Black History Month Colleague Spotlight: Ronke Adeyemo

During Black History Month, Actalent is celebrating voices, stories, and experiences of our colleagues in partnership with our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) employee resource group. Today we hear from Ronke Adeyemo , corporate credit manager. Read on to learn more about her career journey, how allies have played a role, and her advice for Black colleagues seeking career advancement.

How have allies played a role in your career?

?I have gained many allies in our organization who have played a huge role in my career growth. They’ve been great friends, champions, and advocates for over a decade. They’ve given me visibility, boosted my confidence, and have made me feel heard, seen and encouraged.?As a Black woman who has been in our organization for a long time, it's easy to become jaded, so allyship has been very crucial to my success.

Are there any Black leaders who have inspired you in your career?

My mother was my first source of inspiration. She was a stay-at-home mom who was widowed at age 40 with no formal education and had six kids to take care of. Seeing how she navigated through this and became a successful entrepreneur was very inspiring. She taught me great life lessons from a young age about work ethic, focus and resilience, which have shaped who I am today and translated into my career. If I’m being honest, it has also been inspiring to see Mikey Wheeler and Dana Baughns at the helm of their careers as Black women in our organization. It has reinforced my belief that there are no ceilings, and I can achieve whatever I strive for within this organization.

Do you have any advice to share with other Black colleagues looking to grow and advance in their careers??

My advice would be to look for colleagues who look like you and have achieved what you want to achieve and learn from them.?Listen to their stories, lessons learned, and how they overcame challenges. No matter how glamourous or fulfilling their career seems now, they’ve also had to persevere and pay their dues.?Ask lots of questions, be fearless, and don’t be afraid to fail.?To me, failure is an opportunity to do it again, but wiser.?So, embrace it!