By Rachel Rodgers “What’s my next move?” At the beginning of 2020, that’s the question that kept me awake at night. As the pandemic began, everything felt shaky and precarious. Especially for business owners like me. During the first lockdown, dozens of clients emailed to say, “Rachel, I love working with you and your team, but…”“I’m worried about the economy.” “I have to trim my budget.” “I need to cancel my services.”Overnight, my client roster dwindled as one person canceled, then another. Revenue took a nosedive. My stomach lurched every time a new message came into my inbox. Another cancellation.…
Author: Black Community
It’s not just about what you know, but who you know. Even with the most advanced skills, you may need a connection in the industry to help you navigate your career path. One of the best things you can do, no matter what industry you want to get into, is to form your professional network. So, whether you’re looking for a mentor, a job, a referral or just someone who understands your industry, here are some tips to help you form your network:Use Your Online PresenceUtilizing social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, is one of the best ways to make professional…
There’s more to maintaining a healthy heart than just eating right and exercising regularly. While these practices play an important role in both cardiovascular and overall health and well-being, getting a good night’s sleep is also key.”Getting a good night’s sleep every night is vital to cardiovascular health,” said Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, M.D., Sc.M., FAHA, immediate past president of the American Heart Association and one of the world’s most highly regarded experts in cardiovascular disease prevention and epidemiology. “Adults should aim for an average of 7-9 hours, and babies and kids need more depending on their age.”However, more than 1 in…
Whether you’re looking for your first job or making a career switch well into your working life, job interviews are crucial and inevitable. They are the best way to showcase your talents, abilities and work ethic to interested employers, but sometimes the nerves of such an important meeting can cause interviewees to forget their most important assets.Before you go into your next interview, remind yourself of who you are, what you can bring and these tips for nailing your next job interview:Be ConfidentIt’s important to remain professional and formal during an interview, but you also want to be confident in…
Implementing a DEI plan is one of the best strategies you can take as a boss, manager or business owner. Increased diversity efforts improve workplace morale, productivity and diverse ideas, and can also increase your company’s profits. If you’re looking to put inclusion at the forefront in 2024, here are some methods to implement: Get Everyone InvolvedTo know where to start with your DEI initiatives, you must communicate goals to your employees. Ask them what changes they would like to see in the workplace and keep an open mind to their feedback. Consistently expressing your DEI goals and taking action to…
Headed by one of the oldest Black-owned construction companies in the United States, the architecture, engineering and construction fields are introducing an initiative that is putting diversity as a priority.National architecture, engineering and construction leaders are launching AEC Unites to inspire, promote and spur equity and inclusion in the AEC industry for Black talent and Black-owned businesses. Historically, Blacks have been severely underrepresented in AEC, which employs over 13 million workers—9% of the U.S. workforce. In 2022, Black workers held only 7% of all AEC jobs even though they represented 13% of all workers. By contrast, white workers comprise 77% of the workforce yet hold…
By Natalie Rodgers Even in a world where advancements in diversity are improving, we still have a long way to go before equity can be achieved. Luckily, companies and celebrities are coming together to push diverse entrepreneurs in the right direction.In 2020, singer and activist Pharrell Williams founded Black Ambition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. As part of this initiative, the group created the Demo Day competition, where innovators can pitch their innovations in the hopes of receiving one of the grand prizes. In 2023, the organization gave one of its largest donations yet, dispersing $3.2…
As the spring semester begins, one of the biggest things on your mind may be the cost of the next step in your educational journey. Whether you’re jumping into the classroom this upcoming semester or preparing to join next year, you have an extensive number of resources you can utilize to help fund your STEM degree. Here are some great scholarships that you can apply for to aid your educational journey: SWE Scholarship Program Funded by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the SWE Scholarship Program awards scholarships to those who identify as a woman who are pursuing a degree…
By Sydney Severn The New York Police Department (NYPD) joined the right side of history on September 25th when hiring Dr. Lynn O’Connor as their first Black woman surgeon, making her the seventh woman out of 35 surgeons in the department. Dr. O’Connor said to Good Morning America, “Perseverance pays off.” After being sworn in, Dr. O’Connor said, “You can’t be what you don’t see, so even after 178 years we’re finally seeing it…it’s a tremendous honor.” Even her daughter, Danielle Harris, spoke to reporters, saying, “It’s a representation that we definitely need, especially with there being so many disparities…
There’s nothing more energetic and exciting than more than 600 women business owners from across the nation coming together to connect, celebrate, learn, be inspired and access resources—all to power their dreams. Austin, Texas, was the host city for this incredible event that included the National Association of Women Business Owner’s (NAWBO) National Women’s Business Conference and NextGen Forum for young, start-up and early-stage female entrepreneurs. The conference kicked off in a sold-out exhibit hall that featured shopping, business resources and fun activities. Serial entrepreneur and author Mei Xu took the stage for a fireside chat with Bank of America’s…
