Arlene Brantley is the strategic account director at Google.
A resident of Atlanta, Brantley has spent most of her career in some of the biggest companies in America, such as Microsoft and IBM, alongside her time at Google.
She took some time to talk to rolling out about her career path and how she strives to make a difference in everyone with whom she comes into contact.
When did you know you were amazing?
I don’t recall my mindset ever centering around “Arlene is amazing!” I’ve always grounded myself by aspiring to be that person who left a positive impact on another individual that will enhance who they are, change their mindset, or simply give them the edge they needed in that moment. In this world, where everything you do is a social media post with hundreds of likes, we sometimes forget to embrace what makes us unique, compassionate, loving human beings, and that is our ability to connect with others — even strangers — and try to be a blessing to others. This is without the fanfare — when no one is looking or there to applaud your actions.
So, going back to your question, what makes me amazing? What makes me amazing is being regular, or as I like to joke, “regulo.” It is that ordinary person doing extraordinary things like inspiring and mentoring a young colleague to adapt and conquer some of the adversities we still face in corporate America. It is speaking to a group of scholars in an “under-resourced” middle school about your career journey and responding to the follow-up emails so they know they matter. It is random acts of kindness when you tip someone an extra $100 because you know that can change their situation for that day. It is volunteering your time as board members and committee chairpersons so you can lead and influence policies and programming for our future leaders. It is being a great wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend and working on your imperfections every day.
Amazing is what amazing does! I am still on that journey.
What are the top 5 things on your bucket list now?
- Learn salsa dancing and own the floor at a local Latin dance club.
- A 14-day trip to explore the beauty of South Africa with my family.
- Travel to Egypt to see the last original seven wonders of the world — The Great Pyramid of Giza.
- Play tennis again — this means so much because it means getting in shape, reclaiming space and time for me, and just doing it!
- Write a book or blog to empower teenagers and adults … Life lessons from a toddler’s point of view.How do you walk in the room, and how do you command the business stage?
Today, I walk into the room confident, prepared, and with a sense of belonging.
This continues to be an evolution, and having a growth mindset is essential in an industry where Black women are represented in single digits even 25 years later.
In the past, the imposter syndrome was real. As a Black woman, immigrant, and first-generation college graduate who grew up with extremely modest means in a lower-income community, the mental cards were stacked against me. In my role, I primarily deal with C-Level executives, who rarely look like me, and it was intimidating because I assumed they were superior, smarter and better than me.
It wasn’t until I shifted my paradigm that it changed my mindset and my outcomes. I am not implying it is easy. You think differently, and your circumstances will suddenly change. It is a heightened awareness of your environment which leads to acknowledgment of what differentiates you and the actions you take as a result. AAA: awareness, acknowledgment, and action.
I knew to build my confidence, I had to prepare myself, not just mentally but academically, with advanced degrees and professionally, with experiences and certifications to deliver exceptional performance.
Consistency in embracing challenges and change and winning with grace helped me establish my brand in my personal life and corporate America.
When you look in the mirror, what do you tell yourself every day?
“Girl, call your hairdresser!” I also tell myself every morning, “You got this.”
What is your superpower?
Personal connection.
Finish the sentence: Life after 50 …
… only gets better. My soulmate husband is my rock and reminds me every day what true love should be. My daughters are the future! Success is inner peace, laughing with family and friends, financial freedom, and everlasting faith.
