5 Ways to Create the Career You Truly Want
At 27, Erica Williams Simon came to an important recognition. She was “successful” but not happy.
“So, I did what we are never supposed to do—especially as women, especially as black women: We’re never supposed to quit. You don’t quit. Well yes, you do and I did,” she recently said.
What she discovered in the time of self-exploration that followed was that many cultural and generational narratives had shaped her idea of what it means to be successful that had nothing to do with what she actually wanted out of life.
Now, the woman who had been listed on several “30 under 30” lists as a rising political star and TV commentator, is on a mission to help others understand the cultural stories that shape their lives and create new ones that will lead them to the life they actually want.
The author of the 2019 book, You Deserve the Truth, Erica shared these five insights with the Conference for Women: Read More
Want to Advance in Your Career? Try These 5 Ways to Make Yourself Known
If people were promoted just for being great at their job, there would undoubtedly be more women in leadership roles. But while leaders need to continue to work to make workplaces more equitable, there are also things women can do to help advance their own careers—and one of the most important may be making yourself known.
At least, it certainly worked for Gabrielle Simpson Gambrell, who advanced from a production assistant role to the first black woman to become Vice President and Head of Marketing & Communications at Barnard College by the age of 27.
She recently shared five of her strategies with the Conference for Women community. Read More
3 Ways to Use Technology to Make Your Life Easier
Stephanie Humphrey is a Technology & Lifestyle Contributor at ABC News who considers it her job to show people how technology can make their jobs easier.
Here are three tips she shared with the Conference for Women community: Read More
TXCFW Board Member on How to Support Women of Color in the Workplace
We asked Tamara Fields, Texas Conference for Women board member and Austin Office Managing Director at Accenture, what leaders and white women allies can do to help women of color advance in their workplace. Here are her answers: Read More
What It Will Take for All Women to Advance
Minda Harts noticed something recently while being on the circuit of women’s events over the past year. When she signed copies of her new book, The Memo, she rarely saw a white woman. That’s not surprising perhaps, given the book’s subtitle, What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table. But it is, in her view, a missed opportunity.
“I often say success is not a solo sport,” Minda recently said. “If we saw each other as resources, we could get so much more accomplished.” But to do that, takes the courage to listen to and understand other people’s experiences—to pay more attention to the intersection of race and gender, among other things, that fall under the commitment to gender equality. Only then, she suggests, can women succeed in doing what is required for true gender equality: namely, turn allyship into action. Read More
4 Money Tips to Help You Have More Time to Do What You Love
Tonya Rapley, who Black Enterprise Magazine called the “New Face of Wealth Building,” is on a mission to help women break the cycle of living paycheck-to-paycheck and do more of what they love.
Author of The Money Manual and founder of My Fab Finance, Tonya offers these tips for making better decisions about money: Read More
The Q&A—On Better Goal-Setting
With GLG’s Catrina Harding
One of my favorite phrases is: ‘Don’t boil the ocean.’ It means don’t set yourself an impossible objective.
Q: As much as we love New Year’s resolutions, most of us are notoriously bad at following through on them throughout the year. What’s your approach to goal-setting at the beginning of this year?
My philosophy is that it’s important to set goals at the beginning of the year – but it’s just as important to be flexible as circumstances change.
Every January I ask myself: What are the top two to three things I need to execute this year? And I keep those in mind as my North Star. But life is unpredictable, and work is unpredictable, so I make sure I maintain a reasonable level of flexibility with the goals I establish. If business conditions or strategies change, or something changes personally that makes my goals obsolete or not as relevant, I allow myself room to change them. It’s important to be OK with adjusting your goals when it makes sense. It’s when you don’t give yourself permission to make changes that you get stuck or boxed in. Read More
The Q&A—Navigating Change in Your Career
With Liberty Mutual’s Dr. Tiffany Dotson
“Focus on improving instead of proving.”
Q: You talk about people finding their “true north” — or confidence in their ability to successfully lead and inspire change in themselves and others. How did you go about finding your true north?”
Given my multiple interests, I have tried many different things. It was important for me to get clear on what I do well with minimal preparation versus what gives me trouble (even if I am drawn to it.) Finally, I became OK with not being great at everything and instead I worked more towards amplifying my natural strengths and talents. Read More
The Q&A—on Career Advancement
With CORT’s Lisa Woodworth
“I think the biggest myth women have about how to advance in their careers is to keep their head down, work hard, play nice, get along and don’t make waves.”
Q: What was your dream job as a child, and why? (If it relates to what you do now, please include that.)
As a child, I wanted to travel, experience new places and see what was over the next horizon. I loved where I grew up in the Catskill Mountains of New York and I love going home to visit. I still feel connected and at peace when I go home. But as a child and teenager, I wanted to spread my wings and experience other places.
In my career, I’ve been blessed with opportunities to travel for work, and meet interesting people along the way. I’ve moved a few times over the years, and have made some incredible friends. Now I’m excited about staying put in one place and just traveling for work.
Q: You have advanced in your career from being a Field Sales Manager to a Senior Vice President. What are some of the most important things you did that helped you advance? Read More
Amanda Southworth—Take Action Even When You’re Scared
“If we avoided doing things because we’re scared, we would never get anything done,” iOS developer, and mental health and human rights activist Amanda Southworth said at the 2019 Texas Conference for Women.
She should know.
As someone who suffered from anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, she recognized something important in 2015: “I could continue on my current path and probably die before I turned 40. Or, I could take what I was given and use it as a force to make things better.” Read More