About 5 years ago, I received a T-HUET certification, which is Tropical Helicopter Underwater Escape Training. In other words, I was certified in escaping from helicopters underwater and also rescuing colleagues lost at sea. I achieved this all without actually knowing how to swim, and I also had a major fear of drowning.

This certification was required for a work assignment, so I had no choice but to pass. As scared as I was, I had to go for it. Imagine being slowly lowered into a massive pool, strapped into a helicopter that flips over, and you have to escape without any help.

It was a difficult, scary, and stressful exam, as we were dumped in the water 5 times and had to escape. But I was so proud of myself and in my ability to rise to the occasion, mentally lock in, and pass the course.

Going through that experience taught me how to tap into my resilience and persistence, build mental fortitude, and not let perceived obstacles stand in the way of my success. You never really know what you are capable of.

I started out providing my family and friends with career coaching and resume help. After about 6 years of doing that for free, I was encouraged by a friend that I coached to his first 6-figure role to actually launch my business. At that same time, I had begun recruiting for my corporate role, and I saw the disparity in the opportunities for professionals of color vs. others. I wanted to step into help level the playing and provide knowledge, strategies, and tools for these professionals to better represent themselves in their job search and in their careers.

Over time, between coaching my clients and also continuing my corporate career, I realized that in order to truly have impact and to help people secure meaningful careers, it was important to serve organizations as well through professional and leadership development.

Now the rest is history!