Boss Lady Series: Success is Improving Yourself

I hope that you enjoyed Boss Lady July as much as I did! Even though July is over, I have one more Boss Lady I want to share. This week, I had the privilege to interview one of my college roommates, Kaylah Joseph.  I consider her one very successful person. She was nominated as one of 2017 Forbes 30 under 30, talk about success! With that being said, let me introduce you to Kaylah!

Kaylah! Introduce Yourself: Tell us who you are, what you do and a little about you.

Dumela! Hello, Readers! “Dumela,” pronounced doo-meh-luh,  is Setswana for “Hello.” Setswana is the language spoken in Maun, Botswana; this land is not my birthplace, but it is where I believe that I understood how to connect my passion with my purpose. My name is Kaylah, and I am Chief Executive Officer at T-Time Management, LLC. We’re a multidisciplinary company that specializes in managing an array of unique projects.

Dumela! I’m going to start to use that!  What inspired or motivated you to have your own company at such a young age?

My immediate family emigrated to the United States before I was born. I’m a first-generation American and my motivation to succeed is rooted in my desire to make my village proud. My current profession allows me to help transform lives and communities by empowering individuals through education and entrepreneurship.

That is amazing! Being a CEO, what are some of the challenges you face and how do you overcome them?

 My family has always made sure that I knew that I never needed to compete with anyone. However, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best version of myself — so sometimes I’ll go days running on 3-5 hours of sleep; I’ll sit in the same spot and forget to eat, exercise, or even shower. As a Seventh-day Adventist, I was taught to honor my body, my mind, and my spirit. Because of my upbringing, I remind myself that I must be balanced in all areas. So when life gets really hectic and I realize that I’m slipping into bad habits, I’ll set an alarm to remind me to stop what I’m doing, pray, meditate, grab a glass of water and spend some time doing whatever it takes to center myself.

Kaylah, I know how that is being so busy that you forget to take care of yourself which is so important, thanks for reminding us to stop and care for ourselves. What is one thing that you would tell someone who wants to be a successful black woman?

I would tell her to always strive to be kinder, wiser, and healthier version of herself every day. As long as you’re improving, you’re successful.

 Who do you contribute your success?

Who? Wow! I have so many people in my corner that if started to name names, we would be here until 40 years AFTER Jesus returned, sis! Anything that I am, I owe to my Heavenly Father. He has placed me in a village of people who have poured into me that my cup overflows every day.

What are three things that make’s a woman a boss lady?

A Boss Lady must be someone who stands in the doorway and holds the door for others to come behind her; someone who believes in the strengths-perspective and only offers uplifting commentary; someone who knows that her purpose isn’t fulfilled because of the absence or presence of a man in her life.

 If you could do everything all over again, would you?

My life is just getting started! I have fallen down and gotten back up. I am enjoying this journey so I’ll continue walking this path that God laid for me.

 How do you define success?

Courtney Adeleye, CEO of The Mane Choice — PLEASE google her.

 Kaylah, you have acomplished a lot. If there was one thing that you could change, what would it be?

This is almost completely unrelated, but I think I have a slight learning disability. I’ve thought about it for years but college made me more aware of it. If I could change anything, I would have gotten tested for learning disabilities at a much younger age so that my teachers knew how to speak to my learning style instead of me being miserable in the classrooms during college.

Wow, thanks for sharing that. Kaylah this feels like old times talking in the room back in college. Before you go what are some final thoughts you would like to give?

Challenge yourself to be kinder, to read more, to give more, and to love more.

Thanks, Kaylah for sharing! If you would like to connect with Kaylah and learn more about her or her business, you can contact her by sending an email to info@ttimemanagementllc.com!