In this episode of Being Brown at Work Live, I finally sat down with the incredible Natalie Parker, founder of Natalie Parker Enterprises and host of the podcast "So Your Boss Sucks, Now What?"

Natalie and I stripped away the corporate "safe-speak" to talk about the real work of 2026: Self-Preservation. We explored why Black and Brown women often default to service and performative excellence at the expense of our own health and purpose. Natalie's own 2022 near-death experience served as a powerful reminder that we have "one life to live", and we shouldn't spend it all putting points on someone else's scoreboard.

• The Performative Trap: We discussed how we've been conditioned since childhood to work for the "gold star." But in the corporate world, that 80-hour week often leads to burnout, not the promotion you were promised.

• The "Oven Drawer" Reality: Just because you've always used your career a certain way doesn't mean it's its true purpose. Your job is a transactional agreement—it is a tool for your life, not the totality of it.

• Managing Up in a Self-Awareness Vacuum: With only 8–12% of people possessing true self-awareness, your manager might be "sucking the life out of you" without even realizing it. We discussed why their lack of training is not your burden to bear.

Join our free community! The AMA Collective

Ready to take control of your career and earn what you're truly worth? This episode is sponsored by the Salary Bump Accelerator. If you're ready to make thousands more in your next salary negotiation, the Salary Bump Accelerator is your proven system. Packed with everything you need to prepare like a pro, negotiate with confidence, and land a total compensation package that reflects your value, this program is designed to get you paid what you deserve.

As a loyal listener, you get 15% off with the code BEING15. Go to https://thesalarybump.com/salary-accelerator/ to get started.

Connect with Natalie:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-renee-parker/

Instagram: @natalieparkerenterprises

In this high-octane season premiere of Being Brown at Work Live, I deliver a "no-sugarcoating" analysis of the current corporate landscape. Drawing on the newly released Lean In 2025 Women in the Workplace Report, I break down the sobering reality of the "crooked pathway" Black and Brown women are navigating today.

This episode moves beyond simple motivation to provide a strategic survival and advancement guide for 2026. I explore the critical difference between mentorship and transformative sponsorship, sharing personal stories of how sponsors opened doors to board seats and executive education.

• The Burden of Race: 1 in 3 Black women worry their race will hold them back, despite being among the most highly educated demographics in the U.S..

• The Burnout Crisis: 8 out of 10 Black women in leadership report high levels of burnout due to increased scrutiny and the constant pressure to prove their value.

• The Corporate Priority Gap: Only 46% of companies view the advancement of women of color as a high priority, a double-digit drop from the general priority for women.

1. Environmental Awareness: "Call a thing a thing." Acknowledge the reality of your surroundings without taking on the burden of fixing others' discomfort.

2. Foundational Self-Awareness: Use high Emotional Intelligence (EQ) to understand your unique persona and set non-negotiable boundaries.

3. Strategic Community: Don't be an island. Seek out accountability partners and build a trust-based inner circle.

4. Narrative Control: If you don't define your excellence and your story, the organization will do it for you—often to your detriment.

5. Psychological Safety: Prioritize your peace. Protecting the "person who produces the excellence" is your most important job.

I want to leave you with a powerful reminder: the rules may be different and the field may be uneven, but with clarity and a different approach, you can successfully shape a career that remains firmly in your own hands.

Join our free community! The AMA Collective

Ready to take control of your career and earn what you're truly worth? This episode is sponsored by the Salary Bump Accelerator. If you're ready to make thousands more in your next salary negotiation, the Salary Bump Accelerator is your proven system. Packed with everything you need to prepare like a pro, negotiate with confidence, and land a total compensation package that reflects your value, this program is designed to get you paid what you deserve.

As a loyal listener, you get 15% off with the code BEING15. Go to https://thesalarybump.com/salary-accelerator/ to get started.

In this episode, I continue my conversation with tech executive Obi Ihenacho (Corporate Engineering at Robinhood, Ex-Meta), who shares his actionable, personal playbook for building a powerful network that defines career success.

Obi shares real-life strategies, including the incredible story of how a genuine connection at a coffee shop led to an opportunity at Twitter that created a full-circle career win.

We dive into essential steps for growth:

• The Power of Proximity: Strategically positioning yourself at conferences and events to meet people who align with your goals.

• Small Wins, Big Confidence: How starting small—like having a simple "elevator pitch" ready—boosts confidence and propels you toward bigger wins.

• The Two-Way Street: The critical importance of making relationships mutually beneficial and remembering how you make people feel, not just what they can do for you.

• Networking in a Volatile Market: Why a strong network is essential for securing referrals and providing a safety net in an industry facing uncertainty.

This episode is packed with practical tips to help you transform your approach to networking, turning connections into career leverage and long-term professional success.

Join our free community! The AMA Collective

Ready to take control of your career and earn what you're truly worth? This episode is sponsored by the Salary Bump Accelerator. If you're ready to make thousands more in your next salary negotiation, the Salary Bump Accelerator is your proven system. Packed with everything you need to prepare like a pro, negotiate with confidence, and land a total compensation package that reflects your value, this program is designed to get you paid what you deserve.

As a loyal listener, you get 15% off with the code BEING15. Go to https://thesalarybump.com/salary-accelerator/ to get started.

Connect with Obi Ihenacho:

• Socials: @theobisystem
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obinnaya-ihenacho/