Hello everyone! Today I am excited to bring to you an interview that I was blessed to conduct with the amazing Briana Conner. She is a decorated news anchor and reporter that has had an amazing career trajectory. As a result of this, she has lots of great advice and inspiring stories. I highly recommend that you give this a read and take the time to be inspired by it. Without further ado, here is the interview!

*The Interview Below Was Conducted Via Podcast; The Words Below Are A Manual Transcription*

Can You Tell Us A Bit About Yourself?

Sure! I am currently a news anchor and reporter with ABC13. I anchor our three o’clock newscast, and I report for our 10:00 o’clock newscast. I’ve been in that role for about a year. Before that I was in North Carolina doing the same thing for about six years, and before that I was in Paducah, Kentucky and I actually started my career in South Texas in Victoria. I’m from the Houston area, so it means the world to me to be back living and working in this town. And I am so thrilled to, as mentioned, be able to have this conversation. 

Who Inspires You And Why?

That’s really funny to think about. I was actually working on a back to school story a couple of days ago and got an opportunity to go back to my high school and they asked if I had ever won any superlatives through Hightower high school back in the early 2000s.  I was actually voted most likely to be a millionaire. I’m far from that, but the reason why is interesting. As a kid, I was telling everyone who would listen I was going to be the next Oprah Winfrey. Oprah has had an incredible career, she has her own network. She has done so much to advance Journalism. She made the mold of what a successful talk show is. And so I aspired to be like her and have the type of  influence that she had at that time, the, you know, late 90s/early 2000s. I was definitely that kid that would rush home and put on the TV at 4:00pm so I could catch the Oprah  Winfrey Show. She was really a strong influence on me when I was an adult and also my mom. My mom was a television news journalist in the 70s and I was never able to watch any of her work. But I grew up knowing that my mom and I were so similar that I thought anything that she did would be a good match for me as well. It was really neat to grow up and see how her talents made room for her in her career and how she explored her industry and so, I try to copycat some of those things in my life. 

You’ve Had An Amazing Career Trajectory. Can You Tell Us Some Of The Most Memorable or Impactful Moments?

My first big story that I always end up talking about is when I was in my first market, it was a small market, it was in Victoria, Texas. There was a lot of good that happened in that town. I remember one of the most impactful stories I ever got to cover was for a veteran who returned home from either Iraq or Afghanistan. He had a wife and two little girls and they were just having a hard time. There was a little furniture store in town, it wasn’t a chain, it was a mom and pop owned store. The store decided to collaborate with myself and the man’s family and arranged to  have the family away on a little vacation for a few days. I was able to document the process of people going on a completely redoing his home to fit the needs for him and give each one of his girls their own bedroom and beds complete with nice furniture. When they came back to town I was able to be there and catch the surprise on his face and the gratitude they had for what the community and the furniture store had done for them. It was one of the best moments that I have ever been able to be apart of.  It felt so good to be able to cover that story and tell that story.  Whenever journalism gets really hard,  and I have to tell stories that don’t have that hope element I think of what I was able to cover in Victoria. It really helps me remember that there are a lot of good things that happen in the world despite the crime and the terror and the war and the things that we typically have to talk about. So that is super memorable for me.

I’ve also been able to cover a few big events like floods and hurricanes. Of course, I wasn’t here for Hurricane Harvey, but I covered Hurricane Florence along the North Carolina coast. It was one that acts that happened just a few years ago and we actually got stranded. In a part of North Carolina that was cut off from the rest of the state by the flood because it was so intense.  So that was a lot hard work to cover that.  We got cut off on the coast from the entire rest of the state. And so that was a big challenge because they literally had to have the Air Force start flying in food and supplies so that we could continue our work and other people living there could continue to eat and be fed.  That is an experience I’ll never forget. I spent some time in South Carolina covering the Mother Emmanuel church shooting and then after that the funeral service for the Reverend Clemente who was killed, and then after that the lowering of the confederate flag over the South Caroline state house, that was an event that I’ll never forget.  Since then I have covered two more mass shootings in my career. Lots of big events that felt very big at the time and that I still reflect on as time goes on to pull meaning from them because many of those things are still extremely relevant even now so I’ve had quite a few milestone stories. It is definitely not a career for the faint of heart. It’s one where first responders including journalists run towards the scene of danger to keep the public informed. 

How Did Your Career Begin? How Did You Make Your Dream A Reality?

So when I went to the University of Texas in Austin. I knew I wanted to study journalism, but I wasn’t actually accepted into the journalism school. I went in as a freshman and was defaulted into the liberal arts school, so after about a year on campus I had to apply for an internal transfer to get to the communications school. From that point I had to start taking fundamental journalism classes, it was called J101.  As I started getting a feeling for what that coursework was like, I was able to apply, maybe as a junior, for what was called my upper division track. That’s when I was able to select “Broadcast” out of a few different options like newspaper, magazine, television broadcast, and radio. That’s when I started doing foundation basic work that could help me understand and learn what the profession was about. They gave us cameras and tripods and we had to pitch stories and put on a newscast as a class, I think it was either a weekly or bi-weekly newscast that I worked on during my senior year.  Anyone interested in this career should definitely do an internship with a news station during their junior or senior year. I ended up getting one with a woman that had a private broadcasting company that she was trying to get off of the ground with a focus on politics in Austin at the time.

I never got to do an internship with ABC or CBS, but that would have been very helpful for my career, many of my friends did.  After the experience that I had with the small business owner/broadcast blog maker and in school, I graduated with what we call a “demo reel”. A  demo reel, at that time, was a dvd of our work put together. I remember making copies of that and making copies of my resume and my headshot and going to like kinkos and putting everything in mailers and sending them out to news stations and news directors all across the country that had openings. I think that the only place I got a call back from was Victoria, Texas. So I went down there, fortunately it was only a few hours south of Houston. After interviewing with the director, I was able to start my first position as a sports reporter and anchor. I worked down the crossroads for about a year and a half doing that. I also tried news, and I really enjoyed that area of television broadcasting and then really just continued in news with some sports here and there.  I was able to cover the Super Bowl with the Carolina Panthers. However, the main focus has been news reporting and anchoring since I was able to land that first job in Victoria.   

Were You Ever Afraid That You Could Not Achieve Your Dream/Career Goals?

Absolutely. Many times in this industry people tell you no. Television news is still a performance based industry. It’s about how you look on air, it’s how you deliver your stories, a lot of it is still your talent behind the scenes and your doggedness to ask questions and get answers. It’s also about how you present that information. Many times people will tell you no, but all you really need is one yes. So, I knew that I always wanted to come back, live and work in Houston. That was my big goal. That was my big dream. And I got a lot of Nos before I finally got a news director to say yes. Before they said: “ I want to give you the opportunity, Briana. I want to bring you home. I want to let you live and work and the place where you always dreamed.”  With the way the industry has changed, even since I got into it in 2010, I was concerned for sure about whether I fit the direction the industry was going, whether I’d be able to keep up and ultimately whether I would ever get the opportunity to do what I loved back in the city, as they say, the city that raised me.  So, I am very grateful that at the end of the day I achieved my goal. It was definitely a long journey for me it took 11 years on the road working on the journey to get me back home.

I thought about leaving the industry several times. Especially with broadcast news in particular, a lot of things have to line up for you to be able to work where you want.  There has to be an opening first of all, then that opening has to line up with the timing of when your contract is up. We’re contract-based workers.  So if you sign for two years then at the end of those two years, there hopefully has to be a position open in a place where you want to work and then they have to have a need for somebody like you. Someone who does what you do, somebody who looks like you do. So for all of that to line up and for me to be ready took over a decade. I wanted to give up many times, but I am so grateful that I did not.  

Your Career Is Very Public Facing. How Do You Maintain A Good Work-Life Balance And Do You Have Any Tips?

 You know, that is probably an area where I still really struggle.  I keep my cell phone on me at all times because you never know when breaking news  is going to happen, and I happen to be a breaking news lever. I dedicate a lot of my time to my career. I have worked really hard for it and sacrificed a lot for it.  This is an area where I know I can use some work and fine-tuning in. Now I want to have more of a balance so that I can spend some time with my family and spend time with friends that I’ve had since high school and still do those career aspirations that I still have. So that is definitely a delicate dance and I’m kind of learning as I go. My number one thing up until this point has been to always say yes. Saying yes has afforded me a lot of opportunities to cover some really cool, interesting stories. My news directors would always come to me because they knew that I was always going to say yes. And at the time, early in my career, it wasn’t a problem. I didn’t have a family, I didn’t really have other obligations  so it was fine for me to always say yes. It helped me to get the experience and the wraps and the chops that I needed to work in a market like Houston. But now that I’m here, I’m learning to say no sometimes. It’s still not often, but I am learning that sometimes I have to put other things first. My career comes first certainly often, but now it’s not always. I have had to learn when it’s important to say no. That’s the advice that I would give; take stock of your own life, think about what’s important to you, and think about what you want and what it will take to get what you want. After you’ve done that, figure out when it’s appropriate for you to say no sometimes.  

Who Would You Recommend Your Career To? What Kind Of Person/Kind Of Interests?

I recommend this career to anybody who is naturally curious, to anyone who believes in the American ideal of democracy, because we know that journalism is the fourth estate. None of this works without an informed electorate and an informed public. So, anyone who believes in what this country stands for and that it can still work is a good candidate. It’s also good for anyone that’s willing to work hard and sacrifice. I think the benefit truly is being able to come home on a daily basis and be assured that what you do every day and how you are contributing to society means something and that you have the potential every day to make a difference.  

What Are Some Challenges That You Have Experienced In Your Career?

I think that being a young woman, and of course being a young woman of color, there is definitely a challenge in leaving home and moving to these small American towns to work without knowing anyone or having necessarily a support system there. Truly, going out on your own to a new and foreign place and all that you have is your job. So, that definitely presents challenges that I have had to face and overcome. You have to work to find a community wherever you are if it is someplace far from home. So, I had to brush up on those friend-making skills in every new market that I worked in where I didn’t know anyone or even know necessarily if it was safe for me there at first. So that was one of the more difficult things involved in this career that I can think of off the top of my head.  

Has Anyone Ever Discouraged You From Pursuing Your Career? How Did You Find The Motivation To Continue?

I wouldn’t say discouraged, but I definitely had friends, mentors, people familiar with business and in the business who said: “Is this what you really want to do?” It’s not that they were trying to be negative, it was that they wanted to tell me the truth of what this career field requires. Allowing me to do some really deep thinking and make my own decisions. One thing that I haven’t mentioned is that this is not a career where you’re able to make a decent living at first. Things have gotten a little better but no one does this to get rich. That’s a challenge in and of itself and a lot of people once you speak with them will say: “You can do a lot of other things, you have a lot of skills, and you can do a lot of things that don’t involve working nights, weekends, and holidays for very little pay.” Most of the time when I’ve considered leaving the industry, it has been along those terms. Thinking: “What else can I do that will provide me a better life?” I like to say that journalism/broadcast news is kind of like a virus and I haven’t been able to shut it down yet. (laughs) It’s still in me. It’s like an infection, I can’t shake it! If you’re someone that wants to be on television and that’s the only reason that you get into broadcast news, you won’t last very long, you’ll find out that there are not a lot of benefits to just being on TV.  

What Advice Would You Give To Girls And Women That Want to Achieve Their Goals, But Are Afraid Of Failure?

Failure is not necessarily a bad thing! I think we have to try to eliminate the negative connotation from the word for a second to look at every mistake and every backtrack as an opportunity to learn. I don’t like being wrong; I don’t like failure, but I think that if we give ourselves a second to digest what has happened and find out how to learn from it, there is a lot of power in that. I have made some mistakes in my career, but I am one that I will not make the same mistake twice. You take that failure, you learn from it, and you don’t do it again.  

I Think We Have To Try To Eliminate The Negative Connotation From The Word [Failure] To Look At Every Mistake And Every Backtrack As An Opportunity To Learn.

Briana Conner

What Advice Would You Give To Those That Are Entering College For The First Time?

This is what my mom told me when I got ready to go to school. It served her well when she was in college, and it served me well when I was in school. It is: “work hard and play hard.” That’s the balance. I had an amazing time in Austin; I had a great time while I was in school, but I always made sure that I showed up to class the next day. I did not miss a party and I did not miss class. That advice and attitude really carried me through college and helped me to have an incredible experience and to graduate with honors. I think that if you can show up to the party on Thursday night, you can show up to your 8:00 AM class on Friday morning.  

Thank You for taking the time to read or listen to this interview. I hope that you found it as impactful as I did! Briana Conner is a woman with a mission making her goals and dreams a reality. Don’t be afraid to join her and start working towards your goals too. Like she said, it’s a journey. Hers took time and yours may too, but don’t lose hope! The future is yours. Share this interview with a friend today that might like it using the links below. Until next time, as always…

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Hello everyone, long time no see! I’m back with a new and interesting perspective to hopefully inspire you to pursue your dreams at any age. Recently, I was blessed to have the opportunity to speak with Kaylynn Martin, the 16-year-old founder of the successful Michigan-based popcorn company “Kakes The Great Popcorn Co.” She’s definitely well on her way to taking the popcorn world by storm and I can’t wait to see where she goes! I encourage to read this interview or listen to the podcast version and be inspired. Like Kaylynn says, your dreams are never truly out of reach “Do It Scared”-Kaylynn Martin.

Do It Scared

Kaylynn Martin, Kakes The Great Popcorn Co.

1. Would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Hey my name is Kaylynn Martin and I am the 16 year old owner and founder of
Kakes the Great Popcorn Company. Besides owning and running a company, I
also work for my mom at her spa. I would say I am a pretty normal teen. I like
hanging out with my twin brother and making tiktoks.

2. How did you start your business?

In 2019 I was told I needed braces. My mom began saving for them. Braces are
expensive! Especially when you have other dental work that needs to be done. I
decided I would try and help her out. I began making kettle corn and asked family
and friends if they would like to buy my treats and they loved them so much I sold
out every time. Kakes the Great Popcorn Co. became real in January 2021 when
my mom formed my company legally as a birthday present to me and my
brother.

3. Were there any challenges with starting your business as a teenage female entrepreneur? How did you overcome them?

Yes lol! My first challenge when I first started was that I didn’t actually know how
to make kettle corn. It definitely was a learning process in the beginning. My
second challenge was to prove to adults that I deserve to be here too. I’m not
going to lie, it was very hard for me to open my mouth and talk about my
business. I took a big leap and decided to do a pitch competition to get my name
out there. Learning to speak up about my business took time and lots of
coaching. I was extremely nervous but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from
pitching my dream. I was proud about my vision for my company. I competed
with all adults who had established companies. I not only won my first pitch
competition I also won crowd favorite.

4. Who inspires you and why?

My mom is my biggest inspiration. From a very young age, I’ve always known
my mom as a hard worker and dedicated to whatever she puts her mind to. My
mom always pushes everyone to never quit. She has come a long way herself
and I’ve seen how hard she works all the time. So when I started my business
I knew my mom would be my biggest supporter and would always tell me to
never quit even if it gets hard. That’s why she is my biggest inspiration and my
biggest motivation.

5. Were you ever afraid to start your business “Kakes The Great Popcorn Company”? How did you convince yourself to continue?

Yesss and its okay to be afraid. When I started Kakes the Great I was always
afraid. I felt like I wasn’t going to get the same opportunities that a boy or a man
might get. I was also afraid of making the wrong business choices, or creating
flavors no one would like. Heck, I was even afraid to tell people who I was or
what I did. I am definitely still afraid but I wouldn’t change anything for the world.
My motto is: DO IT SCARED

6. How do you balance school, business, and life responsibilities?

I have to stay organized and manage my time or I will get behind. It’s not easy. I
do (home) school in the mornings and work for my mom 3 days a week in the
afternoons. Daily I check how many orders I have to fill and weekly I restock my
mom’s spa (her clients love my kettle corn). I make everything fresh in small
batches and pack and ship within hours of filling the order. My mom does all the
admin and web stuff so I have the rest of the time to be a typical teenage girl.

7. What are the hardest parts of being a teenage entrepreneur?

Learning that losing is a part of winning. I have participated in events with great
turnouts and events that no one showed up to. It takes a lot to keep your chin up
and keep doing it when you get discouraged.

8. What are your most popular popcorn flavors and where can people order?

My number one seller is “Black Girl Magic” it has my signature kettle corn, rich
chocolate, crunchy toffee, salted pecans, and sprinkled with gold (edible of
course) Next, I would have to say is Myrtle Turtle which has candied pecans,
dried cranberries, drizzled with white and milk chocolate. You can order them
both on kakesthegreat.com where prices range from 7 to 14 dollars.

8. What’s your favorite part of the popcorn making and selling process?

My favorite part is coming up with new flavors that you wouldn’t even think of and
the smell of the kettle is so amazing!! My favorite part about selling is seeing
people faces when they taste it or even when I tell them the flavors; it is so
amazing and I love it.

9. What advice would you give to girls that want to begin working towards their goals and dreams but don’t think they have what it takes to succeed?

To definitely go for it! There will be some rocky parts and lots of ups and downs.
You might even be afraid but definitely just go for it. Bet on yourself, and like my
motto says “DO IT SCARED!

10. Have you ever experienced moments of self-doubt whilst making “Kakes The Great Popcorn Company” the success that it is? What did you do to ease/eliminate those worries?

I don’t think that I’ve ever had self-doubt. I’ve always grown up knowing even if it
gets hard you shouldn’t quit.  I love being my own boss and a female
entrepreneur.

Losing Is a Part of Winning

Kaylynn Martin, kakes The Great Popcorn Co.

11. Is there a story behind the name of your company? If so, please share!

Well, my nickname is Kakes. When we were thinking of what to name my
company, I definitely wanted to be unique but still cute so one day me and my
mom were  sitting at the computer and my mom was like “what do you think
about Kakes the Great?” I was like that is so awesome! I love that name and thus
Kakes the Great was born.

12. What advice would you give to aspiring teenage female entrepreneurs?

Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do it because you can! You can make the
impossible possible.

I hope that you really enjoyed that interview and found it as inspiring as I did. Remember that you have the power to positively impact your community and the world as well. Share this interview with others to share the motivation and inspiration! Kaylynn’s taking the popcorn world by storm and I cannot wait to see where she goes! As always…

Dream-Succeed-Achieve,

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The post Taking The Popcorn World By Storm: Meet Kaylynn Martin The Amazing 16-Year-Old Entrepreneur appeared first on Live Life The Girl Way.

Hello Everyone! I hope that you are doing well. Today I am elated to share with you this wonderfully insightful interview from Ylaska Tejeda, the Global Brigades Honduran Program Coordinator. I am so blessed to have gotten this inspiring interview from a woman so dedicated and determined to positively impact the communities in Honduras. Please Without further ado, here is the interview! 

1. Could you give us a brief introduction of yourself?

My name is Ylaska Tejeda and I recently completed my bachelor’s degree in international relations at Universidad Católica de Honduras. I began volunteer work at age fifteen where I served rural communities, then worked for a Baptist Organization handling the same duties. In May 2015 I began working for Global Brigades as a translator and coordinator, while also attending classes full time. During the pandemic, I completed an internship at the National Department of Consular and Migratory Affairs which was quite an enriching experience.

2. How do you help the communities in Honduras?

All my jobs and volunteer work have revolved around serving rural communities. My job with Global Brigades has allowed me to join volunteers from different countries with a wide variety of assistance programs such as Water, Engineering, Public Health, Legal Empowerment, Dental, and Medical. I have been able to help with translation between Spanish and English speakers, to coordinate logistics resources (such as staff, schedules, transportation), support other staff members to perform baseline data surveys, participate in Women’s Empowerment and Community Health Workers Conferences. In my personal life, I have tried my best to raise awareness regarding information on the reality of rural communities and resources to help. I am currently facilitating Medical Tele brigades where I have the opportunity to share information with volunteers about the healthcare system of Honduras. 

3. What inspired you to help Honduran communities?

I grew up in the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, where my family went through the common economic hardships as those around me. In Honduras, there is no solid concept of “middle class” so hardship is a common occurrence among typical households. The first time I was able to volunteer was through a friend who invited me to join her and the experience was eye-opening. People in the rural areas lacked a lot of resources but they were still resilient and welcoming with warmth and love. While I did not feel luckier than those around me, I did feel blessed to have the opportunity to be part of something way bigger than me. Since the moment of my first community, I knew my heart belonged to the people I was helping and I did not want to approach the volunteer work in the wrong way. I wanted to learn more about the proper ways to help and if it was possible, to even make a career of it! I decided to study international relations to learn more about international cooperation projects so I could have a professional approach in volunteer work. Since I first started, I have not stopped learning new things from people in the communities and it is my honor to say that I work for them. It has shaped my entire personality and strengthened my character.

4. What do you think are the most common obstacles for teen girls striving for education in Honduras? 

I think life for teen girls in underdeveloped countries comes with a lot of obstacles. In the context of Honduras, there are social patterns that need to stop such as the male domineering behavior known as “machismo”, which results in many negative outcomes. Teen girls are either expected to stay at home from an early age or need to find jobs and quit school to support their families. cleaning homes or babysitting for others is the most common job for these women. Lots of teens have to move to the city to seek jobs where they are not guaranteed legal protection, consistent pay, or benefits. Another problem is the high rate of teen pregnancy due to the lack of education regarding basic women’s health and birth control methods, resulting in school desertion. Honduras is hard for everyone, not just girls, to further education, having been made only worse by the pandemic. The public education system has slowed since the pandemic began in early 2020 due to most kids/teens not having easy access to internet services where they would otherwise be able to take online classes.

5. What can other countries and individuals do to help girls in Honduras succeed and overcome these obstacles? 

I think the best way is to get engaged in aid projects that focus on that specifically. Nowadays, you can find all kinds of resources on the internet. There are all types of organizations and projects but not enough people are interested. The essential thing to keep in mind is to make sure any resource we find is transparent and professional about their methods with staff that clearly outline their objectives and impact.

6. How fulfilling is community service for you as a career? 

It is very fulfilling and it is what drives my professional life. I personally would love to work for the International Committee of the Red Cross and for that, I have a long road to travel. There are a lot of misconceptions about volunteering, international aide, humanitarian relief and what it all involves. This field requires people to be academically prepared to properly manage projects and direct others regarding respect for other cultures and their beliefs. I want to be able to serve others professionally and I am grateful for the opportunities that I have had so far!

7. What is your advice for young women striving to positively impact their communities but aren’t sure how to begin? 

To continue doing as much as you can and do not stop just because you can’t see results right away. Effort and determination take people to places they never imagined. Sometimes, in order to help others, you have to focus on working as much as you can on yourself while always keeping your head in the game, knowing where you want to get will eventually pay off. Always keep a good heart! I personally believe in God, so trusting Him in every step I take has helped me to positively impact the people around me!

8. What is your advice for overcoming self-doubts in your life and journey to achieving your goals and dreams? 

This question is really deep! I have gone through a lot of difficult situations in my life and it is normal to experience fear, pain, sadness, etc. One thing I have never allowed is to let things affect my capacity to continue growing. I have strong confidence in who I am and the things I can achieve. I sometimes do not know how I will achieve them, but I know I will and I will do it along with the values I was taught by my family. There are a lot of things we can not control but we can control how much we are willing to fight for what we want. God has a purpose for everyone and I won’t let self-doubt keep me from fulfilling it. Everyone needs to find something to keep them steady and going even when things get too hard.

I hope that you really enjoyed that interview and found it as inspiring as I did. Remember that you have the power to positively impact your community and the world as well. Share this interview with others to share the motivation and inspiration! As always…

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Thank you so much for watching this amazing Girls Empowerment panel! I hope this inspired you to go after your goals and dreams and to be the best version of yourself possible. As always……

Dream-Succeed-Achieve,

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Be sure to watch this video and share it with your friends and family. If you feel inspired by this and want to support Live Life The Girl Way please be sure to subscribe to the Live Life The Girl Way YouTube channel today, and click on the link below to follow the blog today! Until next time remember to always smile at your reflection in the mirror and Dream, Succeed, and Achieve; Live Life The Girl Way!

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Interview with Entrepreneur and Influencer Hannah Ashton

As a female entrepreneur, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve made it to a point in my career where I’ve had to deal with gender stereotype barriers. I mainly work with peers and fellow young professionals so I haven’t had that “only female in the boardroom” experience… yet at least. I do know that the narrative is different for other women but I am hopeful that Gen Z, being the most diverse generation yet, changes the landscape and breaks down any minority barriers. 

Who inspired you and why?

I hope that you enjoyed this interview with entrepreneur and influencer Hannah Ashton! Please check out her social media links below and view her content. If you liked this interview let me know and share the interview with entrepreneur and influencer Hannah Ashton with your friends! See you next week. 

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Hello Everyone! Today I am bringing you an Interview with the Director of EngineerGirl, Simil Raghavan! I found this very inspirational and I know that you will too. Learn more about Director of Engineer Girl, Ms. Raghavan by clicking  HERE, It leads to a page about her! If you are interested in engineering and technology and want to have access to resources that will help you on your journey to your career, click HERE. (leads to EngineerGirl.org) Without further ado, here is the interview! Read and share it with your friends!

Interview With Director of EngineerGirl, Simil Raghavan

1. As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?

I think my biggest barrier has always been figuring out how to do something when I didn’t know anyone who had done it.  I floundered in college choosing a major that would work for me.  It took me way too long to discover engineering, mostly because I didn’t know any engineers.  I didn’t know what engineering was, and due to my preconceived notions, I didn’t take the time to find out.  When I decided on graduate school I didn’t know any biomedical engineers or what to expect.  I talked to as many people as I could, but I still felt like I was leaping into an unknown.

    2. Who inspired you and why?

I always used to despise the idea of heroes.  I thought that idolizing someone else could only set a person up for disappointment since people are human and bound to fail if you think too highly of them.  However, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been inspired by many people along the way.  I was inspired by kindness and generosity by many neighbors and friends who supported and encouraged my dreams in high school and beyond.  I was inspired to excellence by an undergraduate physics teacher who consistently took the time to walk me through work I didn’t understand, and teach me the calculus I hadn’t studied yet.  And now I am inspired every day by young girls who aim to change the world and take the steps necessary to make it happen.

3. What message would you like to share with any girl that wants to achieve her goals but is afraid of failure?

A wise person once said that failure is success in progress.  You won’t accomplish much of value without failing along the way.

4. What is some of the advice you share with young women entering a male-dominated profession?

I share lots of advice, mostly, I suppose, because I never knew how to find good advice when I was considering my own career.  For someone considering engineering my advice is to find people who have been there and surround yourself with a support network that works.  A great way to do that is through professional societies, and an organization like the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a great way to find other women who can be a support for you when needed. Other affinity societies like the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) can also expand your support network.

5. Did people tell you that your career was not meant for women, and what kept you going?

I can’t remember anyone ever telling me that, but unspoken insinuations are often more powerful than someone just telling you that you can’t do something. In my case, if someone had told me I couldn’t do something because I was a woman, it would have inspired me to prove them wrong.  However, the little comments that caused me to question my own judgment were the ones more likely to take me off-track.

6. Were you ever afraid that you wouldn’t succeed in your career, and how did you overcome that fear?

I’m still afraid that I won’t succeed in my career!  I let that fear motivate me to work hard so that it keeps me on track instead of slowing me down.  I also find that I enjoy my work more when I am concentrating on the good I can do and not on how far it will take me personally.

7. What advice would you give to aspiring young women that are struggling with self-doubt?

We all struggle with doubt.  The only thing I can say is to try to get your advice from people who want to see you succeed and make sure their ideas of success match your own.  Letting those people be a sounding board for you can help you see things from a more realistic perspective.

8. What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership?

Women are more likely to be tuned in to things that don’t work.  Sometimes they are described in higher education as the canaries in the coal mine because they don’t like ineffective teaching and will be the first ones to leave a class because of it.  In that way, and in more overt ways, ineptitude and/or corruption at the top will often keep women down.  If they leave when things are poorly run they are less likely to have the opportunity to change things from the inside. That may not stop them from storming the gates and changing things from the outside, but for certain institutions change is almost impossible to lead from the outside. So women need to set themselves up with the right credentials to make a difference, and as more women break in and take leadership roles, the way becomes easier for others.

   9. What advice would you give to young women trying to break into engineering and technology fields?

Breaking in is fairly straightforward if you can access the resources.  Just go for it.  Get the degree, and do the work.  If resources are a problem, look for organizations that want to help.  If you look in the right places, lots of people are eager to hire and train young women engineers.  That doesn’t mean you won’t face obstacles, and the best way to overcome them is by hard work and by surrounding yourself with other women who have been there who can provide advice and support and help you through it.

  10. What advice would you give to young women in countries where gender roles prevent many women from pursuing their dreams?

Women have struggled for millennia all over the world for equality and equal opportunity.  You can only judge yourself by what you do with what you have. Make the most out of every opportunity to ensure you won’t look back with regret, and do what you can to change the system in order to ensure that those who come after you will have an easier way.

I hope that all of you enjoyed this interview from the Director of Engineer Girl, Simil Raghavan. Be sure to visit engineergirl.org to use the resources there! Share this interview with the Director of Engineer Girl with your friends!

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Hi Everybody! Happy fall semester of school! I’m sorry that I haven’t posted on here in three weeks. I didn’t post because I wanted to start off my sophomore year in high school with good grades. Don’t worry! I will be posting regularly on here once every week, so make sure that you are checking your email and Live Life The Girl Way’s Twitter often. I always have the newest posts and news on there. 

Today I have an interview for all of you. I was blessed enough to receive this interview from an awesome blogger and Water Engineer called Andromeda DuMont. I encourage all of you to read this interview and to be inspired by what she has to say! If any of you are interested, here is a link to her Blog. Click HERE to be redirected to her website or simply type in: Andromedadumont.com . Without further ado, here is the interview!

Don’t want to miss a post?  Follow Live Life The Girl Way on Twitter !: @livelifethegir1  (just click on the green words!)

This School year all of you can expect one post  a week, so remember to check back regularly!! Lastly, I LOVE all of you and don’t forget to Live Life The Girl Way!

Hey Everyone, It’s Lilynator!  If you want to learn about my story and how I became a blogger then visit the “My Story” tab at the top of the homepage of this blog, or just click the green words in this sentence!! 

Post written by Lilynator (A.K.A Lily)

(picture taken from engineergirl.org)

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Interview with Tiera Fletcher (Amazing!) :

1.Why did you choose your career?

At the age of eleven, I decided to become an aerospace engineer. Aerospace engineering combines my passions of mathematics, science, technology, design, and aerospace vehicles.

2.Did people ever tell you that your career was not meant for women, and what kept you going?

I’ve had a few people tell me that my career was not necessarily meant for women, but I have always been focused on my dream to the point of dismissing the naysayers. Thankfully, I have had a fantastic support system throughout the years, and they encourage me to be better each day.

3.Were you ever afraid that you wouldn’t succeed in becoming an aerospace engineer, and how did you overcome it?

There have been many moments of doubt in my journey to becoming an aerospace engineer because I simply did not believe in myself. As a matter of fact, I still have moments of self-doubt to this day. I overcome my fears because of my faith. My faith pushes me to continue and improve each day.

4.What advice would you give to aspiring young women that are struggling with self-doubt?

For the young women who are struggling with self-doubt, I urge you to redirect that energy into speaking life and encouragement into yourself. It is easier said than done, but you cannot give up on yourself and your well-being.

5.What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership?

The most significant barrier to female leadership is lack of opportunity. There are many talented women who deserve to be in leadership, but they simply have not had the opportunity to pursue the role. Doors need to be opened to allow that possibility.

6.As a woman in science and technology what are some of the ways you feel women impact the field in positive ways?

Women impact the field of science and technology by their brilliance. It is important for everyone to understand that women bring greatness to this field and we deserve to have equal representation and opportunity.

7.What advice would you give to young women trying to break into engineering and technology fields?

For young women who are trying to break into engineering and technology, know your value and ability. Unapologetically pursue your dreams and showcase your talents.

8.What is some of the advice you share with young women entering a male-dominated profession?

One piece of advice I share with young women entering a male-dominated profession is that although you are not a part of the majority, you are in no way inferior.

9.As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?

The most significant barrier in my career as an early career professional would have to be finding my niche. Aerospace engineering is a much broader field than many people believe, and it is full of many interesting disciplines.

10.What advice would you give to young girls aspiring to be leaders in their fields?

Shoot toward your goals at full speed.

I hope that all of you enjoyed this interview with The Amazing, Inspiring, Trailblazing Tiera Fletcher! Feel free to read, re-read, and share with your friends and family. Every human ever could benefit from reading this interview! As always….

Dream-Succeed-Achieve,

Live Life The Girl Way

(Image Credit: outsideonline.com)

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