It was on the streets of Flint, Michigan where I earned my “Street MBA,” a curriculum of real-world survival, marketing ingenuity, and risk management.
This unconventional education laid the groundwork for a path I never imagined—from the streets to multiple boardrooms, where these lessons became my most valued assets.
The transition wasn’t immediate, nor was it easy. However the wisdom gained on those streets proved to be my unique advantage in a corporate world that often values conventional paths. It taught me to look beyond the surface, to find opportunity in adversity, and to bring a fresh perspective to stale challenges.
Here’s how the “Street MBA” has shaped my approach to business and leadership:
- Leverage Every Experience: Every journey step contributes to our knowledge arsenal. The streets taught me resilience and the importance of seizing every opportunity—lessons crucial in navigating the corporate landscape.
- Embrace Unconventional Learning: Formal education is invaluable, as is the wisdom gained outside the classroom. Mentorship, real-life experiences, and self-driven learning have all played pivotal roles in my development. They are the unsung heroes of success.
- Foster an Environment of Inclusivity and Diversity: Central to driving innovation is the principle of objectivity in valuing diverse experiences and backgrounds. The richest, most innovative solutions emerge from teams that operate on the foundational belief that every individual brings a unique and valuable perspective to the table, assessed on the merits of their ideas rather than the prejudices of their background.
As I reflect on my journey from the streets of Flint to the corporate boardrooms, it’s clear that the wisdom gained from my unconventional path has been nothing short of transformative.
This journey underscored a fundamental truth: real innovation and progress thrive when we dare to value and integrate the full spectrum of human experience, especially those forged in adversity.
The lessons learned in the face of challenges have equipped me with a unique lens through which to view the world—one that sees beyond the immediate to the possible, transforms adversity into opportunity, and energizes people to overcome what may seem like insurmountable challenges.
In this spirit, let’s work together to move forward, not just as teams but as a collective force driven by the power of #ACCESS. Together, we can redefine the parameters of success and innovation, crafting solutions that not only answer today’s challenges but also illuminate tomorrow’s opportunities.
