Roar with Lakecia Gunter

“Resiliency is the strength required to successfully navigate change. It's the ability to successfully master the consequences of change, and it's the ability to renew oneself, and integrate new learning to become more effective than before.”  How many times have you paused in the past 8 months and, in a moment of utter frustration, asked yourself “When is this going to end?” We’ve all dealt...

“Getting to a place of power and authority, it was important to me to not only focus on the problems that have already been looked at, but to shift the attention and change the conversation to the bigger issues that I really cared about.” - Lisa Thee As we progress in our careers, it’s natural for our goals to get pushed forward in accordance with our accomplishments. First, it’s getting the big j...

“It's our actions that we take to achieve the outcomes we want that matters.”  -Michael C. Hyter How many times in your life and career have you waited to be noticed? You know you’re more than qualified for that promotion, but somehow you keep getting overlooked. Maybe this scenario has some of you thinking back to your school days of being a wallflower at the homecoming dance, hoping someone...

Where would we be without trust ? In our personal lives, it’s an important factor in building relationships. It’s not always at the top of our list of priorities when running a business, but it should be. Business is all about relationships. Trust is a social currency in the corporate realm, and if you invest in trust, it can really benefit your bottom line.  A leadership structure that place...

“Success is when I add value to myself. Significance when I add  value to others.”    -John C. Maxwell Would you describe yourself as successful ? Think for a moment about that word. Consider what it means to you. Try to define it.  When you really start to unpack it, success rarely looks like a destination with an endpoint. As we accelerate in our careers, the goal line contin...

When you possess an unshakable will to win, no obstacle has the power to derail you. This level of perseverance is in the DNA of great leaders. Rather than allow poverty, misfortune, or lack of support to determine who you are, it’s possible to take the reigns and steer yourself towards greatness. How does one make the decision to defy the odds, regardless of their circumstances? Where do persever...

“When you have an itch, there is an ART to how to approach it. The A is for ask, R is for research, and T is for test. “ Choosing to leave the comfort of stable, well-paying work in order to pursue our passions is an intimidating prospect. For many out there, making that transition can be a struggle and it can feel like there is a lack of resources at our disposal to get our ideas off the ground....

“When things are uncertain, that is the time for black women to step into being information centers and nodes, because then you have an opportunity” Black women are the most educated demographic in the United States, yet very few of us are seated at decision-making tables across the corporate world. If we want to change the pay disparity and ensure our voices hold space in these important conversa...

“Communication is the one leadership quality that will make you or break you.” Being an effective communicator is possibly the most important quality in any leader, but it’s easier said than done, and the two skill sets don’t always come in the same package. For some, it takes work. Leadership communications is about more than translating a mission statement. It's about organizing a set of ideas i...

“If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” - Shirley Chisolm In 1968, conventional precepts came tumbling down when Shirley Chisolm became the first black woman elected to Congress. Shattering that glass ceiling wasn’t easy, particularly at the height of the Civil Rights era in America.  As a woman and a person of color, every step of that journey would have felt lik...

“You create your opportunities by asking for them” Norman Vincent Peale said “Change your thoughts and you can change your world.” Think about a time in your life when you had an idea or an opportunity that really excited you, something that would require you to push beyond the borders of your comfort zone. Perhaps it was asking for a promotion or a raise, or maybe you wanted to ask someone out to...

“ It’s great that I’m the first, but what’s most important is that I’m not the last.” If you’re a wine lover or a visionary, you are going to adore my guest today! Bertony Faustin is a philosopher, thought-provoker, and change-maker, and his spirit is one that will endure all obstacles and setbacks, all while inspiring others to do the same! In 2008, Bertony became the first recorded black winemak...

Success is a result of navigating challenges and overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving your dreams, and everyone who has reached it in different stages of their lives can tell you that it doesn’t happen by accident. There’s a pattern, a template, a formula that all the accomplishments have in common - and my purpose is to find all the ingredients that form the recipe of success, and share t...

When was the last time you took a leap of faith in your career? What benefits did you reap out of that jump? There are moments in our lives when our inner voice is asking us to make a change in our careers. At the same time, fear will cross our road, preventing us to take on opportunities that could guide us on the path to success. To challenge that fear, one needs to have faith in themselves, in...

Education is the main pillar of a thriving society and is at the forefront of our evolution as leaders and game-changers. It expands our minds and opens up our world to infinite possibilities, and it helps us grow into anything we want. My guest, Justice Adrienne Nelson, is a pioneer and a trailblazer who believes in the power of education and how it can truly transform our lives and the communiti...

Currently, due to the global pandemic, most of us are working from home with minimal contact with the outside world because all gatherings and daily social activities have been put on hold, to keep us safe. As a result, numerous natural networking events have evaporated. So how do we cultivate and manage our relationships in such unusual circumstances? How can we build our dream network, even in t...

At the moment, we’re navigating our work and personal lives in a very different and uncertain way, and given this ambiguity, it can be difficult for many of us to hold on to our creativity. According to my guest, times of uncertainty and turmoil are particularly designed for creativity because they give us a nudge to be more adaptive and hyper-observant. With all the challenges and changes in the...

In the fast-paced world that we live in, with so many opportunities knocking on our doors, it seems like we are ready to say ‘yes’ to everything that comes our way, sometimes without reflecting on whether it moves us in the direction of our goals or not.  Before rushing into taking any action, slow down for a bit. Reflect on past opportunities. Which ones served you well? Which ones didn't? W...

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This is one of the hardest questions we all have to answer at some point in life because there isn’t a guidebook to life that suits every individual. Making the right decision on what college to go to, what career to pursue, or what business ventures to embark upon depends greatly on giving ourselves the time to reflect and get crystal clear on the things...

You can steer your career and life toward success or failure, and that is determined by the mindsets developed throughout your journey. You can either believe in a fixed way of thinking, meaning that you are required to accept the hand life has dealt you with and draw inside the lines, or you can nurture a growth mentality that can cultivate your essential qualities and help you thrive. If you lis...

As leaders, we sometimes feel the pressure of having to know it all, and it’s important for us to realize that we don’t have to be the expert in the room every time and that it’s okay to give ourselves permission to just be a learner and ask questions we don’t know the answer to. As a matter of fact, almost every executive or influential person surrounds themselves with coaches and mentors that ca...

One of the greatest qualities I have seen in leaders is their ability to quickly adapt and pivot whenever a disruption calls for a radical change. That requires courage to take leaps of faith trusting your instincts, knowledge, and values, regardless of the fears or internal insecurities that might numb important decisions. My guest, Dennis, embodies all these characteristics, and throughout his c...

A few years ago, I was presented with an opportunity to leave the engineering career field and lead a product marketing team for one of Intel’s largest businesses. On top of that, I was given the chance to work for a leader who was on my dream sheet of leaders I always wanted to work for, in the company. As you can imagine, doubt and a little bit of fear crept in, as this wasn’t my area of experti...

A few years ago, I took a class at work called, “Executive Inspirational Leadership” – and as luck would have it, Adam Bryant, my guest today, was the instructor. The class was centered around inspiration and how to optimize your leadership voice to accelerate growth in the company. I was so excited to learn from one of the most respected and noted experts on executive leadership, and needless to...

Time after time, opportunity is born out of great adversity and all of your experiences help you not only develop your Roar but also tap into it and use it as one of your superpowers. When you step into the unknown, take risks, and embrace new adventures, you can create successful outcomes that otherwise wouldn’t be possible if you just stood in your bubble. My guest today has an unbelievable grit...