Success &… Sisterhood

Learn to negotiate
Get a better job
Have more peace of mind
Become more powerful

Joining Success &… will empower you to increase your earnings by equipping you with the necessary skills to negotiate and advocate for yourself in the workplace. In addition to financial success, you'll also experience improved physical and emotional well-being through building meaningful connections with our network of accomplished women of color. With our practical skill set and strong mindset, you'll be empowered to achieve greater success and advance in your career, making you an unstoppable force in your industry.

So many of us are giving so much to our jobs: our expertise, our time, our energy, our brilliance… and what are we getting in return?

If we’re honest, so often our job is the thing that weighs us down and stops us from living our best life, sometimes even when we’re making six figures. We’re not getting promoted despite our qualifications. We feel isolated and alone because no one else at work truly understands what we experience as women of color. Our jobs keep us up at night. The stress causes health problems. Our family and friends complain because all we do when we’re with them is talk about how unfair things are at work.

What we really want to do is use our skills and experience to make the money we deserve, be our whole selves, and better serve our communities.

It’s time to move forward. Together.

With the right support, expertise, and sisterly community, you can better manage your toxic 9 to 5 so that you can transform the situation you are in, find a better job with higher pay, or start your own business and turn your ideas into reality.

Let your guard down in our sisterhood, as we help you get ahead in the face of everyday challenges at work.

Your sisterhood membership includes:

  • Do you want reliable information as you uplevel in your life and career? Do you want to know the first steps to take in starting your business? Or how to know whether you’re experiencing discrimination at work? Success &... is your one-stop shop for expert training from trusted sources so you can rest assured that you’re taking the right action to get you closer to accomplishing your goals!

  • Are you unsure of how to handle microaggressions at work? Want to start strategizing your exit from your current job? Has a colleague stolen your idea? Do you want to ask for more at work? Bring your questions and challenges to our regular group coaching sessions and receive expert coaching and advice!

  • Sometimes it feels as though the topics that matter most to us are hardly ever discussed at work. Well, our community hours are designed to connect and have dialogue with other women of color around topics of consequence to our careers and personal wellbeing. We’ll discuss everything from spirituality to the racial dynamics in our respective workplaces.

Wherever you are in your journey, this is the community where you will find the resources and support to meet you where you are. Our members walk away with:

  • Effective language to to speak up at work and ask for what you want so you can finally have the income and job you deserve

  • The mindset to set boundaries so you can focus on YOUR goals and what’s most important to YOU

  • Negotiation skills to empower you to skillfully ask for more money, responsibility, and flexibility to work from where you want!

  • Specific strategies to navigate the unique challenges women of color experience at work–from dealing with microaggressions to how to receive credit for our work

  • Peace of Mind knowing that you have a solid plan to leave your job and replace your salary

  • Expert training about how to get a better job or start a business to increase your income

  • Joy knowing that you have options and a supportive community to encourage you to accomplish your goals!

  • More time to spend with your kids, partner, and doing the things you love!

Hear from our community

  • "When I first considered joining the Success &... group coaching program for women of color, I had doubts about whether it would work for me. I felt like I was too far into my career and that my problems were not significant enough compared to what other Black women face. However, I decided to take a chance and join the program, and it has been one of the best decisions I have made for my personal and professional growth. The small group format allowed me to build meaningful connections with Emily, our coach, and the other women in the program.

    Through Success &..., I have been able to connect with different parts of myself, come up with solutions to problems I was avoiding, and develop a routine that works for me. I have also become more confident, improved my communication skills, and gained a better work-life balance.

    If you're considering joining Success &..., my advice is to allow yourself to be open and vulnerable. Connect with something bigger than yourself and trust that there is more than one way to get to your destination. Emily's coaching will make you think about things and encourage you to move towards your goals. Don't let doubt or fear hold you back from investing in your personal and professional growth."

    — LaBreya Johnson, Administrative Assistant

  • "I had my doubts about joining a career coaching program for women of color. I was skeptical that it might be just another cheesy support group that depends on who is in the group. I was also hesitant because I thought I could do it on my own. But I took a chance, and I am so glad I did.

    My first win in the program was drawing strength from other women and the affirming space. The coaching program is the exact opposite of gatekeeping. Through our sessions, I had the courage to file a complaint and document a human resources complaint that led to my boss's termination. I got a highly toxic person removed from my workplace, and I am still winning.

    The moment I knew I experienced progress was when I realized I had more confidence in my role and space, and I was more assertive when making decisions. The toxicity at work doesn’t get to me as much anymore, and even though my Vice President is this big bad guy at the top of my organization, I have the power. All I’ve done is win.

    To women considering joining the program, I would say that the affirming energy and support system are crucial because Black women are constantly gaslit. And for those experiencing anxiety and harassment at work, I recommend seeking out a group like Success &... and documenting everything. Having that support and guidance is so important.

    Thanks to Emily's coaching, I have been able to explore possibilities for growth that I wouldn't have allowed myself to think about before. I highly recommend this career coaching program for women of color who want to take charge of their careers and lives."

    — Kesha Jones, Vice President of Member Engagement

  • “Emily Williams has been a lighthouse for me during a critical juncture in my career when I had to learn how to become a more effective advocate for myself while working as the only African American woman in an environment that could oftentimes be marginalizing and even discriminatory. Emily's own personal experience dealing with conflict has given her a gift of compassion, which I believe has enabled her to serve as an effective mentor and coach with a sharp sense of business acumen and the ability to provide strategic and realistic counsel. I found Emily’s support to be comforting during what had been a really stressful and lonely time in my career.”

    — I. Addison, Finance Director

  • “I had been going through my own racial harassment hell in my current job and it was really taking a toll on me mentally and physically. I got to the point where I felt I had to make the choice to either suffer in silence and sink into depression (and let them win) or take my power back and act. My coaching sessions with Emily have helped to validate my experiences following the chronic gaslighting I’ve experienced. Emily is a great listener, problem solver, motivator and action taker. As a result of her coaching I’ve begun to feel more powerful in a very difficult situation that previously made me feel helpless.

    Emily is well-versed in institutional systems and how to use them strategically to advance racial and gender equity. She genuinely cares about her clients and, as a woman of color who has experienced her own share of racial and gender discrimination, she is able to relate to her clients’ experiences on a personal level. She’s approachable, down-to-earth and invests a lot of time, attention and care into her clients.”

    — M. Thomas, Equality and Inclusion Specialist

  • “I thoroughly enjoyed working with Emily. She helped me get clear on key professional and personal goals for the upcoming year. The specificity I gained as a result of her thoughtful questions and keen listening skills have already helped me better imagine my aspirations. Emily was patient as I worked through her prompts and provided many inspirational insights on how to shift my thinking. She helped me dream bigger and followed up with a set of resources that will support my efforts to make those dreams my reality. I truly appreciate her care and expertise and look forward to our continued coaching. ”

    — J. Conway, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • “I was physically, mentally, and emotionally stuck. My life had been rocked–I mean completely turned upside down– by workplace racism and gender based violence. I began coaching with Emily on the heels of this trauma. With her support, I was able to self actualize a version of myself where being proactive against physical, mental and emotional harm was also part of the healing process. Racial discriminations and gender based violence in the workplace corners the careers of so many women of color. Too many of us bury this trauma deeply and try to press on which only inflames those wounds. Going through the process with Emily was cathartic, therapeutic, and restorative. I held my employer accountable and am now working in a position making more money where I use my expertise to serve causes and communities I care about.”

    — M. Anderson, Director of Workplace Organizing

  • “Emily has a way of encouraging me to see beyond my limits and to know my worth. I am a Black person who works in a predominantly white company with high expectations for performance and conduct. I call on Emily to receive her feedback on my goals and my situation at work. She shares her perspective openly. When I talk to Emily about my experiences at work, I know she is on my side.”

    — C. Casey, Senior Program Lead

Hi, I'm Emily!

I built Success &... to be a direct resource to Women of Color who have 9 to 5’s, but know they deserve more. With our expert resources and sisterly community, I truly believe that you can enjoy the life and success you want.

I know the struggle for many women of color, because I’ve been on the receiving end of toxic treatment at work. Microaggressions, unsupportive colleagues, and general toxicity were normal in my working environments. The gaslighting caused me to second guess what I knew I was experiencing. I felt dread every Sunday night thinking about having to go to the office the next day. I would wake up at 3 am with anxious thoughts about work. Checking my email inbox nearly caused a panic attack and the thought of seeing certain people at the office made me sick to my stomach.

In 2020, I filed a claim of harassment and discrimination against my employer. I represented myself and transitioned seamlessly out of that toxic 9 to 5 into full-time entrepreneurship. Since then, I’ve built Forward with Emily to work with both individuals and larger organizations to create a better world of work, especially for the marginalized.

Success &... is the community I wish I had when I knew I had to leave my toxic 9 to 5, heal from the racial trauma, and find something better. I believe the best way to move forward is to do so together.

Join Success &... by April 30th, 2023 and you will receive a 1:1 Strategy Session with Emily and weekly group coaching sessions before the Spring Cohort begins in May.