Speaking with Opeyemi Sofoluke is like taking a masterclass in finding purpose and building one’s network in order to advance in one’s career, either in the corporate world or as an entrepreneur. Given the way social and cultural capital is distributed, the corporate sector is a “white man’s world.” What does that mean for Black people, specifically Black women? How can we exercise agency in a space where we remain the minority?
Sofoluke is no stranger to being “the only one” in the room. With a decade-long experience climbing the corporate ladder, she is now on a mission to leave a legacy of positive impact in the lives of people from underrepresented communities. Before her current role as Lead Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) manager at a top four global tech company, she was responsible for setting the D&I agenda for over 5,000 technologists at J.P. Morgan. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she and her husband began writing a book to inform and empower Black professionals in the corporate world and those on entrepreneurial journeys. The many socio-cultural crises that erupted during the pandemic reinforced this need to rally around one’s community. Their book, Twice as Hard: Navigating Black Stereotypes and Creating Space for Success is the result of their decision to harness community support and solidarity as we recreate our shared future.
For Black women, Sofoluke insists that a crucial foundation for success lies in self-awareness, as well as awareness of one’s story, potential and limit. Here she talks with AMAKA about why it is non-negotiable to define your story and build intentional relationships.
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AMAKA: One major thing I took away from your book was the necessity of having a “North Compass” (or personal brand) and ensuring the integrity of that brand: who you serve, why you are doing it and what your greater purpose is. Using these categories, how would you define Opeyemi Sofoluke?
Opeyemi Sofoluke: Opeyemi Sofoluke is passionate about people. I care about driving change in the culture. When I started my career in banking, it was a high-pressure environment, all about numbers, reporting and settling trade. It taught me resilience but after a while, it made me feel quite down and resistant to the idea of going to work. I found that on a personal level, it was no longer fulfilling to be where I was. Rather, I needed to be in a job that allowed me to serve underrepresented communities and to have a lasting positive impact. Thankfully, I’m now in such a position. On some days, that impact looks like mentoring new colleagues at work who have not been in the corporate environment before and are not aware of its many unwritten rules. On other days, my impact looks like my Growth Box which helps subscribers with their personal development and spiritual growth, while giving back to a charity organisation.
In your book’s insightful chapter on 'Building Your Brand', you quote your conversation with Dr. Wayne Frederick, president of HBCU Howard University, where he says, “Emphasise your unique purpose and allow yourself to be defined by it.” That struck me. What are some of the tensions and challenges you see arising for Black women in the quest to “allow themselves” to be defined by their purpose, particularly on their professional corporate or entrepreneurial journeys?
The challenge in pursuing purpose often links to external factors. You may want to go for that promotion, that new job, to launch that business and there will be people and systems around you insisting that you are not enough, overlooking you or hyper-scrutinising them. That pushes Black women to question their value and their ability. Another challenge is that often we may not have been exposed to the kind of knowledge needed to navigate the system because we may not have the necessary relationships. It all boils down to relationships, even down to whether the bank will give you a loan or credit. And so, sometimes we enter spaces trying to change parts of who we are (e.g., our hair, our accent) in order to be seen as acceptable. We know that, at worst, racism is still prevalent, and, at best, everyone has biases.
The question ‘How can I present myself in such a way that people don't pigeon-hole me as a stereotype?’ can really get in the way of us allowing ourselves to be defined by our purpose. To deal with that, I have gotten to a point where if I find myself in a certain space, I know I’m there because I deserve to be there. And so, I think: ‘how can I position myself to demonstrate that excellence that I want to bring out?’
Personal Branding Matters
In light of that, what would you say we stand to lose by not taking our personal branding and purpose seriously on our professional journeys?
If we're not intentional about our personal brand, we leave it to others to define that narrative as they like. Research shows that first impressions are made in a matter of seconds. Let’s also face it: the reality is that there are people who will stick to their own view of us, no matter how we present ourselves. I’m okay with that. If I’m thoughtful about the person I want to be at work, in business, in life, then I can be confident about the brand I’m putting out there, even in the face of that percentage who sees me in a negative light.
I enjoyed how the book’s inquiry across the UK and US showed how Black people face similar challenges in different societies where they are a minority demographic. Given your experience leading Diversity and Inclusion teams for the wider EMEA region, I wondered how you see the challenge that Black people face in other parts of Europe and the Middle East? What is the same, what is different?
I have seen that no matter where you are in the world, as a Black person, if you are experiencing racism, someone on the other side of the world can identify with you. Growing up in the UK myself, we were taught about the history of racism but only from the US perspective, but the social dynamic is prevalent across societies where Black people are a minority. Thinking about other countries or regions, the nuanced differences are often linked to their specific cultural environment, but I have found that their stories of racism and discrimination resonate with my community here in the UK.
Speaking of community, your book has been described as an exercise in building your network. This shows in the breadth of people you speak to from Beyoncé’s father and former producer, Mathew Knowles, to founder of The Shade Room, Angelica Nwandu. Did this network building experience change you or change your mind about anything? And how so?
It showed me that there is a lot of solidarity in my community. People were willing to support our work and invest their time in our mission of empowering and informing the community on ways to grow as professionals and entrepreneurs. Sometimes we underestimate the sense of solidarity across the Black community globally, but that experience reinforced it for me.
It also reinforced my belief about a strong personal brand. All the people we spoke to are incredibly busy people who I imagine get tonnes of emails and messages everyday but how we presented ourselves, our requests and our mission persuaded them to give us their time. You have to be thoughtful about how you show up in email, on Zoom, and over the phone.
"If I’m thoughtful about the person I want to be at work, in business, in life, then I can be confident about the brand I’m putting out there, even in the face of that percentage who sees me in a negative light."
Know When It’s Time To Move On
You also discussed how a vital part of creating one's blueprint for success is knowing when it is time to move on (or move up). Knowing that Black women have to work twice as hard and knowing that leaving a position can leave us worse-off, how do you tell the difference between the necessary difficulty of working twice as hard and when it is time to move on?
One thing to emphasise is that one’s journey requires patience. Having said that, if you find yourself in a situation where you are consistently being overlooked for the same opportunities as your peers to advance in your career, or you are experiencing an unnecessary level of pressure that is having a negative impact on your professional and personal lives (especially with regards to your health), it is time to re-evaluate the situation. And when looking for a new opportunity, it is important to not allow the negative experiences of the past to hinder you from going for opportunities that you believe you are capable of. Research shows that women are more likely to self-select themselves out of opportunities. As much as you are being interviewed, interview the company too. Take time to research and understand the culture there.
I found resonance in your discussion with Ronke Lawal in which she advised: “find safe-space mechanisms, make sure you build a tribe around you, outside of work or business and also inside of work or business." Speaking of wellbeing, avoiding burnout and cultivating the life that sustains our spirit, I’m interested in what you think about the boundary between life and work.
I believe that work-life balance does not just happen and if you are really focused on getting a balance, you will probably be frustrated. Instead, I have always seen it as a work-life juggle. In juggling, every single ball is important, be it being a wife, a mother or my professional career. At certain times, I have some balls in my hand and other times the balls are in the air. The balls in the air are very much on my mind but at every moment, I focus on the balls in my hand as top priority. It is a balance between what is important and what is urgent. It is also about understanding what stage you are in your juggling process, how many balls you can carry and when to put all the balls down to focus on yourself or take a break.
Given your experience, you are currently at the cutting edge of efforts at ensuring that marginalised voices are being heard and valued in the business world. Who or what currently inspires you in their efforts at challenging racial stereotypes and creating inclusive, yet pathfinding, blueprints for success?
This might be cheesy but honestly, I’m truly inspired by my husband, Raphael Sofoluke. In 2016, he launched the UK Black Business Show after identifying a gap when it came to black businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals: that we did not have a forum to connect with, learn from, and be inspired by one another. From his work, you can see that he truly cares for the community. When he started out, there were some supportive people and there were discouraging people who insisted that the Black community does not invest in themselves to the extent of supporting such a show. He has taught me a lot about pursuing goals and challenging other people’s doubts about me.
The UK Black Business Show takes place on 30 October.