Wow Woman Series Featuring Keisha Mabry

Hey Friends,

Being unstructured is not a bad thing especially when it's changing the game. Check out my recent interview with Unstructured Millennial and learn more about me and what inspires me. #heyFRIEND

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Who are the women that inspire you?

“Every single one. My mother and women like her who worked multiple jobs while going to school in order to raise me and my brother. Women who go after their dreams by any means necessary. Women who are themselves unapologetically and women who use their platforms and their influence to encourage, empower and elevate others. Women who may fall but get right back up and stand tall. Those famous and those without fame, these women inspire me every day.”

What is a favorite quote that fuels you?

“My quotes change daily. Some days, I need to hear myself say…you got this boo and God’s got you. Other days, I need to hear…don't shrink, don’t shrink, don’t shrink and do it anyway. And when curiosity gets the best of me, I need to hear myself say…stay the course and focus Kei, you cannot multitask today -- ok!”

What is it like being a black woman working in your field?

“It’s lonely, bumpy and rough. Being the only one is not easy and I’m the only more times than not. The only woman, the only woman of color speaking, especially when keynoting. But it’s groundbreaking. I get to break ground for other people of color. I get to cut the ribbon, till the soil and pave the way. That’s an honor I don’t take lightly.

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

“For the longest time, I thought career paths were passively created versus actively done with strategy. I thought that if I simply worked hard, all of my dreams would come true. That is farthest from the truth. Hard work is just a part of it…a small part of it. Image and exposure are the rest. And once you know these three keys of success (performance, image and exposure), the life, career and path you want will be what you want them to be.

What would you say to your yourself?

“Trust yourself. I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I let fear and the doubt of others stop me. I didn’t trust myself and by not trusting myself I started my entrepreneurial journey 10 years later than I should have.”

What is the most valuable career lesson you have learned?

“I’ve learned that influential people are people first. As I enter more rooms and sit at more tables, it’s important that I see myself as an equal. Important that I stand in those rooms and sit at those tables knowing my value. Knowing that I am brilliant, intelligent and smart enough to be there. And that I am a peer, not a groupie nor an assistant in their presence. Learning this has been valuable because it has forced me to learn my value.”

Interview has been condensed and edited.

Source: Facebook