Steven

It's interesting post-pandemic how it feels like leaders got gaslit a little bit. Founders got gaslit by platforms.

You know, like if you go on LinkedIn, you've got all these people telling you how to run a business and that what you're doing wrong and work-life balance and you've got to be more like this and you've got to be this kind of leader and you have to be this empathy and do this and that and the other. And if you're a young founder growing up in this world where everyone is telling founders what to do,

You know, like if you go on LinkedIn, you've got all these people telling you how to run a business and that what you're doing wrong and work-life balance and you've got to be more like this and you've got to be this kind of leader and you have to be this empathy and do this and that and the other. And if you're a young founder growing up in this world where everyone is telling founders what to do,

it can feel incredibly confusing. And I think in particular post-pandemic, where like how we work was like shuffled up and it's now like pick and mix. Before the pandemic, it was like, we all got it. We come to the office five days a week, we work, you know. it's a difficult time to be a founder because you've almost got to step out, if you know what I mean.

it can feel incredibly confusing. And I think in particular post-pandemic, where like how we work was like shuffled up and it's now like pick and mix. Before the pandemic, it was like, we all got it. We come to the office five days a week, we work, you know. it's a difficult time to be a founder because you've almost got to step out, if you know what I mean.

I think founders are scared as well because we live in this age of social media where, you know, especially if you have a profile, if you do something wrong, there's this really interesting incentive that the employee has where they can pop back. And so if you fire me from your company, Emma, and, you know, I didn't feel so good when I was there,

I think founders are scared as well because we live in this age of social media where, you know, especially if you have a profile, if you do something wrong, there's this really interesting incentive that the employee has where they can pop back. And so if you fire me from your company, Emma, and, you know, I didn't feel so good when I was there,

I now have you by the balls a little bit, if you know what I'm saying.

I now have you by the balls a little bit, if you know what I'm saying.

Because I can post on my TikTok and say, you know, Emma is not who you think she is.

Because I can post on my TikTok and say, you know, Emma is not who you think she is.

But then because you're living under that threat from some kind of activist employee, how do you stop that from changing the way that you live with that enterprise mentality and do what's right for the business?

But then because you're living under that threat from some kind of activist employee, how do you stop that from changing the way that you live with that enterprise mentality and do what's right for the business?

I've had so many founders say this to me in my portfolio. They've said like, oh man, I'm like scared of being cancelled.

I've had so many founders say this to me in my portfolio. They've said like, oh man, I'm like scared of being cancelled.

What was the most important lesson you had to learn about leadership as a up and coming, talented black woman in business?

What was the most important lesson you had to learn about leadership as a up and coming, talented black woman in business?

So it's balancing the empathy part of you with the needing to make difficult decisions.

So it's balancing the empathy part of you with the needing to make difficult decisions.

Because it doesn't feel like care to fire someone.