Build The Damn Thing Genius Guild

Episode 10: The Art of Leaving w/Darlene Gillard Jones

Whether navigating the complexities of divorce, stepping away from a business venture, or exiting any significant chapter of your life, leaving can be a difficult art. In this episode, Kathryn and Darlene Gillard Jones discuss the nuances of knowing when to leave and the importance of doing it in a way that doesn't destroy what you’ve built.

“Figuring out how to leave is a delicate dance, and you definitely need a strategy.”
One thing you should keep in mind is that leaving is a change, and many people are not very good with change. So you have to recognize that when you leave a situation, many people will not be comfortable with you leaving because they're uncomfortable with change. You’re not disappointing people; they just don’t like change. Realizing this truth can help make it a little bit easier to leave.

“One of the things I wanna encourage everyone to do is to figure out how to remove yourself from a situation before you get to the point of losing yourself.”
It can be tempting to stay in a stable situation, even when you’re no longer growing and it’s no longer the best environment for you. When you’re thinking about how to leave, be sure to center who you are and meditate a bit. The biggest part of leaving anything is knowing yourself and your reasons for doing this. And when you're clear on that, it makes it much easier to exit.

“My goal is to leave in a way that honors me and who I am, but also to make sure that whatever I build continues on.”
You don’t have to leave in a way that hurts other people or burns bridges. Instead, you should strive to leave with dignity while preserving relationships and fostering growth. Doing this requires intention, authenticity, and a deep understanding of the impact our departures can have on those around us.

Guest
Darlene Gillard Jones: https://www.darlenegillardjones.com/

Episode 9: Global Impact w/Gizelle George Joseph

After George Floyd's death, Gizelle George-Joseph, Partner and Global Chief Operating Officer of the Global Investment Research Division at Goldman Sachs realized that she could leverage her platform to bring a voice to the issues in the Black community. In this episode, she and Kathryn discuss how businesses can be a force for positive change, the importance of diversity in leadership, and the role of inclusive research in shaping a more equitable future.

“Black women, for all of the progress that we've made over the last few decades…experience just massive inequalities across such a broad range of economic measures.”
Gizelle’s research uncovered the massive inequalities still experienced by Black women, which led to Goldman Sachs’ 1 Million Black Women, an investment initiative that committed $10 billion in direct investment capital and $100 million in philanthropic support to address the dual disproportionate gender and racial biases that Black women have faced for generations.

“If we as a society can effectively address gender and racial economic disparities, it is not just the right thing to do…it's actually really good for business and good for the economy.”
Addressing structural problems like racism actually helps the economy. Doing well in business isn't just about profits. It's about building something that resonates globally, empowers communities, addresses global challenges, and leaves a positive mark on our planet.

“As an investor, I have no interest in just making individuals rich. I am in it because I wanna see communities be right.”
Scarcity-based capitalism creates a winner-take-all mentality. But stakeholder capitalism says that we are all in this together and that we all can win. It’s really about building wealth in the community, both for those who excel in the capitalist ecosystem and those who are unable to participate actively in it.

Guest
Gizelle George Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gizelle-george-joseph-9a127319/

Episode 8: What It Takes to Support a Black Woman Leader w/ Kimberly Bryant

One of the hardest people to be in the world is a brilliant Black woman because Black women leaders are rarely given the mentorship, guidance, and grace needed to be truly successful. In this episode, Kathryn and Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code, discuss the power of supporting Black women leaders. This episode explores the strategies, practices, and nuances that go into fostering a thriving leadership ecosystem for Black women.

“We as Black women and Black-women-run entities are undervalued, underfunded, and undersupported.”
Despite doing the work and often doing it even better than others, Black women face a dearth of support in entrepreneurship. They have more barriers to raising capital and creating a strong network. Their businesses often receive less funding and publicity than similar businesses owned by white founders.

“We need to be very active about aligning Black women to be successful.”
One concrete way to support Black women leaders is not just to open a door but walk with them- hand in hand- across the threshold. One way to do this is to facilitate warm introductions, sharing why you’ve decided to invest.

“And all along the path, there were other women, mostly Black women, that kind of pushed me along and held me up every step of the way.”
Creating a network of support is important for business success. Often the highest level of support comes from those who are most proximate to the problem(s) you are trying to solve.

Guest
Kimberly Bryant: https://premierespeakers.com/kimberly-bryant/bio

Episode 7: The Power of Resilience w/Torian Richardson

How do we access our full potential? In this episode, Kathryn and her guest, expert life hacker Torian Richardson, explore how to hack your way to reaching your full potential- addressing setbacks, failures, and doubts head-on. Learn how to deal with the fear of permitting yourself to live the life you want to live and how to cultivate resilience in your own life.

“I can't give what I don't have, right? So, I can't give time if I don't have it. I can't give resources or money or love if I don't have those things for myself.”
You can’t serve your family or community if you have nothing left for yourself. You need to be able to put on your own oxygen mask before you can help others. One way to do that is to set intentional boundaries around how much you can give and to recognize that you don’t have to say yes to every request. No is a complete sentence, and it’s crucial to be able to say it without feeling the need to apologize or explain.

“As entrepreneurs, we talk a lot about business success and structure, and that's all pretty clear. But the most successful entrepreneurs I know in life, not just in business, are those who do the healing work internally… and really understand the cost of success.”
One of Torian’s biggest strategies for resilience is cultivating self-awareness. You have to really understand your strengths and weaknesses and areas where you may need to ask for help. Self-awareness also means understanding your values and where to place your loyalty and commitment.

Guest
Torian Richardson: https://torianrichardson.wordpress.com/

Episode 6: Adapting to Change w/Denise Hamilton

We say we want change but often don’t budget for its cost. In this episode, Kathryn and her guest, Denise Hamilton, founder of WatchHer and author of Indivisible, examine the complexities of adapting to change and uncover effective strategies for navigating these shifts seamlessly.

“We often say that we want change, but we don't budget for the cost of change, right?”
Change means more than just making minor adjustments. There is a cost to real change. For example, change can mean calling out toxic practices or people, even if the people are powerful and the practices are just how things have always been done.

“You can't be intentionally exclusive for hundreds of years and then be accidentally inclusive. You have to do the work.”
Part of Denise’s diversity and inclusion work is helping leaders understand that they need to push against the status quo actively. They can’t just coast and pretend to do the work to create inclusivity; rather, it’s about changing the company's underlying culture. But this is hard for many leaders because humans, in general, tend to resist change and see it as a threat. As Denise writes in her recent book, Indivisible, the goal should be beyond surface-level inclusivity and focused on making actual change.

“If you create a paradigm of change that only suggests sacrifice, it will be mighty hard to get up the hill. You have to show how making these changes benefits everyone.”
Many corporations have abandoned commitments made after George Floyd's murder. However, some corporations are sticking to the promises they made in 202, and those that are sticking with their promises are doing very well financially.

Guest
Denise Hamilton: DeniseHamilton.co

Episode 5: Dating as an Entrepreneur w/ AJ Johnson

Entrepreneurship demands dedication, innovation, and unwavering focus… and so does dating. In this episode, Kathryn speaks with celebrity hairstylist and designer AJ Johnson, who has navigated the intricacies of dating while pursuing business ambitions.

“One thing that I definitely think [that high-powered women] could do is instill in themselves self-love… because you're not gonna be able to share or receive love from nobody else if you don't feel it about yourself.”
To find a life partner successfully, you have to put as much effort into dating as you do into building your career. A key component of this is spending time learning about yourself and, more importantly, loving yourself.

“In our community, there's a certain level of validation that you get as a Black woman when a Black man ‘chooses’ you...then when you decide that there's more that you want, it is really shocking for people.”
Women, particularly Black women, often stay in marriages or partnerships where they may not actually be valued because of the outside validation of being “chosen”. Choosing yourself, while not always easy in our social media-driven culture, is the key to lasting happiness.

Guest
AJ Johnson: @iamajjohnson