What was your journey like growing up?
I grew up in a small town in North Carolina, High Point, a predominantly Black neighborhood. I went to predominantly Black schools and the high school I went to was designed for integration. I left there and went to Hampton University. My brother and I are first generation college graduates and I am first generation corporate. I didn’t have anybody there in front of me who had been there, but I was able to pull that together. My parents are my biggest supporters, but there were things that happened that I needed to navigate, that they didn’t know how to navigate. That was where mentoring and sponsorship became really important. The higher level you go in your positioning, the more isolating it gets. As you’re going up, you don’t see as many people like you. So, those mentors and sponsors become important. That’s incredibly important to me to give back.
Were there any women that poured into you on your educational journey?
Lottie Knight, my mass media professor at Hampton University, really poured into me. I was first generation college, so I didn’t actually know exactly what to expect. It was my professor who pulled me aside and she actually told me what she saw in me. She told me what she expected of me, what she expected that my assignments would look like, and that when I thought I had it right, that I better go back and look at it two more times and make sure that I didn’t miss anything. I still carry that same skill set. Even now when I think I got it right, I’m like, “nope, nope, nope.” Lottie Knight told me to go back and check it twice.”
What are three things that corporate America is looking for in order to be successful as an executive?
First and foremost, you need business acumen, you need to know the company, know the company revenue, know what the product is, know what the service is, and know that information inside and outside. So, beyond your gift, your talent, your skill, have business acumen, know how you make money, know that you know what commodity is. Second thing, build relationships. Be a master at building relationships. If you think about it, if you got on the elevator, you should be able to have a mini conversation with anybody who steps on that elevator. That’s how you know you’re doing it well, just by striking up random conversations with people in environments and always over deliver. Lastly, always give more than is expected because then you’ll be branded as knowing the business, having keen insights, and being great at building relationships.
