Stay a Change Agent
I have always had an affinity for the word catalyst. My bachelor’s degree in Chemistry reinforced my fascination even more so. I found myself using that expression when describing people in my life more than I ever did when writing or discussing chemical reactions. We all have been a catalyst for someone’s success. Yes, you’re more likely reading this because you too have been a catalyst for someone. And if you’re thinking who me? Yes YOU.
Don’t think of catalysis as a grand transformative action. Most of the time, as it is in science, they are micro-moments that significantly change the trajectory of something — of someone’s life. You were a catalyst for the employee who asked you to write her a recommendation letter when she decided in her mid-30’s to apply to medical school. You were a catalyst when you sent an intro email connecting the young woman with goals to become a DEI expert with the VP of DEI in your own organization boldly requesting a mentorship opportunity. You were at a catalyst when you wrote the Google review for the business launched by two sisters. You were a catalyst when you mentored the teen whose entrepreneurial spirit burns like wild fires – and unbeknownst to you, your own entrepreneurial journey has been stoking her curiosity and passion to follow suit. [By the way, young people are always watching us. Don’t ever forget that.]
“Surround yourself with people who lift you higher.”
If you’re really lucky – and live by Oprah’s prophetic quote “surround yourself with people who lift you higher” or as I like to say ‘level you up’ – you probably can easily list 10 people (or institutions, which is still comprised of people) top of your head who’ve been agents of change for good in your life – both professionally and personally.
My catalytic cup runneth over.
One “agent” in particular catapulted me into the stratosphere of Guy & Beau TEE, an athleisure apparel brand redefining the work/life wardrobe guided by the core values integrity, creativity, and fun. In 2020, while a global pandemic veered its ugly head at almost all of humanity, I received a grant sponsored by Bank of America funding education. While the world seemingly fell in discontent, I virtually connected with a global cohort of women entrepreneurs collectively learning from esteemed Cornell University professors about the Key Stages of Entrepreneurship, Laying the Legal Building Blocks, Product Development, Digital Marketing and more. While the world “shut down”, I cracked open. The quieter it got, the louder my calling became. The less distractions made available, the more clear the path crystalized. I was right where I needed to be. Back in school. Learning from home.
I was reflecting on this journey on a flight from Philadelphia to Jacksonville. While waiting at Gate B7, I was scrolling though my phone and saw a post I shared back in 2014 — you know how Facebook sends you “memories” of years past. It was impeccable timing. The image, black background with white letters, read:
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see thing differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. — Steve Jobs
I love that entire quote — every word of it. However, the line that struck me as the pilot maneuvered all 100+ passengers into that extraordinary moment of lift was the sentence “they push the human race forward.” I often think about all of the women whose trajectories converged by the generosity of Bank of America + Cornell University. A grant brought us together at one of the most historical moments and perhaps crucial forks in our respective careers. Women from Africa, Europe, Asia, all part of the United States whom I had the privilege to learn from, connect and vibe with, became catalysts in my own entrepreneurial journey. I was e-surrounded by the “crazy ones” and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. A comrade of entrepreneurial geniuses pushing the human race forward made possible by two incredible forces who believe in us.
As a graduate of the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell Program, I receive a monthly (or so) email from a woman whom I’ve never formally met but feel very connected to. Her name is Kirsten Barker. I affectionately call her a “queen catalyst.” The email lands in my inbox with the same subject line: funding opportunities and business resources. Without fail, every time I read that email, I am reminded of all of the catalysts in the world lifting women higher — by making opportunities possible for women entrepreneurs.
As we build, grow, and scale Guy & Beau TEE, we pay tribute to the agents of change who have impacted our lives. At a recent company retreat, we declared our purpose:
TO INVEST IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT OF WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD.
Take time to mentor a young man or woman. Take time to thank those who have paved the way for you. As you build your businesses, share your learnings with others so they may feel less alone, on the right track, and 100% committed to staying a round peg in a world of squares holes.
