BsquaredC Podcast: Amplifying inspirational stories of Black women in the corporate world

🌟 This month, we are thrilled to share the inspiring journey of Eugenia Boeh-Ocansey, who is role-modelling authenticity for the next generation in many parts of her life! An engineer by training, Eugenia always had an innate gift for storytelling since childhood. 📚 Becoming a parent ignited a fire within her to fully embrace her passion and role model courage for them in many parts of her life! This led to her pivoting her career from engineering to innovation consulting, where she is tapping into her passion for storytelling and helping teams to connect the technical and business world 🚀 And that's not all! 📖 Eugenia went on to extend her storytelling gift to writing, releasing her first book  entitled "Why Am I Brown." This co-authored masterpiece is dedicated to instilling confidence in her Black children to navigate a world that may sometimes be unkind to them. 🌍 🌈 The book celebrates the rich diversity of brown skin, offering an empowering way for Black parents and others to have racial conversations with their children and reminding them of the incredible power of knowing and embracing one's true identity. 🙌💖 Three wisdom gems from Eugenia: Listen to your inner voice and compass. It is your most reliable and faithful guide.   Be very afraid. Confront your fear and it will lose its power over you Just talk to people and be human. It gives others space to be human too and creates genuine connections beyond hierarchy and other superficial social barriers  Tune in and be inspired by Eugenia’s purposeful journey and how she continues to drive impact around her.  You can purchase Eugenia's book, Why Am I Brown via the following link:  Kindle version: WHY AM I BROWN? - Kindle edition by Bartey, Kabuki, Boeh-Ocansey Walefack, Eugenia. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Follow her page: https://instagram.com/why_am_i_brown?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Please stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊 

This month, we are thrilled to introduce you to Rebecca Muriuki, an associate director at a Big Four audit firm, AND a powerhouse and dynamic leadership coach who has seen it all in the corporate world!  When Rebecca entered the corporate world, she felt thrown into the deep end, gasping for air! Despite her academic prowess, she endured multiple setbacks in advancing her career. She found that academics did not prepare her for the nuances and rigors of navigating the corporate world, especially as a Black woman. We know women in general face a glass ceiling to advance their careers, but for Black women, it's the next level! Because of being at the intersection of two marginalized identities, being a woman and being Black, 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠. They cannot even see the other side!   Rebecca eventually rose above it all! Through mastering visibility, resilience, and leadership, Rebecca smashed that concrete ceiling and now empowers other Black women to pave their paths to senior positions using her invaluable experiences.  Her mantra: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞!✨ Three wisdom gems from Rebecca:  You can intentionally design the career you want, but it requires you to take action and intention Have fun in life. You only live once You go so much further when you go with other people Tune into the full episode for more on Rebecca’s inspiring story! Follow Rebecca on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccakmuriuki/ Follow Rebecca’s company on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rebecca-muriuki-consulting/  Join Rebecca’s Be The Boss Club: https://www.skool.com/elevateher-leaders-community/about If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine, or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Please stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊 

Happy Women’s History Month!  🌟 Join us as we continue to contribute to the record of women’s history of our time, by spotlighting the experiences of Black women! This month, we're thrilled to introduce Mo Sosanya, a thriving professional in the knowledge management industry in Berlin.  But that's not all—Mo is also a mother of three, an entrepreneur, and a dedicated volunteer at Girls Talk Corporation. How does she do it all? 🤔 Tune in to this episode for Mo's inspiring story and learn how she harmonizes these diverse facets of her life. As a professional, she adapted her skills to a new culture to translate her career from Nigeria to Germany. Additionally, her network continues to play a huge role in her success. And there's one more secret weapon in her arsenal: an amazing partner in her husband, who challenges traditional norms as an African man and in general.  Don't miss out on this insightful conversation! Wisdom gems from Mo:  Let everyone know who you are from the start. It will be difficult to break out of a false persona in the future  Do not make yourself small. You deserve to be here and you are not being done a favor  Have your receipts. Be true to the skills that you say you have and no one will dispute your talent.  Follow Mo’ side hustle: https://www.instagram.com/savourevents?igsh=MW43bG04NDllc3h6eA==  Check out Girls Talk Corporation on here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/girls-talk-london/  If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the Black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊

🌟 What does embracing vulnerability truly entail?  Join us this month as we delve into this question in our reflection episode! 🤔 Inspired by the incredible journey of our guest, Xolisa Mapatwana, who bravely sought help during a tough phase in her career, Nancy and Akosua open up about their own experiences with vulnerability. From Akosua's adaptation to her master's program in Germany to Nancy's mental health battle, our co-hosts courageously explore how they navigated through these challenging times. 💪 Feeling psychologically safe, especially at work, emerged as a pivotal aspect of their journeys, but we all know this isn't a privilege everyone has!  Tune into this episode for more and be inspired to lean into your vulnerability! 💎 Three wisdom gems from Nancy and Akosua are: It’s ok not to be ok  Supportive managers play a crucial role in creating a safe space for vulnerability Let’s hold space for those who feel like they cannot be vulnerable because they do not feel safe in their environments Have a listen to the following related episodes Xolisa’s episode: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCXolisaEp Omena’s episode ( season 2): https://bit.ly/BsquaredCOmena  Follow Omena’s organization, Creative Jam Sessions: https://www.linkedin.com/company/creative-jam-session/ Read Nancy’s mental health crisis stories below!  The original story: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/slowing-down-my-mental-health-crisis-what-i-am-from-nancy/?trackingId=UKVGbf3NTV%2B7F7r%2BCornrw%3D%3D How psychological safety helped her: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-psychological-safety-personal-account-when-being-nancy/?trackingId=dggP%2FuHBTbeF7heZzwyhIw%3D%3D  If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊

🎉✨ Happy 2024, and welcome back to an electrifying season 3 of the BsquaredC podcast! We're thrilled to continue sharing captivating narratives of Black women making waves in the corporate landscape. Today, we proudly present Xolisa Mapatwana. 🌟 Xolisa, a force in product management, is  on a journey to redefine her equilibrium after her groundbreaking career move abroad to the Netherlands. Hailing from South Africa, she encountered a whirlwind of challenges amidst a pandemic, adapting to a new culture and work dynamics in her new international environment. In this episode, Xolisa unveils her career odyssey, delving into the essence of her recalibration amidst this transformative phase. Tune in and be enlightened by Xolisa's profound insights as she embraces vulnerability to realign with her values and steer her career trajectory. 🌍💼✨ Three wisdom gems from Xolisa You are worthy. Don't hesitate to speak up and assert your ideas and opinions Building a great network can help you navigate a lot of complexities Being aligned to your values allows you to be more authentic as a person If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊

🎉 Welcome to the grand finale episode of 2024! 🎊 While Season 3 is still unfolding, we're hitting the pause button to take a stroll down memory lane and reflect on the incredible journey of the BsquaredC podcast before we dive into the holiday season. In this episode, Nancy and Akosua share what they have learnt from producing the podcast. This includes growing new skills that are making them better professionals as well as applying the profound wisdom dropped in the episodes to their own careers. Additionally they shared the  wisdom gems that captured their imagination this season.  These include:  Be authentic and embrace your unique story and experiences Build a community of support, including mentors, sponsors, friends, and peers Embrace your lived experiences, they contribute to your personal growth   Sometimes you have to take a step back, in order to move forward and that is ok Thank you to our guests so far this season for pouring their wisdom into the podcast! Thank you to all our listeners for continuing to support the podcast. We are back in the new year with brand new episodes and more empowering stories of black women making BOLD moves in the corporate world.  If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊

🌟 Are you itching for a change in your career? Does making a career change seem like an uphill battle? 🏔️ Then this episode is for you! 🎙️🚀 Join us this month as we draw inspiration from our incredible guest, Tosin Aniwofose, who made a remarkable shift from geology to tech recruitment! 🚀 In this episode, our hosts Nancy and Akosua open up about their personal career pivots, shedding light on the critical elements that guided their transitions.  Amongst other things, they discuss the importance of knowing your WHY, being able to articulate your transferable skills and the actionable steps that one can take to work towards a new career path. 💎 Three wisdom gems from Nancy and Akosua:  Knowing your WHY opens up a spectrum of options of potentially fulfilling choices for your career.   Education is an effective career pivoting tool  Articulating your transferable skills is key to position yourself in a new area Tune into this episode and be inspired to take action to find a fulfilling career path.  Listen to the related episode with Tosin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCGraceEp Season 2 episode on career pivoting: http://bit.ly/BsquaredCReflection9  Nancy’s career portfolio essay: https://shorturl.at/fguGT HBR articles on career pivoting:  https://hbr.org/2023/02/how-to-make-a-career-pivot-without-taking-a-pay-cut https://hbr.org/2023/08/how-to-make-a-pivot-in-the-latter-half-of-your-career  If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊 

🌍🚀 From Geology to Tech Recruitment: HOW DID SHE DO IT? 🌟 This month, we're thrilled to share the incredible journey of Tosin Aniwofose! 🇳🇬 Born in Nigeria, Tosin is a dynamic tech recruiter and entrepreneur now thriving in Berlin. 🌆 Though she began her career in geology, Tosin fearlessly charted a course to a new country and even transitioned into a completely different industry through self reflection, humility, and resourcefulness. 🗺️✨But she didn't stop there! Tosin went on to carve out her own niche, using her extensive experience in tech recruitment to create a platform called Dear Candidate. 📚💡 With it, she's not only making a powerful impact but also leading the change she envisions! 🌟💪 Dive into this episode to be captivated by Tosin’s journey and the profound philosophies that underpin her remarkable career. 🎙️🌠 When was the last time you reflected on your own 'why'? 🤔🌱  Three wisdom gems from Tosin: Be authentic and embrace your own uniqueness and flavor Continue to develop and expose yourself to new things Know your why at every point of your life Tosin’s platform: https://dearcandidate.org/ If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️

🎙️ Are you a job seeker? Are you looking to expand your network online? Then this episode is for you!  LinkedIn can feel like a jungle, but it can be an organized jungle with the strategic tips we are sharing in this episode. 🌟 Inspired by our guest this month, Grace Kibwana, who masterfully harnessed the power of LinkedIn to navigate her career across diverse industries and geographies, Nancy and Akosua excitedly share their own LinkedIn journeys! 🌍🚀. They've been using this incredible platform to soak up knowledge, cultivate their thought leadership, and in Akosua's case, even land fantastic job opportunities! 💡💼 🎉 As a bonus, Akosua, a seasoned talent professional, generously offers invaluable tips for job seekers in this episode. 🌟 Stay tuned for some golden nuggets of career advice! 💫  💎 Three wisdom gems from Nancy and Akosua  Through a combination of manual work and leveraging LinkedIn features, you can curate and optimize your experience of the platform  When it comes to engaging with other people’s posts on LinkedIn, don’t overthink it. Keep it simple and just do it!  Posting original thoughts on topics as well as your own consent helps you to  establish your own voice on LinkedIn. Listen to the related episode with Grace: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCGraceEp Nancy’s career portfolio essay: https://shorturl.at/fguGT If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊

🚀 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐑? 🤔💼 🎙️ This month's guest is the fearless Grace Kibwana, a seasoned risk management professional who has skillfully maneuvered her career across diverse industries and geographies 🌍. In this episode, Grace shares her journey from starting out her career in Nairobi, how she found her advancement opportunities and her eventual move to Berlin. Her biggest ingredient for success? 🤫  Being strategic and intentional in everything, from  building relationships and how she navigated the online professional world🤝.  🔍 Tune in to this episode for and be inspired by Grace’s BOLD journey marked by resilience, determination and an unwavering belief in herself. Discover practical strategies for finding mentorship and how to harness the power of LinkedIn for your career success! 🌟🚀 🌐.  Let Grace's intentional approach in this space  ignite your own career leaps!  Three wisdom gems from Grace: Be intentional about the relationships you create  Honor people and so many doors will unlock for you Go for what you want and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise  🚀 Don't miss out on this opportunity for inspiration. 💪.  If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/  Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bsquaredc  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊 

🎙️ Welcome to the first reflection episode of Season 3 of BsquaredC Podcast!  🎉 Every month Nancy and Akosua will be digging deeper into the conversations with our guests, sharing their own experiences and stories on the themes illuminated in each guest episode.  In this episode they reflect on the gems shared by our powerhouse guest this month, Katekani Mabasa. So much of her stories resonated with the ladies, including the discussion on resilience of black women in career growth and how she harnesses her strengths for career success. Nancy and Akosua share their own experiences with resilience and delve deeper into the reservoir of their own strengths, exploring how these very strengths have taken tangible form in their professional trajectories. 🚀💼 Buckle up an insightful conversation and actionable tips to apply to your own career.  💎 Three wisdom gems from Nancy and Akosua  Embrace every opportunity you get even if it's not what you want at that time. Make the best of it while keeping your eye on your north star.  Taking tests like the 16 personalities test, are a great way to illuminate your strengths and understand yourself better Success comes from being aware of who you are and your strengths  inform your value.   Listen to the related episodes below:  Katekani’s episode: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCKatekaniEp Season 3 opening episode: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCSeason3Ep1 If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Free personality test: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BsquaredCPodcast/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bsquaredc  To all the black women in the corporate world out there, KEEP MAKING BOLD MOVES AND KEEP TAKING UP SPACE🎙️🎊

🎙️ Welcome to the sensational first guest episode of Season 3 of BsquaredC Podcast! 🎉 🌍 Get ready to meet Katekani Mabasa, an unstoppable finance guru who's now making waves in her 5th international destination. Originally from South Africa 🇿🇦, Katekani boasts an illustrious career across the finance landscape, fearlessly pursuing her dreams and ambitions. 🚀 Join us for this insightful conversation as we dive into Katekani's awe-inspiring career journey. Discover her unique insights on how the life experiences of black women enrich our perspectives. 🌟 Uncover how she harnessed her strengths and the game-changing influence of mentors and sponsors on her path. 💎 Three wisdom gems from Katekani: Be disruptive and embrace your ambition, you will be surprised at the doors that open for you after As a black woman do not get stuck with what other people think should be your life. Go for what you want! Support other black women! That is  the only way we succeed in numbers.  If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our  newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations.

🎉Season 3 of BSQUAREDC Podcast is  finally here! 🎉 After over a year and a half hiatus, we are thrilled to announce the long-awaited return of BsquaredC! 🎉🎊 We're back on the mic, ready to embark on another incredible journey of sharing the inspiring stories of black women in the corporate world. 💪💼.  Tune in to this episode to catch up on everything that's happened since our last episode in December 2021. 🗓️ Discover our fresh approach to the podcast and the BsquaredC space, along with some exciting twists that will make this season an unforgettable experience! 🌟 As mentioned in the episode, you can read Nancy's mental health crisis story on this link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/slowing-down-my-mental-health-crisis-what-i-am-from-nancy If you loved this episode, buy us coffee, wine or water with the link below! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Stay in the loop and be the first to know about our latest initiatives, groundbreaking episodes, and empowering content. Sign up for our newsletter using this link: https://bit.ly/BOLDmailinglist Nominate yourself or another BOLD black woman you know for a chance to be featured on the podcast: https://bit.ly/Boldnominations. Follow BsquaredC on our socials with the links below:   Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/b_squaredcpodcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsquaredc/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bsquaredc Get ready for an empowering and uplifting season as we continue celebrating the brilliance and resilience of black women in the corporate world! 🎙️🎊

Happy end of 2021 BsquaredC squad! 2021 was a year of a lot of personal growth for me in many ways. Besides the honor of telling stories of so many brilliant black women, I myself also learnt a lot through reflecting on these conversations. In this episode I am sharing my  personal top 3 lessons of the year from the podcast whose messages I will be carrying proudly into 2022. They are on the topics of purpose, confidence and impostor syndrome. Top takeaways are Embrace and own your journey- My  episode 14 guest Busi Sizani, a woman who knew her purpose since she was a kid inspired me to reflect on my own purpose journey. I love my job in the healthcare industry and my mission in it is to bring equity to how vulnerable populations access and experience healthcare. For a while I thought I would only have the impact I aspired to when I reach the pinnacle of leadership in my industry. However, having clarity on my purpose has expanded this view to that I am living out my purpose and having the impact I wish for now as a 9-5er and entrepreneur. I need to stop and embrace my journey! Check out episode 15 for this reflection! https://bit.ly/BsquaredCReflection15 Other people’s perception of your confidence do not have to phase you-  Inspired by my conversation with Stephanie Goseine in Episode 12, who believes everything is hers for the taking, I got to reflect on the phenomenon of confidence and the battle of perception that often mars people from marginalised groups when it comes to it. For example the same behavior coming from men is not perceived the same when coming from women, let alone women of color. In episode 13 I shared  my top tips for staying grounded in your confidence in the middle of the perception battle we often are in as women of color.  Check out episode 13 for this reflection! https://bit.ly/BsquaredCReflection13 Impostor syndrome is more a systemic problem than an individual one- My guest Faith Opiyo from episode 16, who often experiences self doubt as a brilliant woman in tech, opened the door for me to explore impostor syndrome beyond the individual and think about its root cause. For too long all the solutions for impostor syndrome have been about fixing individuals and too little is discussed on  why people feel like this in the first place. The root cause of impostor syndrome is toxic environments riddled with systemic bias and we need to challenge them to truly fix this problem. Check out episode 17 for more on this. https://bit.ly/BsquaredCEp17 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook

This month we are reflecting on tone policing and the angry black woman stereotype. Our guest this month, Odelia Djoe used to stand up for herself against racial comments from her classmates when she was younger. Unfortunately this was interpreted as behavioral problems by her teachers, a phenomenon that is common for a lot of black girls even when they are just being “normal”  kids and teenagers.  According to a study by the New York Times, black girls are over five times more likely than white girls to be suspended at least once from school. This is the beginning of the experience of tone policing for a lot of black women and it follows black girls throughout their lives, manifesting as the "angry black woman" stereotype. A lot of black women, from Michelle Obama to Serena Williams to all of us have battled this stereotype in many ways. It ranges from microaggressive comments about how loud we laugh to being told to calm down in moments of passionate contributions. The angry black woman stereotype  is one of the many reasons why a lot of black women feel like they cannot show up their full selves in predominantly white spaces. Listen to Odelia’s episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCOdeliaEp Article on the historical perspective of the angry black woman stereotype: https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/antiblack/sapphire.htm Business insider article on tone policing https://www.businessinsider.nl/how-to-identify-and-help-stop-tone-policing-in-workplace-2020-8?international=true&r=US https://www.inhersight.com/blog/allyship/tone-policing Article about Serena Williams and the angry black woman stereotype: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45476500 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook

Inspired by the incredible story of my guest for this month, Faith Opiyo who has continued to face a lot of odds, including self doubt , while navigating her career as a black woman in tech, this month on the podcast we are reflecting on impostor syndrome and why we should rethink it through a more systemic lens as opposed to an individual one, particularly in underrepresented groups. Impostor syndrome is the phenomenon of experiencing self doubt or feeling like a fraud despite your accomplishments. More often than not, it is a topic that resonates with women and other underrepresented groups. A whole million dollar  industry dedicated to fixing impostor syndrome in these groups has been built around this topic, including books, articles and experts. However, the industry misses addressing why impostor syndrome occurs in the first place.. Impostor feelings, particularly in underrepresented groups are a result of repeated exposure to systemic bias, be it sexism, racism, xenophobia or any other form of prejudice. To paraphrase my favorite paragraph in a landmark HBR article on the topic, as a member of any underrepresented group, when you feel like you do not belong, it is because you were never supposed to belong! Most institutions are still very much rooted in white supremacy and the ‘ole’ boys club, and bias across these systems routinely inhibits the ability for underrepresented groups to thrive. Listen to this episode for my thoughts on impostor syndrome, including an account of my experiences with it and what we should be doing to address it. Top 3 takeaways from this episode: As a Woman of Color, if you ever feel like an impostor, your feelings are absolutely valid! To truly address impostor syndrome, we should be addressing systemic bias, that perpetuates these feelings of inadequacy in underrepresented groups A healthy dose of self doubt when up against challenges is normal and we should learn to embrace it Listen to Faith’s episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCBusiEp HBR article on impostor syndrome in women: https://hbr.org/2021/02/stop-telling-women-they-have-imposter-syndrome  Fast company article on self doubt : https://www.fastcompany.com/90402783/why-self-doubt-is-an-important-part-of-success  If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook

Inspired by the incredible story of my guest for this month, Busi Sizani, who knew her purpose from such  a tender age, in this episode I reflect on my own purpose journey. I only discovered my purpose much recently through a series of experiences and in this episode I share how I got to this realization. I am a multi-hyphenate corporate healthcare professional, entrepreneur and storyteller who is passionate about equity. I get a lot of energy from solving problems around how to create opportunities, resources, spaces and platforms that connect and support the goals and dreams of systematically excluded groups, women and people of color in particular. Having clarity on my purpose has freed me in so many ways. It has allowed me to embrace that everything happens for a reason. I have embraced my own journey and stopped comparing myself to others. Most of all it has helped me shift my mindset from the rat race I thought I was on to get to the top in the corporate world. I am no longer in a hurry, because I realised my impact is actually happening now. I am living out my purpose as we speak. Most of all it gives me time to make calculated moves towards my corporate leadership goals without fear of not ever having a legacy. Listen to this episode for more! Listen to Busi’s episode here: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCBusiEp My first article on my purpose journey: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-purpose-shattering-social-inequity-one-day-time-kasvosve-mba-mph/ The episode on my immigrant journey: https://bit.ly/S1Ep7Dreamdeferred The  story of BsquaredC: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCEp1 If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook

Our guest this month is the incredible Busi Sizani, who has been stepping into her power since she was one of the fIrst black kids attending a previously racially segregated school, in post apartheid South Africa. From such an early age, she understood that her presence in the spaces she was privileged to access was an opportunity to educate those around her about her experiences, and has embraced this purpose ever since. Busi went on to navigate her career from studying engineering and theology, to the creative industry, where she produced a film and became one of the few black women in sports live broadcasting in South Africa, before starting her journey in the corporate world. Living in Amsterdam now, she is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion professional who continues to disrupt spaces with her presence and wisdom. In this conversation Busi shares the lessons she has embraced along the way which includes taking risks, asking critical questions and being comfortable with creating her own lane. Her biggest advice to all women of color in the corporate world out there, “You are the superpower your organization has been missing!” Busi’s company: https://www.theinclusioncompany.com/ If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook

My guest this month, Stephanie Goseine moves through the world with incredible confidence, believing everything is hers for the taking. Showing up like this as a woman and a person of color, specifically in predominantly white spaces can be treated with mixed reactions due to bias stemming from sexism and racism. This often leads to more than often, women of color being perceived as arrogant as opposed to confidence.There is a difference between arrogance and confidence and it has a real impact on professional growth, but when you apply the lens of prejudice often used on WOC, it becomes blurry.  Additionally, there are real consequences for the career progression of women and people of color that stem from this phenomenon,  including how women are less likely to self promote or negotiate their value in fear of the negative backlash of them taking up space in this way. In this episode we will talk about the difference between confidence and arrogance and I will share my experiences with this concept as well as the practical ways I keep myself grounded in my confidence! Listen to Stephanie’s  episode here: : https://bit.ly/BsquaredCStephanieEp Google I am Remarkable workshop: https://iamremarkable.withgoogle.com/ Article on a confident mindset: https://www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/10-ways-extremely-confident-people-train-their-minds-every-day.html If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook

Our guest this month is the lovely Stephanie Goseine, a woman with so much audacity when it comes to her goals and her place in the corporate world as a woman of color. An island girl from Trinidad and Tobago, Stephanie has navigated her career from engineering to consulting and currently, she is making moves in change management. Amongst the many gems in this conversation included identity politics of mixed-heritage people like Stephanie and picking your battles when it comes to inclusion and diversity conversations as a WOC. Above all Stephanie is emboldened to take up space, something that she and a lot of WOC do not grow up believing in! She strongly believes she deserves success as much as the next person and her story and how she continues to do this, will ignite a fire in you to believe in your right to your dreams as well! Have a listen to the full episode for more on Stephanie's story. If you loved this episode, buy me a coffee on here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BsquaredC Also follow BsquaredC on: Instagram: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCInsta Linkedin: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCLinkedIn Facebook: https://bit.ly/BsquaredCFacebook