have all the money in the world and had have those three things.
00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:08.079
I think success for me is very much so internal.
00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:11.920
My second part to that answer is the why.
00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:14.159
Has your why been fulfilled?
00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:17.599
When your why is fulfilled, that's when you're successful.
00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:20.559
My why was making my mother proud.
00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:26.320
Like, my I talk about, I mean, anyone who knows me, my mom is gonna come about, my mom, my mom, my mom.
00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:31.519
And I've done that six times around the sun.
00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:35.440
It's not that I am going to become successful.
00:36:35.599 --> 00:36:36.880
I am successful.
00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:45.599
She knows that every every sacrifice, every dream that she has ever had in her heart for me has been realized.
00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:49.920
And she likes me as a person, as a woman.
00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:51.599
She enjoys me.
00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:56.639
There's many people who have kids, but you don't like like the spirit of your child and how they are.
00:36:56.719 --> 00:37:00.480
You don't like them, but you love them because they're your child.
00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:02.000
My mother likes me.
00:37:02.239 --> 00:37:04.000
She likes me, she loves me.
00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:04.800
It's great.
00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:09.039
I did what I was supposed to do, and I will honor her to the end of time.
00:37:09.280 --> 00:37:11.440
That's my that's my thank you to her.
00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:12.880
I love that.
00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:15.119
Thanks so much for sharing all of that with us.
00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:16.719
You've been dropping gems.
00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:17.599
I can say that.
00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:20.639
I wish I could sing because I'll just be singing a song right now.
00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:24.480
Um, this conversation has made me very, very happy.
00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:28.079
And I'm just really glad that you spent this time with us.
00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:34.480
If there is one thing you'd like to leave with our audience, just one quick thing, what would that be?
00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:38.320
Find out who you are and never let that person go.
00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:56.559
Life is gonna throw so much at you, whether you're trying to do entrepreneurship, whether you're at work dealing with a in a toxic environment, toxic boss, whether you are in complicated uh relationships, friendships, personal relationships, you have to be grounded and know who you are.
00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:58.000
You have to be centered.
00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:01.360
It's so important to be anchored, right?
00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:05.760
That no one can tell you who you are except your maker.
00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:07.280
And you be swayed.
00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:09.360
You start second-guessing yourself.
00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:12.079
You need to be confident in how you move in the world.
00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:16.000
And confidence comes with being aware and informed.
00:38:16.239 --> 00:38:28.079
And you can only be confident in yourself when you are clear on who you are and who you are not, what you bring, what's your stroke of genius, is what you don't do too well, but need to improve.
00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:32.960
I think knowing who you are is like an anchor of life, it's vital.
00:38:33.199 --> 00:38:35.599
Yeah, and we do see that confidence.
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:37.440
We see it, we feel it.
00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:40.800
I know you're very, very confident, and I love that.
00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:46.000
Um, so what's the best way that people can reach out to you?
00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:48.719
Yes, LinkedIn DMs.
00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:51.920
I'm always here for LinkedIn Message.
00:38:52.159 --> 00:38:59.599
Um, I'm also uh also um my email, so Yasbeen at Duncan Workforce Solutions.
00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:05.199
That is my other business, my HR Workforce Advisory email.
00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:16.159
We're at the end, but I just want to say when you talk about your mom, your relationship with your mom, when I see the confidence that comes through, I I feel like it's everything I want for my daughter and myself.
00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:20.880
The the relationship that you have and just the way you present to the world.
00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:23.280
Like that's how I see my Sierra being.
00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:24.800
So thank you so much.
00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:26.880
Thank you.
00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:28.639
You are so welcome.
00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:32.480
Mom, moms are like the heart of life, I promise you.
00:39:32.719 --> 00:39:38.639
And I always encourage people who have kids, ask them these questions.
00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:43.920
My mom was asking, my mom would tell me in the second grade when I got home from school.
00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:47.119
We still talk about the second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade.
00:39:47.280 --> 00:39:49.599
I remember all she was like, So, what do you want to do?
00:39:50.239 --> 00:39:50.800
What do you want to do?
00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:56.000
You gotta know, yes, me, you gotta know what you want to do, who you want, the woman you want to be, where you want to live, how you want to live.
00:39:56.079 --> 00:39:58.400
So we would keep going through those questions all the time.
00:39:58.559 --> 00:40:00.320
This was a regular conversation, every grade.
00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:02.239
So so you knew you you knew it.
00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:04.559
There was no way you not know it.
00:40:04.880 --> 00:40:07.199
Yeah, I never deviated.
00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:11.199
I ultimately I started off with an archaeologist, I wanted to be an archaeologist.
00:40:11.280 --> 00:40:13.119
I gave that up because how how do you do that?
00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:17.599
And where I'm from, listen, it's not even it's so far out of the park.
00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:23.119
Then I went through social work for a while, psychologist for a while, but I ended up in HR.
00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:26.239
Um, but what does social workers and psychologists do?
00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:27.039
They help people.
00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:27.920
What do I do?
00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.800
I help people.
00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:35.519
My mom didn't even my mom was giving me a North Star that I was always working towards, even when I didn't realize it.
00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:37.039
Yeah, I love that.
00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:38.000
I love that.
00:40:38.239 --> 00:40:40.159
Thank you so much, Yasmin.
00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:42.559
And I feel like there will be a part two.
00:40:42.800 --> 00:40:45.119
I can't I love having those conversations with you.
00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:46.239
So I let me know.
00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:48.559
Yes, I hope we get on here again soon.
00:40:48.719 --> 00:40:50.639
Thank you so much and have a good day.
00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:51.599
You too.
