Bad Ass Boz: How Intention Helped This Executive Succeed
Forbes, in partnership with Sprinklr, crowned Bozoma "Bad Ass Boz" Saint John as the world's most influential CMO of 2021. And when I read the article I found myself internally cheering for her and feeling a sense of pride. Now, I'll admit that's not a usual announcement that would excite me, but anyone who is familiar with Bozoma can understand why I'd root for her.
For those who aren't, let me give you some background. The first time I was introduced to Ms. Saint John, the Chief Marketing Officer of Netflix, was on Instagram Live having a girl talk with Saweetie. That alone was enough for me to immediately click the follow button. I mean it's not often that we see corporate executives interacting much on the 'gram, especially authentically and with celebrities. My instincts were right because since then, I've seen her flick it up with Jay Z, travel the world, and offer major fashion inspo.
But don't get it twisted, her lifestyle comes with a lot of hard work.
The role of a CMO, a Chief Marketing Officer, is to oversee all marketing efforts for corporate entities. Prior to joining the streaming giant, Bozoma served as CMO for Pepsi, Uber, and Apple, just to name a few. She joined Netflix about a year ago and has already led multiple campaigns, including an innovative one to limit spoilers for a show called Money Heist, where fans watched the final season on a flight.
Therefore unable to share any information online and ruin it for other viewers. In an interview with Adweek, she said:
"If I'm having a great time with it, then somebody else is also going to be having a great time with it. For us [Netflix], member joy is really at the heart of what it is that we're trying to deliver. We want people to see themselves on screen, but we also want them to explore and to find new ways of being."
According to Adweek, Netflix has brought in 1.5 million new subscribers from July to September alone. Although Bozoma makes a point not to shy away from the praise of her efforts, she also credits Netflix's storytelling for their success.
I think for years there's been this assumption that if you want to climb the corporate ladder, or reach a certain level of success, there's an urgent and specific path one must follow. There's a way to look and act. But, Bozoma defies all of that. She shows up her authentic self, red nails, lipstick and all. And she focuses on the goal rather than the plan.
In a YouTube interview with Forbes, she said:
"Urgency is not about speed. It's about the depth and intention of what I'm trying to accomplish. I want to make sure that I get everything that I can out of this life."
It's clear that she lives by this personally and professionally.
For more on Bozoma Saint John, check her out on social media and be on the lookout for her memoir, available 2022.
Featured image by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Glamour
Kirby Carroll grew up in VA but now calls Atlanta, GA home. She has a passion for creating content and helping brands grow through storytelling and public relations. When not immersed in work, you can find her sipping a mimosa at brunch or bingeing a new TV drama on Netflix. Keep up with her on social media at @askKirbyCarroll.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Stress Awareness Month: Sneaky Workplace Triggers Affecting Black Women, And How To Cope
We all know about the major stress triggers of everyday life, from relationship woes to monthly bills to unexpected emergencies, but there are small, subtle triggers that impact Black women in a big way, especially when it comes to work. It’s good to be aware of these sneaky stressors in order to maximize your day and find ways to incorporate solutions into your self-care routines.
Since it’s Stress Awareness Month, we caught up with Keanne Owens, LCSW, founder of Journey To Harmony Therapy Center, to talk about these triggers and what Black women can do to manage and cope.
Owens is an experienced South Florida-based counselor and social worker who offers her services via Grow Therapy, a therapy and medication management platform. She has worked with Black women professionals to unpack issues related to workplace stressors. “One is the pressure to perform–having to meet deadlines and deliverables. And a lot of times, these subtle stressors from performance are put upon ourselves as Black women. We want to make sure we’re doing our best. We don’t want to be critiqued in certain ways.”
Excessive micromanagement leading to fear of overly critical bosses is another subtle trigger that can negatively impact Black women in the workplace.
“Whenever something is done wrong, or we experience some type of injustice and have to report it, it’s the fear of retaliation–[fear that] we won’t be taken seriously or [our words] will be taken out of context because of being deemed as the ‘angry Black woman,’” she said.
Black Women And Workplace Stress Triggers
Her sentiments are backed by research. A recent report by Coqual found that 28% of Black women (compared to 17% of White men) say their supervisor uses “excessive control or attention to detail” when managing them. There’s more: A survey by the National Employment Law Project found that Black workers were “more likely to have concerns (80 percent) and twice as likely as white workers (18 percent) to have unresolved concerns at work, with 39 percent reporting they were “not satisfied with the employer’s response or did not raise concerns for fear of retaliation.”
The survey also found that 14 percent of Black respondents said they “avoided raising concerns to their employer for fear of retaliation—more than twice the average rate of 6 percent for all survey respondents.”
Owens pointed to the fact that these subtle stress triggers can negatively impact our physical health and our career advancement. “A lot of time it’ll affect our productivity,” Owens added. “We start to have negative thoughts of ourselves. The stressors can also cause fatigue. We’re no longer meeting or working up to our desired potential.” Other challenges as a result include insomnia and increased insolation, withdrawal, and lack of motivation to apply for jobs or promotions even when qualified.
valentinrussanov/Getty Images
How To Manage Subtle Stress Triggers
While there are systemic issues at play for Black women at work that has less to do with us and more to do with major overhauls that must be addressed by the powers that be, there are steps we can take for the betterment of ourselves and our mental health. Owens offered the following tips:
Tap into a support system, whether it’s a coworker you trust, a family member, an organization, or an outlet like a hobby.
Create a good work-life balance before burnout even starts. “Having certain boundaries [is the goal] such as, for example, if you get off at 5, you get off at 5. If your job description is this, you don’t go above and beyond because that brings you to a lot of burnout,” Owens said.
Prioritize self-care, whatever that means for you. “If you don’t have a routine, create one. Practice mindfulness and even some meditation,” she added.
Create structure in your life outside of work. “Even if you have a family, applying some structure in your routine helps relieve stress,” she said.
Get into grounding techniques. “Do a real quick square breathing exercise, that’s literally 30 seconds, or you can do a grounding technique that’s less than two minutes, right there where you are. You don’t need any other materials. That’s something you can do with just yourself and your body.”
Ask for help. “As Black women, we don’t ask for help enough,” she said. “Find where you need to ask for help. A lot of times, people think that’s indicative of weakness, but we need to rewrite that narrative. It’s okay to ask for help where you see fit. [If] you’re a mom, [it could be] every Wednesday from 5 to 6, your children are with the dad. You have to carve out that time.”
For more information on Grow Therapy, visit their website. You can also find out more about Keanne Owens, LCSW, via BeginYourJourneyToHarmony.com.
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Featured image by Charday Penn/Getty Images