From Corporate Executive to 7-Figure Business Owner: Dr. Lakila Bowden's Journey

Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

• 💡 Dr. Lakila Bowden transitioned from a corporate career leading thousands at Fortune 500 companies to entrepreneurship, emphasizing a style of execution pivot rather than a complete identity shift.
• 🧠 She navigated this by unlearning corporate norms and practicing self-compassion during the entrepreneurial learning curve.
• 🚀 At age 37, she retired from corporate to gain greater impact and ownership, recognizing the challenges of building generational wealth in a traditional 9-to-5.

Building ISee Technologies

• 🤝 ISee Technologies was co-founded with her sister, Camille, who is blind, to create opportunities and leverage her sister's expertise in assisted technology training.
• 🎯 The company evolved into a consulting firm specializing in training, inclusion, and workforce wellness, serving major clients like Disney, Kraft Heinz, and the EPA.
• 📈 ISee Technologies achieved significant growth, with top-line growth rates of 50%, 100%, and 400% in consecutive years, now surpassing the seven-figure mark.
• 💰 The firm charges a premium for its value, a crucial strategy for Black women-owned businesses often prone to underpricing.

Navigating Market Shifts and Diversification

• ⚠️ Recognizing the potential shift and performative nature of DEI initiatives, Dr. Bowden proactively diversified service offerings and client sectors.
• ⚡ This diversification included expanding into areas like renewable energy staffing, which proved to be a game-changer.
• 🌐 Leveraging her network and relationships was key to identifying and securing opportunities in new industries.

The Power of Speaking and Personal Branding

• 🎤 Getting on stages was a significant business accelerator, establishing credibility and expertise instantly.
• 🗣️ Both Dr. Bowden and her sister are speakers, focusing on topics like managing stress, mastering the invisible load, and embracing being differently disabled.
• 🤝 Speaking engagements led directly to business opportunities, including their first government contract from a casual panel discussion.

"The Show Enough Principle" and Self-Care

• 📚 Dr. Bowden authored "The Show Enough Principle," a guide for high-achieving women on self-care, self-promotion, and self-celebration.
• ✨ The book offers seven "cheat codes" for practical application, including "brag more" to increase wins and prioritizing rest to enhance creativity and cognitive abilities.
• 🔋 The principle emphasizes that what you tell yourself about yourself becomes your reality, encouraging women to prioritize their well-being and show up as rejuvenated versions of themselves.

Entrepreneurship, Motherhood, and Financial Strategy

• 🧘‍♀️ Dr. Bowden advocates for trusting intuition and embracing iteration, viewing life and business as a process of learning and adapting.
• 💰 She created the "Guilt-Free Self-Care Welfare Club" to address the intersection of wealth and well-being, promoting a mindset of flow over grinding.
• 🏦 Building a business credit profile and becoming bankable was crucial for attracting capital and navigating financial challenges, especially for a Black woman-owned business.
• 🚀 Strategic use of debt as an investment tool for working capital, marketing, and PR is essential for business growth and securing profitable partnerships.
• 💖 Becoming a mother at 40 was the most significant personal pivot, reinforcing the importance of parenting oneself and modeling self-care and confidence for her son.
• 💪 Entrepreneurship is viewed as self-preservation, creating a space where her children can thrive without facing inferiority due to external biases.