A lesson in badassery

I never knew there was a class on badassery. Until I saw Bozoma Saint John speak.

I was at the Texas Conference for Women in Austin with 9,000 ambitious women when Bozoma (aka "Bad Ass Boz") took the stage.

Boz is a marketing goddess. She's been CMO for tech titans like Apple Music, Uber, and Netflix, and she's in the Marketing Hall of Fame.

But here's what struck me: She's a nearly 6-foot-tall woman of color who built her career in a predominantly white, male-dominated industry.

The odds of succeeding were stacked against her.

Faced with adversity, what did she do?

She put on five-inch heels, stood even taller, and refused to blend in.

Early in her career, Boz temped as a receptionist at Spike Lee's advertising firm. After just a few days, she had the audacity to critique his manuscript.

Crazy?  A little.  Bold? Absolutely. But that's who she is—confident, authentic, unapologetic.

It paid off.

Years later, when a well-meaning executive counseled her to tone down the red nails and bold lipstick—to be quieter, more humble—Boz dialed it up.

In Boz’s words:

"Black women are made to believe that the only pathway to success is to align their appearances and approach to their white counterparts. I couldn't do that."

"If your voice isn't accepted, does it mean you stop talking? Hell no. You keep talking."

Her message: Don't be less. Be MORE.

Boz's path wasn’t always easy. She lost her first child, Eve, who was stillborn. Then she had her rainbow baby, Lael.  Later, she lost her husband of ten years to cancer when her daughter was just four.

But she refused to let those losses define her limits.

Instead, Boz lives with urgency. Her lesson for women? Live boldly. Trust your gut. Take a risk.

As Boz said, "Draw from the well of confidence that you know exactly what you are talking about."

I needed to hear those words.

This has been a year of transformation for me—a new career, a new book, a new mission with Cheri's Choice. Sometimes the mountain feels overwhelming.

I feel a sense of urgency to reach women who feel helpless to create the families they want—because I know time is not on their side.

You've heard "WWJD?"

I'm adopting a new mantra: "WWBD?" (What Would Boz Do?)

When I'm intimidated about putting myself out there, I ask myself: What would Boz do?

She'd put on her red lipstick, stand tall, and speak her truth.

So that's what I'm doing.

If you feel intimidated about taking your next big step towards motherhood or career...

Take a deep breath, think of Boz, and leap.  Be the authentic bad ass that you are.

P.S. We're starting a new workshop in January to help women create families on their own terms. DM me to learn more.