Today we’d like to introduce you to Yolanda Smith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Working in corporate America most of my career, it was not until I was mid-career that I discovered that I did not have any mentors, coaches, or sponsors. Actually, no one ever told me I needed one, so I progressed through my career on determination, a curiosity for learning, the grace of God, and some dumb luck. I suspect it was mostly his grace. However, this disturbed me deeply, especially as a Black woman, because I knew that if I had guidance and coaching, I could have gone further faster.
It was at that moment that I set out to engage, educate and empower others, arming them with the knowledge to help them navigate life and their careers. Still, in disbelief, I began to arm myself with information, and as I chaired the board for a non-profit for young girls called Girl Talk, I knew I wanted to give more than my treasure. I wanted to roll up my sleeves and be involved and my research led me to personal branding.
It was 2013 when I discovered personal branding, and I developed a workshop and would teach the girls about the power of their brand, sharing the importance of their reputation and image and how others perceived them. Helping them understand that life was all about connections and being able to build relationships, communicate effectively, allow your actions to mirror your words, and have the ability to articulate your value with confidence and authenticity. It was incredibly rewarding, even though, they sometimes didn’t quite understand the value and benefits they would eventually see.
Their parents attended my sessions and before long were fascinated by my teachings on building a powerful brand, stating that they needed this level of information and the steps so they could develop their personal brand. I recall one parent saying, “shoot I need this for me, if I had this information, I could teach it to my daughters.” It was at that moment the light bulb went off and I contemplated upskilling the workshop for professionals.
And in 2016, I started facilitating my masterclass workshops for organizations and I recall that feeling the first time on stage with an audience of more than 350 attendees, seeing them on the edge of their seats, taking in all the information, engaged, and hungry for more.
It was then that I knew my purpose, and I have been passionate ever since. You see, it wasn’t my first time on stage, I had been on a national speaking circuit since 2009, speaking on everything from digital technology to building sustainable industry relationships. I was working in the pharmaceutical industry leading the strategy to build trust and create sustainable and meaningful relationships with the health care environment. But nothing felt as satisfying as dropping this knowledge on corporate professionals who were eager to advance their careers.
In 2018, I hit a bump in the road and unfortunately encountered a new boss that was not my fan. It was not a pleasant experience to say the least and was a tumultuous six months. This was not for a lack of performance, and to this day, I am not sure why this person wanted to destroy my career. But what I can tell you is that it was like World War Me, and I was in a fight for my life. Eventually, I received the dreaded call from human resources, and I was demoted, and my team was taken from me. I was devastated. As I reflected, I knew that I wasn’t following my teaching on telling your story and I allowed someone else to run the narrative.
They may have embarrassed and humiliated me, but one thing is for certain, they did not break me. I was confident in who I was and the value I could offer others. I failed to tell my story and I needed to take accountability for that. In order for people to get to know you (mind you I was in a new area), you must tell your story. If you are not telling your story, someone else is, and that’s risky! If people know your story and feel like they know you and you fit, that is when the magic happens.
These are the people that will nominate you, sponsor you, promote you, advocate for you, hire you, do business with you, marry you, and loan you money. It doesn’t get better than that. You see your reputation can bring you great rewards, you just need to be intentional and strategic. Following that incident, I knew that I needed to elevate my passion and purpose, and in 2019 Branding 4 Success, LLC was born. I created a company designed to help organizations, corporate professionals, and entrepreneurs by offering professional development, team branding, and personal branding products and programs to help them achieve optimal results.
I got busy and authored a book titled “Reputation To Reward”, created an online course on personal branding and owning your career, put together coaching packages, and developed live workshops. I became a certified brand analyst because my mission is to ensure that those interested would have an opportunity to gain the knowledge that some were privy to but not all.
I believe that when you don’t know what you don’t know, but someone else does, you are disadvantaged. It was a way to bridge gaps and build teams to ensure employees were engaged and inspired, but also a step in helping level the playing field. That is what we call equity.
Today I am a “Parallel-preneur” working as the director of culture communications focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion within a pharmaceutical company, and serving as chief Brandthrupist for my company Branding for Success, where we are empowering individuals and teams through employee resource groups, leadership training, conferences, team branding, corporate mentoring programs, coaching, etc.
It is an honor and privilege to serve and give back to the individuals and organizations that want to level up. I say to my audiences and clients, don’t be like me, be better than me. My desire is for everyone to have an equal opportunity to reach their highest potential to achieve joy and success in their lifetime. The beauty is you define it for you!
Has it been a smooth road? What are the obstacles that you faced along the way?
Life is not a smooth road, it has twists, turns and bumps along the way. For me it wasn’t something I dwelled on because as a minority woman, I knew what to expect and what I may potentially encounter in life, so I was prepared. I have been denied positions, promotions, been demoted and fired in my professional lifetime, and while it hurt, I never gave up. I learned early that it’s not what knocks you down, its how you get up. And one of my famous quotes is from speaker Les Brown – He says “When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up.” There is no perfect blueprint, the key is knowing yourself, your value, and your worth. When you know these things, no one has the power over you and no matter how high the mountain or how low the valley, you can do it, and you can overcome with faith, resilience, and perseverance. In the end, what options do you have? There are only two – Give Up or Give In. I personally will give in because there is nothing left inside me and I have given it my all before I will give up.
Who else deserves credit – have you had mentors, supporters, cheerleaders, advocates, clients or teammates that have played a big role in your success or the success of the business? If so –who are they and what role did they plan / how did they help.
I have been very fortunate to have strong and powerful people to support and encourage me. My family has played an instrumental role, from my mom, rest her soul to my siblings, friends and colleagues. I love my tribe and a lot of us have been together for decades. I did not have mentors, sponsors, or coaches until mid-career, and it was then that I realized the importance they played in my life. Brian Seidle was one of my sales managers who really took an interest in my career and saw my potential beyond what I could see. He gave me inspiration and motivation to go after my dreams. Then, there was one person instrumental in getting me back on my game when I was demoted and deflated, and she believed and supported me from day one, Shauna King Oswald. She became my leader and instantly felt I was playing below my strengths. It was through her guidance, leadership, network and support that I was positioned for promotion and was able to obtain a role commensurate with my experience. She remains a friend to this day. I believe people leave leaders and not companies, and she is definitely a great leader.
And last but certainly not least, Linda Clemons, my mentor, teacher and friend. When I met Linda, I instantly knew I wanted to be connected to her. Her energy, her spirit was captivating. I attended one of her events and the FIRE that laid dormant in me, was ignited and I set out to create a brand building business called Branding 4 Success, LLC. I wrote a book, created a website, developed an online class and created multiple coaching programs, all within six months. It was through her experience and exposure, that I rediscovered my passion and got into action. I thank her for that and thank God placing me in the right place at the right time. It has been a full ride, one that has minimal regrets because each experience, each failure, each success, and each lesson has gotten me to this place of peace, authenticity, and purpose. I am a people growth leader and Brandthrupist™ with a passion to help others achieve their highest potential by unleashing the power of personal branding. I help entrepreneurs and corporate professionals articulate their value, live authentically, and stand out to earn more, lead more and win more.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I have learned it is important to surround yourself around supportive individuals. People who are excited for your success as you are. These can be mentors, close friends, family, or coaches. The key is to understand the value they can add to your life and you to theirs. It should always be a two-way interaction. I recommend looking for people who are where you want to be.
These are individuals inside or outside your organization, in the same line of business, or highly influential individuals that have the ability to pour into you, help you navigate the path, and have already been where you are and can provide sound advice and judgment to support you on your journey. I have had the pleasure of having some great coaches and mentors, one of my favorite mentors Linda Clemons, the body language expert ignited a fire in me that truly catapulted my efforts, removing all doubt and procrastination to take the leap of faith and build my business.
It is these types of individuals one needs in their life, who is honest, caring, and will give you the tough love when you need it. Having people that always agree with you and are not willing, to be honest, and transparent only stunts your growth. Find these individuals and keep them close, because I often say, your level of success rarely exceeds your level of personal development.
Pricing:
- Book $19.99 on Amazon or for a signed copy go to branding4success.com.
- online course $997.00.
- Contact for individual/group coaching and masterclass workshop pricing.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@branding4success.com
- Website: https://branding4success.com
- Instagram: @branding4success
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/yolandasmithbrandingexpert/
Image Credits
Faith Blackwell Photography and Ralph Vandale Photography
