In this episode of Phenomenal Grit, host, and marketing executive, Alia Kemet shares the intentionality behind the word "for" in Career Conversations for Women of Color. This podcast is for EVERYONE but the "for" represents both a battle cry and a love song for the women who need it most.  Alia also shares early career experiences that taught her the value of leaning into and surrounding yourself with people who believe in you at work.  Surround yourself with people who see your light. Those that want it to shine. Those that will support you and uplift you. They are there. You migh ..read more

Today on Phenomenal Grit, Mimi Dixon, Crayola Marketing Executive takes us back to a pivotal moment in her childhood which helped define the leader she is today. She’s an engaging storyteller and visionary. I appropriately titled this episode, “She’s a Baaaad Mama Jama” and you’ll have to tune in to find out why. Enjoy the conversation.  About Mimi Dixon:  Mimi Dixon is a highly motivated and dynamic thought leader with +20 years of expertise in Integrated, Shopper & Sports marketing for leading global brands. She describes herself as a “Big Idea Generator, Activation Master, St ..read more

Mimi Dixon is a highly motivated and dynamic thought leader with +20 years of expertise in Integrated, Shopper & Sports marketing for leading global brands. She describes herself as a “Big Idea Generator, Activation Master, Strategic Thought Leader, and Passionate Marketer”. Currently, she is Director – Brand Activation & Content at Crayola. In this role, she spearheads Advertising, PR, Shopper Marketing, National marketing campaigns, and Digital & Social Content & Imagery. Most recently, she led the development & activation of Crayola’s 2020 Colors of the World skin tone c ..read more

How does a person go from battling imposter syndrome to living life authentically with grit and grace? How does a person learn to show up in the room at work with excellence? How does one build a personal brand to be proud of?  Alia discusses all of these things and more with Cherée Johnson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer for W.R. Grace. There are so many awesome pearls of wisdom shared in this conversation. From her vulnerable early years, Cheree takes us on a journey that leads to discovering her superpowers--her phenomenal gri ..read more

Ayodele Kinchen is a native and current resident of East Palo Alto (EPA). She grew up in a Pan-African home and community circle, attending independent, k-8th grade African-centered schools in EPA and was immersed in Afro-centric cultural academia, leadership development, and rites of passage programs created and coordinated in part by her mother. She is a graduate of Howard University (Washington, DC) where she received her BA in Business Administration-Management (1999) and graduate of START-Up (2002) – an EPA business incubator and training program for entrepreneurs. Ayodele is an entrepren ..read more

How do you overcome adversity and develop an authentic voice while thriving in corporate settings?  "There is no such thing as a diversity hire. Sit at the tables that value  and respect you!" Tiana  and I cover a myriad of topics in this raw and rare conversation. We're talking about self worth, how to recognize true allies and, thriving  not just surviving in your career. Enjoy the conversation!  Tiana Conley serves as the Vice President of Global Cereal for the Kellogg Company, where she is responsible for the $6 billion flagship portfolio with treasured brands suc ..read more

I'm kicking off Season 2 of Phenomenal Grit with Ingrid Otero-Smart, President/CEO, Casanova//McCann, a minority owned multicultural advertising agency. This is an honest conversation about showing up in your career authentically as a working mom, a woman of color and defining your career for yourself at any age. Ingrid encourages women to go for the roles they truly want and to chart their own course. Enjoy the conversation.  Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Ingrid Otero-Smart has over 30 years of advertising experience in the U.S Hispanic Market and Puerto Rico. She joined Casanova Pend ..read more

In honor of Black History Month, Alia and her cousin Arica Harris, Group Leader of Banking and Payment Operations for one of the largest financial services companies in the country reflect on their shared family history as descendants of Tulsa Race Massacre survivors and how this legacy has enabled their own Phenomenal Grit. Arica discusses how she found comfort in discomfort early in her career when she was the only or one of a few people of color in "the room". She offers tips on how to build relationships, stand out at work, and secure sponsorship within your organization. This episode is ..read more

Alia sits down with MJ Soler, advertising producer to discuss how she has excelled in advertising, an industry that has a long way to go when it comes to diverse representation. MJ's determined nature has helped her build the career she always wanted, and the drive to work hard and play hard too. MJ has been in love with the world of production for as long as she can remember. Early on, she worked as an intern for MTV networks and Participant Media in LA & NY. Unsure about whether she wanted to pursue roles in Television or Film, she discovered advertising was her true calling after gradu ..read more

In honor of Mother's Day, I'm sharing some of my stories about growing my career while having children. I've saved the rainbows and unicorns for another day. These are the tough parts that people don't often share. Even if you're not a mother, there are lessons in this episode for you.  I also disclose some really heavy moments I've been experiencing as a mom of Black boys living in a country where Black boys and men  continue to be disproportionality the victims of police violence.  This episode if not for the faint of heart! If you think I'm going to tell you that being a wo ..read more