Well, after 9 months as the author of The Change Doc blog, I am finally writing an introduction post.
Can you believe it?
I am sitting here giggling and shaking my head at myself.
But the truth of the matter is that I was so excited and eager to dig into meaningful content, that I genuinely forgot to formally introduce myself.
Thankfully you, the readers, amidst your many emails thanking me for all the information and support have also given gentle nudges to share more about ME.
So the timing is perfect.
Besides satisfying your curiosity, I realize that understanding more about my background and experience will allow you to consume The Change Doc content and resources in the intended context
So, here we go!
Who Am I?
I am a Black Caribbean Woman.
My parents are from Barbados, West Indies both of whom came to America to build a better life for themselves.
(pic of mom and dad)
I was raised in Brooklyn, New York – and I came by my education via the city streets as well as the traditional classroom.
I fell in love at age 42 and am now the life partner of a handsome entrepreneur and stepmother to 2 boys.
I love, love, love to learn – always have and always will.
I am tenacious about it and believe that the day you stop learning, is the day you start dying.
Learning is the catalyst for change (get the connection there? ie – The Change Doc!!!).
It is this mindset that has motivated me to be my very best in as many aspects of life as possible, particularly in my career.
Because it is not enough to just learn new things, but you also have to apply the learning to evolve and grow.
When I was 4 years old, I remember walking home from a party with my mother.
It was night time and really dark outside but when we were about half a block from our house, I saw a flash of myself as an adult.
I will never forget this experience. It was so real. The adult me was laughing into the phone and dressed to the nines. I had on a greyish, double breasted pant suit, I was sitting at a desk in an office with dark wood panels, and I was looking goooooood.
And then the image was gone.
The vision was so real that when we reached the front steps of the house, I asked Mom if I had lived before. Mom was totally confused and when “little Nicole” tried to explain what I had just seen in my mind’s eye, Mom dismissed me.
But I NEVER FORGOT.
That night, my 4 year old self experienced my very first vision of success!
Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, that vision set the tone for my entire career. I eventually went to college and earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees in business.
In fact, as a testament to my love for education, I ultimately received 6 higher education degrees across multiple disciplines that when combined, positioned me to uniquely help women leaders succeed in their careers.
(And you know that I used my first paycheck to go get that gray double breasted suit!)
Why Am I Blogging?
Simply put, I am blogging to serve.
I have always been that person others seek out for advice and counsel.
I was her on the playground, at church, with my family, and even through my early work experiences.
As a child, I was fascinated by people, how they thought and behaved. As individuals and in groups.
So no one was surprised when I pursued human resources, counseling and psychology to build a living helping others succeed. At work. At home. And in life.
Now, bloggin is my way of sharing my experience and expertise with you, too.
I am proud to say that I’ve had a very successful career (in many ways it feels like it has only just begun).
But it is important to acknowledge that my career path has not followed a straight line.
It’s been full of twists, turns, cross backs and roundabouts.
It certainly hasn’t been easy or a bed of roses, but it has undoubtedly all been worthwhile because each experience and position (even the roles that completely sucked) contributed to my professional identity. And brought me here to you.
My career has crossed multiple industries (automobile, food and beverage, financial services, library science, higher education, healthcare, consumer products), disciplines (human resources, procurement, counseling/psychology), and countries across the United Kingdom, North America, Europe, South America).
My career has been dedicated to educating, supporting, coaching, and advising leaders within organizations of all sizes. From chief executive officers to front line supervisors, and all roles in between.
And it has truly been an honor.
This blog now provides a forum for me to serve a broader community.
To offer counsel and education to women in the workforce on how to be the best leaders they can be, navigate
complex organizations, unapologetically define and pursue career success, and make an impact in the world.
Who Am I Writing For?
While any professional can benefit from this blog, the target audience is mid to senior career women leaders.
Women who want and are committed to being better leaders every day and growing their career to make a bigger impact.
The Change Doc blog is full of practical leadership tips and leadership brand best practices.
It will also focus on career advancement and work life harmony strategies, both of which are uniquely challenging for females given the lack of representation in mid to senior management positions and the continued expectation for career women to be the primary caregiver at home.
This blog is for the female leader who wants to Think Broader. Be Better. And Lead Bolder.
How Can You Get Involved?
The Change Doc blog was created for you. Which means your opinions, questions, and interests will continue to shape the content.
Two-way communication will be an important part of our blog community.
You can contribute in a variety of ways:
- Comment on blog posts to share your thoughts and opinions, not just with me but also with other Movers and Shakers (how we affectionately refer to you and all of our blog readers)
- Share blog posts with friends, family members, and colleagues who could also benefit from the topics covered
- Subscribe to the blog to ensure you receive every weekly post
- Follow us on Instagram (IG:TheChangeDoc) to stay up to date on additional relevant content, including new career guides, trending leadership topics for women, and daily inspiration
- Email questions or comments you have about your unique career or work situation
It is my hope is that The Change Doc blog and community will offer consistent support to the many female leaders who show up every day and give their all.
And that this be a professional forum of Movers and Shakers where we can challenge, teach, encourage and rally behind our individual and collective success.
Let’s do this ladies!!!
In the mean time, we’ll keep our conversation going both on and offline.
Share a comment or email us directly.
Looking forward to staying connected!
