OK, I'm gonna move on and move forward.So part of what I wanted to go over with you guys today is four elements of being a leader and how important that is and how synonymous that is to the growth, not only as individuals, as women, as mothers, all those things in between and how everything has its place and how every place should have a thing so that we never interfere with our ability to be as great as possible.

So I'm gonna go over four elements with you today um that I hope are really gonna be able to drive home what I mean when I say leading your own personal mark and the first one is going to be claiming your independence, fine tuning your purpose, empowering those that come after you and to be deliberate about yourself.

So I hope you guys can definitely um my slides, I'm having a hard time getting my slides up. So that's on me. But I'm gonna try to make this as interactive, as interesting and as fun as possible. And I hope you're going to be able to really gauge from uh the content and please feel free to ask questions to hop into the chat and all of those different things. So let's get started. We're gonna start with claiming your independence. What that means and how that means. Right? There are already so many different things in this world that we know stagnates women, our roles and how far we'll go. What that looks like that our jobs are only to be mothers and wives and, and all of that foolishness and those things are great, right? They have a place, they are important in the place in which they are important. But here's the reality of it is that there are far greater things in the world that we want to encompass and listen, having Children, getting married, establishing your life. Those are wonderful, wonderful attributes. But you have to make sure that you are not allowing and creating a fear factor and allowing those things to be the reason why you don't move or stretch as far as you can.

Like, for example, we hear women say, oh, well, soon as my kids get grown or, you know, my husband needs me and, and I have to be home at a certain time to cook dinner, I'm not knocking any of those things. But when you claim your independence, it doesn't mean that you're washing your hands of everyone else. It merely means that you understand what's important and that life has to continue evolving and moving and shaping for you and that you don't get the opportunity to utilize fear as a way not to connect with you and know who you are or excuses of family being the reason why you don't surge and grow and go as far as you possibly can and that you don't allow time to be a factor either like you understand and know that all of those things are important.

They all have a place but they are not the totality of me as a woman and as a human being and I aspire to even be greater than a mother, which is great. I aspire to be even greater than a wife, which is fantastic. But we wanna make sure that we are not allowing excuses to dam and take us away from the ability to have real self-awareness. And when you get ready to morph into the world of corporate America or entrepreneurship or working for a mass fortune 500 company, 400 company, you have to know who you are because you are walking into a place that you have to know where you fit, how you fit, what's important for me, getting involved and getting in place to this world that I'm trying to embark upon.

So understanding and really being prepared to break out into your shell. It's very important. It's important that we know how to do that, especially as women. Let's talk about um moving forward. Let's also talk about the ability to fine tune yourself and to really know who you are as an individual and what that looks like. So, let's talk about fine tuning your purpose. How many of us go into professions and, and go into worlds and we don't really know what it is, but it's a job. It pays the bills, it takes care of my kids, it puts them to college. It's what makes sense. You know, it's what I was told I'm supposed to do. This would be great for me to get into. I'd be good at this job. That's not your purpose. That's someone else's purpose for you. Right. That's a box that you have been put in based upon someone's something, society's expectation of what you should and shouldn't do what you can or couldn't do and what you will and they won't allow you to do. And we know as women who, um, give life, who create many of things, who are the reasons for a lot of things to be in existence that there is more to us than the sum of what someone created for us in four corners that we span a lot farther and greater.

But that is not someone's responsibility to continue making sure they're patting us on the back. We should know what our worth is when you fine tune your purpose. That means what am I here for? Like why was I put on this earth? What is my purpose? What am I to achieve? What am I coming to this company? What do I have to offer this company? Am I bringing a fresh start? Am I bringing more diversity? Am I what am I bringing to this organization that's going to help them to be able to grow? How is this going to fill my soul? Those things are important. They're very essential to growing and knowing who you are as an individual and what that looks like and we have to be very in sync with who we are as individuals. Because looking to get into worlds and, and getting to environments and looking to grow in corporations and organizations, you have to already come with your game plan. You have to already know who you are, what you're bringing and why it's so important that they bring you into that organization. And I want everyone to think about it. If you could just think about that for a minute, I see, you know, in the chat in some of the different sessions where organizations are saying, hey, listen, we've got jobs available, we've got this available or are you, are you hiring? Are you looking to hire someone?

I wanna say see companies say we want you to work here because we have an excellent benefits package. We value our employees, we have employee retreats, we know that our employees are valuable. You know, we don't undermine dishonor. You know, we do all these wonderful things.

I don't want you to tell me the business aspect of what you do. I want you to tell me the things that connect to me as an individual. So I know if your organization is a part of my purpose and as someone who's looking to move up the ladder or looking to grow, do not put yourself in a position. Only of I'm looking for a job. No, I'm looking for a company that checks these boxes for me and my family for my growth. I wanna know if you have a management program, is there an internship program? I wanna know how are the managers to work for? I wanna know what the company and the organizational culture is. I wanna know what the diversity is because if I don't see me at your organization, I don't see me at your organization. That is the reality and we have to be very deliberate in how we do that because just taking assignments and jobs and opportunities does not fill the soul. It just doesn't do it. And then it puts you in a place where you are now somewhere that you don't even know if you're going to actually be able to grow and be there.

So let's be more deliberate about what we want and how we want it and what that looks like for us, right? That's important. I I don't want anyone here to ever leave. Not understanding that the company that hires you is getting you. And what are you asking what are you requiring? What are you telling them? I want you to offer me. This is not just about them giving you a job. This is a step on the ladder to your greatness. This is a step on the ladder to your family. For generational wealth. This is a part of who you are and a part of who you are becoming. You have a right to ask questions, expect answers, but know your purpose. When you go in there, know who you are and what you are expected to be when you get in there. So that you know, when you come in, you're ready to rock. That's the reality of it. Never get somewhere expecting for them to make you whole know who you are and how you can move accordingly with that. I would love in the chat to be interactive with everyone if I could get individuals in the chat, if you're looking for employment, tell me what you're looking for. I see folks with their linkedin profiles, companies with their linkedin profiles. Tell these companies. Yes, I'm hiring.

This is what I require. I require an environment that's going to be conducive to my growth. I'm looking for an environment that's going to nurture my spirit and my energy. I'm looking for an uh an environment that's representative that I see women in executive positions. I was listening to one of the ladies earlier in one of the sessions saying that her mentors have mostly been men. Well, all of my mentors have been men and let's look at why would women mostly have mentors that are men? Because for some unspoken word, women are under the rational thinking or irrational thinking. If you will, that we are each other's competition. Your highest competition should be yourself. You should be always aspiring to be greater tomorrow than you were today that you will be more fantastic next year than you were this year that within five years, you will have reached whatever goal that you're reaching. I don't care who and what woman and and what man is doing, what your competition should be you, it should never be another woman ever. And we have to keep that in mind as women who are in the same fields, who are in the same genres, who are looking to grow, who are looking to be their own individuals that we cannot do that stepping on each other's necks and backs.

Neither can we allow companies and organizations to put us in those positions where we're now competing with each other because maybe it's not your time. Maybe your time is coming. Maybe you will meet the organization here that you can intern with and your time will be coming.

Maybe it's just not right now. So let's be very clear on what that looks like and why that looks like for all of us. And then I definitely want to talk to you about the the third, which I think is the most important it kind of ties into is empowering other women that come behind you. We don't do enough of that. We absolutely don't make sure that people are able to come in behind us and that we're stepping, we're putting out stepping stones to make sure that we support them. We have to do that. We have to as women open the door. Now, I'm not saying jump on anyone's back and then ride them all the way across the finish line. I'm not saying that. But what I am saying is making sure that as a woman, I understand the road that the next woman is going to travel, making sure I give her road maps to be able to navigate. Now what she does with that is her business. But I think it is important that we do that. I think it's advantageous that we do that. It is very important that we know that supporting each other is the real true essence of leadership. Like that's it. You're not a leader.

If you're not supporting someone else, a leader is one of the best followers. Why? Because the leader knows they're a leader, they don't have to step on you. Scream y'all holler at you. They already know who they are. Are we there? Are we women that are there and understand that we are leaders and a leader means I'm going to lead you to your level of success. I'm gonna make sure that you get there. I'm going to make sure that I support you in anything that you do. You are not my competition. I am not your competition, but we can support each other getting there. That is one of the reasons why women are not in as many leadership roles as we should be. There's enough for us all to share and have. But when you don't really know yourself, you haven't claimed your independence. When you haven't fine tuned your purpose, it's impossible for you to come and empower another woman. You don't have the ability to, you're still trying to figure out who you are and where you match in the scheme of things. We all have gone through that. We all have gone through that. How do we move past that? What we do is we put together succession plans if you are an executive woman here today and you have been in an organization five years or longer and you still have anti anticipations of being there. Are you mentoring other women? Are you mentoring women of color?

Are you trying to make sure that another woman has as much experience? If not more than you, are you stifling anyone from growing and reaching their full capacity? Because if you are, you're not a leader and not a leader brings you along, she doesn't move out your steps. She puts out steps for you. And as we are trying to make sure that we leave our personal leadership mark. I don't have to crush you in order to be one. I have to make sure I'm doing my part and in part of doing that is holding people accountable. Make sure when you're looking to contract or work with other organizations here that you are clear on what your expectations are. I remember when I worked in corporate America, I've been an entrepreneur now for many years. I did not go into your business to hear what you were gonna do for me. I went in there letting you know why you should hire me, what I'm going to do for you and how I'm going to be the best employee that you have. I don't need you to tell me what you want. I already know what you want. You want me to work like a dog. That was my assumption, right? But I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna come into your organization doing why you're going to love having Tamori as your employee.

But in turn, these are things that I need and that I required and these are expectations that will fill my soul and helps me with the bottom line. Ladies, we can no longer use excuses of families to stifle us. Our Children will be grown, our sons and daughters will have spouses. I don't care if you're the best cook in the world and you're known for it. Well, after a while, no one will be coming to Sunday dinner for your great cooking. Your spouse is you could be the best wife that you wanna be in the world. Good for you. The reality is your kids are going to be moving forward, period. And so how are you still fine tuning your purpose? How are you still making sure that that is not the totality of you. Those are great things. Listen, I'm a mother. I have two kids. I don't cook, don't like to cook. So nobody ever accused me of being a great cook. And I've had two husbands that I don't want anymore. My point being is if I did not step into my purpose, if I did not understand what my role is, I would be lost, I'd be lost and stuff trying to start over and figure it out almost at 50 years old. And that's not the point.

Please make sure that on your road to greatness that you understand that finding and honing in on your personal leadership mark does not require you to step on dishonor disrespect. It requires empathy, support, adoration, kindness, and the ability to know how that sometimes when you lead, you have to step back and follow. And I wish that for every woman, I wish for every woman that we have more women mentors that we don't have to go to men. And it's OK to have men mentors that mine were all wonderful. But, but someone that understands that connects, that gets that, you know, I'm having a, a rough month, stay away from me. So I don't claw three of your eyes. You know, somebody that gets and understands that as a woman, we go through so many different things. I'm premenopausal. I'm sweating. I don't know what's gonna happen today. Everybody get out of the room. Why do we have to go and get support from other folks and from other, you know, genders that's unnecessary. So I'm putting out a challenge as I'm coming down on my time to every woman in this group today that you find some woman that you can support doesn't even have to be mentoring.

If you have time for that great, we will not be better until we're better find someone that you can support even if it's encouraging them to management, encouraging them to supervising, encouraging them whatever that is, that's our responsibility as women. And I don't care what you look like.

I don't care what culture, what race you come from. We all have the same walk. We all have the same things that we deal with. And I would like for every woman here today to try to support another woman so that we no longer need to have special conferences. It's just the, the regular way of business. So thank you everyone so much. My name is uh Tamori Richardson. My company is T and speaking prose. I am so sorry. I couldn't get my slide deck up, but I will absolutely try to make sure I can get it to everyone. Um You guys. Wonderful. Thank you so much for the chat. The more and the better that we are to each other, the better everything will be I think for us moving forward and I will make sure that everyone gets my slide. Please reach out. I'm a communications specialist and an expert business coach as well as the President of the Solano County Black Chamber of Commerce. So everyone, thank you so very much and you have a one rest of your uh offering. Thank you.