lollipop mentoring CIC’s Post

To kick off the month of August, I'm reflecting on what it means to be business owner, and a black female one at that. Empowering ourselves and others through excellence and proving it can be done is so important to me. As a young Black entrepreneur in South Africa, my mission is to inspire and uplift, showing that our heritage and vision are powerful drivers of success and transformation. As the new generation of business leaders we’re redefining what it means to be Leaders in our respective industries and celebrating the strength of women everywhere, paving the way for future generations. How are you celebrating this impactful month in your business?

🌍 As we celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth it's important to recognise and honour the contributions of Black leaders who inspire us to push boundaries in every field. One such trailblazer is Mary Jackson, NASA’s first Black female engineer. Her tenacity, brilliance and dedication broke through barriers and opened doors for future generations of women and underrepresented groups in STEM. At Energylab, we’re not just inspired by Mary Jackson’s story—we’re motivated by her legacy. As a certified #BCorp building services consultancy, our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) is at the core of everything we do. By fostering inclusive environments and advocating for diverse representation, we align ourselves with the values of fairness and opportunity that pioneers like Mary Jackson stood for. Why does this matter? Because diversity isn't just a goal—it’s a strength. It fuels innovation, collaboration, and sustainable progress not least through promoting social cohesion and sustainable poverty reduction. This Black History Month, let's honour the legacy of Black innovators by continuing to build equitable and inclusive spaces—both in our industry and beyond. 💡🌱 #DiversityInSTEM #WomenInEngineering #Sustainability #Bcorp #BuildingServices #BlackExcellence #DEI #SDGs

Check out the highlights from our team member, who attended #BlackTechFest. 👇 Read the recap of the event, where innovation, culture, and the power of diverse voices took center stage in this blog 🔗 https://bit.ly/3Um7tLI BTF®Colorintech #BHM #BlackHistoryMonth

It’s Black History Month – why not try something different? If not you or your organisation, do you know someone within your network who could benefit from our Navigating the Terrain of Race training? I'm calling on my allies & network to help me share this important opportunity. Why Choose "Navigating the Terrain of Race"? Our training offers a transformative experience, combining intellectual insight and emotional engagement. We provide: • A safe space to explore the relevance of the Black Lives Matter movement today. • Insights into the psychological impact of racism and its lasting effects. • Real-life case studies – the "Oh My Gosh" moments – to learn what not to do. • A curated list of recommended readings to deepen your understanding. • A focus on the importance of representation within organisations and communities. Engage with Our Exclusive Game-Based Learning Tool As part of the programme, you'll gain exclusive access to the Legacy Edition of Equally Yours © – an interactive, game-based experience that encourages honest dialogue on diversity and inclusion in a fun, safe, and challenging environment. This tool ensures every voice is heard and valued. What Sets Us Apart? Our training aims to inspire real change: • Reflect deeply on personal behaviors and organisational systems. • Develop practical strategies for navigating race-related issues and creating inclusive spaces. • Learn from expert facilitators who create a safe environment for open, honest conversations. Take Action Today This is your chance to foster a culture of inclusivity within your organisation. With Navigating the Terrain of Race, you’ll gain the knowledge and tools to ensure diversity thrives. Check out our brochure, which includes case studies of satisfied customers and a snapshot of the other work we do: https://lnkd.in/eun6ZXit For more information Email: nathan@fclegacy.co.uk Visit: https://lnkd.in/e6j_jek Let’s make a lasting impact together. #BlackHistoryMonth #DiversityAndInclusion #InclusionMatters #BLM #DiversityTraining #EquityInTheWorkplace #LeadershipDevelopment #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #Allyship #ProfessionalDevelopment  #LegacyConsultants #LegacyImpactUK

Great feature on philanthropy leader Trish Adobea Tchume by Mandy Van Deven! It's so refreshing to read Trish's reflections on the power dynamics and responsibility of philanthropy: "For as long as it exists, philanthropy has a responsibility to serve as risk capital and give people space to think beyond what is currently happening — but its role has to be specific: You’re mostly the money. The work I do is to negotiate that and to create structures that help us to mostly stay in that lane. It’s not that we have no opinion about what we think is possible, but the frameworks we are developing around our exploring leadership work are really clear about our funding role. As transparently as possible, I negotiate the tension between what we care about as funders and what the partners we resource care about, and try to design something that redistributes power so that the people who have the most to gain from this experimentation have the most power in figuring out how the experiment goes." Who are other leaders in philanthropy you admire, friends?

Get you a coach who understands your lived experience. Because let’s face it, the world has little grace for Black people, especially Black women. And the workplace is no exception. We are often questioned, overlooked, and even hara*sed. According to a 2023 article by Corporate Knights, "While white women may speak of breaking through the “glass ceiling,” for many Black women, it’s more like a “concrete ceiling.” Black women experience unique and formidable barriers in the workforce that are not only difficult to break, but also obscure their view of career advancement opportunities. A comprehensive study in 2020 exposed the harsh reality of Black representation on Canadian corporate boards: Out of 1,639 board positions across eight major Canadian cities, only 0.8% were occupied by Black directors." In my thirties, my Aunt Beth returned to the front row of my life as I was experiencing the crush and threat of anti-Blackness in the workplace. Her love and fortitude came alive, providing guidance and a soft landing space for me. And this is what my coaching practice aims to provide. Work with me https://lnkd.in/gBRgfq83

For Black History Month, we are excited to spotlight a group of influential Black women, nominated by Simone, Technical Operations Administrator at Helpthemove. Simone kindly shared with us her selection of women who have shaped the course of history and continue to inspire us all. Simone says: “Black History Month is both a celebration and educational piece of Black figures. Black history in education settings can be taught in a way that is quite surface level, and often the information presented can be quite minimalist & not explored deeply enough. I think as a whole, women in society are already underrepresented; so I thought it was super important to highlight women in Black history, the legacies they have created, and how this has changed the course of history. To me, these are stories that deserve to be heard and celebrated. Black History Month also presents an opportunity for learning. Topics such as 'Racism' are still very much prevalent in today's society. I do believe that hearing about someone's personal experiences can be both eye opening & insightful to others. In turn, this can help promote diversity and inclusivity & reduce potential racial stereotypes that exist.” Join us in celebrating the remarkable women who have made a lasting impact on Black history and beyond. #BlackHistoryMonth #CelebrateBlackExcellence #BlackWomenInHistory

Being a black woman, doctor & entrepreneur, I struggled to write a post for Black History month this year. Seeing more Black women represented in the media which includes illustrative stock & marketing images since #BLM is a sign of progress & great intentions. Yet it still saddens me that TRUE representation, especially in health business leadership, is still very much a work in progress. Why is this? 1. Few visible & accessible role models & mentors 2. Black women being associated more with food or beauty over Health or STEM which typically have more sector barriers - e.g. compliance, certifications, capital & networks 3. Confidence, mindset & self-belief - entrepreneurship is hard, but when you've gone into it already having experienced lifelong societal micro-aggressions because of your skin colour, your simple internal belief systems are already knocked. 4. Continued systemic and institutional biases It’s crucial for Black women to lead in health, especially given the health challenges in our communities. To be clear, for me, it's not just about skin colour It's about uplifting diverse voices, cultures and experiences to benefit EVERYONE in society. There’s too much bias in societal leadership because of a lack of representation. Therefore to make a real impact where I can, I plan to launch a mentoring and leadership community for Black women in health, entrepreneurship, and business soon. It’s another concerted step towards change. Reflecting on Black History Month, my purpose is to build on what my ancestors achieved and to uplift others along the way. This post is my pledge to them and my commitment to carry that forward. #BlackHistoryMonth #Leadership #DiversityInHealth #RepresentationMatters

Brilliant morning yesterday with Women in Public Affairs (WiPA) and techUK. Thank you for asking me to attend the roundtable for Black History Month. There were great contributions from many people in the room. I noted a few points which stood out to me. These were: ⭐️ Confidence- not just confidence in yourself but boosting the confidence of other’s is key ⭐️ Mentoring is a game changer! Find yourself a mentor to use as a soundboard and to help you find your confidence. Mentoring also works both ways and SLTs should consider reverse mentoring. ⭐️ Retention of Black talent continues to be a struggle. Too many people feel underappreciated and undervalued in their current jobs. Without that changing, talented people will leave to find somewhere they are valued! ⭐️ Until there is a diverse workforce, people will feel a huge amount of pressure to perform to a higher standard than their white peers to path a way for the next generation - managers and leaders should be aware of this huge pressure on people in their teams. ⭐️ Never play down your success! You need to champion yourself as much as possible- there are already enough people out there working against you. Do not allow yourself to be apart of that! Finally, well done Vanessa Nkemayang for her brilliant Chairing, and Samiah Anderson for a great keynote speech.

I don’t want to be the only one. Being one or two (or three) Black people in a room of 40 isn’t acceptable. It isn’t acceptable. It isn’t acceptable at leadership conferences. It isn’t acceptable in philanthropy. It isn’t acceptable in social justice movements. I refuse this idea of perfectionism. I refuse the pedestal. I refuse the idea of having to be exceptional as a Black woman to have space at the table. Let's normalize centering folks at the core of impact so much so that it’s not centering anymore, it’s just the standard. Black women in leadership should be plenty, queer folks represented across the board, disabled people not included as an after thought—because we are all here. Let's be here, constantly, and not an exception because of our brilliance. We can be brilliant. And still be standard operating procedure for attendance and leadership. And if you’re reading this going “oh we have 5 Black, or disabled, or queer folks who we work with” simply counting isn’t enough. Are your environments safe for these people? Is your environment safe for me? I acknowledge that we're currently in the DEI “awakening” phase of life, and it takes time to embed intentional practices that reflect the world I envision into our instincts and DNA. However, I challenge us to make that time now. Let's move away from being exceptional to be included. 2 or 3 in a room of 40…isn’t acceptable—especially when the rest of the group is homogeneous. I refuse the pedestal.