Success & Leadership

The Price of the Climb: When Success Cuts Deep

In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus—not because she wasn’t tired, but because she was tired of giving in. What followed was a national movement—but also, behind the scenes, relentless hardship. She lost her job. She was stalked. She never profited from her protest. This is the part of success we don’t glamorise, the bruises no one applauds, the cuts no one sees.

Entrepreneurship is often sold as freedom. But for women—especially women of colour—that freedom often comes at a cost. We scale ladders made of blades: funding gaps, systemic bias, work-life strain and emotional exhaustion. A report from Project Diane found that as of 2021, Black women-led start-ups received…

Reclaiming Resilience: A Leadership Snapshot

In the hustle of building a business, managing a team, or striving for that next level in your career, it’s easy to overlook the one asset that drives all your success: YOU. As female leaders, we’re celebrated for our multitasking; admired for our resilience and often expected to be the steady force for everyone around us. But beneath the polished facade, many of us are quietly navigating high stress, burnout and the emotional weight of constant decision-making.

It’s time to pause, reset and lead differently.

At the National Black Women’s Network (NBWN), we’ve always believed that leadership starts from within. That’s why we created the Leadership & Wellbeing Worksheet—a practical, beautifully designed tool to help you realign your time, energy and focus. Whether you're preparing for a new leadership role or recalibrating after a demanding season, this worksheet offers more than reflection—it offers action.

Why…

The Art of Achieving Your Goals – Sun Tzu Style

In a world where markets shift overnight, competition is relentless and success belongs to those who adapt quickly, the principles of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War are more relevant than ever.

Sun Tzu wasn’t just talking about battlefields—he was talking about strategy, leadership, discipline and the art of navigating power dynamics. His wisdom applies just as much to today’s corporate boardrooms, entrepreneurial ventures and career accelerations as it did to ancient warfare.

If you want to lead, you must first master yourself.If you want to win, you must know when to advance and when to retreat.If you want to accelerate your goals, you must be strategic, not just hardworking.