Charting Unfamiliar Waters as a Female CEO
Every leader wants to meet and exceed expectations, both their own and those of others. But as a woman of color, it feels like there's a heightened sense of duty. There's the inherent commitment to the team and clients, but there's also a subtle, unspoken duty to represent and uplift one's community.
Consistently Inconsistent: The ADHD CEO’s Paradox
However, there's one challenge that I consistently find myself wrestling with. A challenge that, in the spirit of authenticity, I am going to share today- is the chronic struggle of staying consistent with posting and engaging on social media. Why is it a struggle, you ask? My mind is like a graffiti wall with ideas constantly being sprayed on, but when it comes to settling down and churning out content consistently, let's just say my wall often goes blank.
Immediately No
Living with ADHD, depression, and anxiety is like juggling a circus of emotions on a tightrope. So, when I'm hit with this unexplainable lack of motivation, it's like trying to solve a mystery without any clues. I find myself questioning the source of this sudden change. Is it boredom? Depression? Burnout? Or perhaps it's an unexpected blend of all three, conspiring against my creative genius.
Navigating Client Letdowns: Choosing Alignment over Overwhelm
One of the toughest decisions that a CEO can make is saying no to a potential client. As much as we want to help everyone, it is not always feasible to take on more work. We must be honest with ourselves and our clients about what we can and cannot handle. Saying no to a client may seem like a letdown, but it is better than overpromising and underdelivering.
It’s The Audacity For Me
As a woman running a business, I am constantly striving to build a business that reflects my values and expertise. And when it comes to working with clients, we all want to make sure that the relationship is mutually beneficial and respectful. Unfortunately, there are times when a client just doesn't fit the bill, and it becomes necessary to cut ties. It's never easy, but sometimes it's a necessary part of maintaining your peace and preserving your sanity.
A Recipe for Chaos
Running a business as a woman is hard enough as it is. Add a family, ADHD, anxiety, and depression to the mix, and you've got yourself a recipe for chaos. But do people ever talk about it? Not really. It's a silent struggle that women like me face every day.
The lies my imposter syndrome wants me to believe
Let's be real, as a woman who grew up with two drug-addicted parents that did not have stable jobs, or maintained stable homes for their children and both died before I turned 18, success for me was merely not becoming a product of my environment. I never imagined being college educated, holding a Master's of Arts in Education, or being the CEO of a six-figure business because that was not a normalized reality for girls like me. But thirty-some-odd years later, here we are and how dare I sit and question my own potential and worth as if I haven't busted my butt for years to get to this place of bliss. The place of "I am not broke, I am comfortable", or the place of "I can work from anywhere I want, whenever I want".
The Neurodivergent CEO
After three years of running a business and being Neurodivergent, I think it is time to share some hard truths I have learned along the way. First and foremost, being a neurodivergent entrepreneur is a challenging journey but in my opinion, even more so for women. While there are many advantages to having a neurodivergent mind, of course, there are also plenty of drawbacks. So let's get into it.
The Burnout is real
The day starts at 6:50 am and more often than not, the day ends well after midnight. While I love having the time freedom of running my own business, let's be clear my days are completely at capacity. Every day there is no shortage of client and team calls, client projects, administrative tasks for the business, and mommy, and wife duties. Running a business while supporting a family is no walk in the park, and often times women frequently experience overwhelming feelings of burnout.
Humor: The Secret Ingredient to Building Client Trust
What I love most is I can truly use humor as a way to connect with people on a much deeper level. Of course, as an entrepreneur, building trust with clients is essential to your success. You want your clients to feel comfortable and confident that their information and their business are safe with you. I have learned that a great way to go about this is to start building trust using humor.