Doing Business While Black with Kronda Adair

This episode is a little bit different but I know that a lot of you are going to get a lot of value from it.

In this episode, I talk about the problem with joining white-led, white dominated masterminds as a Black woman and how finally joining an intentionally inclusive mastermind led by a Black woman helped me grow my business.

I also explain what it’s like having (mostly) white people consistently ask me for professional advice and services without paying for it, and share with you the behavior that will get you “cancelled.”

The catalyst for this episode happened in the comments of a post about an event that by all accounts sounded like a great event, if you’re white.This got me thinking about my “white lady triggers,” and what it means to be doing business while Black.

Usually some shenanigans will happen and I’ll get pissed off and end up creating content about it. That actually didn't happen this time, but I know that it's coming. I know that sometime in the future, I'm going to have to deal with some white nonsense, so I'm just laying this down here as a signpost that I can point to when it happens.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. I’ve also learned how to be mindful with my boundaries and I share with you all my tips for protecting yourself, your peace-of-mind, and your income.

A Special Invitation to Women of Color

I want to extend a special invitation to women of color, especially if you've been thinking about working with us in any capacity, I want to explicitly invite you in. I want you to know that one of my main missions is to be an example, is to be a signpost, is to be a ladder for those of you who want to not just survive, but thrive in business and do it on your own terms. Not only is that possible, but it is necessary and the world will be a better place for it. I really want you to succeed.

If that’s you and you want to work together, click here to apply to work with us. I would love to have you.

• [01:57] Your reading homework: Seven Leadership Lessons for Minorities (And Everyone Else) by Umair Haque
• [03:30] Why I created this episode  
• [04:08] A message for event planners: Unless you are making a specific effort for your event to be diverse and inclusive, then by default it's for white people
• [05:48] The problem with going into white-lead, white-dominated masterminds as a Black woman
• [07:41] What changed when I joined a mastermind led by a Black woman that was an intentionally inclusive space
• [08:25] Client experiences that have lead to “White Lady Triggers”
• [09:01] White women needing more help that they are willing to pay for
• [09:31] White women not respecting boundaries
• [10:26] How my fake white account manager got me paid
• [11:40] The worst and my last client from hell
• [12:48] My white lady triggers - asking me for professional advice and services, that they are not paying for
• [13:04] Dealing with the everpresent expectation of free labor
• [13:50] Having to learn to be mindful of my boundaries and be guarded even when it’s not in my nature
• [14:38] What are the things that can get you “cancelled?”
• [15:26] My perspective summed up in a tweet
• [16:40] My favorite quote from Toni Morrison
• [18:12] A special invitation for women of color

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