Chronicles of a Female Founder
Felicia Jackson
CEO/President CPRWRAP, Inc. | Chair of the Board of Directors at CPRWRAP, INC | Forbes Next 1000 |2021 Tn. Titans Sponsor |Halcyon Fellow 2021 |Proud Military-Veteran Spouse
It's nothing new for founders of a new company to wear many hats. If you ask me, it's a right of passage. I never considered myself a salesperson but who better to tell my story and connect others to my product than me right?
One particular day I secured an in-person demo/pitch to a large facility. I knew what I wanted to say, I had inventory and props but better yet, I had passion, purpose, and determination.
I made it to the facility and pitched my company like my life depended on it. I knew I had the deal because not only was she smiling but she started telling me all the ways she was going to use the product.
As I was packing up she stated, “I bet you hate your boss has you working this late today.†With pride in my heart and a big smile on my face I said,†Actually, I own this company!"
She then silently looked at me, smiled, and told me she did not think they would be able to use my product after all. I don’t recall being able to say anything to her. I do however recall feeling like someone punched me in the gut and feeling like a failure. I do recall making it to my car and crying like a baby. I wish I can tell you that was the last time I encountered this type of behavior but I can’t. I wish I can tell you I will never experience something like that again but I can’t. What I can tell you is that with every win and every fail I morph into a better, stronger version of me. I refuse to let prejudice of my gender and race determine the outcome of my life and the success of my company. My name is Felicia Polk Jackson, and I am the CEO and Founder of CPR Wrap, Inc.
Independent Sales Agent at Susan M Freeman Enterprise
4 å¹´Felicia, simply Awesome!! Thanks for sharing!! You look so beautiful too!!!?
Product leader empowering teams to build a better future with technology
4 å¹´Felicia - I can't imagine. Thank you for sharing. This - along with so many other stories I've been taking in over the past few months - heartbreaking. I'll be honest: there was a part of me before the past few weeks that just wanted to believe that it wasn't still this bad in the world. That the media was just taking advantage. That activists were making a bigger deal. Politics. That it's just a few rotten apples and we can't ever fix it to perfect. *That was too easy and naive for me to think...* and a lot more comfortable to keep rationalizing while telling myself that I'm not a racist and all I can do is be responsible for myself. But when stories like this keep coming - from 1st degree connections in my network, *I'm forced to confront how ignorant and wrong I was.* It's worse than I thought - and we simply can't keep going like this. I'm starting to dig in and research how I can change my thinking and then become part of the solution in a much more active way. I'm not black - but I am human, and what's hurting you is absolutely hurting me and hurting us all. So as a fellow human: I don't really know you or what you've been through - but I'm with you and for you.
Founder & CEO at AegleWealth
4 年Felicia Jackson love that you didn’t devalue yourself to suit a prospective client. The people who do business with us only when we are “less than†who we truly are (and what we are really capable of) Do Not Deserve Us. Stay focused on your tribe and you will thrive. #BeMore
CEO/President CPRWRAP, Inc. | Chair of the Board of Directors at CPRWRAP, INC | Forbes Next 1000 |2021 Tn. Titans Sponsor |Halcyon Fellow 2021 |Proud Military-Veteran Spouse
4 å¹´I am game???
Operations Strategist and Corporate Development
4 å¹´Great and Relevant imagery!! So needed in these times!!