Marty McDonald & Boss Women Media
“I wanted to create a space, an outlet for women, specifically women of color, to be able to utilize tools and resources to help propel them forward in their careers,” explains Marty McDonald, CEO and Founder of Boss Women Media.
Like many people, Marty wants “to live her best life.” Importantly, she took action. “She decided to leap after her dreams of creating a community of empowerment, change, and freedom.” In 2018, Marty decided to put everything on the line and establish Boss Women Media to connect career-driven women. Before that, she was in an 11-year corporate job, making a six-figure salary. But Marty soon realized that she was one of the few women of color working in the company, and that was taking a toll on her. So, she left the job.
Today, Marty is on a mission to connect with women in businesses that span multiple disciplines. “Whether these women are in corporate America navigating the workplace and in need of resources and connections to take their careers to the next level or start-up hustlers who are building businesses, Boss Women Media is the ideal place for them.” Boss Women Media is dedicated to building a community of women who will empower each other through connection, networking, and workshops.
Check out our interview with Marty as she shares about her business endeavors, and how she is helping other women to pursue their dreams every single day.
Why did you start Boss Women Media?
I started Boss Women Media because I knew what it felt like to be the only Black woman in a room full of white men that didn’t understand my vision and perspective. I wanted to create a space, an outlet for women, specifically women of color, to be able to utilize tools and resources to help propel them forward in their careers. Whether they were in Corporate America trying to find ways to climb that corporate ladder, or they were just starting out as a business owner or side hustler trying to turn their full-time gig into their main one—I wanted Boss Women Media to be the space for them. A space to network, connect and meet like-minded women that represent exactly who and what they are and can be.
What services does Boss Women Media offer?
Boss Women Media hosts a variety of events (currently digital due to Covid-19) that include 100 Women Sitting at the Table, Black Girl Magic Tour, Boss Women of the Year, and more recently, Home Hustlers, which is a 4-week digital educational series that teaches women how to take their ideas to the next level through panels and workshops led by industry experts. We also offer our Boss Connectors Membership which is a community of tools and stimulating events to help women crush their career goals. Through this membership, we provide a plethora of perks and benefits that include: expert advice with boss women monthly, exclusive downloadable content, daily text messages, free networking events, 25% off event tickets, front row seating at Boss events, and so much more.
Tell us about the 100 Women Sitting at the Table event.
In honor and celebration of Women’s History Month which takes place in March, for the first time ever we wanted to highlight the untold stories of 100 women who were sitting at the table. We deemed 2020 as the year Boss Women Media would highlight women—powerhouses and inspirational bosses who were taking the lead and not taking no for an answer. The event took place at C.R. Smith Flight Museum with nearly 120 women in partnership with Capital One. 100 Women Sitting at the Table featured women from various industries including, Monique Rodriguez, CEO and Founder of Mielle Organics, Suzette Robotham, Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager at Google, Jolorie Williams, VP of Marketing at Creme of Nature, Alechia Reese, the award-winning author of Eating Elephants, and Marilee Fiebig Holmes, Chief of Staff at Roc Nation, to name a few. Our main goal with 100 Women Sitting at the Table was to connect women who are grinding in the boardroom and creating brands with like-minded women.
Why was it important to host the Black Girl Magic tour?
It was important to host the Black Girl Magic tour because it is our mission and goal to showcase and bring attention to women of color that are change-makers and leaders in their industry. We want to be the outlet that women can lean on and where they can be celebrated in a world that doesn’t tend to do it as often as it should. The Black Girl Magic tour is a tour that not only highlights women of color, but it’s also a tour that gives women the chance to interact with other women through their shared experiences.
The Boss Women of the Year summit was virtual this year. What was that like?
This year’s Boss Women of the Year Summit looked a little different from the previous three years due to our current climate. We hosted a digital event that honored women that are masters of their field and have paved new roads for other women to succeed. Viewers had the opportunity to join us virtually as we had three panels of mothers, entrepreneurs and corporate queens that included Mattie James, Denise Vasi, Mandy Price, Meena Harris, Taryn Newton, Kimberly Cummings, Jessica Taylor, Marjorie Williams, Brittani Rettig Wold, Nicole Fortune, Erin Waller, Paige Barton, Carmin Brown, and Mikaila Ulmer. Our attendees engaged in pre-recorded panel discussions with the brightest women in the game to help motivate them to find ways to take their careers to the next level.
Tell us about the Home Hustlers program which you recently launched.
Home Hustlers is our 4-week educational digital event series in partnership with Square where we’re calling on all side hustlers, idea creators and innovators, that want to take their idea to the next level. Each week we prepare a panel of experts in their careers to help guide and inform our audience through virtual workshops. We provide information that they need to know to turn their passions into profit to help them scale their own business.
What challenges have you encountered while running Boss Women Media, and how did you resolve them?
You’ll face many challenges while running your own business, but the best lesson I have learned is connections are key to being successful. Creating long lasting relationships will help you elevate your business for the future.
How has COVID-19 changed your business? What adjustments have you made to facilitate your clients?
Like several businesses, Covid-19 has definitely shifted the way we put on events for Boss Women Media. Being that majority of our events took place face-to-face and stimulated lots of human interaction, Covid-19 happened right in the middle of one of our biggest events yet—The Black Girl Magic tour. We were set to begin the tour a few weeks before the announcement of Covid-19 and cities having to shut down. This caused us to have to go into immediate action to turn the entire tour into a virtual event. Of course, as time progressed and we realized Covid-19 wasn’t letting up, we began to find ways to utilize and implement more digital events, which is where Home Hustlers and Boss Women of the Year Summit both came into play.
What would you say to aspiring entrepreneurs who have not yet mustered up the courage to leave their jobs?
Before deciding that you want to leave your current job, make sure you have some kind of plan in place. What plan do you have in place that will allow you to step out on that leap of faith and take those next steps to making your dream a reality. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but it will eventually happen if you stay focused and most importantly stay consistent.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned since becoming an entrepreneur?
Success does not come overnight. It takes time to persuade the world about the benefits you bring to the table.
What’s in the works Boss Women Media?
We plan to continue to share the stories of black women and highlight those stories to motivate and inspire the world. 2021 will be a different year as we go back into the world and engage digitally, but it will be the year of new normal for growth.
Visit Boss Women Media at Boss Women.
Comentários