The "Why" Behind My New Book

Limits. And. Labels.

That’s why I wrote this book. 

I recall when others began to limit and label me. I first experienced “being labeled” when I was just a 9-year-old girl. These labels came in the form of insults & names that others hurtled at me. These names sounded nothing like “Daphne” and were meant to limit and belittle me. I was just a little girl walking down the street in a white neighborhood with a white girlfriend.  

Then, as a high school student, I aspired to attend college. I vividly remember meeting with the school’s guidance counselor, who informed me that I wouldn’t get into college and that college is not for girls ‘like me’. This was an individual with authority–a person whose job was to help me–telling me where I could NOT go and what my future would NOT be.

As I took on various roles in corporate America, I experienced others limiting and labeling me time and time again. I have experienced losing a boss one day who thought I was a shooting star, to the next day getting a new boss who thought I was a falling star. This same boss slashed my budget without giving me the opportunity to defend my worth. He didn’t provide me with the same professional development opportunities or professional support that he gave to a white colleague, even though I was consistently a high-performer.

The stories I could tell of others assigning me limits and labels and telling me I would not win are endless. As a black woman working in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math), I didn’t fit the traditional winner’s complexion or gender. I didn’t see many who looked like me in a similar role or the roles I strove to attain. Being an “other” made it difficult for other industry leaders to accept and respect me and to view me as their peer. 

But thankfully, I knew my worth. So, I created a path for myself to go to the top, learned a lot along the way, including how to ask for help from people who wanted to, and found a way to win against the odds. I did my best not to take these challenges personally, but sought to take them strategically, as data or information, to formulate my plan based on that data so I could win, and help my companies win–not once, but continually. 

While this is my personal story, I know I’m not the only working woman or person of color who’s experienced these types of struggles. This is not just my story. 

I wrote this book to be a guide and inspiration for anyone wanting to succeed in their career.

I wrote this book to help you realize you can overcome the limits and labels that you or others place on you and win often. 

I wrote this book to excite, ignite, instruct, empower, and motivate other women to know they can set their own goals… and then exceed them. You can go beyond the restrictive narrative that others defined for you and create your own plays to win. 

I wrote this book to help you if you feel stuck in your career. To help you realize your capabilities and potential for growth, regardless of what others tell you.

If you’re ready to rid yourself of the limits and labels and start winning, you can pre-order your copy of Win When They Say You Won’t on Amazon today.

If you’re interested in making a bulk purchase, click here.

Your support means the world to me. Let's Go!

All the best, 

Daphne E. Jones

#WINWhenTheySayYouWont #FindAWayToWin

PS.  Want to help spread the message of the book? Join Team WIN by clicking here.