As women of color at work, and frankly as any working woman or man, being in an inclusive professional environment can make a world of difference. But what is an inclusive workplace really? According to Linked In, an inclusive workplace is a “ working environment that values the individual and group differences within its workforce”.
If you are a woman of color, you know how important being in an environment, especially professionally, that values who you are and embraces your differences is. In other words, being in a place where you feel valued, integrated and welcome can be the catalyst to your productivity, efficiency, and most importantly, your overall happiness. There are countless studies that prove that a diverse and inclusive workforce is also one that is more productive and innovative. Employees tend to work better, and stay longer in these work environments as well. Not to mention the positive impact on employee well-being, health, as well as collaboration between co-workers.
So how does one recognize an inclusive workplace, especially as a woman of color? What if you are interviewing for a new, exciting position, and are not sure whether you’ll be stepping in an inclusive environment?
Although it can be challenging to recognize an inclusive workplace, there may be some signs you can pick up on early on:
Analyze the job description
Even before applying for a position and going through the interview process, you can tell a lot about a work environment by the company’s job descriptions. You can read a lot about your potential future place of work by the tone used, as well as the feel you get of the company culture. Does it seem that the language used seem to appeal to a particular gender? Do you notice a certain pattern when reading multiple job descriptions?
Check out the company’s website and social media presence
You can go one step further and navigate through the company’s website and social media sites. Companies committed to diversity and inclusion usually express it through their online presence. It’s also usually reflected in their values and mission statement.
Can you perceive that they’re committed to the community at large? Do they express their belief in creating a diverse workplace? Do you get a sense that you’d fit in?
Explore company reviews
You can also check out the reviews of the company, through sites like Glassdoor for instance. However, you may want to consider these reviews with a grain of salt, as they may present particular employee experience. For women in particular, the website InHerSightrates companies based on women’s reviews. You may also directly ask other employees who may have worked, or be working at this company, their personal and professional opinions.
Consider their benefits packages
Company benefits can also reveal quite a bit about a company’s efforts towards inclusiveness and diversity. Do their maternity leave benefits show they care about new parents? Are flexible schedules offered? How much vacation time is available? The answers to these questions may help you assess the inclusive nature, or lack thereof, of the business you may be considering working in .
Observe your interviewers
During the interview process, your interviewers may be a reflection of the company itself. Are you exposed to a diverse panel of interviewers? Do their questions and shared information reveal a lack of inclusiveness? Are they skipping the topic altogether?
Ask directly during interview process
You can also directly inquire during the interview about the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Usually, at the end of the interview process, you have an opportunity to ask your own questions. At this point, it may be wise to ask about certain aspects of importance to you, such as flexibility, benefits and overall company culture.
Trust your gut
Last but not least, trust your gut and intuition. Before and during the interview process, you will get a sense of whether a certain company is a right fit for you or not. Take into account the way you feel as you make your decision.
In our online age of social media and uber-connectivity, starting an online business has never been easier. With a good Wi-fi connection, a few social media accounts, and some basic steps, you can start your online business in a matter of hours. And no, you don’t need to be particularly tech-savvy, well-connected or even well-versed in a particular topic in order to do so.
The first time I made money from my online business, I was shocked. As a conservative accountant raised in the traditional age of traditional businesses, I did not think you could actually set up a business online in a matter of hours. I was pleasantly surprised to note that not only can you do so, but you can actually build an extremely successful one at that.
If you’re thinking about starting an online business, you may be wondering where to begin. How do you go from watching everyone else build their own online businesses to creating your own? What do you have to do to launch this new online adventure? Can you start from scratch or do you have some pre-requisites to follow?
Here are a few simple steps to get you started from scratch, as long as you have access to a basic computer and Wi-fi connection:
Start with YOUR idea and develop your concept
Any business starts with an IDEA! In my experience in business and as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), most ideas come from a need in the market. If you already have your business IDEA, you can get started with it! If you don’t, think about a need you or other people around you may have. A success business answers a need, or a question, so it’s valuable enough for customers to spend their hard-earned money on. What do you see as a problem, a need or gap in the market? Could you build an online business that would solve this problem?
Through this process, it really helps to map out your thoughts in a logical way. A great tool to help with this is Mindmeister, an online mind-mapping tool aimed at helping organize your insights and ideas in a logical way. If you’re more of a pen-and-paper gal or guy, it could also be as simple as working through this process on a regular notebook page (my favorites are from At-A-Glance).
If you’re thinking about starting an online business, you may be wondering where to begin. How do you go from watching everyone else build their own online businesses to creating your own? What do you have to do to launch this new online adventure? Can you start from scratch or do you have some pre-requisites to follow?
Here are a few simple steps to get you started from scratch, as long as you have access to a basic computer and Wi-fi connection:
Start with YOUR idea and develop your concept
Any business starts with an IDEA! In my experience in business and as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), most ideas come from a need in the market. If you already have your business IDEA, you can get started with it! If you don’t, think about a need you or other people around you may have. A success business answers a need, or a question, so it’s valuable enough for customers to spend their hard-earned money on. What do you see as a problem, a need or gap in the market? Could you build an online business that would solve this problem?
Through this process, it really helps to map out your thoughts in a logical way. A great tool to help with this is Mindmeister, an online mind-mapping tool aimed at helping organize your insights and ideas in a logical way. If you’re more of a pen-and-paper gal or guy, it could also be as simple as working through this process on a regular notebook page (my favorites are from At-A-Glance).
Get an online presence
It’s never been easier to get an online presence as today. These days, you can get a website up and running in a matter of hours through WordPressor Wix. You can also use the help of web hosting companies like Bluehostor GoDaddy. You can even buy your own domain name, or the web site address you envision for your business, in the same breath.
I use Bluehostfor all my web hosting needs for The Corporate Sisterwebsite, and have been very satisfied with their services. Bluehost for instance, will link to WordPress to help you create your website or blog quickly and efficiently. I’m far from being tech-savvy (quite the opposite actually) and was able to build mine with Bluehost and WordPress pretty easily.
You can also start your business by creating offers to sell directly from websites such as Leadpages. Leadpagesallows you to create free or paid online offers to your targeted audience to grow your customer base and make money in the process.
You don’t necessarily need a website to have an online presence though. You can simply begin on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, which exposes you to millions of potential customers already. However, since you don’t own those platforms, you may want to be careful and build your own platform in the long run.
Build a connection with your audience
One crucial thing to do as you start your online business is to build a connection with your audience. You can do this by interacting with it on social media or on your website. A really powerful way to do it as well is to build an email list, so you can regularly correspond with individuals who subscribe to your newsletter in order to receive news from your business.
Mailchimpis a great tool for this, as it helps you build and send out your business news periodically.
Set up your accounting and payroll system
Although it’s easy to set up an online business, you also have to make sure that it’s financially sound. This is where your accounting comes into play. Whether you’re accounting-savvy or not, you can do this very easily with Freshbooks.
Freshbooks Accountingis perfect for freelancers, small business owners, as well as agencies, firms and consultancies. It helps you support your growing business with accounting tools and reports, from invoicing to expense and time tracking.
As for your payroll, if you need support, Gustois an amazing tool providing payroll, benefits and HR tools and services.
Identify resources to help you
As you start your online business, you will wear many hats, including CEO, social media manager, secretary, etc. This is why you want to identify and use resources to help you, such as Amazon Business, which tailors all kinds of business services and products from office to restaurant supplies to what you need!
Need custom designs? 99 designs helps you with original designs for your logos, book covers, websites and so much more! For any writing need you may have, you can’t go wrong with Grammarly, which offers automated proofreading and plagiarism check. An absolute must-have in business! For all your visual needs, Tailwind is one of the best platforms to help you win on social media. The point is to use as many resources and tools you need so you can focus on doing what you do best!
Build your reputation
As soon as you’re in business, you want to build your reputation and establish your expertise by sharing it. One great way to do it online is by teaching what you know, and charging for it. You can do this by creating courses for instance, through platforms like Thinkific, which allows you to create, market and merchandise your knowledge.
The more you can share your expertise, the more your ideal audience will trust you and buy from you!
Keep learning!
Last but not least, starting your online business also means always keeping yourself at the cutting edge of your field. Keep learning as much as you can about your industry trends and changes, and refresh your knowledge.
If you feel like you need to go back to school for that MBA or Law degree to push your business to the next level, the Princeton Reviewcan help you with taking the related standardized tests and get into the school of your choice.
Whether you’re gearing up for a new position, jumping ship into a new career entirely, or preparing for an upcoming interview, half of the battle is showing up, and showing up well. Which brings about how you dress and your professional wardrobe. You’ve heard the saying before: “Dress for the job you want”. Yet, in the midst of work obligations, business calls, and family to-do’s, focusing on your wardrobe can be a stretch.
I used to consider investing in my professional wardrobe as a non-priority item on my to-do list. Shopping for conservative suits and elegant blouses was not quite as fun as foraying into the latest fashion trends around. It also explains why revamping my professional wardrobe was always put on the back burner. Yet, as I switched careers, and also became an entrepreneur, I found myself in front of audiences as a speaker, which forced me to re-consider how I dressed, and what dressing for the job I want really means for me. With two kids in tow, a household to manage, and not enough time to get everything done, I was left with solving the dilemma of dressing for the jobs I wanted, on a budget and without too much unnecessary headache.
Considering my shopping trips are now limited for fear of having the whole department store on lockdown because my son wants to play hide and seek, and the significant decrease in my patience genes post-babies, I’ve had to find a system. I no longer wanted to hide from my kids and spend hours at the mall fishing for something professional yet fun. Neither was I attracted by the prospect of
Here are some tips for any busy, time-starved, on a budget working woman and mom to put a fresh spin into your professional wardrobe:
Rent!
Got a special work event and nothing to wear? Or maybe you’re just tired of your same old work outfits, and want a change without the commitment of buying? You can rent work styles at Rent-the-Runway, ranging from distinctive knit dresses to polished tops.
Get it personalized!
Did you know that you can get your professional wardrobe personalized to your taste and office dress code? Companies like MM.LaFleurhelp you do just that! After you answer a few questions aroud your style and office dress code, MM.LaFleurbuilds your personalized Bento box, which consists in an assortment of work clothing put together for you. Once you receive your Bento box, you can decide what to keep and what to return.
Clean up your current wardrobe
First things first, take a look at your current work wardrobe. Is it packed with clothing you haven’t worn in the past six months? One of my cardinal fashion rules nowadays is: “If I haven’t worn it in the past six months, it’s got to go.” It’s helped me clear out the clutter (hello Marie Kondo), while being able to have a clearer picture of what I actually own. I was surprised to find out that in the middle of my wardrobe mess, there actually were some beautiful pieces I couldn’t even see before.
Invest in basics
You cannot underestimate the positive effect of quality undergarments such as Spanxshapewear on anything you wear, especially at work. My go-to’s, like this Spanx higher power shaping brief, are among my favorites.
It was a Friday afternoon, and I had logged into the NASBA website to check on my latest CPA exam section results. My heart was beating so loudly I could anticipate it exploding out of my chest. The kids were rolling on the floor, which honestly needed to be cleaned by now, but I had to fold the laundry first. I took a deep breath and clicked on the screen. My heart dropped.
I had failed, at both sections of the exam. I mean, failed, failed, not anywhere near the required 75 to pass, but at an abysmal distance from it. I had failed, yet again, at this exam that I could not seem to pass. Truth be told, I had barely studied for both parts, as I desperately tried to cram the night before. Kinda like I did when I ‘d fall asleep on my Princeton Review books while cramming for my GMAT to get into graduate school. Tears were forming in the corner of my eyes, as I yelled at the kids to stop licking the floor. I had failed miserably, and my floors were ridiculously dirty, and it was Friday, and my entire week-end/life was ruined. Plus I hadn’t had lunch yet… I picked up the phone and called a trusted family member. I needed to vent. I don’t remember the conversation, but I’ll always remember what she said to me: “You know, when you have kids, you cannot do as much. Maybe you should let the CPA exam go and focus on your family.” She meant it in a comforting, soothing way. And for a second or so, I was comforted and soothed. The next second, something rose inside of hungry, battered, exhausted self, as I thought: “ But why can’t I be a good mom and follow my dreams?”
How many of you, hard-working moms, have asked yourself the same question, as you stared at your astronomical pile of laundry, your less-than-immaculate floors, or that presentation you had to finish while breast-feeding your baby? And how many times did someone, whether a trusted family member or friend, kindly comforted you by gently admonishing you to break up with your dreams for the sake of your family? Or how many times did you guilt yourself into thinking that because you have kids, you’re no longer allowed to dream for yourself?
I often hear women say that they’re taking a break in their career or business to focus on their family. Or that now that they have kids, it’s no longer about them. Don’t get me wrong, I understand and empathize with the nobleness and self-sacrificial call of motherhood as a whole. I understand that once we become moms, things change and are never quite the same. That former priorities are re-prioritized, schedules arranged and lives re-organized to nurture the precious lives entrusted to us.
Yet, while our kids should be our priority, should they also be the excuses we hide behind not to achieve the fullness of our potential and live up to our God-given purpose? If we are to serve as models to our daughters and sons, ought we not to grow into and show up as the best versions of ourselves, while still being present and caring for them? Wouldn’t we want our daughters to see what it means to enter into the fullness of who we are, whether we do this as stay-at-home moms, business leaders, career women and/or partners, sisters, friends?
Like so many of us, I’ve wrestled (and still do) with these questions, trying to reconcile the practical side of being a working mom to the physical, mental and spiritual demands of living in one’s purpose. I don’t believe there is any right or wrong answer, or that there’s some imaginary “motherhood” line traced in the sand of our existences. What I believe is that we all have our unique process, our unique journey, and our unique answers to these deep questions. However, there are a few simple guideposts we can stand to use as we address these:
Define your priorities
As a working mom, things will come at you from everywhere, all at once. Family, home, work, money, relationships, all seem to create a mumbo-jumbo of commitments and never-ending obligations. This is where defining your priorities becomes crucial. What is most important to you? Where are you committed to pouring most of your energy? For me, it goes in this order: Faith, Self, Family and Work. When I get lost in the brouhaha of daily life, I remind myself of this to re-conceptualize my life and move forward.
Understand what makes you come alive, that is Purpose
What makes me come alive and jump out of bed in the morning? Writing and teaching. While I dabbled with many other interests over the years, I finally came face-to-face with my truth. What is yours? What is the word, or the couple of words, that make you light up and get up out of bed? That is Purpose, and that is where you will do your best work.
Everything else other than your priorities and your Purpose is not essential. Let me repeat this: If it’s not part of your priorities, or aligned with your Purpose, it’s not essential. When faced with any decision or action, ask yourself: “Is this aligned with my priorities or my Purpose?” If the answer is not, then it may have to be relegated to a later free time, or eliminated altogether. It’s not mean, it’s decisive, and it’s to serve your Higher good.
Do you believe you can be a good mom and still follow your dreams?
There’s a lot of talk out there about Purpose, how we can walk in our purpose, do things according to our own purpose, be more purposeful, etc…While much of it is so inspiring, many of us also find ourselves asking: “But…what is my purpose? How do I figure it out? And how do I even begin to walk in it when I don’t even know what it is to start with?” This is without mentioning the guilt associated with focusing on our purpose, instead of doing what everyone else seems to be doing, that is going through the motions of work and life, making a paycheck, paying bills, etc…
I know I’ve asked myself the question over and over again. After years of being in a career that did not bring the type of fulfillment I was seeking, I decided to find out what this purpose thing was all about. I knew I had a passion for writing and teaching, yet I had no clue how to fit it in with who I had become, what I was doing, and my current family and personal situation.
The question I kept asking myself was: “How do we get there?”, “there” being that point where we can all get to work and live according to our divine purpose. How do we even figure out what this divine purpose is? And where do we start this entire process, while still paying our bills, catching up on email, and keeping our skin hydrated and moisturized?
One conversation with a dear mentor of mine put me on the path to answering, if not all these questions, at least some of them. He equated the whole process of getting “there”, or anywhere for that matter, to climbing a mountain and reaching the top. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. What if every process we undertake is really just like climbing a mountain? What if this most important process of working and living on purpose is just that, climbing our own mountains of potential to reach the top of our divine purpose. And just like reaching the pinnacle of any mountain, there has to be steps we discipline ourselves to follow:
The Foundation Principle: Building on the skills, lessons and experiences you’ve gathered so far
Where do you start on any new process, especially one as big as fulfilling your divine purpose? What do you build on? Where do you even begin?
Although I spent much time wondering about this, the answer turned out to be simpler than I thought. Start where you are, with what you have. This also means leveraging all the experiences, the wisdom, the victories but also the failures we’ve been through. When I went through the exercise of documenting everything I had already accomplished and learnt, even if it seemed insignificant or not particularly positive, I realized I had more than I thought to get started. It also gave me the motivation and encouragement I needed to get on my own journey of purpose and fulfillment, as I remembered how much I had already done.
Can you think back to everything you’ve already achieved, learnt and acquired, in addition to all the natural skills, talents and abilities you naturally possess? As a matter of fact, can you make an inventory of all you’ve already been through and acquired over time? You may not give credit for everything you’ve accomplished.
The Choice Principle: Choosing the goals and objectives that are appropriate for you
How many times have you made a decision based on what someone else thought? How often have you even shifted the entire direction of your career, business, or even love life towards what some semi-influential person in your life recommended? If you come from most African families, you may remember your mom, dad, auntie or uncle prematurely brag about your bright future career as a “doctor” or “engineer”. That may have been the reason why you struggled in Pre-med, before realizing your acute fear of blood and dropping out. Or walking out of your cubicle one day, throwing your engineer’s hat out, and going back to school for creative writing…
When picking our own mountains to climb, we can be tempted to set other people’s goals and objectives as our own. It may be out of a faulty sense of duty, compromise, or because we’re afraid to pursue our own dreams.
The People Principle: Build a network that pushes you to become your best self
Working and living on purpose also requires you to surround yourself with the right people. People who inspire you, motivate you, push you, mentor you. People whom you can also serve as mentors for. Often, the reason we’re not reaching our potential is because we’re simply in the wrong environment.
In the same way that you’d pick a supportive, able team to help you hike up a mountain, you also need the right people around you to reach your purpose at work and in life.
The Preparation Principle: Gathering your resources to work and live on purpose
What do you need to fully engage in the process of working and living on purpose? If you had to pack a bag on this purpose journey, what would it include? And what would you leave behind?
As I embarked on my own purpose journey, I quickly realized that there were quite a few of the resources I needed that I was sorely missing. I had to work on my mindset, my sense of self-worth, but also on my relationships, my ability to learn and adapt, and my faith. These are some of the most precious resources to gather on the journey to working and living on purpose.
The Resilience Principle: Dealing with opposition
One thing that you can count on as you pursue Purpose in your career, business and life is opposition. There is something about stepping into unfamiliar, uncomfortable and often unchartered territory that makes others, especially those who “knew you when”, uncomfortable.
As you transform through the process of working and living on purpose, you’ll need the appropriate tools to face the opposition that will inevitably come your way. These include a strong sense of self, an extra dose of resilience, and a solid “why” to remind you of the very reason you started this journey in the first place, whatever it may be…
The Courage Principle: Developing the courage to keep going
Following Purpose is hard. For some, it may mean leaving a comfortable, well-paying career to start a business. For others, it may mean transitioning to a new environment or different relationships. While in the beginning, the prospect of being more fulfilled may seem exciting, in the long run, it can be easy to give up when faced with inevitable difficulties, opposition and struggles. After all, most new businesses fail in their first year, mostly because of how hard they are to sustain in the long run.
This is where developing the courage to keep going comes into play. It’s rooted in constant self-affirmation, positive support, and a strong faith in your mission.
The Celebration Principle: Learning to celebrate and moving on to the next mountain
The journey to work and live on purpose is very much a transformative one. While it’s challenging, it’s also so rewarding when we finally make it to the top of our mountains of potential, and achieve the goals that get us to activate our purpose. Yet, how often do we stop to take in the view, take a breath of fresh air, and really appreciate how far we’ve come? Not nearly as often as we should…
Instead, we tend to rush from one accomplishment to the next, burying ourselves under endless obligations and commitments. Before you know it, the same joy, fulfillment and sense of purpose we were starting to feel starts evaporating, diluted by unhealthy pressure.
This is why learning to celebrate and honor every milestone is so important, before moving on to the next goal, the next objective, the next goalpost on our way to fulfilling our divine potential.
Which one of these principles do you struggle the most with?
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